Salem Apple Butter Festival Celebrates 40th Anniversary, Crowns 2026 Royalty

SALEM, W.Va. — Four decades of tradition were celebrated in downtown Salem as the Salem Apple Butter Festival marked its 40th anniversary with four days of apple butter making, pageants, parades, entertainment and community events.

The milestone festival was held Oct. 7-10, bringing residents and visitors back to Salem for one of Harrison County’s longest-running fall traditions. The celebration opened Wednesday with a firemen’s parade that paid tribute to some of the festival’s founding members who also served as volunteer firefighters.

At the center of the festival remained the tradition that gave the event its name. Apple butter was prepared outdoors using copper kettles suspended over wood fires, continuing a practice that has been part of the celebration since its early years. Visitors could watch the process while enjoying vendors, food, crafts and free entertainment throughout downtown Salem.

The festival also celebrated the crowning of its 2026 royalty. Bri Canfield was named the 2026 Salem Apple Butter Festival Queen, earning a full-tuition scholarship to Salem University as part of the title.

Canfield’s Salem title came less than two weeks after she was also crowned queen during the Clarksburg Winter Fest Pageant at the Robinson Grand Performing Arts Center.

The festival’s pageant program continued a longstanding tradition of recognizing royalty across multiple age divisions, while Salem University’s scholarship partnership added a significant educational opportunity for the festival’s queen.

Events continued through Friday and Saturday with competitions, children’s activities, the Cooking With Apples Contest, quilt displays and the annual auto and truck show. Saturday’s schedule included the festival’s grand parade and an evening performance by Hairband Experience, with organizers incorporating a 1980s theme into the 40th anniversary celebration.

The anniversary year also included new additions, including Apple Butter Family Feud and apple-shaped yard signs that gave residents another way to decorate Salem for the celebration.

The festival coincided with Salem University’s homecoming, adding to the atmosphere throughout the community. Salem Mayor Brandie Garner highlighted the significance of reaching 40 years and the generations of families who continue making memories at the annual celebration.

First held in 1984, the Salem Apple Butter Festival has grown into a signature fall event for western Harrison County while remaining centered on its original community traditions. Admission and entertainment continue to be offered free to the public, an important part of keeping the festival accessible to families.

For its 40th celebration, the combination of old-fashioned apple butter making, festival royalty, the grand parade and generations of families returning to Salem offered another reminder of why the event has remained a fall tradition for four decades.