About
Lincoln Square's 39th Apple Fest: Midwest orchard apples and cider, cider donuts and taffy apples, 100+ vendors and live music on a closed-off Lincoln Avenue.
Chicago's neighborhood apple festival, now in its 39th year, closes N. Lincoln Avenue from Lawrence to Sunnyside for three days. Farmers from Illinois, Indiana and Michigan sell apples and cider (Mick Klug Farms alone brings over 10 varieties, cider served hot or cold), and the food runs from apple cider donuts, pies and Affy Tapple taffy apples to apple-topped pizza, burgers and sausages, with hard cider, local beer and wine from vendors including DANK Haus and Lincoln Square Taproom. Add 100+ vendors, a live music stage beside the Western Brown Line station and a Kid Zone, all for a $5 suggested donation.
What to expect
Think of it as a long, slow walk down a closed-off Lincoln Avenue, so pick your moment. For the easiest visit, go Saturday morning: the Chamber says mornings are traditionally quieter than the afternoon peak, and the day opens with the Pooch Costume Contest at 9:30am. Start at the Western Brown Line stop, where the main stage sits in Leland Plaza, graze your way through the farm stands (Mick Klug Farms brings more than 10 apple varieties and cider, hot or cold) and the cider donuts and taffy apples, then drift south toward Sunnyside, where the Kid Zone has crafts, face painting and giant games, and Cat in the Hat characters all day Saturday. Friday is the short version, 3–7pm, with DJs at Lincoln & Lawrence and the Jesse White Tumblers at 5:30pm. Coming for the music without kids? Sunday afternoon is the pick: psychedelic cumbia from Chicha Roots at 1pm, then swing from The Flat Cats at 4pm. Bringing a dog? Go early, before the afternoon crowds.
Good to know
- Hours: Friday, Oct 2, 3–7pm; Saturday, Oct 3 and Sunday, Oct 4, 9am–6pm. Rain or shine; in severe weather the Chamber posts updates on its website and social accounts.
- Entry is a $5 suggested donation at the gate, not a ticket. It funds the Chamber's nonprofit place-making and small-business programs, plus grants to local nonprofits that help run the fest.
- Where: N. Lincoln Avenue between Lawrence and Sunnyside, with nine entrances (including Leland, Eastwood and Wilson). For GPS, use 4700 N. Lincoln Ave.
- Transit: the Brown Line's Western station is steps from the Western & Leland entrance. The #49 Western, #81 Lawrence and #78 Montrose buses stop nearby; the #11 Lincoln is rerouted around the closures.
- Parking is very limited and Lincoln Avenue is closed. Public lots: free behind Sulzer Regional Library (4450 N. Leavitt), metered at 2315 W. Lawrence and 4713 N. Western. Bike racks are at the Leland Greenway, Wilson and Sunnyside entrances; bring a lock.
- Go early: the Chamber says afternoons are typically the peak and Saturday morning crowds are traditionally smaller. Dogs are welcome (there's a Pooch Play Zone), but it suggests skipping peak afternoon hours with them.
More festivals this weekend
Also in Andersonville, Uptown & Lincoln Square
Common questions
Do you have to pay to get into Apple Fest?
No ticket is needed. The Chamber asks for a $5 suggested donation at the gate, and says no one is required to donate to enter the footprint to visit a business or keep an appointment. Donations support the Chamber's nonprofit programs and local nonprofits that help run the fest. Food, drinks and vendor purchases are extra.
What are the Apple Fest 2026 hours?
Friday, October 2, 3–7pm; Saturday, October 3, 9am–6pm; Sunday, October 4, 9am–6pm. It is a rain-or-shine event. Kid Zone programming runs 3–7pm Friday and 10am–6pm Saturday and Sunday.
How do I get to Apple Fest on the CTA?
Take the Brown Line to Western; the station is steps from the Western & Leland entrance, and the main music stage is in Leland Plaza right outside it. By bus: #49/#49B/#X49 Western (exit at Western & Leland), #81 Lawrence (exit at Western & Lawrence, across from the north end) or #78 Montrose (exit at Lincoln & Montrose, walk a block north to Sunnyside). The #11 Lincoln is rerouted around the closures. The Ravenswood Metra station (UP-N) is about a 15-minute walk.
Is there parking at Apple Fest?
Very little. Lincoln Avenue and several nearby streets close, and street parking is 2-hour meters on the main streets (check side-street signs for permit limits). Public lots: a free lot behind Sulzer Regional Library (4450 N. Leavitt St.), a metered lot at 2315 W. Lawrence Ave. and a metered garage at 4713 N. Western Ave.; they can fill at peak hours. For rideshare, use Lincoln & Sunnyside (about 4500 N. Lincoln) or Western & Leland (about 4700 N. Western).
What is there for kids at Apple Fest?
The Kid Zone is in the parking lot at 4513 N. Lincoln Ave., near Sunnyside and the Old Town School of Folk Music. It has crafts, sensory play, STEM challenges, musical instruments, face painting and giant games. The Seedling Stage has the Jesse White Tumblers Friday at 5:30pm, family performances Saturday 11:30am–5:35pm and Sunday 10am–5:45pm, and characters from The Cat in the Hat visit all day Saturday.
Who is playing at Apple Fest 2026?
On the Apple Core Stage in Leland Plaza: Would You Kindly? (Friday 5–7pm); Jonas Friddle (Saturday 10am), The Very Least (1pm) and Los Perros Cubanos (4pm); Diamondback (Sunday 10am), Chicha Roots (1pm) and The Flat Cats (4pm). DJs play the Apple Jams booth at Lincoln & Lawrence Friday 3–7pm and 11am–6pm on the weekend. Times are subject to change.
Can I bring my dog to Apple Fest?
Yes. It is a dog-friendly event with a Pooch Play Zone on the 4500 block of N. Lincoln, but the Chamber recommends avoiding the crowded afternoon peak with dogs. The 15th annual Pooch Costume Contest is Saturday at 9:30am; dogs must be registered in advance, with on-site check-in from 8:45am.