Pippinfest making a come back

(8/23) In spite of a slump in attendance over the past several years, Fairfield Borough’s Pippinfest— which takes in name from a variety of apple— appears to be rebounding in popularity, based on last year’s success.

Apple harvest-themed Pippinfest was the brainchild of David Thomas, former owner and proprietor of the Fairfield Inn, who in 1980 suggested the creation of such a community event to help bring community members together. This year marks the 32nd year the event has been held since.

This year’s Pippinfest will be held on September 29 and 30. September 29 activities include a town-wide yard sale, food, and arts and crafts.

September 30, considered the "main event," will feature food, arts and crafts, a Cruise-In Car Show & Swap Meet, tractor show, entertainment, and other activities. For a complete, up-to-date list of event and activities, as well as their times and locations, visit the event web site at pippinfest.com.

Sally Thomas, who serves as the chair of the Fairfield Borough Pippinfest Committee (which consists of some eight or more regular members), said that up until last year, the event began to experience a slump in participation and attendance.

"Last year’s turnout was much better than the year before and we hope to keep growing it bigger," Thomas stated. "There was a little bit of a downslide for awhile, but we’re hoping to get that back up. If last year was any indication, we’re hoping that’s coming back."

Some additional offerings this year include several "roving clowns," entertainment at the Fairfield Inn, gospel and bluegrass music and an apple desert contest and the Fairfield Fire & EMS fire house.

Thomas said that Pippinfest has grown into a homecoming day in addition to a community event. A lot of people who grew up in the area come back to visit.

Not everyone is in agreement on the history of the Pippin apple. Some say it was developed in England and subsequently introduced into the colonies.

Others say that the apple, also known as the Newtown Pippin, was actually developed in 1730 in the area of Newtown, New York, and that it was later imported to England.

The Pippin apple developed a popular following in very short order, its fans including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Queen Victoria.