The 12th Annual Adams Morgan Apple Pie Baking Contest and the 17th Annual Licking Creek Bend Farm Heirloom Apple Tasting return to Adams Morgan on Saturday, October 18, 2025. This beloved fall tradition takes place on the front steps of The LINE DC Hotel and directly across from the Adams Morgan Farmers’ Market in Unity Park (Euclid & Champlain Streets NW).
Each year, the festival draws hundreds of neighbors and visitors to celebrate heirloom apples, the art of baking the perfect pie, and the spirit of community in one of DC’s most iconic neighborhoods. This year’s festivities will be emceed by storyteller and host Marya Kazmi of Brown Girl Interrupting, who brings her signature blend of humor, warmth, and community spirit to the stage
Festival Highlights:
- Heirloom Apple Tasting presented by Licking Creek Bend Farm, featuring unique apple varieties rarely found in grocery stores.
- Apple Pie Baking Contest, where local residents compete for bragging rights as Adams Morgan’s “Best Apple Pie.” Bakers will be judged across five categories: appearance, filling, crust, overall, and People’s Choice.
- Pie Sales for a Cause: Contestants bake three pies: one for the judges and two for sale by the slice ($6 each). All proceeds benefit Sitar Arts Center, a neighborhood nonprofit providing transformative arts education and opportunities for young people.
- Community Vibe: Local businesses will join the celebration with fall-themed specials throughout the neighborhood.
The apple pie contest will be judged by a collection of local personalities:
- Alex Schroeder, @devourdc
- Eun Yang, NBC4 Anchor
- Tom Sherwood, Local journalist at Washington City Paper and WAMU Politics Hour
- Alexis Grea, Local Pastry Chef
- Phil Mendelson, Chairman, DC Council
- Peter Wood, ANC1C
- Maureen L. Dwyer, Executive Director of Sitar Arts Center
Event Schedule:
- 8:30 AM – Adams Morgan Farmers’ Market opens
- 10:00 AM – Heirloom apple tasting begins
- 11:00 AM – Pie slices available for purchase (first-come, first-serve and they sell out fast!)
- 11:30 AM – Apple Pie Contest judging
- 2:30 PM – Winners announced
The Apple Festival is more than a celebration of the season, it’s a fundraiser and a community-builder that keeps our neighborhood vibrant and safe. Last year’s event raised critical funds for local nonprofits, and 2025 continues that tradition with all proceeds supporting the Sitar Arts Center.
For more details, visit AdMoAppleFestival.com. Follow the Adams Morgan Partnership BID on Facebook, Instagram, and X for neighborhood updates, invitations to special events, and more!
About the Adams Morgan Partnership BID
The Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District is a nonprofit organization focused on enhancing the quality of life for businesses, commercial property owners, residents, visitors, and employees in the District of Columbia’s most vibrant and eclectic neighborhood. The Partnership provides daily street cleaning, fun neighborhood events, and creative marketing and economic development initiatives. Adams Morgan is world-renowned for its fantastic restaurants and nightlife, colorful retail stores and historic, tree-lined residential streets. The American Planning Association named Adams Morgan one of the top 10 neighborhoods in America.
About Sitar Arts Center
Founded in 2000, Sitar Arts Center advances equitable access to high quality education and workforce development in the visual, performing, and digital arts. Sitar Arts Center engages DC youth, from early childhood to young adulthood, in building a creative
