Fall festival returns to Del. for 25th year

Roughly 30,000 people are expected to flood Bridgeville for the the 25th annual Apple Scrapple festival.

Friday was the festival’s opening day, with executive chairman Karen Johnson calling the set-up process an “organized chaos”.

“We work with our ROTC cadets to help get the stage area all set up,” says Johnson. “The food vendors are all coming in. We’re directing traffic. It’s a little bit chaotic, but we work together as a team.”

Johnson says there are hundreds of vendors and crafters lining up the streets, with about 40 vendors for food alone.

“We are now an eastern shore tradition,” she says. “I have to say, I think it is our atmosphere. It’s a family friendly atmosphere. You can come, enjoy the free entertainment stage. There is no charge to come in.”

The family friendly atmosphere is new to Milton resident James Bell. The Milton, Delaware resident is a first-time festival goer who says he’s excited for what Apple Scrapple has to offer.

“Food, drinks, rides with me and daughter and people…meeting different people,” Bell says.

As for veteran goers like Winford Gregory, the Seaford resident says there’s one thing everyone needs to get their hands before the end of the weekend.

“They have to try a scrapple sandwich. Maybe people up and down the east coast haven’t had scrapple before because it is a scrapple industry here in Bridgeville you have to try the scrapple because if you haven’t had scrapple, you have no idea what it’s like,” explains Gregory.

Event officials are urging motorists to be patient on the roads with the thousands of people expected to attend.

DelDot and Fire Police are expected to help navigate traffic with free shuttles also available Saturday.

For more information on Apple Scrapple, click here.