Apple Fest Article
The Naytahwaush community came together on Wednesday August 20th to celebrate the 2025 Apple Festival; this year’s festival was hosted in Naytahwaush by the Naytahwuash Community Charter School (NCCS). From 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., families enjoyed this free community event.
The festival featured a variety of attractions, including a light meal provided by White Earth Food Sovereignty and Security, cooked/served by staff of NCCS, registration was ran by Naytahwaush Community Council (NCC) and NCCS, Frank Steck of Dynamite Sounds brought music and a digital photo booth enjoyed by all, CircleBack Program offered face painting, White Earth Child Care gave educational books and merch. The White Earth Tobacco Coalition shared educational handouts and merch, White Earth 4-H hosted an art and craft table creating pictures using paint and stamping apples, Naytahwaush Child Care brought supplies and taught community to make their own apple pie in a cup, WECare provided community with free toothbrushes and small games for kids, White Earth Public Health Community Educator brought Baaga’adowewin our traditional Stick ball game. The University of Minnesota Ottertail Extension Coordinator came and shared education on apple pesticides and disease along with apple identification handouts. White Earth Tribal and Community College Community Extension provided community with apple butter, apple sauce, and apple recipes. The Life Program ran this year’s beloved caramel apple walk, a petting zoo was brought by local ally Eddie Streeper, children and adults alike were delighted by this year’s event and activities
White Earth Food Sovereignty and Security (WEFSS) along with White Earth Tribal and Community College (WETCC), Community Extension plans to continue to host this Apple Festival in years to come to continue to engage community with the community apples. If this event is something your community would like to host in the years to come, please contact either Nicole LaFrinier WEFSS Coordinator or Maria Fatz WETCC Community Extension Coordinator.
This event is funded in part by Capacity grant funding from USDA/NIFA (Award #2022-47003-38383)