Fall Cider Celebration

Historic Rock Ford embraces the season in 18th century style with a Fall Cider Celebration! This multi-faceted evening event consists of the following: 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM - Lecture: Welcome to Mark A. Turdo as he presents a lecture on "Cider: Pennsylvania's Once (& Future?) Favorite." Touching on everything from William Penn to Prohibition, this overview looks at how cider was historically made, its presence and importance in Pennsylvania, and where it's heading today. Ploughman Farm Cider will give a short presentation to connect the history that Mark provided with making traditional ciders in PA in 2026 and offer some perspective on 10 years of commercial cidermaking. Connecting it to the 200 years their family has been on their Adams County farmland. Attendees will have the rare opportunity to eat "cider apples" and then drink some ciders made with them. This lecture will be held in the Langmuir Education Room on the first floor of the Rock Ford Barn. About the presenter: For over twenty years Mark Turdo, historian and museum professional, has been researching and recreating historic alcoholic cider. He is especially interested in early American cider and cider culture, including who was making it, who was drinking it, and why it was more common than beer. 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Evening Activities: After the lecture, favorites Forbes Road Frolic will lend musical authenticity to our celebration with traditional Colonial era tavern music. Weather permitting, music will be on the tent pad in front of the Rock Ford barn with fire pits and the glow of string lights. Food and both hard and non-alcoholic cider will be available for purchase!