Haley Caroline Marshall Shares What The Apple Festival Means To Her

You can hear it in Haley Caroline Marshall’s voice: this isn’t just a title, it’s a responsibility she’s proud to carry. Haley joins us on WHKP as our Hometown Hero after being named the 2026 North Carolina Apple Festival Apple Ambassador for the 80th Apple Festival, and her story is a powerful reminder that confidence is often something you build, not something you’re born with. She takes us through the moment she got the call, the nerves that came with it, and the excitement of realizing she’d get to represent Henderson County on a bigger stage.

We dig into what an Apple Ambassador actually does, from spending the festival weekend connecting with local growers to welcoming visitors who may be experiencing Hendersonville for the first time. Haley also lays out the full application process: spring applications, academics and an essay, then a speech and interview. If public speaking makes your stomach drop, you’ll relate to her honesty about a shaky voice and real fear, and you’ll love what happens when she pushes through anyway.

Then we zoom out to the bigger meaning of the North Carolina Apple Festival, the apple industry’s impact in our area, and why community traditions matter. Haley shares how the parade and Main Street crowds helped her feel supported, plus a few fun favorites like apple cider donuts. We also talk about what’s new for the 80th year, including expanded space for vendors, more local business and nonprofit visibility, and her upcoming representation at the North Carolina State Fair. Before we wrap, we offer a quick real estate market update for Western North Carolina, because life happens and real estate happens.

If you enjoyed this hometown story, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show. What’s your favorite Apple Festival tradition?

Transcript

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Anniversary And Hometown Hero Intro

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is celebrating 10 years on WHKP. The George Real Estate Group is celebrating 10 years on the radio live every Thursday morning at 10.05 on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450, and streaming online at WHKP.com. Each Friday morning at 8.45, the George Real Estate Group presents the Hometown Hero Award to someone in our community who goes above and beyond to make our hometown a better place to live. Here's this week's Hometown Hero Show.

SPEAKER_03 0:41

It is 8 45 here at WHKP, and now it's time for the Hometown Hero with Noah George.

SPEAKER_02 0:50

Good morning. Good morning, and welcome to the uh George Wilson Group Hometown Heroes series here on WHKP every Friday morning, and it's a privilege and honor. I'm holding down the mic. Randy's gonna be on a live uh shoot uh this morning.

SPEAKER_03 1:05

He's gonna be at the live remote broadcast at Toby's Mattress Alder. So he'll be there from 9 until well, 9.05 until 11 o'clock.

SPEAKER_02 1:15

A lot of things happening here on WHKP, and we're grateful. Uh love being here every Friday morning, uh, sponsoring the Hometown Hero series. And Fridays is a special time where you get to honor amazing uh people in this community making

Local Real Estate Snapshot And Help

SPEAKER_02 1:28

a difference. And before we jump into the conversation uh with Haley Caroline Marshall, the Apple ambassador for the 2026 North Carolina 80th Apple Festival, uh just a quick snapshot of the real estate market. There's a lot of conversations about the real estate market. The market is still moving. In fact, there's been over a hundred single-family homes more than a hundred single-family homes sold in the last 12 months versus the previous 12 months. The market's still moving, the inventory levels are still low. Uh the days on market are increasing, prices are softening a little bit, but the point is life happens, therefore real estate happens, and it's going to continue to happen. And it's a privilege and honor if we can help you in any way with your real estate needs, whether it's your personal home, your investment property, your family land, your commercial real estate. We we work from the $10,000 lot to the $10 million commercial property again across the board. We'd love to have the conversation. Give us a call, $28-393-0134-828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygreg.com. Follow us on social media. We also podcast all of our radio shows. One more thing. This weekend, Sunday, August 30th, 1867 Fruitland Road is going to be open this Sunday, 2 to 4. Massive price reduction, $100,000, now offered at $7.99. The Amy team's having an open house this Sunday from $2 to 4, nearly six acres with a beautiful five-bedroom, three-bath home. And check that out.

