Applefest helps spur women to put out fall decorations

Jean Johnston decorates two flower beds and her porch for each season at her Elk Street home in Franklin. (By Stacey Gross)

Eleanor Moyer and Jean Johnston, who live on opposite ends of Elk Street in Franklin, both enjoy decorating for the seasons.

They both also look forward to and enjoy Applefest, but in different ways.

Moyer, who has lived near the center of Franklin on Elk Street for 25 years, said she spent about two weeks getting her porch, yard, and driveway ready for fall.

Moyer enjoys Applefest because, she said, she can walk to everything. So even though the crowds can make it hard to come and go in the car, she enjoys walking through the parks looking at vendors and enjoying the foods.

Johnston, on the other hand, lives several blocks from downtown with her dog, Beau, and doesn’t visit Applefest herself anymore.

Johnston, who is almost 90, has owned her home since 1973 and says her daughter brings her the best parts of Applefest now instead. What’s at the top of her list? Kettle corn, she said.

Johnston’s front yard and porch are also decorated for each season. Her favorite time to decorate, she said, is Christmas.

That was a sentiment Moyer shared as well. While Moyer said that she and her husband used to put up enough lights to compete with Clark Griswold, Johnston says she looks forward to filling the two flower beds in front of her house with poinsettias.