Photo by the Hart/Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce

Silver Lake Sand Dunes Apple & BBQ Festival

September 11th-12th, 2026

The Silver Lake Sand Dunes Apple & BBQ Festival takes place each year at the Golden Township Park- 8711 W. Silver Lake Rd. in Mears. The two-day festival includes a wide variety of activities that are fun for all ages. 

Proceeds from the festival benefit organizations and programs that serve the Silver Lake Sand Dunes area. Examples include the Silver Lake Fireworks, beautification projects in Silver Lake, and helping other projects fund the growth of Golden Township park.

Here's the most updated event schedule:

Friday, September 11th, 2026

  • TBA – Live music
  • TBA – Gellyball
  • TBA – Live Forge Demonstrations
  • TBA – Face Painting
  • TBA – Food Vendors on Festival Grounds
  • TBA – Live DJ on Stage #2
  • TBA – Children’s Activities including Yard Games, Blow-up Castle, & Rock Climb Slide
  • TBA – Beer & Wine Tent Open under the Pavilion
  • TBA – Axe Throwing
  • TBA – Photos with Zoie
  • TBA – Live music on the Festival Stage

Saturday, September 12th, 2026

  • 8am – Apple a Day 5k Fun Run at Mac Woods Dune Rides- 629 N. 18th Ave., Mears. Registration from 8-9am with 9am start. Register by clicking here.
  • 8-9:45am – Registration for the Chicken Shack Classic Auto & RV Show in the Dunetown Mall parking lot- 8239 W. Hazel Rd., Silver Lake/Mears. Click here for registration.
  • 10am-2pm – Chicken Shack Classic Auto & RV Show in the Dunetown Mall parking lot, Awards to follow at 2:30pm
  • 10am-5pm – Arts & Craft Show at 8453 W. Silver Lake Rd. Click here for an application.
  • 11am – Apple Pie Contest. Register by clicking here.
  • TBA – National Anthem in front of the pavilion
  • TBA – DJ on Festival Stage #2
  • TBA – Live Forge Demonstrations
  • TBA – Petting Zoo
  • TBA – Photos with Zoie
  • TBA – Live Wood Carving Demonstrations
  • TBA – Face Painting
  • TBA – Children’s Activities including Gellyball, Yard Games, Blow-up Castle, & Rock Climb Slide
  • TBA – Food Vendors on Festival Grounds
  • TBA – Ax Throwing
  • TBA – Storytelling
  • TBA – Live music on the Chicken Shack stage
  • TBA – Pony Rides
  • TBA – Live Forge Demonstrations
  • TBA – Beer & Wine Tent Open under the Pavilion 
  • TBA – Floral Demonstration 
  • TBA – Live music

Shuttle Pick-up available from the Festival Grounds to the Round About on Friday from 2-9pm and Saturday from 9am-9pm

Entries in the festival's apple pie contest. | Photo by the Hart/Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Stay tuned for info on the 2026 Silver Lake Sand Dunes Apple & BBQ Festival!

Experience Silver Lake

Decades of prevailing westerly Lake Michigan winds created this giant, 2,000 acre sandbox along four miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. Read the Silver Lake destination page.

For more information on the Silver Lake Sand Dunes Apple & BBQ Festival, please contact:

Apple & BBQ Festival Committee

P.O. Box 82, Hart, MI  49420

(231) 873-2247

applebbqfestival.com

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