The seed for a festival dedicated to Johnny Appleseed was planted in 1974 with about 20 vendors along Parnell Avenue at Johnny Appleseed Park. 

It has now taken over the park alongside Memorial Coliseum, grown to more than 200 vendors, and become an annual pilgrimage.

“The biggest thing is tradition,” said Johnny Appleseed Festival board member John O’Rourke. “It’s a comforting festival, to be honest. It’s very different than most festivals in our area. It’s big, it’s really big, but once you get in there, the whole vibe of the event is low-tech, and it’s a little slower than people are used to. I think people like that. It’s the first hint of fall. Sometimes it’s really hot, but you get there and all the decorations are fall (themed). People come out and do their fall shopping, some do their Christmas shopping.”

The shopping, eating, and 1800s-era attire and daily routines return to Johnny Appleseed Park on Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 16-17.

The Man, The myth, the legend

The festival is a celebration of John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed. As elementary students, we were taught about a tin-pot wearing Appleseed roaming the countryside planting apple trees. While that might be true, there’s plenty of legend around the man … and his ultimate resting place.

While other places claim to be his burial site, the National Register of Historic Places has it atop the hill at Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park.

“Within his area to the south lies the Old David Archer cemetery consisting of 2 acres of land, and containing the grave of John Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed,” a 1972 filing reads.

The gravesite oversees the festival, and some activities occur around it. Whether or not Appleseed actually rests there seems to be of little concern.

“His family home was here at the end of his life,” O’Rourke said. “We know he died here. So, if he’s buried somewhere else, they would have had to take his body and move him somewhere. His physical body, is it really on that hilltop? Some people say it’s over on Canterbury Green. Johnny Appleseed Park is part of Archer Farm, which is his family, and there’s several other graves that are there under bushes.”

Appleseed’s generosity lives on in free admission to the festival,

“That sits well with Johnny Appleseed,” O’Rourke said. “His whole thing was being out in front of settlers moving west. He was planning apple trees. It wasn’t so people would have apples to eat, because the apple seeds they were planting weren’t tasty. They were used to make cider. The whole thing was for people to have sustenance, so we made everything free.”

Admission is free, but you can emulate Appleseed by bringing a non-perishable food item which will be donated to Community Harvest Food Bank.

“There’s a huge need this year, unfortunately,” O’Rourke said.

Bikes, Kayaks, and automobiles

Along with paying it forward like Appleseed, you can arrive via his form of transportation: walk, bike, or paddle.

“We have bike parking at both ends of the park,” O’Rourke said. “We have people that man that, so it’s safe for people to park there and lock their stuff up. We have people coming in by river now, with people kayaking. We have special places to park your kayak or canoe at the boat ramp, so we have valet parking, if you will.”

And if you do drive, you can take advantage of free parking and a shuttle service at the Purdue University Fort Wayne campus and Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran High School. If you park at the Coliseum, you will need to pay $8.

And whichever way you come, be advised that only licensed service animals will be allowed on the premises.

Only 1800s goods need apply

Once you arrive, you’ll soak into yesteryear with the smell of food cooked over fire, handmade crafts, blacksmiths and trappers on site, demonstrations, and plenty of activities.

“There are people that come out specifically because they like a certain food item,” O’Rourke said. “They have to come out and get their chicken and dumplings or they have to come out and get their caramel apple. Or there’s a certain crafter or antique dealer that shows up. Every year, there’s something they have to buy.”

When you’re enjoying that meal under the shade of trees, you might also be helping your community.

“Most of the food vendors are area not-for-profits,” O’Rourke said. “They are schools, area bands, and churches. This festival, for most of them, is their major fundraiser for the year.”

Even some of the returning vendors, such as Little John’s Homemade Root Beer out of Kansas City, Kansas, hire youths.

“I think last year, the own got kids from honor societies,” O’Rourke said. “And she pays well.”

Yes, the vendors at the festival put the work in. You won’t be finding any rickety toys or items at the Johnny Appleseed Festival since all vendors must be approved. 

If they need modern amenities to operate or plan to sell items not available in the 1800s, they’re out of luck. Not even propane is allowed.

Check out the app to help you navigate

While they do strive to maintain the 1800s feel, organizers are not going to be knocking the smartphone out of your hands or not allowing vendors to take credit cards.

“It’s not like, ‘Hey, those shoes have rubber soles.’ It’s more like, make an effort. Wear a plaid shirt at least, or a straw hat,” O’Rourke said.

Along those lines, the festival has a phone app this year to help visitors navigate the grounds and what’s happening when.