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Community Corner

GALLERY: Appleseed Fest is Golden, Delicious

Crystal Lake holds their 19th annual Johnny Appleseed Fest on Saturday.

The 19th annual Johnny Appleseed Fest was held in downtown on Saturday. Blessed with beautiful weather all day, the fest packed in a huge crowd.

Entertainment included Radio Disney Road Crew AM 1300, Sarah and the Tall Boys and The Beaumonts. 

The Apple Pie Eating Contest was a crowd favorite, with 10 contestants eating pies supplied by . The pies weighed over 3 lbs. in the beginning of the contest. The winners were: 1st-John Lee (13 oz. left!), 2nd-Josh McGowan, 3rd- Benjamin Johnson.

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The Apple Pie Baking Contest was held indoors at the Raue Center for the Arts with winners: 1st- Andrea DiGangi, 2nd- Amber Kennett and Andrea LaBelle, 3rd-Arlene Kopsell. 

Arlene Kopsell remembered, "The first year of the contest, it was held outside. There were a lot of bees coming for the pies."

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Later in the afternoon, the Great Ball Race took place on Brink Street where numbered, colored balls were released down the hill. Racing to the bottom, one lucky winner had the corresponding number and color to the winning ball which would score them $1,000.

This year, the winner was Paul Metivier of Crystal Lake. He is active in the Dawnbreakers Rotary and had volunteered his services to print the T-shirts for the Appleseed Fest this year.

The Johnny Appleseed Festival included: a craft fair, farmers market, food, refreshments, wagon rides, games, music, sports demonstrations, and more. Families and friends were out downtown with smiles and laughter enjoying everything the fest offered.

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