The “Big Apple” structure in Colborne, Ontario, opened in 1987 and is the largest apple-shaped structure in the world (40 feet tall). A face was painted on the apple in 2013, and in 2020 (during the Covid-19/coronavirus pandemic) a mask was put over this face. Ontario is an apple-growing region.
 
The “Big Apple” site also features a restaurant, a pie factory, a souvenir store, an amusement park, a miniature golf course, a petting zoo and an outdoor picnic area.
     
Similar “Big Apple” roadside attractions include a “Big Red Apple” in Cornelia, Georgia (1926-present), a “Big Apple” that was in Wathena, Kansas (1928-1940), a “Big Apple” kiosk in Mumbles, Swansea Bay, Wales (1930s-present), a “Big Apple” at Robinette’s Apple Haus in Grand Rapids, Michigan (1973-present), a “Big Apple” tourist information booth in Meaford, Ontario, Canada (1974-present), a “Big Apple” in Thulimbah, Queensland, Australia (1978-present), a “Big Apple” at the Big Apple Cafe & Event Centre in Waitomo Caves, New Zealand (1995-present), a “Big Apple” in Medina, New York (2000-present), a “Big Apple” at the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan (2008-present), “La Mela Reintegrata” or “The Apple Made Whole Again” at Central Station in Milan, Italy (2015-present) and the “Big Apple of New England” at the Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center in Lancaster, Massachusetts (2019-present).
     
       
Wikipedia: Big Apple (Colborne, Ontario)
The Big Apple is a roadside attraction in Colborne, a village in the municipality of Cramahe, in Northumberland County, Ontario, Canada. Located on the south side of Ontario Highway 401 at interchange 497 (Northumberland County Road 25/Percy Street), it is easily recognizable from the highway by its large apple-shaped structure, claimed to be the world’s largest.
(...)
he Big Apple opened in 1987, with its construction costs covered through a combination of a government loan and investment by Doug Rutherford, the owner of a local trucking company. (...) In 2013, a cartoon face was painted on the Big Apple. (...) The primary attraction of the Big Apple is the eponymous Big Apple, a 12.1 m (40 ft) tall, 11.5 m (38 ft) wide apple-shaped structure named “Mr. Applehead”. The Big Apple claims to be the largest apple-shaped structure in the world.
 
The Big Apple (Colborne, ON)
Media & News
All about The Big Apple! Promotional Video Summer 2020
           
Newspapers.com
22 August 1992, Ottawa (ON) Citizen, pg. J2, col. 1:
Visit to the Big Apple provides
a little bite of Ontario history
By Alan Capon
 
Newspapers.com
5 September 1992, Windsor (ON) Star, pg. D2, col. 1:
Apple-pie order
rules in Colborne
By Alan Capon
Kingston Whig-Standard
(Photo caption.—ed.)
BIG APPLE, visible from Highway 401, is centrepiece of a theme park in Colborne, Ont.
       
YouTube     
The Big Apple of Colborne
Jun 30, 2007
AllAxisRadio
Amaya, Kaflooey, Bill, and Ajay discover The Big Apple of Colborne.
     
Twitter
Tania Mardirosian
@iPropertyLounge
Visited the Big Apple, in Colborne, ON. Smelled delightful with all the fresh baked apple pies !! Yum.
8:23 PM · Apr 20, 2012·Photos on iOS
 
Twitter
Dr. Wendy Powell
@wendyjpowell
The Big Apple in Colborne, Ontario. Pies, petting zoo, mini golf lunch and souvenirs.
4:37 PM · May 6, 2013·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
Bloody Boy Blue
@BloodyBoyBlue
THEY PAINTED A FACE ON THE BIG APPLE IN COLBORNE, ONTARIO! HOW COULD THEY?
6:20 PM · Jun 3, 2013·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
Andrew Pollock
@Fischbob
Holy crap, when did they paint that face on the Colborne Big Apple? It’s creepy as hell.
11:04 AM · Sep 13, 2013·Twitter for Android
   
