When are cider festivals held?
Cider festivals are held all year, but most cluster in a few seasons: orchard wassails around midwinter, the Basque cider-house season from mid-January into spring, and summer and harvest festivals from June to November, such as Cider Summit Seattle in September and CiderDays in Massachusetts in November.
Updated
Key facts
- Every season. There is no single cider festival season: wassails fall around midwinter, the Basque cider season starts in mid-January, and most big festivals run from late summer to autumn. [1] [2]
- Annual events. Big festivals usually repeat in the same month each year; CiderDays in Franklin County, Massachusetts, is "an annual community celebration of all things apple". [3]
- Check the dates. Exact dates change from year to year, so check the organiser's own page before you travel.
Which big cider festivals happen every year?
| Festival | Where | Usual month |
|---|---|---|
| Basque cider-house season (Txotx) | Basque Country, Spain | Opens in mid-January [2] |
| Cider Summit Seattle | Seattle, Washington, US | September [4] |
| Big Apple Harvestime | Much Marcle, Herefordshire, England | October [5] |
| CiderDays | Franklin County, Massachusetts, US | November [3] |
Cider Summit also runs editions in Chicago and Portland, [4] and the Big Apple Association holds a spring Blossomtime as well as Harvestime, "Celebrating orchards in the parishes of the Marcle Ridge". [5] Months are based on the organisers' current listings.
What is the cider festival calendar through the year?
- Midwinter: wassails. Cambridge Dictionary describes the wassail as an event around Christmas, in the past, when spiced drink was poured on orchard trees to encourage a good crop; orchard wassails in cider country keep the custom going. [1]
- Mid-January to spring: Basque cider season. The Basque tourist board says the cry of "Txotx!" each year in mid-January opens the cider season in the cider houses, the sagardotegi. [2] [6]
- Summer: festivals. Many open-air cider festivals and beer-and-cider festivals run from June to September.
- Autumn: harvest. Apple days, open days and pressing events follow the apple harvest, from September to November; see when cider is made.
How do I plan a festival trip?
Check the organiser's page for dates, tickets and opening hours, and note whether the event is cider-only or a beer festival with a cider bar. For what to expect on the day, see what a cider festival is. If there is no festival nearby, cider bars pour a range all year, and Basque cider houses are covered in cider bar vs cider house.
Related answers: what a cider festival is · when cider is made
Find it on Cider Radar
- Cider festivals and events: the current list of events, with dates as given by the organisers.
- Cider bars · Guide: where to try cider · Glossary: sagardotegi
- You can order directly from the maker in Cider Radar (iOS, Android and web).
- Open the map: app.ciderradar.com · iPhone · Android
Dates in this answer were checked on 3 October 2026 and are due for review by September 2027.
Cider, perry, calvados and pommeau are alcoholic drinks. Enjoy responsibly and follow the legal drinking age where you live.
Questions
Are there cider festivals in winter?
There are cider festivals in winter: orchard wassails take place around midwinter, and in the Basque Country the cider-house season opens each year in mid-January with the cry of "Txotx!". [1] [2] See cider bar vs cider house.
Sources
- wassail (definition) — Cambridge Dictionary
- Cider season 2026 — Tourism Euskadi (Basque Government)
- CiderDays: Home — CiderDays (Franklin County, Massachusetts)
- Cider Summit Seattle — Cider Summit
- Big Apple Harvestime — The Big Apple Association (Much Marcle, Herefordshire)
- The culture and tradition of Basque Sagardotegi (cider breweries) — Tourism Euskadi (Basque Government)