Southington's 2024 Apple Festival Proved To Be Quite Profitable

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The town's beloved annual autumn celebration is not only much looked forward to on the local calendar, it is also profitable.

That was the crux of Southington Town Councilman Christopher Palmieri's recent report to colleagues about the Southington Apple Harvest Festival's financial returns from 2024.

Palmieri, who serves on the festival's organizing committee, said the 2024 edition of the event earned a $ 14,338 profit, resulting in donations to three causes in the Southington community.

The good fiscal news, Palmieri said, was from the festival spending $287,213 and taking in $301,551 in revenues.

He said the festival was self-sustaining, meaning no town revenues were needed to balance the budget last year.

In fact, Palmieri said, the festival committee was able to donate $4,000 to the United Way, $2,000 to Southington Community Services, and $2,000 for the Southington-based Bread of Life.

"We've been trying to give back to our community," Palmieri said. "We know part of the festival is we want it to be self-sustaining, which it has been, and we want to try and contribute back to our community."

Palmieri attributed the event's 2024 success to many factors, especially the weather last October.

"I also want to point out this year was actually a picture-perfect year as far as weather," he said. "I can't remember a time where we had better weather than what we had this past fall."

The festival has become so profitable, it is mulling the investment of its surplus to, possibly, grow the festival fund.

That was the suggestion of Southington Town Council Chairman Paul Chaplinsky Jr., who pointed out festival organizers haven't had to dip into the surplus much, if at all, in recent years.

He said the festival could, say, set aside $100,000 and let it grow, possibly earning 4 to 5 percent interest per year.

Chaplinsky said that would still allow the festival to have $60,000 in cash available to tap into if needed.

"It's just something to consider," Chaplinsky said to Palmieri, who said that is something the organizing committee could discuss.

The Southington Apple Harvest Festival takes place in early- and mid-October over the course of two consecutive weekends at the beloved town green area downtown.

It is one of the most anticipated festivals in New England and can draw more than 100,000 visitors each year.

The 2025 Southington Apple Harvest Festival will take place Oct. 3-5 and Oct. 10-12 this fall.

For the minutes of the Feb. 24 Southington Town Council meeting, click on this link and, for the festival budget, scroll down to Pages 27-28.

From Oct. 1, 2024: 'Southington's Apple Festival Ready For Another Enjoyable Run'