30th Annual Johnny Appleseed Festival To Be Held September 30th!

The legend of Johnny Appleseed has been alive in Downtown Crystal Lake for 30 years, and this year’s event on Saturday, September 30th promises to be the biggest and best ever! Yes, that’s 30 years on the 30th! Thousands of families attend the festival to celebrate the season and the community, and to enjoy a variety of apple-flavored delights. This family-friendly event is full of history, art, music, and culture.

Named in honor of the historic orchardist and nurseryman, the Johnny Appleseed Festival includes fun for all ages. It is held the last Saturday in September in honor of Appleseed’s (a/k/a John Chapman’s) birthday on September 26, 1774. Activities include wagon rides, children’s games, face painting, dancing, and a visit by Johnny Appleseed himself to tell stories of seeding orchards in the frontier days of 1812-1845. Back by popular demand are the petting zoo, Corner Corral inflatables, and the pumpkin train. Festival hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Steve McPhail, Johnny Appleseed impersonator, will return this year. He will walk among the festival guests sharing historic information about sowing apple seeds on the frontier to form orchards and establish nurseries. In addition to growing fruit trees, Johnny Appleseed created legal boundaries to establish land claims on the frontier. He was also an animal rights activist and a vegetarian.

Another reason to attend the festival is the Great Ball Race Raffle, which will be held at 3:00 p.m. with a Grand Prize of $1,000! The Great Ball Race features brightly colored, numbered balls rolling down the hill on Brink Street with the fastest ball winning $1,000 for its owner. Other prizes will also be awarded.

Downtown Crystal Lake features unique shops, restaurants, arts, culture and family-friendly fun. Shop and support local!