Annual Four Flags Area Apple Fest kicks off opening day in Niles

NILES, Mich. -- The 54th annual Four Flags Area Apple Festival in Niles kicked off at 3 p.m. Oct. 1 with rides, fair food and of course, lots and lots of apples.

"Something new we are doing this year is cornhole is big here in the Midwest. So, we're going to have a cornhole tournament on Sunday."

Recording Secretary, Jenna Vandervelden, has helped organize the Apple Fest for years. Every year they try to outdo themselves and they're doing that this year with a cornhole tournament.

"Some of the fun things we have going on tonight includes all the rides, carnival games, and all of our concessions are open for some yummy fair food, festival food, and then we also have our apple products tent open where you can get all your yummy apple treats," shared Vandervelden.

The fest is in its 54th year and was created to celebrate the apple harvest in Southwest Michigan. For almost 40 years, Clarke Concessions have been serving up homemade buns to go with their polish sausages, homemade dip and hand dipped corn dogs. Their staple is what keeps people coming back, but what keeps Clarke coming back to the fest is a little different.

"We're not only feeding second generations now, maybe third, seeing our customers year after year. Also, the Apple Festival board here, we're so appreciative of them and everything they do, and how they've created this festival for the community," said Laura Clarke with Clarke Concessions.

If fun rides, good food and even better people weren't enough to get you down here, there's a parade on Saturday and arts and crafts throughout the weekend.

Planning for Apple Fest is a yearlong process. In two weeks, the board will start planning for next year's fest.

The 2026 Apple Fest runs from Thursday, Oct. 1 to Sunday, Oct. 4.