Building Delicious Community, One Apple at a Time
by Allyson Meyer • Photos by Dave Meyer
When life gives you lemons—or in this case large wind gusts and 4,000 pounds of apples—you make cider. On October 19, 2024, that’s what happened when Mother Nature had different plans for the Fall Festival and Cider Press.
For five years, the cider press has been an October tradition on South Whidbey. Started in the fall of 2019 to introduce the community to the newly-formed Woodhaven High School, the event has grown over the years to a collaborative festival that brings people together for music, family events, a prescription drug take-back opportunity, and the chance to interact with numerous county organizations and local nonprofits.
Each year, planning begins well in advance of the event, from organizing sponsors to harvesting local apples. Preparations began in May among the organizing entities: Woodhaven High School, South Whidbey CARES Coalition, Slow Food Whidbey Island, Readiness To Learn, and Island County Human Services and Public Health.
To learn more, visit the organizations mentioned in the article