BOXFORD — East Village will host the 2023 Boxford Apple Festival on Saturday, Sept. 16, transforming Main Street and nearby streets into a pedestrian mall for entertainment, vendors, live music and, of course, apple pie.

Sponsored by the Boxford Historical Society, the apple fest begins at 10 a.m. and continues to 3 p.m. The festival is the historical society’s signature event that dates back to the 1960s.

The streets will be lined with artisan vendors, working craft exhibits, as local musicians entertain and edible treats such as cider donuts, apple pie and BBQ will be served.
Festival goers also have the opportunity to tour the historic Holyoke-French house. All proceeds from the Boxford Apple Festival support the maintenance of Holyoke‑French House.

The Holyoke–French House is a historical house at Elm Street and Topsfield Road in Boxford. It’s a 2 1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, with a side-gable gambrel roof, twin interior chimneys, clapboard siding, and a stone foundation. The center entrance is flanked by pilasters and is topped by a transom window and a gabled pediment.

The first house on this site was built around 1704 as a parsonage for Boxford’s first preacher, Thomas Symmes.

The house onsite was built in 1760 for the third minister, Elizur Holyoke. This house — as the name suggests — is known for two of the families that lived there, the Holyokes and the Frenches. This house is now owned by the Boxford Historical Society, which allows tour during the Apple Festival.

APPLE FEST FUN FACTS

All of the arts and crafts sold at the Apple Festival are principally hand-crafted by the vendors.

The Historical Society has turned down many offers of corporate sponsorships in order to maintain the hometown feel.

For the past decade, apple festival posters have been designed by Masco High School graphic design students. The Boxford Historical Society donates $250 each year from Apple Fest proceeds to the Masco Art Department for the design of the poster.

Originally, Boxford and Topsfield used to alternate hosting either the Apple Festival or the Strawberry Festival.