Keep the night going
Silent Disco in the orchard.
10 pm – midnight
The bands wrap up, but the dancing doesn’t! Slip on your headphones and dance beneath the apple trees.
Apple Activities
Making cider · Step one · Free & provided
It starts in the orchard.
Grab a basket and head into the trees. Pick a few apples, meet a few friends, and help gather the harvest that becomes the day's fresh cider.
Making cider · Step two · Free & provided
Pick it. Press it. Pour it.
Bring your apples to the press and help turn the harvest into fresh cider. Enjoy a taste straight from the press, then bottle some to take a little Day Valley home.
Caramel apples · Free & provided
A little sticky. A lot of fun.
Turn an orchard apple into a sweet treat. Join us for caramel apple making, get creative, and enjoy a little something sweet between batches of cider.
Live Music
Food & Drinks
Grub in the Grove —
Gabriel’s fresh tacos
Available for purchase
Sip the Orchard —
Handcrafted cider cocktails
by 5 O’Clock Mixology
Available for purchase
Extra Shenanigans
Camp
A little planning. A lot of fun.
Make yourself
at home.
Stay for the evening. Settle into the orchard or redwood camping grounds and enjoy the night without rushing home.
What to Bring
Settle in. Stay awhile.
Our Apple Cider Festival is all about enjoying great cider, delicious food, and the beauty of the orchard with friends and family. To make the most of your visit, here’s what you’ll want to bring:
Food & BBQ Supplies
You’re welcome to bring your own food to grill! We’ll have BBQs ready for use, so pack your favorite meats, veggies, marinades, and sides. Don’t forget utensils, plates, and anything you need for your perfect cookout.
Camping Gear
Spend the night surrounded by apple trees! Bring your tent, sleeping bag, blankets, pillows, and anything else to make your campsite cozy. Warm clothes are a must for those crisp orchard evenings.
Comfort Items
Lawn chairs, picnic blankets, lanterns, and coolers will make your experience even better.
Festival Essentials
Sunscreen, a reusable water bottle, and maybe even your favorite mug for cider tastings.
Your Good Vibes
Come ready to relax, make memories, and soak in the magic of the orchard.
With cider flowing, BBQs sizzling, and the orchard as your backdrop, you’ll have everything you need for a weekend to remember.
Directions and Parking
Find your way to the orchard
820 Cox Road
Day Valley · Aptos, CA
In Loving Memory of Tom
CELEBRATING A LIFE & A LEGACY
Here’s to you,
Tom.
The 6th Annual Day Valley Apple Cider Festival Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Tom O’Bryan
Join us for a toast to Tom from 8–8:30 pm at the festival. We’ll raise a glass of his favorite drink, a Negroni, in his honor.
I met Tom in 1983 while we were studying Geological Engineering in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, beginning a lifelong friendship built on curiosity, travel, and shared adventure. He graduated first in our class of 1985. He was born and raised in Detroit.
We explored the world together, most memorably on our “2G” (Geology + Golf) journey through Ireland, Scotland, and Iceland in May 2025.
In recent years, we spent long Michigan summers playing golf—often 18 holes day after day (he always insisted on walking vs taking a cart) —and relaxing on Hamlin Lake, where Tom was never shy about promoting his beloved Negroni.
In 2021, Tom co-founded the Day Valley Apple Cider Festival with me, helping turn a simple idea into a lasting community tradition.
Tom and I held politics and religion in the same regard, and that shared understanding deepened our friendship. I believe Tom is now in my version of heaven: at peace, knowing he touched many lives, and that his absence will be deeply felt by all who had the good fortune to know him.
APRIL 2, 1954 — JANUARY 16, 2026