The festival is located in the heart of Pennsylvania Apple country, near historic Gettysburg, and is within a two hour drive of Washington DC, Baltimore MD, and Harrisburg PA.

The National Apple Harvest Festival began more than 30 years ago by the Adam's County Fruitgrowers Association after having successfully run Apple Blossom Sunday since the early 1950's. In 1961, under the chairmanship of Donald Trostel and Clair Fetters, the "1st Apple harvest Holiday" was held on Sunday, October 14th.

The Upper Adam's Jaycees, chartered in 1962 and eager for a fund-raiser, contacted the Fruitgrowers and after negotiations, attempted to organize the event themselves in 1965. With only $200.00 in the treasury, Cochairmen Robert Reed and Mac Lott were named to head up the project. The Apple Harvest Festival got its official debut on Sunday, October 10, 1965.

Featured attractions were an antique car display, the apple cider press (still used today), an apple butter boil, pony rides, orchard bus tours, apples desserts, apple and apple product sales, candy apples, commercial displays, souvenir booth, the 1965 Apple Blossom Queen and a Dutch style meal.

The festival expanded to two weekends in 1975 and by 1985 the Festival had grown beyond the wildest dreams of the early organizers.