APPLE AND PORK FESTIVAL INFORMATION

Courtesy of the C-H Moore Homestead Facebook page

The 57th Annual Apple ‘n Pork Festival will take place September 27th & 28th, 2025.

The Apple ‘n Pork Festival was established by the DeWitt County Museum Association to provide the funds necessary to restore and furnish the palatial home of one of DeWitt County’s most prominent citizens, Clifton H. Moore.  One of Clinton’s earliest residents, Moore was a law partner and personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, a land speculation partner of David Davis, and one of Clinton’s leading benefactors.  Once one of the finest residences in the city, the Moore house had fallen to disrepair by the 1960’s. 

In 1967, as the once grand structure on the north edge of town approached a century of existence, it was slated for demolition.  One of Moore’s heirs offered use of the property to the then newly-formed DeWitt County Museum Association on the condition that the association refurbish and maintain the historic Victorian mansion and open the doors to the public. 

Now fully restored and operating as a museum, events venue, and historic landmark, Moore’s former residence and accompanying acreage and outbuildings are visited by thousands each year.

The museum is open for tours six days a week, nine months of the year.  During the Apple ‘n Pork Festival approximately 1,000 tour the landmark mansion, and an average of 80,000 attend the festival which is still held on the C.H. Moore Homestead & DeWitt County Museum grounds.     

WHAT YOU'LL SEE...AND EAT!!!

Artisans demonstrating old-fashioned crafts, an antique tractor show, free farm museum tours, blacksmithing and meal grinding demonstrations, kids' activities,  artists displaying their work, free musical entertainment, a huge flea market, tours of the Moore house, and over 25 food booths featuring a wide variety of delicious, old-fashioned, apple and pork foods can all be enjoyed on the museum grounds. 

Across the museum’s little red covered bridge, more than 300 flea market booths offering antiques, crafts, and a variety of other unique items and merchandise can be found.  
     

Today, the objective of the Apple ‘n Pork Festival remains the same – event proceeds help fund routine museum maintenance & operation, educational programs, activities, and special events.  Many other local non-profit organizations also benefit greatly from food booth sales made on the museum grounds.

AND DON'T FORGET....

Free admission to the farm equipment and railroad exhibit buildings.

Free live musical entertainment!

Tram and bus transportation to and from the museum grounds is readily available for a small fee.

ATM available in the carriage barn!

>> Apple n' Pork Festival: A Step Back in Time
Each year, the Apple N' Pork Festival draws tens of thousands of people to Clinton, all in search of good wholesome family fun, as well as good food. 

Joey Long, Director of the CH Moore Homestead and DeWitt County Museum, points out that as you approach the Homestead grounds, you will smell the classic scents of the Apple N' Pork Festival. 

A favorite of the Festival, Abraham Lincoln, is back this year to give three presentations a day about the 16th President's life and how he was connected to Clinton and CH Moore. Long commends him for being humorous while maintaining historical accuracy. 

Long credits the well-oiled machine that is the annual Festival to all of the volunteers who set everything up and take it down. It is, and has always been, volunteers in Clinton that make the Festival an annual success. 

While Festival hours are 9 AM to 5 PM on both days, Long notes breakfast will be available starting at 7 AM at a few tents on the Homestead grounds. 

Find festival updates, entertainment schedules, and lost and found information by finding the Apple N' Pork Festival on Facebook. 

Keep it to Regional Radio in the days ahead for more comprehensive coverage of the Apple N' Pork Festival in Clinton. 

>> Apple N' Pork Festival Brings Together County and City Law Enforcement

Making sure roughly 80,000 people stay safe at the Apple N' Pork Festival is no small task. 

DeWitt County Sheriff Mike Walker explains that part of where the Festival takes place is actually outside of the Clinton City limits, meaning the Sheriff's Office has to work with City law enforcement to make sure everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend. 

While the Apple N' Pork Festival brings tens of thousands of visitors to the area, Sheriff Walker says issues are typically few and far between. He attributes the well-behaved nature of the event to its focus on being family-friendly. 

The Sheriff recommends using the shuttle to get back and forth from the homestead grounds to prevent traffic with the high volume of pedestrians. He appreciates drivers who go slowly and practice caution this weekend. 

The Apple N' Pork Festival is this Saturday and Sunday, September 27th and 28th, and you can learn more by finding the Apple N' Pork Festival on Facebook. 

Keep it to Regional Radio all week long for more comprehensive coverage of Clinton's biggest event of the year. 

>>Warner Hospital At the Ready for This Weekend's Apple n' Pork Festival

While local authorities say bringing 80,000 or more to Clinton for the Apple n' Pork Festival doesn't create too many issues, Warner Hospital is beefing up its readiness for the weekend.

On the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday, Warner Hospital CEO Paul Skowron told Regional Radio he and his staff are ready for the annual crowds that come to Clinton. Unless there is a big heat wave, Skowron notes they tend not to be very busy.

Skowron reminds of the hospital's 'Swifty Swine 5K' on Saturday morning. You can register all the way up to the morning of the run at Weldon Springs State Park.

The Apple n' Pork Festival is this weekend in Clinton. Learn more about the Swifty Swine 5K by finding the Warner Hospital on Facebook. 

