I’ve interviewed a lot of special people for this series, but I’ll admit I’m a little biased about this one.

My dad, Stan Graeff, was just three months old when the first Apple Festival was held. Seventy-five festivals later, he has a lifetime of stories to tell—and I’m going to let him tell them.

What I’ll tell you is that Dad is my hero in the way a girl’s dad often is. He’s also my best friend and, these days, the unofficial chief operating officer of just about everything book-related I do back home. If something needs picked up, delivered, figured out, set up or handled, Dad is usually the one making it happen.

And a special shout-out to my mom, who I would have loved to interview for this series, too. But while Dad was in front of the camera—and while I spent hours interviewing everyone else—Mom was busy behind the scenes, watching all three of my kids under five so I could do it.

Which, come to think of it, is a pretty accurate picture of the two of them.

Thank you, Dad, for sharing your Apple Festival story—and to both of my parents for always being there to help me tell mine.