Apple Day

In 1990, dismayed by the loss of so many traditional orchards and amazed at the vast range of varieties of apple that have been grown here, Common Ground set out to create a new celebration of our most versatile fruit and the beautiful orchards they come from. It would simply be called ‘Apple Day’.

The first Apple Day was held on October 21 in 1990 in the old Apple Market in Covent Garden, London, bringing fruit back there for the first time in 17 years. It struck a chord. Since then, Common Ground have worked to extend, support and promote Apple Day countrywide through nurseries, fruit farms, restaurants, National Trust and RHS gardens, museum, art centres, community groups and schools who celebrate the day in their own place, in their own way.

Apple Day celebrates everything to do with orchards, from fruit variety identification to apple and cider tasting, and bring-your-own juicing services.

“Apple Day is not a marketing device, its creation has been impelled by altruism and idealism for living better with nature – the apple and the orchard are symbols of hope. They demonstrate how we can have our trees, bees, bats, butterflies, birds and badgers whilst growing good fruit to eat and drink” (Sue Clifford).