One of Hamilton County’s top fall destinations for fresh, hand-dipped caramel apples and a wide variety of tasty treats is again set to open its doors next week.
Conner Prairie’s Apple Store opens at 11 a.m. Sept. 1, offering a 15 percent discount on all items in the store. Tuesday, customers can buy one plain caramel apple and get one free while supplies last.
Open for up to nine weeks each season, the store is a popular stop for guests with a sweet tooth. Typically, store workers dip nearly 14,500 caramel apples while preparing and selling a host of treats, including:
• Chocolate-salted caramel apples
• Cider slushies
• Popcorn
• Pasteurized apple cider
• Multiple varieties of apples from local orchards
• Jams and jellies
• Apple pies
• Amish goods
• Gourmet dog treats
New items on the menu this year include B. Happy Peanut Butter out of Zionsville, red velvet cherries, donut holes from Jack’s Donuts and a cookie specialty treat. Popular items returning include doughnuts and apple fritters from Jack’s Donuts and healthier options, including gluten-free cookies, soup mixes, salsa and more. Special orders can be placed by calling (317) 776-6000. Deals and promotions are announced on Facebook throughout the season.
The Apple Store also features a variety of gift items, including apple butter, gourmet pie mixes, locally made soaps and candles and Halloween decorations.
The entire operation is run by the Conner Prairie Alliance, a non-profit women’s volunteer organization that began in 1982 and raises funds to support Conner Prairie’s mission and programs. The group has raised more than $800,000 for Conner Prairie, most recently donating $60,000 to help the museum open its new Discovery Station and Craft Corner, a free-play and experiential learning space inside the Welcome Center.
Hours of the Apple Store this season are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday through Oct. 31. The store will stay open until 9:30 p.m. during Conner Prairie’s Headless Horseman nights in October but will close at 5 p.m. on Halloween.
Spanning 800 wooded acres in central Indiana, Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in Fishers, Ind., welcomes more than 340,000 guests of all ages annually. Five outdoor, historically themed destinations and indoor experiential learning spaces combine history with science, technology, engineering and math and offer an authentic look into history that shapes society today.
