MONMOUTH — The town will turn over its downtown center Saturday to AppleFest 2014, a daylong celebration of apples and rural life that will raise money to benefit the Monmouth Museum and other programs.

Main Street will be closed to traffic and open to pedestrians and activities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A breakfast at United Church of Monmouth’s Packard Activity Center will benefit United Church and the Methodist Church of East Monmouth.

A road race will start at 8 a.m. at Cumston Hall, which is also the finish line. Runners can sign up for the race on race day.

The race is being hosted by Friends of Cumston Hall, and proceeds will benefit the iconic structure designed by Harry Cochrane and built in 1900 that houses the Theater at Monmouth.

AppleFest started in 1989 as a way to raise funds for the Monmouth Museum. Proceeds from AppleFest are used to pay for insurance on the museum’s buildings and for other expenses.

The Monmouth Museum, which owns eight old buildings, houses exhibits depicting life in an agricultural town from 1800 to 1950. Among the museum buildings are a stencil shop, a blacksmith’s shop, a carriage house, an old-time school room and a 19th-century dwelling.

Admission to the museum’s buildings is free on the day of AppleFest.

About 70 bakers make 100 apple pies that are for sale at the festival, either as whole pies or as slices topped with cheddar cheese or ice cream.

Whole apple pies are for sale in the country store across Main Street from the rest of the museum. There will be free balloons for the children, rides in a barrel-car train and rides in a horse-drawn wagon.

An apple pie eating contest also is on the agenda. There will be a cider pressing demonstration, a quilt raffle and a crafters’ fair on Main Street.