by Tim Froberg
Appleton sounds like a town known for its apple production.
That’s not really the case, but if the hard work of the Smith family comes to fruition, Appleton could one day be known as the Apple Blossom City.
Babs Smith, her husband Michael, and son Matthew have been donating and planting apple blossom trees for years along the Apple Creek Trail.
With the assistance of volunteers and city officials, the Smiths have planted over 200 trees — the majority being apple blossom — along a 1.25-mile stretch of the trail near the Scheels USA Today Youth Sports Complex. Their goal is to eventually cover the trail’s full five miles with apple blossom trees.
The nonprofit group — known as Apple Blossoms for Appleton — is taking another major step to give Appleton a strong connection with apple blossoms. The group will host the inaugural Apple Blossom Festival May 7-9 in the Apple Creek Trail area. It will feature fun events such as a bike ride, a dog walk, and a kite festival.
“We’re very excited about it,” said Babs Smith. “This all started when my husband made a trip to Washington, D.C., to see the cherry blossoms in bloom. We thought, ‘Hey, if Washington can be known for cherry trees, why can’t Appleton be known for apple blossom trees?’”
The Smiths started slowly, planting three to five trees annually before increasing that number to 50. City of Appleton employees and leaders, including Mayor Jake Woodford, have assisted with the planting. The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region has established a fund to help maintain the trees and replace them when needed.
Most of the events for the free festival will be held in the USA complex area at 3300 E. Evergreen Drive.
The festival opens May 7 (Thursday) with the Pedals & Petals Bike Ride. It starts at the Stoneyard Restaurant and takes bikers along the Apple Creek Trail.
The Paws & Petals Dog Walk will follow on May 8 from 6-8 p.m., beginning at the USA complex. The two-mile walk on the Apple Creek Trail is a fundraiser for the Fox Valley Humane Society. Dogs are welcome but not mandatory.
“People are always walking their dogs on the trails, so we figured why not help dogs, cats, and all stray animals by partnering with the humane society,” Smith said.
The festival’s big day will be May 9. A Blooms, Birds & Butterflies nature walk along the trail kicks off the festivities at 9 a.m. A bird and monarch expert will be on site to identify different species, and an “I Spy” game is planned for the kids.
“There’s a particular section of the trail that is a beautiful bird and butterfly area with lots of wildflowers,” said Smith. “It’s incredibly gorgeous. We just want people to come out and enjoy the trail.”
A kite festival from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. — hosted by the Wisconsin Kiters Association — will be one of Saturday’s biggest events. Various kids’ activities will follow from 4-6 p.m.
“When we talked about a festival, my son said, ‘We need to have a kite festival because it’s always windy there,’” Smith said. “It’s the best place in Appleton to fly a kite. It’s a wide-open area with very few trees.”
A hot air balloon glow at sunset will also be part of Saturday’s festivities, along with live music and a beer garden. A concession stand will also be available for several events.
For more information, visit the “Apple Blossoms for Appleton” Facebook page.
This article was originally published in the May 2026 issue of Appleton Monthly Magazine.
