Apple Popcorn Fest salty and sweet

BROOKSTON, Ind. (WLFI) - The annual Brookston Apple Popcorn Festival helped the community usher in a new season, Autumn.

Hundreds of people crowded the streets, in the heart of Brookston, for the sights, sounds, whole, sliced and diced apples and popcorn.

"The carmel is really sweet," said Barry Stone, a Monticello resident and Delphi High School principal.

Stone joined dozens of people who created a curved line at the vendor 'Diced Carmel Apples in a Dish.' 

"The carmel is what does it for me," said Stone.

The 20-year-old Apple Popcorn vendor is run by Marcia Bailey and her family.  Bailey said the apples are diced for conveinence.

Members of the Lions Club took their usual place on the corner. 

"Everything here is homemade," said member Steve Hall.

Hall said the huge copper pot that makes regular popcorn and kettle corn is from a candy shop in Chicago.  He said it pops about 300 pounds of corn a day, which raises $4000 at the event for local churches and scholarships.

"White County is like the popcorn capitol. We raise over 23,000 acres of popcorn. There used to be a huge orchard here in Brookston. They used to have a store here on 43 and sold apples.

"I want one popcorn please" said Allison White, a 3-year-old from Lafayette.

From the young, to the old, the festival is known for its salty, sour and sweet treats.

"Wherever I go, if I go to the movie or wherever, I like eating popcorn" said Timothy Anderson, a Lafayette resident.

Or who knows what you will dive into. We sure didn't.  The Lions Club promised me free popcorn if I could ring a bell with a sledge hammer three times or at least get to the number 1400. After three tries, I failed to ring the bell and hit the goal number, but I still got free popcorn.