184 Years of Living History at the Old Apple Tree Festival

By Jessica Antoine

The oldest living apple tree in the Pacific Northwest is 184 years young and ready to celebrate another year.

Live music, food, fun for children, cuttings from the Old Apple Tree, and more await the community at the free annual Old Apple Tree Festival. The event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 2, at the Old Apple Tree Park, 112 Columbia Way. The park is directly east of the Interstate 5 Bridge within the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

Grown from modest beginnings, the noble Old Apple Tree was planted at Fort Vancouver in 1826 and is considered the matriarch of Washington State’s apple industry. It has stoically withstood flood, wind, ice, snow, steady human encroachment, and breakage of a major limb in 2009. Despite all these challenges, the tree survives.

The Old Apple Tree is a tangible reminder of the power of trees to bridge generations and provide continuity between the past and the future. By planting trees today, we leave a legacy for future generations to enjoy.

The family-friendly festival will also feature live music by the Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association, Irish Fiddlers, and Another Shade of Bluegrass; dancing by the Scottish Country Dancers; fruit tree pruning demonstrations; arts and crafts for kids; ask-the-arborist answer sessions; tours of Fort Vancouver; and on-site food vendors.

The Old Apple Tree Festival is presented by the Urban Forestry Commission in partnership with the City of Vancouver’s Urban Forestry program, a division of the Department of Public Works. Other partners include Clark Public Utilities, Collier Arbor Care, and the National Park Service.

Jessica Antoine is Urban Forestry Outreach Coordinator for the City of Vancouver and can be reached at [email protected].