Hard Core Fun

Apple Festival gets official T-shirt

CLEVER CREATORS: Rosemarie Borengasser, left, and Kelly Patz model the official Apple Festival T-shirts that will be on sale this weekend. The shirts feature this year’s slogan, “Hard Core Fun,” and can be preordered or purchased at the event.

Sun Rise photo by Pete Fontaine

Posted Thursday, September 18, 2014 12:39 pm

Pete Fontaine

Kelly Patz is about to add another chapter to her interesting Apple Festival history book.

On the other hand, Rosemarie Borengasser is about to write the first chapter in her history with the always fun and food-filled North Central Chamber of Commerce Apple Festival.

Patz is best known for her award-winning entries into the festival’s special apple pie baking contest, which she won several years ago after moving to Johnston from her native California.

Collectively, Patz and Borengasser have added an Apple Festival first that will be unveiled this weekend – Saturday and Sunday to be precise – when the 27th annual event is held inside Johnston War Memorial Park.

“It’s ‘Hard Core Fun,’” Patz mused last Friday afternoon at the Chamber’s headquarters in Johnston. “Really – it says so right on this T-shirt.”

“Hard Core Fun,” she went on, is also the official slogan for this year’s festival.

With Chamber Executive Director Deborah Ramos looking on, Patz and Borengasser put on their official Apple Festival T-shirts, which they had printed specially for this weekend’s event.

Patz and Borengasser also designed the shirts, which were printed at RTS Embroidery & Promotional Solutions – an establishment that just so happens to be owned and operated by Borengasser.

“This will be the first time that the Apple Festival has had official shirts,” Patz said. “We are super excited to offer a commemorative Apple Festival item for the community. Hopefully they’ll sell well and it will be the first of many we offer.”

The “Hard Core Fun” T-shirts have been priced at $10 until the event officially opens Saturday at 10 a.m. People may pre-order the shirts by calling the NCCC at 401-349-4674. Sizes range from small to XXL. The shirts will also be on sale throughout the Apple Festival for $12 each.

“If we do well in selling the shirts,” Pats continued, “we are looking at having a contest next year to design the 28th annual Apple Festival shirt. We also think that would be a great way to further involve the community in the festival they have been enjoying for 27 years and counting.”