Medina has been declared the "Apple Capital of Texas" by the Texas Department of Agriculture because of its abundance of apple orchards, and it once hosted the International Apple Festival on the last Saturday of July each year. Even though the festival is no longer running, travelers interested in learning about the history of apple farming and agricultural traditions in Bandera County and the surrounding region can visit Texas Hill Country for a self-guided tour.
The International Apple Festival began as an orchard party in Medina and soon became an annual celebration that began the night before the day of the festival with street dances, live music and performances. The Love Creek Orchards in Medina produce most of the apples of the region and supported the annual festival by providing free samples and sharing insights about the apple business with attendees. The first festival was held in 1980; by 1990, the event attracted 20,000 visitors.
The Texas International Apple Festival not only featured dozens of varieties of apples from the Lone Star State, but also served as an invitational competition to apple farmers from other states and countries to determine who has the freshest fruit. "The Austin Chronicle" reports that Medina farmers had an advantage because they got to pick tree-ripe apples in Medina during the peak season of summer, while the other growers were still waiting for their fall harvest. Still, the competition gave apple growers and festival attendees a chance to celebrate the season and enjoy a variety of apples from around the globe.
Festival attendees enjoyed free samples of dozens of different types of apples from Texas Hill Country, the rest of Texas, other states and other countries. The event included "Best Apple," "Best Apple Pie" and "Best Apple Anything" awards, a quilt contest and a volleyball tournament. More than 100 vendors set up a booth at the event to sell arts and crafts, plants and flowers. Activities included food demonstrations, face painting, a petting zoo, seminars, performances by clowns and live music. In addition to sampling different apples, attendees could purchase food from local vendors and restaurateurs.
The International Apple Festival was held on the banks of the Medina River and received extensive media coverage every year. The river is surrounded by 500 acres of natural area and features several hiking and biking trails, campsites and picnic areas.
Even though travelers can no longer attend the International Apple Festival, they should consider camping or booking a hotel room in Texas Hill Country for the weekend and enjoying some outdoor activities, including hiking, nature walks and bicycling around the region. The Love Creek Orchards, one of the primary vendors at the apple festival, is open to the public year-round. The orchard offers 11 varieties of apples, including Jonagold, Granny Smith, Fuji, pink lady and "Lone Star Little Sugar" gala apples, as well as homemade baked goods and snacks, including apple pie, apple butters and apple bread. The orchard offers tour and lunch packages for those who want to learn more about the history of apple farming in the region.