Meet The 2026 Apple Ambassador

SPEAKER_02 3:03

This morning, welcome to the mic. Haley, Caroline Marshall, a rising senior at East Henderson High School, named Apple Ambassador for the 80th Apple Festival, 2026 Apple Festival. Welcome to the Mike, Haley. Haley, right? Do you go by Haley? Yes. Oh, we got to get our mic going. Let's go to that. Let's do that again. Welcome to the mic, Haley.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

How did you congratulations? And what was your reaction when you found out?

SPEAKER_01 3:33

Oh, I was so excited. I was really nervous. I go to bed really early. So I would there they told me they were like, yeah, we're gonna call you like tonight and let you know. And I was like, oh lord, I'm gonna have to stay up for that because I can't miss the call. And so I was like laying in my bed and I was like half asleep, and they called me. And I like I was like so nervous because I was it was I was nervous. I was didn't know what to expect. And they told me, and I was just ecstatic. I was like, oh my goodness, I need to tell everybody.

SPEAKER_02 4:04

Well, congratulations. I'm sure that felt amazing. For for someone who who's listening that may not know what what exactly is the Apple Ambassador, and what does an Apple Ambassador get to do?

SPEAKER_01 4:15

I so I spend the weekend at the Apple Festival, and I really just represent the community. Um I get to get I get to know the local growers really well and like kind of represent them as a whole and to for our community.

SPEAKER_02 4:33

Did you know any former Apple ambassadors?

SPEAKER_01 4:37

I have known a bunch of them actually. I Raya last year. Um I went to school with her and I knew her like from my childhood too.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

Um Isis had a lot of Apple ambassadors.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:51

East Henderson.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Yeah, and Rain, I knew Rain. She wasn't that she was the runner of, I knew Heather a little bit. So, like I've known a bunch of the East ones.

SPEAKER_02 5:00

So, what made you want to become an Apple ambassador?

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Well, at first I had no intention. At first I was like, this is scary. And then and then I was talking to one of my counselors at school because I was like a TA for them. And they were like, I was like, this is really interesting because Josh English had came in and was kind of talking. And I was like, wow, maybe I do want to do that. That sounds really interesting. Because Apple Festival kind of it it really showed me what I had growing up. You know, like I had a whole community behind me. So then I was like, I do want to do it, and so that was kind of my like eye-opener of like I want to do that.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

You made the decision

Application Steps And Speech Nerves

SPEAKER_02 5:39

to do it. Did you have to? I mean, there's a process to apply.

SPEAKER_01 5:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:44

Can you share with our listeners about that?

SPEAKER_01 5:46

So you can get the application in May, April, April, I think. The beginning of April or something. And then you fill it out. It's basically just your academic um at first.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

Like that's the initial training.

SPEAKER_01 6:03

And um, if you make it past that, then you get the letter in the mail to go for your speech and for the interview. And then you go in and you meet with like uh the committee, I guess, and you meet with them and you give them your speech, and then they let you know that night.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

So was there wasn't there an essay part of this too?

SPEAKER_01 6:25

Yeah. So in your like for the academic, when you submit your application, you have an essay, and then you submit your academics, and I think a picture is what you send into them. And then you write another, I guess, speech. So you have an essay and a speech.

SPEAKER_02 6:39

And you presented the speech. Yeah. How'd you feel about that?

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Oh, I was nervous. I hate I hate public speaking. I have definitely had to get out of my comfort zone for this. When I found out there was a speech, I'm gonna be honest, I was a little I wasn't.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Did you think about not doing it?

SPEAKER_01 6:56

At first a little bit. I was a little skeptical. I was like, maybe this is not for me.

SPEAKER_02 7:01

But you pushed through and you and you did it anyways.

SPEAKER_01 7:04

Yeah, I was really nervous up there. I I was really I I actually was really worried that that was gonna like knock me out because I was really nervous. I was up there like with a shaky voice, and I could tell. I was like, oh my gosh, I'm nervous. Um so I was like, this is gonna, that's gonna kill me. And then I was like, and then I got it.

