Lots of events including a $1000 chili cook-off and a special appearance by gospel music singer Squire Parsons.

The first festival in 1973 featured country-and-western star Tex Ritter as the grand marshal. That first year the "world's largest apple pie" was baked, measuring a whopping six feet across and filled with spicy, juicy Golden Delicious apples,

What many believe is the tastiest apple in the world was discovered by Anderson Mullins in Clay County in 1905.

"Eureka! I found it!," were the words of Paul Stark of Stark Brothers Nursery when he bit into the new and exciting apple in 1914.

The Golden Delicious is the state's most famous contribution to horticulture, which has now spread to every continent in the world.

"With one in your hand, you can't be sure whether you're drinking champagne or eating an apple," Stark said.

. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, founder of the breakfast food company, wrote a letter to Stark Nurseries, "I consider the Golden Delicious the finest apple I have ever tasted."

Plant breeder Luther Burbank said. "After observing the Golden Delicious in my experiment grounds and giving it careful tests, I have no hesitancy in stating that it is the greatest apple in all the world."

The Golden Delicious apple was designated as the official State Fruit in 1995.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

All activities take place at the Courthouse Square unless otherwise noted.

Thursday September 16

6:00 PM
Opening Ceremonies
Flag Raising & Folds of the Flag-VFW Post #4419
Earl of Elkview
Queen's Coronation
Amusement Rides Open

7:00 PM Golden Delicious Couples Contest-Golden

8:00 PM Solomon's Secret (Outdoor Drama) Dundon Hill
Golden Delicious Couples Contest-Silver

9:00 PM Karaoke with Steve Mullins

Friday September 17

9:00 AM
Flag Raising VFW Post #4419
Amusement Rides Open
Baking Contest Registrations till 9:30 AM
Clay Elementary School Singers

9:30 AM
Quilt Registrations(160 Main Street)
Valley Fork Rocket Choir

10:00 AM
Clay Middle School Concert Choir

10:30 AM
Apple Growing Demonstration (Sizemore's Farms)
Puppet Show History of the Veterans Memorial-VFW Post #4419

11:00 AM
Baking Contest Winners Announced

12:00 PM
Apple Belle Coronation
Gospel Sing-Kay Ramsey

12:30 PM
Apple Belle Reception-174 Main Street

1:00 PM
Country Mix

2:00 PM
C.C.H.S. Dance Team

3:00 PM
Paul Cottrell & High Mountain Bluegrass

4:00 PM
Quilt Judging
Harold Allen & Terri

5:00 PM
History of the Veterans Memorial-VFW Post #4419

6:00 PM
Farrah Facemire

6:30 PM
Bingo(Clay Lions Community Center)

7:00 PM
Hillbilly Stompers (Dance)
Pro Wrestling (WVDHHR Parking Area)

7:30 PM
"Chick Singer" (Band)

8:00 PM
Solomon's Secret(Outdoor Drama) Dundon Hill

8:45 PM
Tom Pringle

9:00 PM
Crystal Mountain Band

Saturday September 18, 2004

9:00 AM
Flag Raising VFW Post #4419
Amusement Rides Open
Antique Car Show(Clay Middle School)
8th Annual Motorcycle Show(Registrations till Noon)
Pig Tail Contest Registrations (Inside Courthouse)
Baking Contest Registrations till 9:30 AM

10:00 AM
Clay Cadets Majorette Show
Bubble Gum Contest

10:30 AM
Pig Tail Contest Winners Announced

11:00 AM
Diaper Derby
OREO Stacking Contest
History of the Veterans Memorial-VFW Post #4419
The Preast Family (Gospel Music)

11:30 AM
Pie Baking Contest Registrations till 12:00 Noon
Tatet Tot Toss

12:00 PM
Spirits of Bluegrass

1:00 PM
Grand Parade
Motorcycle Show Judging-WVHDDR Parking Area

2:00 PM
Satchel Brown

3:00 PM
Charleston Metopolitan Band
Tug-of-War Competition

3:30 PM
Art Auction

4:00 PM
Aqua Launch
Lions Rubber Duck Race-Elk River

4:30 PM
Pit Change
History of the Veterans Memorial-VFW Post #4419

5:00 PM
Ox Roast(Clay Elementary School)
Teddy Vaughan & Friends

6:00 PM
Griffith & Cross

6:30 PM
Bingo(Clay Lions Community Center)

7:30 PM
Apple Pie Winner Announced
Apple Counting Winner Announced
Pit Change

8:00 PM
Solomon's Secret (Outdoor Drama) Dundon Hill
Torri Anderson & Possum Holler

9:00 PM
FIREWORKS
Stark Brothers Apple Orchard Drawing

Sunday September 19, 2004

9:00 AM
Flag Raising
5K Run Registrations

9:30 AM
Chili Cook-Off Registration (Clay County Bank)
Salsa Entries due by 10:00 AM

10:00 AM
Chili Cook-Off Cooks Mtg. (Clay Lions Community Ctr.)
5K Run Begins

11:00 AM
Chili Cook-Off Begins
Hula Hoop Contest

1:00 PM
Youth Fishing Derby
Clay Swimming Pool-Bradley Field
Gospel Sing

1:00 PM
Adam Burdette

1:30 PM
Gospel Expressions

2:00 PM
Faith Harmony Boys

2:30 PM
Squire Parsons

2:00 PM
Chili Cook-Off Ends

2:30 PM
Chili Judging (Best Chili $1000.00)

3:30 PM
Chili Awards

Live Music Performances throughout the Festival.