Maine families celebrate fall’s arrival at Shaker Hill Apple Festival
Shaker Hill Museum Hosts Apple Festival to Celebrate Fall and Fundraise
ALFRED, ME – In a crisp September Sunday, the Shaker Hill Museum opened its gates to a gathering of families and food lovers, celebrating a long‑standing tradition that dates back to the early Shakers who settled in Maine in the 1700s. The two‑day festival, which kicked off this year on a rainy morning, drew hundreds of visitors to the centuries‑old campus on the town’s hills, where nearly a hundred vendors lined the historic grounds with food, crafts, and local goods.
“In order to support the museum, and also to gather the community together, we put on this festival,” said Jeanette Montgomery, the museum’s secretary. “We carry on that tradition once a year.” The Shakers originally held seasonal fairs to market maple syrup in the spring, vegetables in the summer, and—most famously—apples at the fall equinox, a practice that the museum has revived.
Montgomery noted a steady increase in participation since the pandemic, citing a jump from 12 vendors the year she began six years ago to 92 last year. “People were craving that community connection, and that’s what’s made our festivals actually so popular again,” she told reporters.
The campus, once owned by the Shakers and sold in 1931 to the Brothers of Christian Instruction, now operates as a volunteer‑run museum. The religious teaching order, which once boasted dozens of brothers, has dwindled to just four, according to Brother Jerome Lessard, who retired three years ago after seven decades at the site. While the order no longer runs educational programs, its members continue to steward the aging buildings.
“The apple festival is a chance to raise money for campus upkeep with yard sales and raffles,” Lessard said. “It’s a practical way to keep these historic structures preserved.”
Among the highlights of the festival were the Shaker bakery’s signature apple crisp and cider, which kept lines stretching past the gates for most of the weekend. Vendors also offered a wide range of craft goods, from handmade jewelry to seasonal décor, and a silent auction inside the museum attracted visitors willing to bid on items such as a “Dumb Jokes for Kids #1” book ($10) and a brand‑new Weber grill ($350).
A petting zoo added a touch of whimsy to the day. Families, including a local family of four, stopped to stroke fluffy lop‑eared bunnies, baby goats, and ponies. “The baby goats are really cool,” Sophia Blacker, who attended the festival with her husband Patrick and their two daughters, Winona and Marlow, said. “And usually there’s really good apple crisp, too.”
In addition to the culinary and craft stalls, a face‑painting station and a small museum exhibit featuring Shaker artifacts drew curious onlookers. Attendees could learn about the Shakers’ communal lifestyle and the museum’s role in preserving their legacy.
The festival’s success reflects a broader trend of community events returning to life after COVID‑19 restrictions were lifted. Montgomery noted that the number of vendors and visitors has grown “exponentially” in recent years, a trend that has helped keep the museum afloat and the campus well maintained.
As the sun set over the hill, the last of the apple‑scented air lingered in the air, a reminder that the Shaker Hill Apple Festival is not just a fundraiser but a living tribute to a heritage of community, generosity, and the bounty of the earth.
