One of the many, many perks of Southwest Michigan is our enthusiasm toward outdoor markets. Armed with ample spending money and the want to support local farmers, artists, craftsmen, hobbyists, and the like, we pride ourselves on shopping local all year long. Come May, we are ready to browse in the sunshine, and this year you can do so at the Second Annual Apple Festival Spring Market!
On May 14th and 15th, the property at Lake Street and 17th Street, where the Four Flags Area Apple Festival is always held, will be busy and festive with over sixty vendors and fifteen different food trucks.
“We started doing the open air Markets during COVID as a safe way to help our local vendors and artisans,” says Abby Zeider, Chairperson of the Apple Festival Spring Market. “The market ended up drawing a huge crowd and the community seemed to really love having a place to shop and grab some fair food.”
There will be a little bit of everything for sale at the Spring Market: candles, clothing boutiques, jewelry, handcrafted leather goods, jams and jellies, home decor, and more. Some of the food vendors include Nedderman’s Steak and El Amigo Pepe, and treats like ice cream, bubble tea, elephant ears, and BBQ. There is no admission fee to attend the market, though on-site parking will be $5. There is plenty of free street parking too, and allows a beautiful springtime walk to the market space.
In the Fall of 2020, the Four Flags Area Apple Festival was canceled due to the pandemic, so in order to support local artisans and help fund future festivals, the idea of holding a Spring Market was born. “The community really showed up for us and our vendors, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” Abby says. This second annual Spring Market promises to be just as wonderful, if not better.
The Market hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 14th, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 15th. The Apple Festival encourages everyone to follow them on social media, and visit their website to stay in the loop on fun promotions and events that are planned throughout 2022. This year marks the 50th Anniversary for the Apple Festival, and they are currently holding a t-shirt designing competition for this year’s special edition t-shirt. Find out more about the contest rules, Spring Market vendors, and more, at fourflagsapplefestival.org.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
