The smell of apple fritters hits you before you even pass through the gate at Ragle Ranch Regional Park. It’s the first sign you’ve made it to the Gravenstein Apple Fair, the West County tradition that turns 52 this year — and still calls itself “Sonoma County’s Best Festival” with a wink and a smile.
Organizers promise “good food, good music, and good vibes,” and the weekend delivers on all three. For two August days, the park fills with the sound of fiddles, the clink of cider glasses, and the chatter of neighbors catching up in the shade. All of it circles back to the fair’s namesake — the tart, crisp Gravenstein apple — celebrated in pies, fritters, sauces, cider, and even fresh-picked from local orchards.
“This fair is about celebrating all things apple,” says Carmen Snyder, executive director of Sonoma County Farm Trails, the nonprofit behind the event. “Our ‘Apple Alley’ runs from the entrance all the way down to the music stage. We have 14 dedicated apple vendors serving and selling everything apple — even apple trees. Our popular Craft Cider Tent will feature 19 local ciders.”…