A U.S. flag flies over crowds of people checking out vendor booths Sept. 28, 2019, during the 51st Apple 'n Pork Festival in Clinton.
CLINTON — While many meetings and events during the coronavirus pandemic have moved to a virtual format, there are some things that just can’t be done online.
One of those is the traditional experience of the Apple ‘n Pork Festival, which brings an estimated 100,000 people into Clinton on the final full weekend of September each year.
The DeWitt County Museum Association canceled this year's event because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a Clinton radio station will attempt to recreate the experience with “virtual Apple ‘n Pork Festival coverage” on Sept. 26.
“We are going to do our best to treat it just as if we were at the grounds, but the difference is the message,” said Randal Miller, president and general manager of radio stations WHOW/WEZC, and the stations’ website, Dewitt Daily News.
Tina Young of Peoria, right, listens as Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Kevin Wood of Oak Park, speaks at the 51st Apple 'n Pork Festival near the DeWitt County Museum/C.H. Moore Homestead in Clinton on Sept. 28, 2019.
The 52-year-old festival started as a fundraiser to restore and furnish the homestead that was once the home of DeWitt County’s most prominent citizens, Clifton H. Moore, a law partner and friend of Abraham Lincoln. Its origins are important to remember, Miller said.
“The message is that so many organizations, including the C.H. Moore Museum and local nonprofit organizations, have taken a huge financial hit, and so we are going to do whatever we can to help them raise money and fill a huge, huge hole,” he said.
Joey Long, director of the C.H. Moore Homestead DeWitt County Museum, said it is unfortunate that people will be unable to gather on the grounds, as they have done for decades.
"But we will still be uniting — our voices on the radio, coming together in the spirit of community unity, in support of the museum and the numerous other local nonprofit organizations that make the festival what it is — in celebration of Apple ‘n Pork Festival weekend,” Long said.
The station has covered the event each year, doing remote broadcasts from the grounds. For the virtual broadcast, members of the association will be interviewed to discuss the impact the cancellation had on the museum. Also, leaders of the nonprofits will be on the air, discussing how they hope to cover the loss in revenue.
Attendees to the 51st Apple 'n Pork Festival in Clinton look for gift ideas on Sept. 28, 2019.
Miller said the idea for a virtual broadcast came from station manager Jared White and news and sports reporter Seth Lawrence.
“They said that the homestead and the nonprofits were going to take a huge hit on this, and they came up with the idea for the virtual live broadcast, integrating the museum volunteers with the nonprofit leaders we would normally talk with during the festival,” Miller said. “I thought it was a wonderful idea. We took it to the C.H. Museum Board and they were tickled to death that we were going to do it.”
The one caveat they stressed, Miller said, was to make sure that every broadcast highlighted that the event is canceled, ensuring no listeners will drive in from out of town expected to see the festival.
Miller said that sponsorships will be sold for the virtual coverage, just as they would in a normal year, but 25% of the gross will go to the C.H. Moore Homestead and Museum.
“Jared and Seth are vested in the Clinton community and when the community hurts, they hurt too,” Miller said. “We are very happy to be able to put something like this together.”
Wooden cutouts of pigs wear decorative designs as created by locals during the 51st Apple 'n Pork Festival near the grounds of the DeWitt County Museum/C.H. Moore Homestead on Sept. 28, 2019, in Clinton.
“The efforts and contributions made by our friends at WHOW/WEZC Radio are an example of the outpouring of support the DeWitt County Museum Association has received from the community during these challenging times," Long added. "We are greatly appreciative of Miller Media’s generosity as well as the support shown by so many others.”
HISTORY PHOTOS: Clinton Apple ‘n Pork Festival
Stew
1983: Clarence Buck of El Paso stirs the community stew at the Apple 'n Pork Festival.
Sheep wool
1986: Sally Wash says dog hair is much cleaner than sheep wool.
Art show
1984: Looking at the art sh ow are Wayne Wilberg of LaPorte, Ind., and grandson Jody Gourley of Rolling Prairie, Ind.
Taking a ride
1990: Bob McMath sits on an International F-12 built in 1936.
Finding a spot
1991: The thousands on hand made finding a place tos it and eat difficult but visitors didn't seem to mind.
Making brooms
1991: Jacob Cramer, a broom making from Virginia, Ill, demonstrated his tecnique at the Apple and Pork Festival in Clinton.
Crafty artisan
1990: Woodcarver Bob Sprengelmeyer of Bloomington practices his craft Saturday afternoon at the 22nd annual Apple 'n Pork Festival in Cilnton.
Yum!
1988: Kim Harris of Decatur munches corn while waiting for apple fritters Saturday at the Apple 'n Pork Festival.
