Third annual Issaquah Goes Apples

The community is welcomed to participate in a fun-filled day, centered around apples.

The Downtown Issaquah Association is hosting its third annual Issaquah Goes Apples. The event will take place at the historic Shell gas station from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20.

Historic Downtown Issaquah will have a variety of activities for everyone throughout the day. The community can enjoy family-friendly activities like a farm-fresh produce pop-up market, walking tours, art, seasonal photo opportunities at downtown locations, cider making on an old-fashioned apple press, live music, turkey carving demonstrations, glass pumpkin creations, and vendors at the market. A few local restaurants also will be there with apple-inspired food.

The event also will host two competitions.

The first competition, an art contest, is underway and runs until Oct. 12. Participants can submit a photo of their apple themed art in 2-D format, and no larger than 10 inches by 12 inches. The deadline is Friday, Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. Submit the art to education@arteast.org, and include a full name, age, phone number, email address, and a description of the art. Winners will be announced by age category.

The second competition is a scarecrow contest. The contest will be held on Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Grange in Issaquah, from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Materials including straw, clothing, and props will be available in the community room at the Grange. Participants can build their own scarecrow with friends, family or a business in the Grange, or they can pick up the materials and build scarecrows at home. Once the scarecrows are complete, they will be displayed throughout downtown Issaquah from Oct. 20 to Nov. 10. Winners will be determined by the people’s choice on Oct. 20.

Gaila Gutierrez of the Downtown Issaquah Association said the event resulted from the Issaquah farmers market.

“People aren’t ready for the farmers market to end, so what we’ve done is extend the season,” Gutierrez said. “This is a real great opportunity for whoever wants to come. We’re in the Historic Downtown area and that is such a treasure for Issaquah. Not everyone has a historic downtown, and we’re real fortunate to have that. It’s everyone’s downtown and we want people to be part of that and be with us.”

For more information on Issaquah Goes Apples visit, www.downtownissaquah.com, or call Gutierrez at 425-391-1112.