Bridgeville's Apple Scrapple Festival is a Fun-filled Family Event

Many people have never heard of Bridgeville, Delaware; even those who live within one hundred miles of it. And to many travelers from Washington D.C., Baltimore, or other surrounding areas Bridgeville is just some tiny town they pass through on the way to the beach. Although in November of 2007 Bridgeville did have it's chance to make it's mark on the world when it was the location for the famous Pumkin Chunkin event. Being the location for Pumkin Chunkin isn't what makes Bridgeville notable, however. The town's biggest and most looked forward to festival is Apple Scrapple. The festival is held annually during the second weekend of October. Beginning Friday, October 10, 2008 through Saturday, October 11, 2008 the 17th annual Apple Scrapple festival will be held. Festivities begin on Friday afternoon at 4pm with the opening of the carnival and food court plus entertainment. All other events take place on Saturday beginning at 9am.

Apple Scrapple is a town wide event that keeps the festival organizers busy year round planning for the grand festivities. Numerous streets throughout town are closed off to traffic so that vendors can set up shop. The vast array of vendors is tremendous. There is, of course, countless food vendors; something for everyone, but the most important of the food stands are those that are selling scrapple sandwiches and apple dumplings. On a personal note, I'll leave the first, but definitely take the latter. Traveling away from the Delmarva Peninsula I have found that outside of our area scrapple isn't a well known food. If you don't know, scrapple consists mainly of pork scraps. In preparation for eating it is pan fried. If scrapple doesn't appeal to you there are many other food choices to be found at Apple Scrapple; hamburgers, hotdogs, barbequed pork, barbequed chicken, French fries, and many other things including various deep fried items and don't forget the ice cream. Along with the food court, according to the official Apple Scrapple webpage, the Union United Methodist Men sponsor an "All You Can Eat" breakfast on Saturday in the Fellowship Hall of the Methodist Church. Other vendors to be found during the festival outside of the food court are businesses promoting their products or services, booths selling crafts, jewelry, t-shirts, homemade baked goods, and so much more.

On the west side of town there is a carnival set up with different rides and games for children and adults including a Ferris wheel. Other events that take place during the festival are an outdoor craft show, a car show, Scrapple Chunkin' contest, St. Mary's Episcopal Church craft show, Trinity craft show held inside the high school, and a car show. The most notable event, I would have to say, is the Mayor's Scrapple Sling. This event is open to all mayors and presidents in the county (Sussex County) and the county's Councilmen. Those who enter compete to see which can sling a package of scrapple the furthest. I have never witnessed this event myself, but I would imagine that it is pretty interesting.

No festival in complete without live entertainment which there is plenty of starting Friday evening through Saturday evening. A stage is setup behind the fire hall where live entertainment takes place. The Apple Scrapple webpage doesn't list 2008 entertainment yet.

A little history on Apple Scrapple. The first festival held in 1992 attracted 2,500 visitors and now that number has increased to over 25,000. That is close to fifteen times Bridgeville's resident population. The resident's of Bridgeville are kind and loving souls who welcome these floods of visitors into their town each October. In 2002 the festival was incorporated. Apple Scrapple came about when people in Bridgeville were looking for a way to promote their town and agricultural industry thus a festival was born. Apples and scrapple became the center of the festival due to the apple orchards near by and the Rapa Scrapple company located right in Bridgeville.

Apple Scrapple is a fun and exciting festival for the entire family. If you haven't had a chance to attend Apple Scrapple you definitely should fit it into your schedule this October. You surely will have a great time and fill up on lots of great food. As you walk through the streets of Bridgeville make sure to take in the beauty of the town and the friendly faces of the residents. For more information about Apple Scrapple visit their webpage at http://www.applescrapple.com/default.htm.