Photo by the Hart/Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce

Silver Lake Sand Dunes Apple & BBQ Festival

September 5th-6th, 2025

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 schedule for the event:

Friday, September 5th, 2025

  • 2-5pm – Live music featuring Mike Snell
  • 2-5pm – Gellyball
  • 2-6pm – Live Forge Demonstrations
  • 2-6pm – Face Painting
  • 2-9pm – Food Vendors on Festival Grounds
  • 2-9pm – Live DJ on Stage #2
  • 2-9pm – Children’s Activities including Yard Games, Blow-up Castle, & Rock Climb Slide
  • 2-9pm – Beer & Wine Tent Open under the Pavilion
  • 3-7pm – Axe Throwing
  • 4-6pm – Photos with Zoie
  • 6-9pm – Live music on the Festival Stage

Saturday, September 6th, 2025

  • 8am – Apple a Day 5k Run Run at Mac Woods Dune Rides- 629 N. 18th Ave., Mears. Registration from 8-9am with 9am start.
  • 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
  • 10am – National Anthem in front of the pavilion
  • 10am-2pm – Chicken Shack Classic Auto & RV Show in the Dunetown Mall parking lot, Awards to follow
  • 10am-4pm – DJ Chris Bosse on Festival Stage #2
  • 10am-5pm – Arts & Craft Show at 8453 W. Silver Lake Rd.
  • 10am-5pm – Live Forge Demonstrations
  • 10am-5pm – Petting Zoo
  • 10am-5pm – Photos with Zoie
  • 10am-5pm – Live Wood Carving Demonstrations
  • 10am-5pm – Face Painting
  • 10am-6pm – Children’s Activities including Gellyball, Yard Games, Blow-up Castle, & Rock Climb Slide
  • 10am-8pm – Food Vendors on Festival Grounds
  • 11am-12pm – Apple Pie Contest
  • 11am-6pm – Ax Throwing
  • 12-2pm – Storytelling
  • 12-2pm – Live music featuring the Silverado Band on the Chicken Shack stage
  • 12-8pm – Pony Rides
  • 12-8pm – Live Forge Demonstrations
  • 12-8pm – Beer & Wine Tent Open under the Pavilion 
  • 2-4pm – Floral Demomnstration 
  • 5-8pm – Live music featuring Gina & Jordan

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.

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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