A CIDER and apple festival is set for Hereford this year.

Following the success of last year’s event, Hereford City Council have announced that Hereford AppleFest will return on a bigger scale from September 30 through to October 15.

While the city will be the focal point of the festival, fringe events will be taking place throughout the county.

The event will kick off in Hereford High Town with live music from midday and feature local acts, bands, choirs and community music performances. A campaign for real ale cider marquee will be supplying local artisan ciders and apple juices.

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There will also be apple-themed children’s activities outside M and S, exhibitions by Hereford College of Arts and an after party at the Jam Factory. All of this is set to coincide with the usual Saturday market.

Other highlights of the 15-day event include a horse powered cider making display at Fair Oak cider, a harvest open day at Little Pomona and a blending workshop at the Yew Tree in Peterstow.

Various pubs and eateries from across the counties will be providing cider-centric food during the Applefest, with a special lunch menu at Newton Court Cider, a cheese and cider pairing at Gilbies, a cider dinner at the Yew Tree and a cider and food pairing at the Bookshop.

For those interested in Herefordshire’s apple and cider heritage, the museum of cider has organised a ‘walk through Hereford’s cider history’ and a ‘civil war and cider apples’ re-enactment.

The festival will close with a Hereford City Council hosted pear-themed banquet in Hereford Town Hall. Guests will be served a pear-infused menu made up of local ingredients with each of the dishes matched with ciders and perries from some of the county’s leading producers.