GRAVENSTEIN APPLE FAIR HELD AUG. 10-11, 2013

Right photo above: Dyllan enjoys a Gravenstein apple crop from Kozlowski Farms.

Hours: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday
General admission $8 -12, subject to change (less for kids)
Parking $3, 2 day pass $5
Location: Ragle Ranch Regional Park, 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol, CA
gravensteinapplefair.com

Sebastopol celebrates its remaining Gravenstein apple crops with two festivals annually, the springtime Apple Blossom Festival and the summer Gravenstein Apple Fair.

Apple lovers from far and wide gather in Sebastopol, the Gravenstein Apple Capital of the World, to celebrate the 2012 crop with Gravenstein Apple Fair (gravensteinapplefair.com) August 11-12, 2012.

Contests include apple peeling, apple juggling, candy apple eating, apple pie eating and apple pie baking contests, to name a few.

Maria Muldaur (Midnight at the Oasis) is headline performer in two days of exceptional musical talents on several stages. Wine tent, Microbrew Tent, Beer Wagon, Chef's Tent, food tents, kids entertainment, and apples galore make this one of the healthiest festivals of the year in California.

The Gravenstein, often called the apple with personality, is red and green together, crisp, juicy, with both sweetness and tart acid accents. This finicky apple ripens early, grows close to the branch with short stems that make them harder to pick, and the thin skins mean they don’t store or ship well.

The Gravenstein apple is ideal for applesauce, apple pie, salads, and plates that include cheese and wine. Drive along the Gravenstein Highway to arrive at the annual Gravenstein Apple Fair and you'll pass by dozens of farms, many with roadside stands. Only 960 acres of apples from a high of 8,000 acres and half dozen growers remain in the area.

GRAVENSTEIN APPLE FARMS

• Hale’s Apple Farm, 1526 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, CA. (707) 823-4613
• Kozlowski Farms, Organic Gravenstein apples, juice and pies, at farm stand. 5566 Gravenstein Highway N., Forestville, CA. Call: (707) 887-1587. kozlowskifarms.com
• Nana Mae's Organics, nanamae.com
• Rainbow’s End Farm, 13140 Frati Lane, Sebastopol, CA. (707) 874-2315
• Walker Apples, 10955 Upp Road, Sebastopol, CA. (707) 823-4310