Thirty-two years ago several of Bridgeville's finest began discussing ways of promoting the town and the agriculture industry that is so prevalent in western Sussex County. After tossing ideas around, this clever group of people came up with …. a festival!! The Festival is still run by volunteers organizing the entertainment, food court and vendors that flood into town on that weekend each year. These volunteers hold regular jobs and work to promote the festival in their spare time.

It would be held in the small town of Bridgeville on the second full weekend in October, that includes a Friday. Now, what theme would best represent Sussex County and in particular, Bridgeville? Apples and scrapple!! We are celebrating our 32nd annual Apple Scrapple Festival in 2024. Keep in mind that the 2020 festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the best apples around were grown nearby on the T.S. Smith and Sons Farm, a Delaware Century Farm, and since agriculture is a leading industry in the area it seemed like a good idea to showcase them. Stop by the T.S. Smith Orchard Point Market during the festival and throughout the year for delicious apple treats made in their OPM Cafe and Grill, and a selection of local agri-business products. Drive through Bridgeville and you will see the RAPA Scrapple plant and their famous RAPA sign board. Ralph and Paul Adams began in 1926 and has been producing those tasty blocks of scrapple ever since. They are the largest producer of scrapple in the world! So… the Apple Scrapple Festival was born.

“Apple Scrapple” has grown from 2500 visitors in 1992 to over 20,000 now and was incorporated in 2002. It has become a major fundraiser for local community organizations and helps elevate awareness of the agricultural profession in lower Delaware.

Festivities begin at 4:00 pm on Friday evening with the opening ceremony, Little Miss Pageant, Kids Apple Toss, carnival, food court, sponsorship row, and street dance (there are no craft or business vendors in the side streets). Things start up again on Saturday morning at 9am with carnival rides, live entertainment, car show, trade show, two craft shows, ladies skillet toss, invitational scrapple sling, and deliciuos food vendors, including apple dumplings, scrapple sandwiches, cheeseburgers, hotdogs, barbecue beef and pork sandwiches, ice cream and much more.

There is something for all ages and all appetites at this exciting event, which begins at 4:00 pm on Friday afternoon and runs until the entertainment is over on Saturday evening.

Be a part of all the excitement that IS the Apple Scrapple Festival!