>>Local Authorities Offer Annual Reminders About Apple n' Pork Festival

Roughly 80,000 plus people will populate Clinton this weekend for the annual Apple n' Pork festival. 

It's a massive population boom, and local authorities are reminding people of best practices for all those coming to Clinton. Chief Ben Lowers says while you might think it creates a lot of problems, after 57 years, it is a well-oiled machine.

Because of all the people coming to Clinton, Chief Lowers indicates many visitors do not realize all the parking that is available near the Homestead grounds, and you'll see people parked out along the highway. 

Chief Lowers reminds, Center Street from the former Save A Lot location to the Homestead grounds will be closed off as a significant amount of foot traffic occupies that portion of Clinton leading to the Homestead.

The Apple n' Pork Festival is this weekend in Clinton, Saturday Sept. 27, and Sunday, Sept. 28. Find the Apple n' Pork Festival Facebook page for more information, and keep it to Regional Radio for continued comprehensive coverage of this year's Festival. 

>> 57th Annual Apple n' Pork Festival This Weekend

The 57th annual Apple n' Pork Festival will take place this weekend in Clinton. 

Joey Long, Executive Director of the CH Moore Homestead and DeWitt County Museum, explains the Apple N' Pork Festival was originally established to raise funds to restore the CH Moore Mansion, and that goal is still true today. 

Long indicates that, as the Mansion was almost ready to be torn down, John Warner III reached out to the historical society and invited them to relocate to the Mansion. The Apple N' Pork Festival was created to restore it and eventually turn it into the museum it is today. 

The growth of the Apple N' Pork Festival did not come overnight; rather, Long points out that it has been decades of hard work and community support that have made the event what it is now. 

The Apple n' Pork Festival is this Saturday, September 27th, and Sunday, September 28th, on Clinton's north side. Learn more about all there is to see at the Apple N' Pork Festival by finding them on Facebook. 

Be sure to find comprehensive coverage of this year's Apple n' Pork Festival at dewittdailynews.com and on Regional Radio. 

>>Apple n' Pork Weather Forecast Shaping Up Nicely

It'll be a little soggy in the days leading up to this weekend's Apple n' Pork Festival in Clinton, but the weekend itself looks stellar.

That's according to Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln, who on the WHOW Morning Show Monday, told Regional Radio the rain of the last few days is going to last a little longer, with the most rain coming Tuesday night into Wednesday.

Temperatures will start around 80 degrees on Monday and Tuesday, but gradually tail off as the week moves along. Shimon notes that Thursday and Friday are going to be the highlights of the week.

According to Shimon, the weather for the Apple n' Pork Festival on Saturday and Sunday is going to be ideal. Temperatures around 80 degrees, low humidity, and plenty of sunshine.

Getting into October, the outlooks show a warm month ahead and possibly dry.

>> Clinton Mayor Promoting Volunteerism at Next Week's Apple n' Pork Festival

Clinton Mayor Helen Michelassi is calling on the community to get involved in next week's Apple n' Pork Festival in Clinton. 

Mayor Michelassi is excited to experience the Apple N' Pork Festival for the first time as the City's leader and notes that this year, she and her husband have volunteered to be docents at the CH Moore Mansion. She is encouraging the community to get out and volunteer at the festival. 

The Apple N' Pork Festival takes place on September 27th and 28th. Learn more by finding the Apple N' Pork Festival on Facebook. Follow along with comprehensive coverage of this year's Festival at dewittdailynews.com and on Regional Radio. 

>>Local Groups, Businesses Working Together to Prepare for Apple n' Pork Festival

Oftentimes, the development of the DeWitt County Museum grounds is the barometer for how close we are to the Apple n' Pork Festival, but local business leaders and non-profits, that is how much of their inventory is ready going into the Monday before the festival.

Dave Jackson owns the Clinton Save A Lot and has been working with groups for several weeks now, helping them get ready for the biggest weekend of the year in Clinton.

Rennie Cluver is the Executive Director of the Clinton YMCA and indicates the more he takes care of the Apple n' Pork Festival from a YMCA perspective, the more it just takes care of itself.

The Apple n' Pork Festival is Sept. 27-28 this year in Clinton. Keep it to Regional Radio in the days ahead for the most comprehensive coverage of Clinton's biggest event of the year. 

>> Warner Library Looks Ahead to Apple N' Pork Festival

The Warner Library hosts vendors on its property at the annual Apple N' Pork Festival. 

Bobbi Perryman, Executive Director of the Library, explains that the Friends of the Warner Library have taken over the responsibilities of renting out spots in the green space for the big weekend. She says they are looking for people who sell crafts and other homemade items.

As always, the Library will be giving away free books over the Apple N' Pork weekend. Perryman says they do this to educate people on what their library can do for them, because many attendees come from out of town. 

Ron Sprauge with the Friend of the Library is looking forward to seeing the smiling faces and hopefully good weather at this year's Apple N' Pork. He notes that many of the vendors they are using to fill spots come back every year, which makes his job a little easier. 

Perryman indicates that all the funds raised by the Friends of the Library go back into improving the Warner Library for the community. 

The Apple N' Pork Festival takes place on September 27th and 28th, and is spread out from the Square in Downtown Clinton to the DeWitt County Fairgrounds. 

Learn more about the Warner Library by going to vwarner.org. Keep up with all the latest from the Friends of the Warner Library by finding them on Facebook.