Admission and Parking are Free - Sponsored by Rich-Mar Rotary
About
Mars Applefest
Mark your calendars, Mars Applefest is always held the first Saturday in October. That will be October 4, 2025.
A tremendous amount of outpouring from the community makes Mars Applefest a special event. This is especially true of the local churches and other non-profit organizations who host tents with fun kid-centered things to do, such as face painting and games. As such, visitors come from near and far. The town may be small, but the festival is so, so popular.
Applefest hosts over 150 vendors selling everything from fine jewelry, quality arts and crafts, paintings, quaint decorations and trinkets, and nearby grown foods from local farms.
Come hungry and dine from the many food vendors with seating under the Mars Town Square tent. Enjoy music with your family and friends as you try homemade bread and pastries, funnel cakes, kettle corn, corn dogs, international flavors and the like.
Visitors to Mars Applefest have the opportunity for an awesome photo with the town’s very own flying saucer! This little piece of Americana is much beloved and a popular spot of the festivities. Folks from across the nation make the trek to visit, to sit on the spaceship and say they have been to Mars. You can count on plenty of Martians around to help you celebrate.
Admission is free. Parking is free. A shuttle is provided from the overflow lot located at Vogel's Disposal Parking Lot 121 Brickyard Road, Mars.
Rich-Mar Rotary Clubs
Rich-Mar Rotary Club is synonymous for service to our community, in the workplace, and throughout the country. Rotarians build goodwill and peace, provide humanitarian assistance, and encourage high ethical standards in all vocations.
The communities of Richland and Mars proudly support three Clubs.
The Rich-Mar Rotary Main Club meets every Wednesday for lunch at 12:15 PM at Treesdale Country Club.
The Rich-Mar Rotary Satellite Club is a smaller group of folks that meet the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 PM at Willee’s Tavern in Gibsonia to plan projects where they can volunteer in the community.
https://www.facebook.com/people/Rich-Mar-Satellite-Rotary-Club/100083794500684/
The Rich-Mar Appalachian Impact Club meets the First Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM at Willee's Tavern in Gibsonia. This group consists of adult volunteers following a Christian-based program for the youth volunteers. For 24 years, teens and adults have bonded with the Mullens, WV community and have improved peoples’ lives through fellowship and home improvements projects.
Rotary Club of Appalachia Mission Impact
The exceptional members of our Clubs have been active in the local community for many years with events that help raise funds to share with those in need. Some of these major events are:
· The Annual Golf Outing
· Mars Pancake Breakfast
· Mars Applefest
· Shred It Day for documents
· Butler County Turkey Raffle
· Shine for Shelter Box Gala
Donations that are raised are spread generously throughout our community and across the world for:
Rotary International Initiatives
Polio Eradication
Build-A-Chair Tanzania
Honduras Hope Mission
Hospital Albert Schweitzer
Bethany Christian Services
ShelterBox
Water From Clay
Dream Big Honduras
Hearts 4 Haiti
Local Charities and Inspirations
The Lighthouse Foundation
Harvest Street Mission
Hosanna Industries
MHY Family Services
Pine Richland Youth Center
YMCA Camp Spencer
Inspired Hearts & Hands
North Hills Cares
North Hills Community Outreach
Adams Township Park Pavilion
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)
Rotary Outstanding Vocational Award (ROVA)
College and Vocational Scholarship Programs
PARC Productions of Butler County, Community Picnic
The Appalachian Mission Trips
Activities to Explore
Along with 150 vendors that support Mars Applefest, there is much more to enjoy.
Mars Farmers Market is a collection of local growers that will offer their vegetables, fruits, jams, jellies, and homemade creations, just across from the Mars Post Office. Come early to get the pick of the crop as supply runs out as the day passes by. Regular market hours are 9:00-12:00PM, but for Applefest the Market vendors will stay longer.
https://www.facebook.com/marsfarmersmarket/
Masonic Lodge Pancake Breakfast is hosted at the John E. Mair Lodge across the railroad tracks. Breakfast is served from 7:30AM - 12:00PM. Apple Pancakes, Apple Cider, and added surprises await our hungry Martian guests. Visit them at 340 Clay Ave. Breakfast for $8.00. You get an early parking spot for Applefest.
Mars Area History and Landmark Society, our local museum containing an extensive collection of very unique items of the area, with a large focus on the railroad industry that continues to be so important to Mars, PA. A must while visiting is to take a ride on the Mars Shortline Railroad. Hours are 12:00PM - 4:00PM.
Mars Public Library and the Friends of the Library are hosting their Fall book sale. Doors open at 9:00AM for some real bargains on classics as well as children's literature. Visit the library right in the middle of Applefest on Grand Avenue. Sale ends at 3:30PM.
https://www.marsarealibrary.org/
NexTier Bank Challenges - Stop by the NextTier bank at the corner of Marshall Way and Grand Avenue to be challenged by Corn Hole and a giant, Connect Four Game. Prizes to be won. For the little ones, there will be a duck pond to chase the flock. https://www.nextierbank.com/
Advance Community Church - Just adjacent to the Mars Farmers Market children will find a wonderland of inflatable slides and playgrounds, provided by the congregation of Advance Community Church. And if Applefest food trucks and table eats don't satisfy your appetite, the church is providing complimentary hamburgers and hot dogs. Enter the event area through the parking lot near the large tree at the corner of the yard. https://advancecommunitychurch.org/
Adams Township Fire Department - Our local fire responders will have on display its Tower 42 Ladder Truck. Stop by the Mars Public LIbrary to support this great volunteer organization. https://adamsarea42.com/
Mars Fightn' Planet - come meet Mars High School's new team mascot from 11:00 AM -2:00 PM.
Mars Flying Saucer - Now we can't forget to mention that everyone must stop and get photos with the spaceship. The flying saucer landed years ago and sits in Mars Towne Square. Open 24 hours.
Look for Applefest's Face Painting Station - next to the Rotary Shelter Box Tent Display adjacent to the Town Square.
Grab some family photos at our apple orchard photo booth in the Town Square.