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ANNUAL NAPPANEE APPLE FESTIVAL

It’s a big celebration and historic Nappanee continues its tradition of being one of Indiana’s top fall festivals when its annual Apple Festival opens September, 14-17. Beginning in 1975 as a one-block festival, the community of 7000 offers up great Hoosier Hospitality.

Kicking off one September 9 is the tractor and truck pull, drawing in competition from the Midwest area. The popularity and participation of the event has grown annually with ten classes of pulls including modified tractors. Gates open at 12 noon; the pull gets underway at 2 pm. Admission is $5.00. Children 10 and under are admitted free and food concessions are available.

Festival week features Indiana’s largest 7’ apple pie, the Napple Store with everything apple, 170 craft & commercial vendors, 25 food booths, carnival rides, exhibits, contests, demonstrations and Thursday’s scholarship queen pageant; Thursday, Friday and Saturday is the Antique Tractor & Engine Show at Power from the Past Showgrounds; Saturday’s hour long parade with vintage war plane flyover is followed by Wings & Wheel Airport Show and Antique Tractor Pull at Callander Sportsplex; and Sunday is worship service, gospel music, and two tents of free entertainment.

Headlining the entertainment will be Flight Crew Jump Rope, a performance-based jump rope team made up of some of the greatest jumpers in the world, a unique and energizing show appealing to audiences of all ages.

Two free entertainment stages offer music genres ranging from rock & roll to classic rock, folk, bluegrass, country, gospel and variety. Kid’s favorites include Mike Hemmelgarn, comedy juggler & ventriloquist, Silly Safaris and the Granpa Crachet Kids Show and Puppets.

There will be plenty of your apple favorites: apple pie, apple fritters, apple dumplings, apple turnovers, apple fry pies, apple bread, applesauce, apple cider and apple butter to devour during the festival or take home to enjoy later.

Experience a truly unique hometown festival that leaves you marking your calendar for a return trip the following year.

The festival is made possible through the financial support of local and area retail and corporate businesses, City of Nappanee employees, Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce and a dedicated group of volunteers. Principal sponsors are CommunityFiber, Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Kountry Cabinets and Home Furnishings, Martin’s Supermarket, WSBT.

A complete list of entertainment, events and map can be downloaded from the 2017 Apple Festival Events brochure. For information: www.nappaneeapplefestival.org. Visit us on Facebook.

The Waynedale News Staff
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