SPEAKER_02 7:22

Again, congratulations. There's a lot to be said about that pushing through your fears and showing up and doing it, uh, and and you you you grew through that experience. What about okay, you talked it a little bit, and we're gonna talk about there's a lot to talk about about the Apple Festival in and of itself, but what does the Apple Festival mean to

Why The Apple Festival Matters

SPEAKER_02 7:42

you?

SPEAKER_01 7:43

It means a lot. Um growing up, my family we had a lot of issues growing up. And so I like I really struggled with feeling isolated um from everybody else. And the Apple Festival, I went with Tat tool dance, and I just remember being on that float and seeing like going down Main Street and like seeing the whole community. Like the like the Apple Festival brings everybody together, and like it really opened my eyes growing up of like you have all these people behind you, like and you it's not something you think about on your day-to-day life.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

So you felt supported by the community.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

And it's like you like all these people have different experiences, but they come here to support the community. And so I think that was like the most I think that's the most meaningful thing to me, and I will I think it will always be the most meaningful thing of the Apple Festival, just like seeing how they come together for for like the community, and how you have like no matter who you are, you have that support behind you.

SPEAKER_02 8:50

It's remarkable. Yeah. And I I love the fact that you get it. You see, you see that.

SPEAKER_01 8:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

That's amazing. You um is there any one is there one specific thing, is there a favorite food, a favorite activity? Is there something that stands out to you with the Apple Festival or a an event that you absolutely have to do every single year?

SPEAKER_01 9:08

I don't know about and like I don't know about an event, but let me tell you, I love myself some apple cider donuts. Love that's honestly apple cider donuts. Love them.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

Do you have a do you have a favorite orchard that you like that if we're gonna uh put you on the spot?

SPEAKER_01 9:24

I really, really, really love supporting the lively orchards. Okay. Miss uh Miss Lively, she was my first grade teacher.

SPEAKER_02 9:32

That's amazing. What corner are they at?

SPEAKER_01 9:34

Uh typically I don't think she comes to the apple.

SPEAKER_02 9:36

Okay. But they that but she had a big impact on your first grade teacher?

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Yeah, she was my first grade teacher, and I adore her. She is she's such a sweetie. I love her so much. And she I like when I first found out she was one of the first people I told. Called her and I was like, oh my gosh. And I done my pictures there at her orchard, like Wow. So, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

That speaks again to your your school.

School Plans And Career Goals

SPEAKER_02 10:01

Let's talk about your school experience. I mean, you're involved. I know you're very involved at school and east, and what's your what's your high school experience been like? And then what's next for you?

SPEAKER_01 10:11

Um, high school is crazy. Um, it's hectic, but I I have really pushed through um senior year. I'm doing Blue Ridge. I'm not I'm not taking any East classes this year. I'm taking all Blue Ridge. Oh, good for you. So I'll get my I'll graduate high school with my associates in Arts. And my plan after that is to go, hopefully go to Western. And I want to go there for non-public school um early childhood education.

SPEAKER_02 10:42

Isn't that it? So you want to be a teacher or some aspect of it.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Um I wanna I want to work in intervention, the intervention side of things. And so the non-public school allows me to do a lot more one-on-one. Um, I love kids, but being in a classroom stresses me out, and I feel like I make a lot more impact with one kid. And so that's why I chose I like I really want to do the intervention and work with families and kids one-on-one.

SPEAKER_02 11:10

Uh just a few minutes with you, I can tell why you got picked. I mean, like, you it's your communication skills, but again, your passion and and what you want to do is amazing. So we're so honored to have you here this morning as the the hometown hero uh and the 2026 North Carolina Apple Festival uh, you know, uh Apple ambassador. Uh you what's what's another piece of this uh

State Fair And 80th Festival Updates

SPEAKER_02 11:34

experience? You also get to represent the Apple Festival at the North Carolina State Fair.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:39

How how do you feel about that?

SPEAKER_01 11:40

I I think it's really exciting. I really it I I didn't really think about it at first, but like now it's starting to come together of like how much opportunity it gives me. And so it's it's just it's like really an honor to get to represent the community, but it's also just like it it's really nice to be able to connect with the community through all of these things that like if I wouldn't have applied, I probably wouldn't have done, you know?

