Picturesque landscape, colonial mansions, adventure sports and apple farms. Himachal Pradesh is a globetrotter&rsquos dream come true. The mysticism of the enchanting valley has fascinated tourists from around the world. To further boost the tourism and apple industry in the state, Himachal Pradesh tourism department in collaboration with other departments will be organising  &lsquoApple Festival&rsquo in Shimla.

The two - day fest is to take place on September 27 & 28 and will  display &lsquoHimachali Apples&rsquo and other organic products of the state. With acres of apple orchards, the state of Himachal Pradesh comes to life during this season. 

The festival will be organised at the ancient Gaiety theatre&rsquos Gothic Hall and the newly constructed multipurpose hall. The main attractions at the event will  be the diverse varieties of apples and other apple - based products. Activities like painting competition, quiz competition, orchard tourism and apple queen contest have also been planned as part of the two - day event. 

As per reports by Tribune, Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap stated that the festival was being held to promote apple tourism and generate interest in apple orchards and its cultivation among the tourists. He added that authentic traditional Himachali cuisine will be on display at the event in addition to the apple - based bakery products. According to chief minister, Jai Ram Thakur, the long term goal is to focus on sustainable tourism and to establish the state as a leading global sustainable tourism destination.

Though, this Apple Festival holds immense potential for tourism promotion, it has failed to become a regular occurence.