Celebrate Granny Smith this October

6th October 2020 | Eativity editors

This year, one of Sydney’s most popular community events – the Granny Smith Festival – will be open to everyone as the yearly event pivots to a predominantly virtual celebration of the classic apple that remains one of Australia’s favourites.

Sydney’s Eastwood hosts the Granny Smith Festival every year. It has been running since 1985. The event celebrates the life of Maria Ann “Granny” Smith, who ran a fruit orchard in Eastwood with her husband Thomas. It was here in 1868 that Maria accidentally grew the first Granny Smith apples when some crab apples she discarded along a creek bed sprouted into a new variety of apple. More than 150 years later, the Granny Smith apple is still one of Australia’s most popular apple varieties. It’s also grown in orchards across the world.

The Granny Smith was an accidental Australian creation that went global
The apple was an accidental Australian creation that went global.

Festival highlights

This year, the festival will be celebrated a little differently. An extensive schedule of events will replace the traditional one-day festival. However, like every Granny Smith Festival, there will be something for everyone, with most of the events taking place online. The attractions at this year’s festival include:

Big Apple Talent Quest
Solo and group acts can go in the running to win more than $2000 in prize money by submitting an online video.

Orchestra in the Park
The Ryde Hunters Hill Symphony Orchestra will stream a special live performance from the grounds of Brush Farm House on Saturday, October 24.

Granny’s Marketplace
During the month of October the festival will be showcasing previous stallholders from the last three years online.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt sponsored by Macquarie Community College
There will be two separate week-long competitions throughout October. There will be $2500 in prizes up for grabs.

Granny’s Virtual Kitchen
During the school holidays, kids can take part in a live Zoom cooking class where they’ll learn new recipes that include cooking with apples.

Country Women’s Association cooking video
Ever wanted to make the perfect apple crumble? Check out the online video in which the CWA’s Margery East will show you how.

Animation video on the history of Maria Ann Smith
Aimed at local primary school children, this animation video will provide details on the life and legacy Maria Ann Smith.

The eye-catching Apple Delight pays homage to the Granny Smith
The eye-catching Apple Delight pays homage to the Granny Smith.

A sweet homage

Also celebrating this Aussie apple is Banksia Bakehouse, a bakery newly opened in Sydney’s CBD. The Granny Smith is an ideal cooking apple, so the bakehouse has used it to develop a spectacular cake creation that is both made with, and looks like, a Granny Smith apple.

The stunning Apple Delight has already become a best-seller and social media darling. The creation contains elements of an apple pie, but with a glossy green white chocolate “skin”, a cinnamon-spiced Granny Smith apple compote centre and a cookie base.

Banksia Bakehouse makes Apple Delights each weekday. It will be available year-round at the bakehouse. You can find it fountain-side in Grosvenor Place on Sydney’s George Street. For more information on this year’s Granny Smith Festival, visit ryde.rocks/gsf