SPEAKER_02 12:09

There's a so let's talk about the 80th Apple Festival. It's I mean, it's remarkable. The Apple industry here is and again, these are millions, uh tens of millions of dollars of economic impact uh for Henderson County. But but what the Apple Festival represents, uh to your point, the community, the and and celebrating our agricultural history uh is remarkable. But I mean uh the the Apple Festival, there's some things I think you might have to share about the Apple Festival.

SPEAKER_01 12:40

Yes. So um obviously it's the 80th year um and we have a bunch of new things. So it's we're gonna have um they're extending the block at the sixth from 6th to 7th Avenue, and there's gonna be it's gonna allow more space for um vendors and sponsors. So some of the new vendors are including Wits, Custard, the Farmhouse Lemonade, Green Thumb Pottery, and the Hooper's Creek Bee Company. And then there'll be some festival sponsors and um some local nonprofits there. And so it like allows more local, like a a lot more local spotlight. Like spot yeah, spotlight rather than just rather than just the apple growers, which is significant to the apple festival, but like also bringing in like you have thousands of people that come to this festival to grow their like businesses and nonprofits.

SPEAKER_02 13:38

Yeah, and it's supporting the local uh uh you know agricultural community or farmers and celebrating that and also the just the local economy. I mean the impact that it has and the community it brings together. You know, this is again it's a it's an amazing way to support our community. And I think when people come here, sometimes uh the Apple Festival is their first experience with Henderson County.

SPEAKER_01 14:00

And a lot of a lot of people come here, like they haven't been here in years, like since they were kids. So I think it's like it just brings everybody back together and it allow allows for growth of the community, the businesses, like all of it, everything gets a spotlight for the like the weekend.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

It's absolutely amazing. Uh Haley, Caroline Marshall, uh, the 2026 North Carolina Apple Festival Apple Ambassador for the 80th, 80th, 80 years of Apple Festival. By the way, Henderson County's grows roughly 80% of the apples in in North Carolina. Yeah, and it also happens to be WHKP's 80th as well. So again, congratulations. And by the way, it wasn't just ceremonial that you this uh ambassador, you got a uh scholarship as well.

SPEAKER_01 14:46

I did, yes.

SPEAKER_02 14:47

That's tremendous. We're so thankful to have you here this morning. Here's

Thanks, Awards, And Closing

SPEAKER_02 14:50

a certificate and some gift certificates as our as our hometown hero. Uh Tippy, thank you so much for for holding down the mic. I know we got just a few seconds here. Anything else in wrapping up?

SPEAKER_01 15:02

Um, we would just like to thank um Advent Health as our presenting sponsor.

SPEAKER_02 15:06

That's awesome. Great job. You did tremendous this morning. Awesome. And of course, uh, no surprise there as the Apple Ambassador. Thank you so much for being here this morning on WHKP.

SPEAKER_03 15:19

Fox News comes your way next on real country. WHKP 107.7 and 1415 on the AMDs.

SPEAKER_00 15:27

The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is celebrating 10 years on WHKP. The George Real Estate Group is celebrating 10 years on the radio live every Thursday morning at 10.05 on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450, and streaming online at WHKP.com. Each Friday morning at 8.45, the George Real Estate Group presents the Hometown Hero Award to someone in our community who goes above and beyond to make our hometown a better place to live. Here's this week's Hometown Hero Show.

SPEAKER_02 16:09

Maybe the house feels a little too big these days. The stairs a little steeper. The pace of life a little too fast. But what if your next move wasn't about letting go? It was about making space. For peace, for freedom, for what matters most. At the George Real Estate Group, we understand that real estate isn't just about the house. It's about transitions, timing, and trust. We've helped thousands of families in Western North Carolina make smart, thoughtful moves. Closer to nature, closer to family, closer to home. So when you're ready to rise size, simplify, or start fresh, we'll be here. The George Real Estate Group. Local, trusted, proven. Call us today, 828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygreg.com because your next chapter deserves to feel just right.