Despite the rain and dreary weather, Kendallville civilians of all ages attended the annual Apple Festival this past weekend. A tradition to most, the festival lasts two days out of the month of October. No matter the circumstance there is something for everybody at the Apple Festival.

This year, the festival landed on October 1st and 2nd. From 9 am to 6 pm on both Saturday and Sunday the fairgrounds were packed with people. While most were Kendallville natives, many others attended the festival from across the Midwest.

In 1985, Gary and Kay Shepard, Barb Kelly, and Kathy Baker organized a festival that would change Kendallville forever. They specifically wanted the theme of the festival to reflect the time of the Civil War era, which is when Kendallville originated as a city. Crafters, educators, and vendors dressed and acted as if the year was 1863: they wore long dresses with bonnets, overalls, and spoke olde English. The tradition stuck, and it is still that way today. With a budget of $5,000 and a handful of crafters and sponsors, their dream became a reality.

Main attractions included the craft tables, food vendors,  and special performances. The East Noble Marching Knights sold haystack potatoes; the returning booth is a hit among sellers and many band members choose to participate every year.

East Noble High School show choir and theatre collaborated on the infamous Raise A Ruckus show. The hour-long performance consisted of singing, dancing, acting, and getting the crowd involved. Audience members were asked to join the cast on stage to engage in small skits and dance routines. Miss Chloe Hines, the new theatre teacher at East Noble High School, directed her first ever Raise A Ruckus show, following in the footsteps of retired theatre teacher Mr. Craig Munk.

Traditionally, Miss Indiana and Miss Indiana’s Outstanding Teen perform during the Raise A Ruckus show, and this year was special. Brianna Decamp (Miss Indiana) and Jordan Axel (Miss Indiana’s Outstanding Teen) made appearances and both did individual and duet tap dancing routines. It was a huge hit amongst the crowd!

The festival closed on a happy note, and everyone is excited for next year’s Apple Festival!