When life gives you apples … make cider

There’s a crispness in the early autumn air, and the apples falling from trees are just as crisp.

In Lakewood, that can only mean one thing –; Cider Days are here again.

The city’s signature fall festival returns to the Lakewood Heritage Center on Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2. This year’s event is sponsored by the city’s Heritage, Culture and the Arts division, the SCFD, Foothills Credit Union, St. Anthony Hospital, Cornerstone Home Lending, Sprouts Farmers Market, Auto Aves, Muller Engineering and Tedford Commercial Real Estate.

“Everything people enjoy, from apple bake-offs, apple pie-eating contests and tractor pulls are back again,” said Justin Greenstein, community events coordinator with Lakewood’s Heritage, Culture and the Arts division. “This year we have a new beer garden, featuring beers from Lakewood’s own Caution, WestFax and Great Frontier Brewing companies.”

Cider Days was created by the Lakewood Historical Society in the 1970s to celebrate the area’s agricultural heritage and has grown to include live music and historic demonstrations, in addition to cider pressings. With the partnership of Rocky Mountain Tractor Puller’s Association, Cider Days also hosts Colorado’s largest antique and vintage tractor pull.

Hard cider, containing alcohol, has become very popular in recent years, and Cider Days is also home to the state’s largest hard cider tasting, featuring more than 50 hard ciders. This year the tastings will be offered both days.

“The tasting and popularity has just grown of the years,’ said Brad Page, manager of Colorado Cider Company, which has worked with the city for the past four years. “Cideries have a longa history that goes back to the original colonies, and that scene is being revived.”

Organizers of the event say there’s a lot to love about Cider Days, and things definitely not to miss this year.

The details of Cider Days are this: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, at the Lakewood Heritage Center, 801 S. Yarrow St.

Admission includes all entertainment and children’s activities, and is $ 7 for adults and $ 4 for children, ages 3-12.

For more information, call 303-987-7850 or visit www.Lakewood.org/CiderDays.

Justin Greenstein, community events coordinator with Lakewood’s Heritage, Culture and the Arts division is a fan of the whole experience. “The pie-eating contest is a huge favorite every year. Competitors can’t use their hands, and it’s fun to watch. There is a children’s bracket, too, so anyone can participate. It’s a great way to celebrate all things apple.”

Brad Page, manager of Colorado Cider Company, said he likes the venue. “The Heritage Center is just a great place, with a very folksy atmosphere. Cider Days and hard cider bring in a wide gamut of people, and we have experts coming in, so there will be a lot of cider opinions to discuss. It’s just a nice fall festival,” Page said.

Meghan Ruble, marketing and promotions coordinator with the city said she thinks the can’t-miss feature of this year is the expanded hard cider tasting.

“Due to popular demand, we’ve expanded it to two days, making it the largest hard cider tasting in the state. It’s the perfect way to usher in fall and get a greater understanding of how diverse and interesting hard ciders can be,” she said.

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