MILTON, GA — Milton’s popular Crabapple Fest will not take place this fall, as planned, in the interest of ensuring vendors, residents and visitors’ good health and safety.
The City of Milton and Crabapple Community Association determined the annual family-friendly art and antique street festival will not occur this Oct. 3 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, and assuming progress related to curbing this novel coronavirus, organizers hope to hold Crabapple Fest in the spring. While all details haven’t been finalized, the date for the rescheduled Crabapple Fest is now April 24, 2021.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through this challenging period while also looking forward to a return to normal,” said Crabapple Community Association President Reid Casey. “Crabapple Fest is so important to our great community – which makes it especially important that this event happens safely for everyone involved.”
Tens of thousands of people from around the region flock to Milton for Crabapple Fest every year, packing much of Crabapple Road to shop for arts and crafts, eat and drink, and listen to performers. Yet, currently, an executive order from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp prohibits “gatherings” of this considerable size (where attendees cannot be spaced sufficiently apart) due to concerns they could spur the spread of COVID-19. While it is impossible to precisely predict the future, concerns remain that the situation will not improve quickly and significantly enough by early October. Moreover, the event’s organizers want to give participants sufficient advance notice as a courtesy.
Vendors who have already applied and been accepted to participate in Crabapple Fest can either transfer their registration fee to the rescheduled spring event or request a refund by contacting City of Milton Special Events Coordinator Anita Jupin at 470-415-0424 or [email protected] If you are a potential vendor and would like to withdraw your pending application, please contact Anita Jupin as well.
For those who have applied to be a vendor but have not heard back yet, Crabapple Community Association and the city plan to make decisions in the coming weeks. Potential art, antique and food merchants who have not signed-up but want to participate in April can apply online. Sponsor applications also continue to be accepted.
Crabapple Fest features antique sellers, local juried artists and merchants from all over Georgia selling everything from furniture to photographs to pottery to quilts. Musicians entertain the attendees, while special activities cater to children.
It is run as a partnership between the City of Milton and Crabapple Community Association, a chartered non-profit that supports its area’s people, causes and businesses. All vendor fees are tax-deductible, with proceeds benefiting local community programs, scholarships and charities.
This article originally appeared on the Alpharetta-Milton Patch