Since inception the festival has become bigger and better!

This year's festival certainly offers a full program packed with competitions, entertainments, demonstrations, food and craft stalls.

Detailed planning of traffic management and parking provisions is important for your enjoyment on the day. Please take advantage of the free shuttle bus that will take you to the festival from the Caltex Service Station (north bound) from 8.30 am (and every half hour through the day). For a gold coin donation the Marulan RFS will park your car at Marulan Caltex. If you drive to Tallong they will park your car for the same fee in the designated area beyond the school in Bomballa Street.

Entry tickets are $5 with children under 12 free.

There will be a lucky door prize of $200 drawn at 3pm along with the Apple Day Raffle draw with prizes worth over $30,000.

First prize is a white Suzuki Baleno GL 1.4L auto and second prize a family getaway holiday with other prizes of entertainment vouchers from venues in Sydney and Canberra.

Tickets are $10 each and are available at the Midge, Goulburn Trophies, IGA Marulan, at scheduled promotional events and online at tallongappledayfestival@gmail.com

The competitions showcasing local talent will be displayed with awards (including people's choice) given on the day in the following categories; Quilting has been added to the ever popular, Fleece to Garment and Spin the Longest Thread, Sculpture, Art and Creative Writing Competitions.

Mrs T's Bake Off will be judged by a Hyatt chef and the highlight of every festival is the display of over enthusiastic Apple Pie Eating.

In recent years we have added another dimension to the festival layout with the Car and Bike show with associated competitions and the much loved local Steam engines. Get your entries in and go to the Midge or online (as above) for details.

The lineup of entertainments on the day features the Sydney Puppet Theatre Company's free performances at 11am and 1.15 pm with Giddy Bird and Salty the old sea dog.

There will also be three sessions of free puppet making workshops at 9.45am, 12noon and at 2.15pm.

The program is run with the accompaniment of our ever popular local Mountain Dew band.

There will be for the little ones Matilda's Farm Yard, face painting, a safe snake and reptile show and the marvelous Julian Bull's Magic show.

For our older and more active youth (and elders) there will be motorised jeeps to play with, wood chopping and shearing demonstrations, rock wall climbing and bungee tramps.

A new attraction is the Danelaw Medieval Fighting Society who will display and reenact battles in full medieval armor and costume.

There will be plenty of apples from the Apple Cart available and The Hyatt's chef from Canberra will demonstrate and provide for tasting some apple specialties.

If you are hungry you will be able to choose from a delicious array of food stalls: the CWA offers Apple High Teas; the Lions Club's well known barbecue available all day; Tallong RFS apple pies and pork/beef rolls; a variety of apple baking and drinks from the TCFG stall; as well as an interesting array of coffee and food stalls and of course drinks of fresh apple juice and cider available for purchase.

Overall the committee is encouraging a Go Green approach to environmental awareness. There will be garbage and toilet facilities as well as parenting facilities.

Please come and enjoy the festival with us: make it a "Bonza, she'll be apples" day.

Tallong Anzac Service will commence at 10.30am on Thursday April 25 at the War Memorial, followed by morning tea in the Hall.