GREENE – Greene’s Apple Fest has arrived and once again the Ball Flats will overflow with apple goodness. This Saturday marks the 26th year that Greene has hosted the Apple Fest, and a crowd of 10,000 is expected. It is a non-for-profit event and admission is free. Bands such as the Ben Rounds Band will be playing throughout Apple Fest, which will run as usual from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

David and Leslie Gorsline have taken the lead organizing this year’s Apple Fest after Greg Cobb stepped down as chairman last year.

“We started planning for this year’s Apple Fest right after the last one,” said David Gorsline. Even though this is the couple’s first year leading the organization of Apple Fest, they have both been involved in the event for over a decade – Leslie her entire life. They, along with most of the usual organizers from the United Methodist Church in Greene, will be returning this year.

Year after year, the pies of Apple Fest have grown in renown and they fly off of vendors’ tables. “People have to get there early if they want any because they go fast,” said Marelyn Rogers, another of the event’s coordinators. “Most years we are able to bake around 800 pies, but due to the raising costs of apples, we were only able to bake 500 this year,” she said.

On top of the apple pies that will be for sale this year, there will be hot and cold cider as well as two large crates worth of Courtland and Macintosh apples for sale.