By Staff
NILES - Get ready for the Four Flags Apple Festival 2005! This is the 33rd year for the apple festival. The festival will begin Thursday, Sept. 29 and continue on through Sunday, Oct. 2 with many pre-festival activities including the Miss Apple Festival contest today, Youth Parade and Youth Fun Day, and a Trike race on Saturday! The theme this year is Wings Over Festival.
There is something for everyone whether you like to eat, shop, play or compete in contests.
Opening ceremonies are Sept. 22 at the Niles High School just prior to the Miss Apple Festival and and Miss Junior Apple Festival pagent. There is also a Senior King and Queen presented at that time. This event is open to the public but seating is limited so you might want to get your tickets in advance.
This Saturday, Sept. 24 is the Youth Day Parade and Youth Day activities. This will be to the delight of many youngsters. Bring the kids down for a parade, free games, free food. What could be better.
Registration for the Trike and Big Wheel Race is from 9:30 to 10 a.m. at the Ring Lardner Middle School parking lot, for ages 2 to 7.
The parade line-up will be at noon at Eastside Park. The route is down 17th Street to the Apple Festival grounds at 17th and Lake streets.
Kid's games will follow the parade from 2 to 4 p.m. A magic show by Ronald McDonald will run from 2 to 2:30 p.m.
There will also be a climbing wall, moon walk, rope bridge by the Boy Scouts, hot dogs and cooton candy. All free.
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9 a.m. is the mixed scramble and shot gun golf tournament.
On Thursday, Sept. 29 fun with the children continues with the Skerbeck Brothers Carnival. This is the night that you can buy a wristband for your child for all rides until close that day. Also that night random drawing will choose a junior prince and princess in the 5-8 age group. They are such cuties!
Friday's entertainment will feature the incredibly funny group "Da Yoopers". If you're ever heard the song "Grama Got Ran Over By a Reindeer", you know what we're talking about. Come ready to laugh. For Saturday, we welcome the return of Irv Cass, Elvis impersonator who has teamed up with The Liverpool Legends for a performance of "Elvis Meets the Beatles!" We are happy to say that we will once again be offering this great entertainment at no cost to festival goers.
The lineup for the Grand Parade on Saturday, Oct. 1, promises to put smiles on the faces of all who attend. The procession will start at the corner of Sycamore and Second Streets at 1:30 p.m. and end at the Niles High School
Children and those young at heart will be dazzled by the fireworks that will be set off both Friday and Saturday nights.
There will be a large array of arts and crafts on Saturday and Sunday at the Apple Festival grounds. Come to see the talents of local crafters who spend long hours making gifts and gadgets for you and your friends so that you don't have to!
The Apple Festival would like to challenge you to compete in our contests! This year will include the scarecrow contest, horseshoes competition, apple pie eating contest, apple peeling contest, apple seed popping contest and biggest apple growing contest.
One of everyone's favorite competitions is the Lip Sync contest, which is held Sunday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m. This area has always produced some great contenders for the awards of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in three age groups. You won't want to miss it. The festival is all about clean family fun.
Who doesn't like that great fair food? The quality of products in the Apple Festival Apple Products tents is excellent. There is also a pancake breakfast both Saturday and Sunday morning with some great entertainment on the "open stage." There will also be a large array of "festival food" to choose from including elephant ears, corn dogs, cotton candy, hamburgers a the list is endless!
We are pleased to welcome the Michiana Cruisers this year for our car show. This will be on Sunday, Oct. 2. Make a point of going across the street to see an outstanding display of old and new cars and trucks.
So make plans now to celebrate this areas bounty and come on down to the 33nd Annual Four Flags Area Apple Festival!
For more information, please visit fourflagsapplefestival.org or call 269-683-8870.
A full listing of activities and times will be published prior to the festival.