With the autumnal equinox quickly approaching to start the fall season on Sept. 22, members of the Onalaska Alliance for Sustainable Community are preparing to host fall’s first festival in Lewis County — the 2025 Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival.
This year’s festival features multiple events scheduled over the first weekend in October, including the royalty coronation, a parade, apple pie contests, apple cider pressing, a farm and homestead tour and more.
Festivities start with the Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival 2024 royal court bingo tournament and bake sale on Thursday, Oct. 2, from 6 to 8 p.m., inside the Onalaska Elementary School’s gymnasium located at 489 Carlisle Ave. in Onalaska.
The rest of the weekend’s events are as follows:
Friday, Oct. 3
• The Plentiful Harvest Art quilt show, featuring hand-stitched artwork by members of Heavenly Quilts and Fabrics on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Onalaska Presbyterian Church, located at 288 Carlisle Ave. in Onalaska. Those looking to enter quilts in the show can do so between Sept. 22 and Sept. 25 during normal business hours at Heavenly Quilts and Fabrics, located at 266 Carlisle Ave. in Onalaska. For more information and the registration form, visit the Onalaska Alliance’s website at https://www.onalaskaalliance.org/quilt-show.html.
• The 2025 Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival 2025 royal court coronation, starting at 6 p.m. inside the Onalaska Elementary School’s gymnasium.
Saturday, Oct. 4
• The Apple Harvest Festival pancake breakfast, available by donation with proceeds benefiting the Onalaska Preschool, from 8 to 10 a.m. in the basement of the Onalaska Presbyterian Church.
• The Apple Fun Run 5K, with registration opening at 7:30 a.m. and the run itself to begin at 9 a.m. at the Carlisle Lake Smokestack located at the end of Alexander Road in the Carlisle Lake Park.
• Fresh apple cider pressing starts will be available from 8 a.m. to noon inside the Onalaska Community Youth Center, located at 231 Central Ave. in Onalaska.
• Bakers can begin entering their pies in this year’s apple pie contest from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the apple pie booth at the intersection of Carlisle Avenue and Fourth Street West, with a minimum requirement of two pies per entry. The people’s choice voting for best pie will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a pie auction will also be held at 12:30 p.m. For more information and the registration form, visit the Onalaska Alliance’s website at https://www.onalaskaalliance.org/pie-contests.html.
• The Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival vendor fair, featuring over 90 vendors set up on Carlisle Avenue along with a food court and busker stage from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The Plentiful Harvest Art quilt show, featuring hand-stitched artwork by members of Heavenly Quilts and Fabrics on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Onalaska Presbyterian Church.
• The Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival beer and cider garden, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. set up on Carlisle Avenue.
• The 2025 Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival parade, starting at 11:30 a.m. heading south on Carlisle Avenue before turning west on Second Street West. This year’s parade grand marshals are Pete and Cathy Murphy, longtime Onalaska residents and tree farmers who also helped found the Onalaska Alliance in 2009 along with other community members.
• Music on the main stage on Carlisle Avenue begins following the parade, with Brian Green and The Highwaymen starting at 12:30 p.m., followed by Something Different performing at 2 p.m. and The Llewellyns performing at 2:45 p.m.
• Cornhole tournament, with check-in starting at 12:30 p.m. and play beginning at 1 p.m. at the Onalaska Community Youth Center. Entry is $40 per person and the tournament will feature two-person teams facing off in a double elimination format following American Cornhole Association rules.
Sunday, Oct. 5
• The 2025 Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival farm and homestead tour, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This self-guided free tour features a total of eight stops where attendees can explore local farms and businesses at their leisure along with asking questions to the farmers. Attendees are asked to leave pets at home. Participating farms include 3 Dog Cider and Brewstillery, with its tasting room located at 2040 U.S. Highway 12 in Ethel and its apple orchard located at 1402 state Route 122 in Silver Creek; LaCamas Creek Farm, located at 122 Campbell Road in Onalaska; Cowlitz Hill Guernseys, located at 208 Fuller Road in Salkum; Rabbit Ridge Nursery, located at 249 Smokey Ridge Road in Onalaska; Regeneration Acres, located at 177 Gore Road in Onalaska; Olde Archers Farm LLC, located at 1404 U.S. Highway 12 in Ethel and the Onalaska Alliance headquarters, located at 310 Carlisle Ave. in Onalaska. For more information including a map, visit the Onalaska Alliance’s website at https://www.onalaskaalliance.org/farm-tour.html.
• The 2025 Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival farm to table dinner, from 5 to 8 p.m. at The Mason Jar event center, located at 637 Leonard Road in Onalaska. This year’s dinner features Joy Templeton, renowned chef at Once Upon A Thyme in Chehalis, cooking up apple cider glazed chicken along with stuffed portobello mushrooms for a vegetarian option served with soup, salad and dessert. Puyallup country music artist Laurie Miller will also be performing during the dinner, and a cash bar with wine and cider will be available. Tickets are $75 per person and must be purchased in advance on the Onalaska Alliance’s website at https://www.onalaskaalliance.org/store/p4/farm-to-table.html.
For more information on the 2025 Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival including the full event guide, visit the Onalaska Alliance’s website at https://tinyurl.com/yad4m5y7 or email OnalaskaAlliance09@gmail.com.
