Spread the fun

FennerNature Center executive director Jason Meyer would agree with Baily’s words.Fenner Nature Center hosts its 37^th annual Apple ButterFestival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.mSaturday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 17.

“Thehistory of the apple butter festival started basically back in the late 1850s,”Meyer said. “Thirty-seven years ago, it started as a way for people to come outand enjoy the environment and also discover the relationship between humans andthe land because everything we get comes from the land and apples is the bestway to show that. Apples are a good symbol for the fall. You know, earlier, westarted out pretty small and now we’ve grown to about 2,000 people coming inevery year from all across Michigan, so it’s a big event.”

Preparedfrom apples, apple cider and spices cooked over a fire, apple butter is adelicious concoction. “It requires someone to stir it all day constantly so weactually start making it a week before the festival because it takes so long,” Meyersaid.

“Wehave all sorts of volunteers come down and help us mix the ingredients. Applebutter has pretty much like a peanut butter and jelly consistency. So we’llhave that for sale and it’s very organic. At home, my kids and I make applebutter sandwiches, just like people make peanut butter sandwiches.”

FennerNature Center, established Aug. 1, 1959 is a nonprofit organization, preservinga natural environment for all living things. Although the center started off asa City of Lansing park, it is not financially supported by the city anymore.“The city funded the park up until two years ago, and now, we’re now anon-profit organization,” Meyer said.

Butfestivals do not live by apple butter alone.

“Westill cook apple butter, but that’s not the main focus,” Meyer said. “Now, wehave live music, heritage crafts and lots of activities for kids.”

Fenneremployees will also be showing off the center’s cider press. “It’s probablyabout 75 years old,” Meyer said. “All you do is drop apples in it, squish themand you get cider. Even with this, we’re gonna have kids helping out.”

Other activities includequilting, pottery, lace-making, spinning, and selling homemade herbal soaps andlotions.

Starting Saturday, Oct. 16, at noon, Cindy McElroy’s songswill range from pop, rock to folk and crossover directed towards social causes.Her performance will include her recent album “Alzheimer’s – Feel the Love” toraise awareness and funds to help combat the disease. http://www.cindymcelroy.com/

Cindy’s ballads and stories will be followed byL.A.U.G.H. (The Lansing Area Ukulele Group) at 1 p.m. The group meets once amonth at Elderly Instruments to strum and sing. Find out more about them at http://tinyurl.com/lansingukesfacebook

At 2 p.m. Dorothy Cooley from Grand Rapids will entertainthe crowd with her soulful jazz songs and acoustics. You can listen to her at http://www.dorothycooley.com/songs.html

The Wednesday Night Kitchen band ensemble willplay next as they pluck on their traditional Irish instruments at 3 p.m. whileguitar and vocal duo Mighty Medicine will end the evening with a mixture ofrock, funk, jazz and blues. You can check them out on http://www.myspace.com/mightymedicine

Sunday, Oct. 17 will be slightly unusual. At12:30 p.m., Art Cameron, horticulture professor at Michigan State University willbring out his “zany persona.” “It’s mainly him and his guitar, so you can sayit’s closest to folk music. He has some funny stuff but serious songs too” saysBen Hassenger, another popular musician in the Lansing area.

Cameron’s performance will be followed by Hall & Morgan at1:30 p.m. with their contemporary sounds and strong vocal harmonies. Accordingto Hassenger, “Their music reminds you more of the folk music in the 60s and70s.”

In contrast to theintimate and down-home tunes of Hall & Morgan, Hassenger’s songs will vary fromsilly to sensitive with a guitar and ukulele accompaniment. Hassenger remainsa monthly solo artist for L.A.U.G.H. www.benhassenger.com

Bringing the musicaltunes to a close at 3:30 pm, The Fabulous Heftones will go beyond on theukulele and play the bass-like Heftone with music from the 1920s. http://heftone.com/fabulous

Apple Butter Festival
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 17
Fenner Nature Center
2020 E Mount Hope Ave
Free (donations are accepted)