California Festivals

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Apple Butter Festival

Historic Los Rios Rancho November 29-December 1, 2024 

Riley's at Los Rios Rancho
39611 Oak Glen Rd. #13, Yucaipa, CA. 92399
Free admission, losriosrancho.com

Oak Glen (Yucaipa), CA - The smell of apple butter is in the air during this crisp, fall season out on the ranch. Rileys at Los Rios Rancho pays tribute to a delicious spread made from fresh harvest apples during California's apple season each November.

There's no better place or way to honor tradition than at this historic California rancho, with its annual Apple Butter Festival held Thanksgiving weekend. (The event will be held each year after Thanksgiving Day, unless otherwise noted).

Making apple butter has been a long tradition spanning several hundred years in America. Pioneer families made apple butter from the last of the season's crop. When canned properly, it lasts longer than applesauce and makes a fantastic gift or family treat. In colonial times apple butter was a practical way to preserve the apples throughout the year and a pleasurable way to preserve community spirit.

Families are invited to share the tradition on Thanksgiving weekend at Rileys at Los Rios Rancho. Hands-on demonstrations of apple butter making in a big copper kettle outdoors, visitors can "start the snitz" and "add the money". If you don't know what that means, you will learn on a visit to the farm. There will be pioneer crafts and games, music, carriage rides, and other fun activities rekindling memories of a simpler time.

Pioneer families made a custom of gathering together in late fall to cook up apple butter from the last apples of the season.  It was a practical way to preserve the apples throughout the year and a pleasurable way to preserve community spirit. Annual Thanksgiving weekend Apple Butter Festival celebrates this fine old tradition, and we invite families to come up and share in it. We'll have a hands-on demonstration of apple butter making the old-time (and slow!) way - outdoors in a big copper kettle. Come learn how to "start the snitz" and "add the money", plus enjoy pioneer crafts and games, music, carriage rides, and lots more.
Admission to the Festival is free; there are small fees for some activities.

The Festival admission is free (small fees for some activities). Tickets are required for the hoedown on Saturday night and include a supper of Pumpkin Bread and Harvest Soup.

Oak Glen and Los Rios Rancho include: History, early settlers and pioneer ranches. Pictures private collections, the Glen's journey from agriculture to agritourism, and from a purely farming community to Southern California destination events planning and marketing.

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.


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