Bayfield’s beloved Apple Festival celebrated its 64th year with three days of family fun, delicious treats, friendly competition, and small-town charm. Visitors from across the Midwest gathered to enjoy parades, contests, live music, and plenty of apples.
From long apple peels to award-winning pies, here are some of the standout moments and winners from the 2026 Bayfield Apple Festival.
Join us next year on October 1-3, 2027!
🍎 Apple Peeling Contest Winners
This year’s Apple Peeling Contest showcased impressive skill and familiar faces, with participants given 60 minutes to remove the longest unbroken apple peel possible. No records were broken, but Patricia Hochstettler of Goshen, Indiana, defended her adult division title with the longest peel of the day. Although she didn’t surpass her record-setting 442-inch peel from 2025, she remains the festival’s record holder and the champion to beat!
Thank you to our generous sponsors Gichi Gami House and Queen's View Bed and Breakfast, and a special thanks to our dedicated volunteers who made this event possible.
Adult Division - (39 Peelers)
🥇 Patricia Hochstetler, Goshen, IN — 412 inches
Patricia traveled to Bayfield just to compete in the Apple Peeling Contest, and she continues to impress. After producing a 317-inch peel in 2024, she returned in 2025 with a record-breaking 442-inch peel, surpassing both her personal best and the festival’s long-standing record. In 2026, she defended her title with a 412-inch peel—just 30 inches, or 2½ feet, shy of her own record.
🥈Larissa Lacke, Minneapolis, MN - 150 inches
🥉 Zach Waltz, Ashland, WI - 128 inches
Youth Division - (11 Peelers)
🥇 Emy, Long Lake, MN - 117 inches
🥈 Finley, Long Lake, MN - 45 inches
🥉 Audrey Hendrick, Eau Claire, WI — 40.5 inches
Record to beat: 442 inches set in 2025 by Patricia Hochstetler.
The previous record of 387 inches was set back in 2009.
🎉 Parade Winners: Apple Festival Grand Parade
The Apple Festival Grand Parade brought color, creativity, and community spirit to downtown Bayfield. Thousands lined the streets to cheer on the floats and marching groups.
Judges’ Choice:
🏆 Bad River Royalty
Orchard Division:
🥇 Erickson’s Orchard
🥈 Hauser’s Superior View Farm
Visiting Royalty Division:
🥇 Iron River Lions Club
🥈 River Road Ambassadors
🥉Milltown
Business/Nonprofit Division:
🥇Chequamegon Humane Society
🥈 Sierra Club
🥉 Dogsenter
You can relive the Grand Parade by watching on our YouTube Page.
🥧 Apple Pie and Dessert Contest Winners
(Photo Credit: JD Bass Photography)
The aroma of freshly baked pies filled the air as 28 entries competed in this year’s Apple Pie and Dessert Contest, held Wednesday, September 23.
Thank you to our generous sponsors Broad Street Brokers and Nordic Ware, and a special thanks to our dedicated volunteers and judges who made this event possible.
Commercial Apple Pie
🥇 Casey Henrickson, Sweet Sailing
🥈Beta Bodin, Sweet Sailing
Home-Baked All-American Apple Pie
🥇 Brittany Bonney
🥈 Beth Erickson
Youth Pie and Dessert
🥇 Sophia Tochalauski
🥈 Elana Koch
Home-Baked Creative Apple Pie
🥇 Debbie Allen
🥈Carol Marsh
Commercial Apple Dessert
🥇 Sharon Johnson
🥈 Janine Johnson
Home-Baked Apple Dessert
🥇 Kathy Fischer
🥈 Debbie Allen
Photo credit: JD Bass Photography
💸 50/50 Raffle Winner
Congratulations to Dakota S. with the winning ticket (#640580), the lucky winner of this year’s 50/50 raffle, taking home $1,175! Proceeds help support three Apple Festival Music venues.
🍏 Thank You, Bayfield!
The Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau extends heartfelt thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, participants, and visitors who made the 64th Annual Bayfield Apple Festival a success. Join us next year on October 1-3, 2027!
