Along the Blue Ridge Mountain Highway, parallel to the Mayo River, sits the small town of Stuart, Virginia. Located in Patrick County, the Stuart was founded in 1792 as “Taylorsville,” before later being renamed and incorporated as a town in 1884.

Stuart is a cozy town with a passion for apple dumplings, and on October 17 it will hold its 25th annual Apple Dumpling Festival.

The festival started as way to grow community engagement and revitalize the town following the closing of the textile mills that previously drove the locality’s economy. It also celebrates the town’s agricultural history.

“Patrick County was at one time the top apple producing county in the state of Virginia.” said Kristin Hylton, the town’s Community Coordinator. Formerly, a narrow gauge railway named the Danville and Western Railroad. Stuart housed a depot on the route to Danville that carried the apple harvest throughout the Eastern United States.

“That was a long time ago,” Hylton said, “but we still have a couple cideries in the county.”

With free admission and a “rain or shine policy,” the festival will have about 100 vendors lining the streets with food, artisans, crafters, and children’s activities.

“The restaurants and retail locations in the downtown and uptown area will be open as well,” Hylton said.

The star of the event are the homemade apple dumplings and vanilla ice cream. “The apple dumplings that are served at the festival are made by a local church.… it’s been that way for 25 years.” said Hylton. The church, Stuart Church of Living Water, has from the beginning used a tractor crank to make the vanilla ice cream.

While the festival has multiple goals, one is to bring attention to what the town has to offer.

“One of the biggest benefits of having things like this is just bringing some awareness of what’s here all the time.” Hylton said. People who may not come to the town often have an opportunity to experience the area’s atmosphere and places to encourage the revisitation Staurt is hoping for.”

To experience what once was the apple picking region of the state, feel that small mountain town atmosphere, and taste some homemade apple dumplings and ice cream, stop by the Town of Stuart on Saturday for some scenic fall fun. 

For more information about the Apple Dumpling Festival, visit the Facebook Event Page or the town’s website.