2024 Grand Rapids Applebutter Festival Guide

The 2024 Grand Rapids Applebutter Festival is coming up on Sunday, October 13 in the Village of Grand Rapids, Ohio. There will be a ton of events the day of and the days leading up to the event. This is your source to keep you informed.

Applebutter Fest Preparation Schedule

• Applebutter Fest Peeling
  • Wednesday, September 25 and Wednesday, October 9th at the Old Fire Station on Front Street. Peeling starts at 4 p.m., bring a paring knife and bowl.
• The Big Stir
  • Saturday, September 28 from 6 a.m. until noon at Kryder Farms at 4862 Co. Rd. P. McClure. Those attending are encouraged to bring a dish to share.
    • Canning will go from noon until 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. until 3 p.m.
• Day of Preparation/ Canning
  • Sunday, October 13 from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m., noon until 1 p.m., and 2p.m. until 3 p.m.
• Open for Business!
  • The Grand Rapids Applebutter Festival’s official hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday, October 13.

If you’d like to volunteer your time to help with preparation, day-of events, or clean up you can contact the ABF committee by clicking or tapping here.

Parking Information

The Village of Grand Rapids will be closed to all vehicular traffic the day of the festival. Multiple parking lots will be placed along the edges of town. Visitors can either walk or ride a shuttle into town. Click here for information on parking locations and fees.

The window for requesting parking passes for guests to park in resident driveways/ yards has closed as of September 1.

What To Expect

If you’ve never visited the Grand Rapids Applebutter Festival you’re going to experience small town USA decked out in it’s fall attire with entertainment, music, education, food, and crafts at nearly every corner of town. We’d like to go on and on here, but it’s summed up perfectly in the official press release. You can find that by clicking or tapping here.

What about new residents? Well, if you’re new to town there are a few things you should know! The Grand Rapids Applebutter Festival helps keep Grand Rapids alive during the cold months. This one-day event can be taxing for some but it’s incredibly exciting to see thousands ascend on our little town and experience life the way we live it for a day. Here are some tips:

• Keep your pets secure, they might become spooked by the canons being shot off on the towpath and all of the visitors.
• Plan on either sticking around town (we suggest that) or prepare for traffic delays when you try to leave your home.
• Have a party! Invite your friends to come out the day before, park in your yard, spend the night, and hunker down with a fire and snacks. Heck, leave the snacks! There will be a ton of food venders in town that day!
• Get CASH before the event. The ATMs typically have long lines and not all vendors accept cards.
• Take a walk around town the night before! It’s fun to see crafters set up, the reenactors will be camping all night on the towpath, and the smell of their campfires is amazing.
• Cell phone service will be spotty once everyone comes into town.
• If there is an emergency, the sheriff’s office will be set up at the church on Beaver and Second. Deputies and the sheriff himself will be patrolling through the crowds all day. The number to Wood County Dispatch is (419) 354-9001. Calling 911 from Grand Rapids works but it might connect to Lucas County causing a bit of a delay in response.
• Finally, get your Applebutter EARLY! You can typically purchase it first thing in front of Huntington Bank.

We’ll keep this page updated as more events and tips are added. Be sure to stop up to Front Street to see Towpath Radio. We’ll be set up across from Town Hall!

*Please help support Towpath Radio and NWO Community Media as we head to FM, we are a 501c3 organization dedicated to serving Grand Rapids and the surrounding areas. We are listener and business supported. If you like this content, please consider a small gift on our donor page here.