Apple Day cancelled for first time in 24 years after poor harvest

An annual Apple Day celebration has been cancelled for the first time in 24 years after a poor harvest left organizers without enough fruit to hold the event, according to the BBC.

Apple Day events are typically held to celebrate local apple varieties and orchards, often featuring displays, tastings and activities centered on the fruit. The cancellation marks a break from what had been an uninterrupted run of the event since it began.

A difficult growing season

Organizers cited the poor harvest as the reason for calling off this year's celebration, though specific details on the causes of the reduced yield, such as weather conditions during the growing season, were not included in the available report. Fruit harvests can be affected by a range of factors including frost, rainfall levels and temperature fluctuations during flowering and fruiting periods.

The cancellation is likely to be a disappointment for regular attendees who have taken part in the event over the past two decades, and organizers have not yet said whether the celebration will return in future years once harvest conditions improve.

Apple Day traditions exist in various forms in orchard-growing regions, often serving as a way to promote local fruit varieties and support small growers and producers.