Museum
1990: The Lloyd Bidner barn, a new attraction at the festival, houses antique farm equipment, including a wagon, right, built by Lawrence Weaver Sr. of Decatur in 1907.
Carousel crafting
1990: John Sutton of Lincoln continues his latest restoration project under the watchful eyes of visitors to the 22nd annual Apple 'n Pork Festival in Clinton. Sutton restores antique horses from carousels dating back to the early 1900s.
Food tents
1979: Lines stream from food tents at the center of Apple and Pork Festival activities.
Apple butter
1981: Ellis Seaton of clinton stirs apple butter.
Corn-on-the-cob
1984: Judy Martin and Jeanne McLaren, both of Bloomington, sample corn-on-the-cob.
Thousands of visitors
1978: Thousands made their annual pilgrimage to Clinton for the food and fun festival.
Bird's eye view
1977: The barn loft gives a bird's eye view of the Clinton Apple and Pork Festival.
Weaving skills
1982: As he did at last year's Apple 'n Pork Festival, Joseph Kafka of Mount Pulaski will again display the craft of basket-making.
Serving apple cider
1984: whether it's hot and sunny or cool and rainy, visitors to the annual Apple and Pork Festival welcome a chance to refresh themselves. And, the many food and drink vendors on the grounds are more than happy to help out. At last year's festival these unidentified costumed young women were among the servers.
Eating an ear of corn
1991: There was plenty of food available at the opening of the two-day event. At right, Bob Shaffer of Decatur and his wife Sue, shared an ear of corn as they waited in the long line for ham sandwiches.
Farming legends
1992: David Laesch and son Russ, 15, of Mount Pulaski, wander among the farming legends Saturday morning at the Apple and Pork Festival in Clinton.
Fun at the festival
1986: A pair of life-sized stuffed dolls drew the attention of this woman and child ruding the 18th annual Apple 'n Pork Festival.
19th Century setting
1984: Radio in the foreground serves as reminder of modern times in 19th Century setting.
Juicy bite
1987: Nine-month-old David Enger savors a crispy, chewy and juicy caramel apple on Saturday during the annual Apple 'N Pork Festival in Clinton.
Bargain hunters
1987: A crowd gathers around the flea market at Clinton's Apple 'N Pork Festival.
Dulcimer
1986: Bob Ryburn of Ellsworth shows Jeanne Capranica of Springfield how to play the dulcimer.
Enjoying an apple
1987: David Enger enjoys a caramel apple at the Apple 'N Pork Festival.
Admiring pottery
1985: Victoria Baker, Oakwood, and Lillian Bobrosky, Danville, admire pottery at the flea market.
Militiamen
1984: Militiamen Chuck Franklin, left, of Bloomington and Robert Burns of Decatur fire.
The Y Players
1984: The Y Players presented hourly patriotic revues both days.
Chess players
1980: Winfield Scott checkmates Steve Barbas of Bloomington, one of several simultaneous opponents.
Woodworking
1981: Davie Griffith learned woodworking in an adult education class.
Hnters and traders
1986: Tom Addison points out to two boys what hunters and traders used in the 1700s.
Parking
1986: The Snelsons of clinton charged $2 for parking on their yard.
Listening to jazz
1987: Dick Butrum of Clinton and Thelma Berry of Decatur listen to jazz at the festival.
Shaving
1985: Dealer Ken Seibel, Chicago, shaves with antique mirror - and McDonald's cup.
Art exhibit
1984: The art exhibit at last year's festival received scrutiny from these two visitors.
Painting pumpkins
1986: Amanda Bruce of Clinton is developing a serious craft painting cartoonlike faces on pumpkins.
1930 log cutter
1984: don Campbell, Clinton, demonstrates the operation of a 1930 log cutter.
Suit of armor
1985: Dave Granto f Bloomington admires a suit of armor.
Ham and beans
1988: The nip of fall and a touch of rain were in the air, but they just added flavor to the abundance of fine foods and Clinton's 20th annual Apple 'n Pork Festival. Chick Rogers, left, of Maroa and Red Lamb of Bloomington warm up with bowls of ham and beans.
Apple 'n Pork fun
1982: Just one of the many tasty foods available are "river rat potatoes" being prepared by Robert Laramee of Clinton.
Funnel cakes
1977: Kappa Delta Phi sorority worked over hot stoves all day preparing funnel cakes.
Contact Kevin Barlow at (309) 820-3238. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_barlow
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August 06, 2020 at 08:30PM
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Clinton radio station to feature virtual Apple ‘n Pork Festival broadcast - Bloomington Pantagraph
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