CiderDays is a community event celebrating all things apples in Franklin County, Massachusetts. 2013 marks the 19th year of this event and there will be two days (November 2nd and 3th) of orchard tours, cidermaking and tastings, workshops and much more. This is for all who love apples, fresh or hard cider, apple cuisine, apple orchards or just being in New England in the fall. There is a charge for some of the activities but there is no admission for many of the activities at local orchards or for the workshops or Marketplace at the Shelburne Buckland Community Center in Shelburne Falls (from 10 AM - 5 PM on Saturday).

The 2013 schedule will be available in late August. Tickets for 2013 tastings, harvest supper, and special workshops go on sale September 1, 2013.

2012 Event Highlights:

• NEW! Amateur Cider Competition — an AHA/BJCP sanctioned event open to any amateur cidermaker age 21 or older. Deadline for Entries: October 19th. Find rules and registration information CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF WINNERS

• Cidermaking 101 Workshop with Bob Delisle on Saturday morning (9 - 11 am) at Pine Hill Orchards ($80.00 charge) — this is a hands-on beginner's cidermaking workshop. The fee covers instructions and materials for making your first batch of cider. Materials: plastic fermenter, 5 gallon glass carboy, bored stopper, airlock, 6' syphon hose, 30" racking tube and bottle brush, plus sweet cider. You'll leave the workshop with your first batch of hard cider well under way.

• NEW! The Bittersharps, the Heirlooms, and the Macs - Learning How to Taste the Apples in your Hard Cider with author/educator Robert J. Heiss, given twice on Saturday (once before each session of the Cider Salon) at the PVMA Teachers' Center (10 Memorial St) in Old Deerfield

• NEW! Overnight Apple Butter with Amy Traverso, Yankee Magazine senior editor and author of The Apple Lover's Cookbook, at Clarkdale Fruit Farms, Deerfield, on Sunday from 11 am - 12 pm

• Workshops, Talks and Tastings from beginner through advanced for cider makers, home orchardists and cider afficionados at orchards (Saturday and Sunday) and at the Shelburne Buckland Community Center (Saturday)

• The Marketplace at the Shelburne Buckland Community Center in Shelburne Falls, with local artisans and producers, food vendors, and, of course, apples! Expanded hours and additional vendor space!

• Apple Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, 8 - 11 am, at Second Congregational Church, Court Square, Greenfield

• The Cider Salon — the world's largest hard cider tasting with more than 50 ciders from across North America at the Deerfield Community Center in Old Deerfield. Two sessions — 3:30 to 5:00 and 5:30 to 7:00 (Saturday)

• CiderDay Locavore Harvest Supper — Chef Paul Correnty will once again mastermind a savory fall feast featuring apples, cider and other locally grown foods.

• Ice Cider Tasting and Discussion on Sunday at the Deerfield Community Center in Old Deerfield with Eleanor Leger and Ben Watson

• Heritage Apple Tasting and Discussion on Sunday

• New Salem Preserves and Orchards hosts its Cider and Apple Festival with child-friendly apple pressing, cider donuts, caramel apples, hot squash/cider soup, roasted hot dogs over a bonfire, apples, sweet cider, sun-cooked preserves, entertainment and more! (Saturday and Sunday)

• Organic Orchardist Michael Phillips wassails apple trees at New Salem Orchards and Preserves on Saturday (2 to 3pm), talks about The Organic Toolbox on Saturday at the Shelburne Buckland Community Center (10:00 - 11:00 am) and leads a talk at Bear Swamp Orchard in Ashfield (Sun, 10 to 11 am) on Practical Orchard Health.

• Identifying and Conserving Heritage Apples with John Bunker and David Buchanan on Saturday at the Deerfield Community Center (10 am - 12 pm)

•Tasting Dried Apple Varieties with Ben Watson and Mark Lattanzi on Saturday at Apex Orchards

• Home Ice Cidermaking with Claude Jolicoeur on Sunday from 10 - 11 am at Apex Orchards

and much, much more!