National Apple Day 2027 To 2035: Date and History

When is National Apple Day Dates 2027–2035

Quick Facts:

• • Event: National Apple Day
  • Date: October 21, 2026

National Apple Day 2026: Date, History and How to Celebrate

National Apple Day is October 21 every year: Wednesday, October 21 in 2026 and Thursday, October 21 in 2027. It celebrates apples and orchards, and it is not an official public holiday.

When Is National Apple Day in 2026 and 2027?

National Apple Day 2026 is on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. National Apple Day 2027 is on Thursday, October 21, 2027. The date never moves, so only the weekday changes from one year to the next. The same dates answer related searches such as when is Apple Day 2026, Apple Day date, or apple days 2027.

Apple Day Dates in Past Years (2022–2025)

Looking for an earlier year? This table lists the most recent past dates, from National Apple Day 2022 to National Apple Day 2025. The weekday changes every year, but the date stays October 21.

Year	Date	Day of the week
2022	October 21, 2022	Friday
2023	October 21, 2023	Saturday
2024	October 21, 2024	Monday
2025	October 21, 2025	Tuesday

Apple Day Quick Facts at a Glance

• • • Event: National Apple Day
    • Date: October 21 every year (Wednesday, October 21 in 2026)
    • Status: unofficial awareness day, not a federal holiday
    • Frequency: annually
    • Hashtag: #NationalAppleDay
    • Category: Food & Drink / Agriculture
    • Origin: created in 1990 by Sue Clifford and Angela King of the UK charity Common Ground
    • Purpose: to celebrate apple culture, promote local and sustainable fruit production, and raise awareness about traditional orchards and apple variety diversity
    • Global diversity: more than 7,000 recognized apple varieties worldwide
    • Popular varieties: Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn and Pink Lady
    • Common activities: apple tastings, orchard tours, cider pressing, craft workshops and local produce markets

What Is Apple Day? Meaning and Origins

Apple Day is an annual celebration of apples, orchards and the local food traditions that surround them. It takes place on October 21, in the middle of the autumn harvest, when many varieties are ripe and ready to taste. The idea is simple: eat, bake, press and share apples, and learn which varieties grow near you. In the United States the observance is known as National Apple Day.

How Apple Day Started at Covent Garden in 1990

Apple Day was launched on October 21, 1990, in the Piazza of Covent Garden, London, by Common Ground, a British arts and environment charity. The first edition had forty stalls and a display of more than 100 apple varieties, shown next to photographs of West Country orchards. The charity wanted to create a new calendar custom, an autumn holiday that would celebrate the variety we risk losing, in apples and in the wider landscape and local culture.

Common Ground did not plan to repeat one big London event every year. It encouraged villages, towns, allotments and gardens to hold their own celebrations, and in 1991 it urged people across Britain to organize local events around October 21. By 2010 the charity judged that the custom was strong enough to continue without its support.

How Apple Day Reached the United States

In the United States, National Apple Day is an unofficial food and agriculture observance. National day calendars list it on October 21, the same date as the British custom. No federal law sets the date, so orchards, farm markets, schools and families mark it in their own way. The focus is on tasting, baking and supporting local growers during peak harvest season.

Why Apple Day Still Matters Today

Orchards matter beyond the fruit. A traditional orchard shelters birds, insects and wild plants, and it keeps alive apple varieties that stores rarely sell. Each variety has its own flavor, harvest time and local history, and many disappear when an orchard is cleared. That loss of variety is exactly what Apple Day was created to highlight. In the United States, Washington State is the largest apple producer, with New York and Michigan also major growers, so the day is relevant to farming communities in many regions.

Is National Apple Day a Public Holiday?

No. National Apple Day is not a federal holiday in the United States, and it is not a state holiday either. Schools, banks, post offices and most offices keep their normal schedule on October 21. Federal law sets 11 holidays in 2026, and the nearest ones to this date are Columbus Day on October 12 and Veterans Day on November 11. Apple Day is a fun observance you can add to an ordinary day, not a day off work.

Apple Day, International Apple Day and National Apple Month

You will see the same date under several names. Apple Day is the original British name. International Apple Day appears on some listings because the custom spread beyond Britain. National Apple Day is the label used on US calendars. October is also widely promoted as National Apple Month in the United States, which is a month-long theme rather than a single date. A search for when National Apple Month happens therefore points to October as a whole, while Apple Day itself stays fixed on October 21.