Twitter
Heather 🖋
@bigsmallfamily
Do any others feel the face on the big apple in colborne is both creepy and unnecessary? #why #paintoverit
2:56 PM · Sep 16, 2013·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
Lauren Fine
@laurenfine_
Since when does the Big Apple have a smiley face on it? Don’t fix what ain’t broke, Colborne.
1:38 PM · Jul 25, 2014·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
low-res devil
@muhdawn
Who can I petition to get rid of the scary face they put on the big apple in Colborne?
7:13 PM · Oct 12, 2015·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Punjabi Rooh
@PunjabiRooh
The Big Apple on Highway 401 at #Colborne #Ontario #TO416 #Studio1937
Maaria मारिया ماریہ and 4 others
9:12 PM · Aug 21, 2017·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Mitts
@mittstagrams
No road trip in #Ontario is complete without a stop at The Big Apple! This is an Apple orchard located in Colborne, & features a bakery, a restaurant, a gift shop, petting zoo, mini-golf, and more!
If you go, make sure you try their fresh baked pies! Red apple Pie #Mittstagrams
12:16 AM · Dec 21, 2019 from Hamilton, Ontario·Twitter for iPhone
 
CTV News (Ottawa, Ontario)
The Big Apple in Colborne, Ont. is now wearing a mask
Kimberley Johnson
@KimberleyNJ
Published Friday, July 24, 2020 2:57PM EDT
Last Updated Friday, July 24, 2020 3:41PM EDT    
COLBORNE, ONT.—An icon of the 401 has a new look.
 
The Big Apple in Colborne, Ont. is now sporting a mask.
 
General Manager Sylvia Nagy says they put the mask on the apple on Thursday because that’s the rule at the store.
   
Twitter
yvonne
@oursacredbreath
The Big Apple in #Colborne (Ontario)  reminding people to mask up #COVID19 #BigApple
4:29 PM · Jul 25, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
Jean Turner (she/her/hers)
@TheJeanTurner
The Big Apple in #Colborne ON is doing their part to keep us safe! Thank you #WearAMask #COVID19
Big Apple
8:19 PM · Aug 19, 2020·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter     
RB33 Ron Beleno
@rb33canada
Replying to @sewaterfield
Colborne & the big apple is a great place Sian. You’re the first person I now know who lived there. I’ve actually been going for decades - just an hour away from me. My fave is the mumble crumble.
I went back again this past weekend for more goodies.
10:45 PM · Sep 28, 2020 from The Big Apple·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
Northumberland Tourism
@NorthumberlandT
Many people think “The Big Apple” means New York City, but for us, it means family fun, delicious treats and - literally - the BIGGEST red apple!
Visit their website and have your fave’s delivered right to your door (pickup available in TO!)
@bigapple401, Colborne
1:01 PM · Nov 2, 2020·Hootsuite Inc.
 
Twitter
Monika’s generations
@Monika_kamila17
And the big Apple is wearing a mask lol #colborne #ontario#goinghome#travel#yourstodiscover @ The Big Apple https://instagram.com/p/CJTwm8Og0r7/?igshid=ii4kw15cnch6
11:58 AM · Dec 27, 2020·Instagram
 
Twitter
Kimberly Moynahan
@Kim_Moynahan
Replying to @JamesIsaak2
I’ll see your Big Banana (err…ummm…YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN) and raise you a Big Apple
Colborne, ON.
4:35 PM · Jan 7, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
Nic Bea (Nicole Beatty)
@nicbea_co
No better place than #Colborne’s iconic Big Apple to talk about the significant economic driver that tourism & hospitality represents. May 23-30 is #TourismWeek, reminding us of the importance of building back an industry more resilient than ever.  #TourismMatters #Cramahe
10:36 PM · May 23, 2021·Buffer
 
Twitter
Theo Young
@poppiesfortheo
Replying to @SketchesbyBoze
Yaaa, The Big Apple in Colborne, Ontario. They’ve painted a face on him, and more recently, secured a mask. :’)
7:15 PM · Jun 1, 2021·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
Isaac Bogoch
@BogochIsaac
Another day of over 160,000 #COVID19 vaccines administered in Ontario, with ~38% as 2nd doses.
.
.
.
Here’s the Big Apple in Colborne, Ontario, wearing a mask.
(Great apple pie there too btw).
8:47 PM · Jun 4, 2021·Twitter Web App
 
Twitter
DeafBlind Ontario Services
@DeafBlindON
In addition to physically yarn bombing, we’re also virtually yarn bombing across Ontario. Did you see our yarn bombed maple leaf at The Big Apple in Colborne?
Mr. Applehead is the world’s largest apple-shaped structure! Have you seen it? Red apple #NDBAM
11:15 AM · Jun 6, 2021·Sprout Social