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Ever wonder how some of the streets on the Lower East Side of NYC got their names? Here’s a stretch – In the 1700’s, the neighborhood was an apple orchard farm, hence the name Orchard Street. And, the farm was owned by a French family with the name Delancey (Remember the movie starring Amy Irving, Crossing Delancey?)

On Saturday, September 26, in honor of New York City Apple Day, a unique street festival aptly called “Apples on Orchard,” will take place on Orchard Street between Broome and Grand Streets. The free event, sponsored by the Lower East Side Business Improvement District, begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. In addition to upstate farmers bringing their delicious apples to the Big Apple, many of the neighborhood restaurants and merchants will participate in the day’s events.

There’s no better time than right now to heed the expression, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Labor Day is the official start of apple-picking season in the mid-atlantic and northeast states. After a rainy summer, the apples are big and plentiful.

Did you know?

Apples originated in the Middle East more than 4000 years ago. Apples arrived in England around 1066. English settlers brought them to America in the 1600 and 1700's.

A man named Johnny Chapman, born in Leominster, Massachusetts, on September 26, 1774, is credited with spreading apple crops to various parts of the United States. He was a skilled farmer who grew trees and supplied apple seeds to the pioneers in the mid-west. Johnny Chapman became known as Johnny Appleseed because of his love for apple trees. He died at the age of 70, after devoting 50 years to growing apple trees and spreading seeds throughout the USA. Some important nutrition information about apples:

Apples are absolutely fat-free. One apple provides as much dietary fiber as a bowl of bran cereal. That's equal to one fifth of the recommended daily intake of fiber. Apples are loaded with pectin, a soluble fiber that aids digestion and may help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. The complex carbohydrates in apples give your body a longer, more even energy boost compared to high-sugar snacks. Snacking on apples can keep you going throughout the day.* Apples provide boron, an essential trace element that helps harden bones. Strong bones help prevent osteoporosis.

*When snacking on an apple, consider combining it with a protein source, such as a handful of almonds, or spread almond butter on the apple, to counteract the effect of the sugar content. This helps to sustain the energy for an extended period of time.

Apple facts courtesy of [New York Apple Association] (http://www.nyapplecountry.com).

At Apples on Orchard, you’ll have a chance to taste a variety of apples, many some you haven’t tried before. Many of New York City’s subway lines stop near the festivities. You can take the J/M/Z or F to Delancey/Essex, the F/V to Houston Street/2nd Avenue and walk a few blocks south on Orchard, the D/B to Grand Street, or the F to Canal Street.

For more information about New York City Apple Day and the Apples on Orchard street festival, contact the Lower East Side Business Improvement District at 54 Orchard Street, NYC 10002, 212-226-9010, info@lowereastsideny.com. or visit http://www.lowereastsideny.com.