The Apple Peach Festival celebrates Acushnet’s fall harvest, and this year marks its 45th run. The festival takes over the grounds behind the Long Plain Museum at 1203 Main Street on Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Admission is free.
A group of Acushnet residents started the festival in 1979 as a way to mark the fruit coming off local farms at the end of summer. Nearly five decades later it’s still run entirely by volunteers, and it’s still held the weekend after Labor Day.
When and where to go
The grounds are at 1203 Main Street in Acushnet, directly behind the Long Plain Museum. Gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, and the last band wraps at 6 p.m. both days.
There are no tickets and nothing to reserve. The festival is free to the public, though organizers accept donations at the grounds.
What’s on the schedule?
Music runs continuously on both days, with sets starting on the hour.
Saturday, September 12
- 10:00 a.m. Sharon’s Student Showcase
- 11:00 a.m. Jake & Sharon
- 12:00 p.m. Sharon & Kenny
- 1:00 p.m. Lindsey & Jake
- 2:00 p.m. Stumblers
- 3:00 p.m. Atticus & Co.
- 4:00 p.m. Pumpkin Head Ted
Sunday, September 13
- 10:00 a.m. Gonsalves Tae Kwon Do
- 11:00 a.m. Parade arrives
- 12:00 p.m. Gary Langevin
- 1:00 p.m. Rusty Bones
- 2:00 p.m. Touch of Grey
- 3:00 p.m. Dirty Sanchez Band
- 4:00 p.m. Matt Borrello & The Quality Dogs
The full lineup with set times is posted on the festival’s schedule page. Craft and food vendor spots for 2026 are already fully booked, so expect the usual spread of local makers and kitchens.
Sunday’s parade route
The parade steps off from Pope Park at 10 a.m. on Sunday and reaches the festival grounds around 11 a.m., traveling down Main Street.
You don’t need to register to march. Anyone who wants to join should just show up at Pope Park by 9 a.m. so organizers can line everyone up. Past parades have pulled in fire trucks, antique cars, tractors, jeep clubs, and local organizations.
Where should you park?
Park in the lots across from the fairgrounds off Main Street, or use the free shuttle. Shuttle buses run from Acushnet Elementary School on Middle Road, and the festival recommends that option over driving to the grounds.
Main Street gets busy on both days, and parking near the entrance fills early. If you’re coming with kids or anyone who’d rather not walk far, the shuttle is the easier call.
Good to know before you go
A few things worth knowing ahead of time:
- No pets. Dogs, bikes, and other pets are not allowed on the grounds.
- Accessibility. Marked handicap parking is available in the fields closest to the grounds, and there are accessible portable restrooms. The grounds themselves are grass with gravel in spots, so plan footwear accordingly.
- Restrooms. Portable restrooms are set up at the entrance.
- No picking on site. The festival doesn’t run its own apple picking, but there are working orchards within walking distance on Main Street.
What happens if it rains?
The Apple Peach Festival runs rain or shine. Vendors, entertainment, and the parade all go forward unless there’s a clear safety concern, so a gray forecast isn’t a reason to stay home. Check the festival website the morning of if the weather looks severe.
Where does the money go?
Festival proceeds go back into the following year’s event, and whatever’s left over becomes scholarships for students at each of the local high schools. The organization is volunteer-run, with no paid staff taking a cut.
That structure is part of why the festival has lasted this long. Nobody is drawing a salary from it, and the surplus goes to local students.
A weekend worth putting on the calendar
Forty-five festivals is a long run for an all-volunteer event, especially one that lost two years to pandemic cancellations and came back anyway. People still turn out for the same reasons they did in 1979: fruit, music, a parade down Main Street, and neighbors in one field.
Tetrault Insurance has served New Bedford and the surrounding towns for decades, and Acushnet is part of that neighborhood. We hope to see you there.