Ciderfest, on Vashon, is back to celebrate the fall season
Published 1:30 pm Tuesday, October 4, 2022
After a two-year hiatus, Vashon Chamber’s Ciderfest will return in full force, rain or shine, from 12 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 8, at Vashon Village, just across the street from Ober Park and the Vashon Library.
This year, Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) will also be on hand at the event, with vendors offering a bounty of autumnal products from local farms.
Other family-friendly fun at Ciderfest will include apple pressing stations, and an apple identification table staffed by experts from the Vashon Island Fruit Club.
Live music will also be on tap — the soulful sounds of local JD Hobson, who will play his authentic stylings of music in the Virginia Appalachian folk and blues traditions.
But cider, of course, is the main event at Ciderfest, and this year’s event will showcase an array of tastings from some of the best cider makers in Washington and beyond — a group that Cheryl Lubbert, of Vashon’s Nashi Orchards, is excited to join.
“[They are] all Heritage cider makers, focused on great fruit and beautiful characteristics that cultivated fruit can bring to the taste of the cider,” she said.
From Vashon, Dragon Head Cider and Nashi will offer their nationally-acclaimed ciders, along with another new cidery on Vashon — Shawnee Hills, owned by Stephen Buffington, a long-time island resident.
Dave White, of Whitewood Cider Co. of Olympia, will also be part of the lineup. White was among the first on the Cider scene and spearheaded the Northwest Cider Association.
From the east side of the state, Liberty, of Spokane, will be represented, offering tastings from its family-run orchard that uses many of the same techniques used by vintners to grow wine grapes — giving Liberty ciders rich and expressive flavors.
Alpenfire — from Port Townsend, and among the first organic orchards and cideries — will also offer tastings. Coming from Puyallup will be the award-winning makers of hand-crafted Cockrell Hard Cider.
Attendees to Ciderfest on Vashon can experience these flavorful ciders for $25 for five 2 oz. taste tickets.
