Join one of the many pie-eating contest at Long Grove’s Apple Fest, running Friday through Sunday, September 25-27.
Submitted by Jody Grimaldi
There is a certain point each year when summer starts to soften, the air turns a little crisper and Historic Downtown Long Grove begins to feel like fall.
That moment arrives with the return of Apple Fest Friday through Sunday, Sept. 25-27, bringing a weekend of apple-inspired food and drinks, live music, family activities, shopping and more to downtown Long Grove.
Apples, apples and more apples
Caramel-dipped, chocolate-covered, baked into pies, pressed into cider, mixed into seasonal drinks, and worked into sweet and savory creations, apples take center stage throughout the weekend.
Festival vendors join Long Grove restaurants, tasting rooms and specialty shops in serving up plenty of ways to taste the season. Classic carnival rides and midway games, apple pie-eating contests, kids’ crafts, dance performances, seasonal shopping and other family activities round out the weekend.
A soundtrack for the season
Apple Fest is also one of Long Grove’s biggest weekends for live music. Friday night features No More Tears celebrating the music of Ozzy Osbourne from 6:30-8:20 p.m., followed by Kashmir’s tribute to Led Zeppelin from 9-11 p.m.
Saturday delivers 1990s and alternative favorites with tributes to Green Day, Sublime, Alanis Morissette and Weezer from 1:45-8:20 p.m., before 7th heaven takes over from 9-11 p.m.
Sunday closes on a classic note with Second Hand News celebrating Fleetwood Mac from 2-3:20 p.m., followed by Beatles tribute American English from 4-6 p.m.
For details, visit longgrove.org/festivals/apple-fest.
Apple Fest 2026
- When: Noon to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27
- Where: 145 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove
- Admission: $7 per day or $15 for a three-day pass (free for kids 12 and younger)
- Tickets: longgrove.org/festivals/apple-fest
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