Versailles' picturesque downtown square will be lined with vendors selling arts and crafts as well as traditional festival fare.

The Olde Tyme Apple Festival, which has been voted the best annual festival in Missouri by readers of Rural Missouri magazine, commemorates the traditional fall apple harvest in the Versailles area. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, festival organizers have expanded the festival to include three days of fun and entertainment.

Festivities get underway on Friday evening and last through Sunday afternoon. Friday activities begin at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in downtown with two different pageants: the Baby Dumplings and Apple Tarts Contest followed by the Apple Dumplin' and Darlin' Contest. A classic car cruise-in takes place at the Sonic Drive-In located off of Missouri Highway 5 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Also at Sonic, attendees can enjoy a Sock Hop from 7-11 p.m. with the crowning of the Olde Tyme Apple Festival King and Queen at 7:30 p.m.

	The celebrated Finley River Boys of Springfield, Mo. play on the Main Stage on Saturday from 1-5 p.m.

Saturday's activities begin with a pancake breakfast at the Westminster Presbyterian Church near downtown from 6:30-9 a.m. The festivities begin downtown at 9 a.m. with the opening of the many different vendor booths as well as the Fun Zone for Kids. Also opening at 9 a.m. is the Morgan County Historical Society Museum and a homemade quilt show at the Hunter Civic Center. The Olde Tyme Apple Festival parade begins at 10 a.m. at the Morgan County R-II School and winds through downtown Versailles. The marching band contest awards will be announced at 11:45 a.m. from the Main Stage followed by an apple pie auction at 12 noon. 

There will be live music throughout the afternoon on Saturday. From 1-5 p.m., the Finley River Boys will entertain crowds at the Main Stage with traditional gospel and bluegrass classics.  Other live musical entertainment includes performances by Out on a Limb on the Monroe Street Stage, the Retro Nerds on the Beer Garden Stage and Sonshine Road on the Gospel Stage. The  Olde Tyme Fiddle Contest takes place at 1 p.m. at the Versailles United Methodist Church in downtown. 

The annual Apple Festival car show takes place from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Versailles City Park. A variety of classic vehicles will be on display throughout the day with the awards ceremony taking place at 3 p.m.

Saturday evening, the action moves to the Morgan County Fairgrounds at 6:30 p.m. with the Compact Figure 8 Race, kids Powerwheel races, Powder Puff Scramble and a demolition derby.

	The Olde Tyme Apple Festival celebrates the fall harvest and features many delicious apple-focused treats like fresh-baked apple pies, apple dumplings, caramel apples and more.

On Sunday, activities get underway with an 8 a.m. Community Worship Service on Jasper Street in front of the Scrivner-Morrow Funeral Home. The vendor booths will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. along the downtown square. Sunday's live musical entertainment includes performances by Pure Drive on the Main Stage as well as Plain & Simple on the Monroe Street Stage. Also on Sunday, the Old Tyme Apple Festival Three-Person Scramble golf tournament is scheduled for a 12 noon shotgun start at Rolling Hills Country Club, located one mile north of the junction of Highways 52 and 5. The tournament is open to the public. To register for the tournament, contact Rolling Hills at 573-378-5109 or visit the club's website at www.RollingHillsOzark.com. 

Throughout the festival, numerous food vendors will be selling sweet apple treats like apple dumplings, caramel apples and apple butter, as well as other favorite festival foods in the downtown square. 

	The Royal Theatre in downtown Versailles hosts four performances of the Broadway musical "Newsies" during the Apple Festival.

The Royal Theatre in downtown Versailles hosts a Broadway musical production of "Newsies" during the  festival . The musical will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Sunday, Oct. 6. Additional performances of "Newsies" also take place the following week, October 10-12.