Apple Varieties to Taste on Apple Day

More than 7,000 apple varieties exist worldwide, yet most supermarkets stock only a small selection. Apples belong to the rose family, alongside pears, cherries and plums. For National Apple Day, compare a sweet apple with a tart one. This table matches seven popular varieties with their flavor and best use.

Variety	Flavor	Best use
Honeycrisp	Sweet-tart, very crisp	Fresh eating, salads
Granny Smith	Tart, firm	Baking, pies
Gala	Mild, sweet	Snacking, applesauce
Fuji	Very sweet, juicy	Snacking, slaws
Braeburn	Sweet and spicy, firm	Baking, roasting
Pink Lady	Tangy-sweet, crisp	Fresh eating, cheese boards
Red Delicious	Mild, gently sweet	Fresh eating

Farm stands and orchards often sell lesser-known local varieties in October. Ask for a mixed bag, taste each apple raw, and note which ones you would bake or press next time.

How to Celebrate National Apple Day

You do not need a special event to mark National Apple Day. These eight ideas work at home, at school or at the office, and most take less than an hour.

• • 1. Visit an orchard. Many US orchards open for u-pick in October. Pick a few varieties and ask the grower how each one tastes and bakes.
    2. Host a blind tasting. Slice four to six varieties, hide the labels, and rank them by sweetness, tartness and crunch with friends, family or classmates.
    3. Bake something simple. Apple crisp, muffins, pie or baked apples all work. Choose a firm, tart variety such as Granny Smith for baking.
    4. Buy fresh cider. Fresh-pressed cider is a classic autumn drink. Check whether a local mill or farm stand offers pressing demonstrations.
    5. Make applesauce. Simmer peeled slices with a splash of water and a little cinnamon. Sweet varieties such as Gala often need very little added sugar.
    6. Plant an apple tree. Bare-root trees are usually planted from late autumn to early spring. Many varieties need a compatible pollination partner nearby, and young trees often take several years to bear fruit.
    7. Support local growers. Buy from farmers’ markets and farm stands, and ask which heritage varieties they grow.
    8. Teach children about apples. Cut an apple across the middle to reveal the star-shaped core, count the seeds, and talk about where apples grow.
       Share your photos with #NationalAppleDay to join the conversation online.

Buying and Storing Apples for Apple Day

Choose firm apples with smooth, unbroken skin, since bruises shorten storage life. Keep apples in the refrigerator, ideally in the crisper drawer, to keep them crisp for several weeks. Store bruised fruit separately and use it first, because one damaged apple can speed up spoilage in the others. Soft apples are best for sauce and baking rather than snacking. To stop sliced apples from browning on a tasting plate, brush them with a little lemon juice.

Frequently Asked Questions about National Apple Day

Q: When is National Apple Day in 2026?
A: National Apple Day 2026 is on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. The date is fixed on October 21 every year, so only the weekday changes.

Q: When is National Apple Day in 2027?
A: National Apple Day 2027 is on Thursday, October 21, 2027. The weekday moves forward by one day each year, or by two when a leap day falls in between.

Q: What is Apple Day?
A: Apple Day is an annual celebration of apples and orchards held on October 21. The charity Common Ground launched it in London in 1990 to celebrate local apple varieties and traditional orchards.

Q: Is National Apple Day the same as International Apple Day?
A: Listings use both names for the same October 21 observance. International Apple Day is a label some calendars use because the custom spread beyond Britain.

Q: Is National Apple Day a federal holiday?
A: No, it is an unofficial observance. Federal offices, schools and most businesses stay open, because Congress has not made National Apple Day one of the 11 federal holidays.

Q: When is National Apple Month?
A: October is widely promoted as National Apple Month in the United States, covering the whole month. Apple Day is a single date inside it, on October 21.

Q: How can I celebrate National Apple Day on a weekday?
A: Keep it small: pack two varieties for a lunchtime tasting, bake a quick apple crisp after work, or buy local cider on the way home. In 2026 the date falls on a Wednesday.

Q: How many apple varieties are there?
A: More than 7,000 recognized apple varieties exist worldwide. Stores stock only a small selection, so orchards and farmers’ markets are the best places to try new ones.

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Related Holidays & Calendars

Planning more than one date this month? See the October 2026 calendar for every holiday and observance, or browse more US national days.