By Staff
Ciderfest, Wicks Apple House's two-day festival Oct. 7 and 8, celebrates the fall harvest.
Families attending this festival can tour part of the centennial farm at 52281 Indian Lake Road, Dowagiac, on a horse-drawn wagon ride, pet some farm animals in the petting zoo and listen to country music performed by a live band – all free.
Also, the local fire department will be on hand demonstrating the smokehouse.
This is a free demonstration and a great learning experience for everyone on safe ways to exit a home filled with smoke.
While at Ciderfest, families can also venture into Jerry and Kelli Casey's corn maze.
This year's theme is "The Amazing Solar System." Created in a six-acre corn field, paths twist and turn through thousands of living cornstalks. Another activity is the Haunted Barn. This spook house not only scares feeble patrons, but also offers mind-boggling illusions that will leave you dizzy with vertigo.
In 2005, more than 15,000 people attended this two-day event.
Families can spend the whole day at Wicks' Apple House, starting with breakfast or lunch in Orchard View Restaurant. They may then like to browse the Apple Tree Gift Shop for collectibles and hand-crafted items. There are plenty of goodies to sample in Wicks' gourmet food section and patrons love to watch the century-old cider mill press fresh "Apple Squeezins, homemade pies, apple and spice doughnuts and a large variety of other bakery goods made fresh daily.