When September arrives, the scent of fresh apples mingles with cinnamon, caramel, and warm apple cider doughnuts. Leaves transform into brilliant shades of gold and crimson. Families pull little wagons overflowing with apples, couples stroll together through the orchards, and children laugh beneath towering trees that have watched generations grow.
For two unforgettable weekends, September 18-20 and September 25-27, Nebraska City's beloved AppleJack Festival returns, drawing nearly 90,000 visitors to celebrate one of the Midwest's most treasured autumn traditions. But this isn't simply a festival. It's an experience woven throughout the entire community, with Arbor Day Farm serving as its heart.
If Senior Marketing Manager Rachel Hrabik could design the perfect day at Arbor Day Farm, she'd start before most people even hit the snooze button.
"I think my favorite thing has become creating the ideal itinerary for guests coming to Arbor Day Farm," Hrabik says. "For fall in particular, you can't beat the sunrise from the Harris Prairie overlook. It's really a great spot to see the entire property. You can see the top of Arbor Lodge Mansion peeking over the treetops, and you can get a little glimmer of some of the apple trees and orchards farther out."
Arbor Day Farm offers enough activities to fill an entire weekend. Spend the morning picking crisp apples straight from the orchard or snip a colorful bouquet from the farm’s "U-Pick" fields. Sample Nebraska wines and hard ciders at the Apple House Market before letting the kids burn off energy at Tree Adventure beneath the cool shade of the forest canopy.
As evening approaches, settle in for dinner at Porter's or Timbers. Just don't forget to leave room in your wagon. Yes...bring a wagon. You'll thank everyone later.
"When you go over to the farm side, you're instantly greeted by the smell of apples but also our flowers," Hrabik says. "Especially during festival time, you're going to smell funnel cake, apple cider, and apple cider doughnuts. You’ll be blown away by the smell of fall. There's a coziness in the air. You definitely can't pass up the chance for a coolish walk, then maybe go back to your room (at Lied Lodge) to take a little rest before you catch your massage at the spa."
Executive Director of Nebraska City’s Tourism and Commerce, Amy Allgood agrees.
"The air is crisp when you wake up, not cold, just clean," she says. "Just hearing the wind in the leaves is really awesome."
Ask Allgood about the single smell that defines AppleJack, and she doesn't hesitate.
"Apple doughnuts," she says immediately. "People will wait in line for the apple doughnuts.”
The 260-acre Arbor Day Farm connects beautifully with nearby attractions. Expect a 15-minute walk from Lied Lodge to Arbor Lodge Mansion and roughly 10 minutes to the Apple House Market. And while you're there? Order the famous apple cider slushie à la mode—with a scoop of ice cream—and drizzle caramel over the top. You're welcome.
Arbor Day Farm feels different from many attractions because its roots run deep. The farm began in 1972, the same year the Arbor Day Foundation was founded to plant trees. That timing carries special significance: the first Arbor Day observance in the United States was celebrated in 1872 after J. Sterling Morton proposed a day dedicated to tree planting. Today, that legacy continues through the farm's Preservation Orchard where you can sample fruit from the original apple trees. Don’t miss a tour of Morton’s home at the historic Arbor Lodge, a 52-room neo-colonial mansion expanded in the late 1800s. And take time to experience the antique cider press where it all started with a hand crank.
"When you leave Arbor Lodge, just stay on Second Avenue and drive those original cobblestone streets to our town," Allgood says. "There are a lot of big, beautiful houses, and the trees are ginormous. Once the colors start changing, it's a beautiful canopy over the streets."
Downtown Nebraska City comes alive during AppleJack with boutique shopping, museums, colorful flower displays, local restaurants, a taphouse featuring Nebraska craft beers, and charming historic streets. For many families, AppleJack isn't simply another weekend getaway; it's a tradition measured in generations.
"It's become tradition for many," Hrabik says. "It's that sort of relax and rejuvenate, take a step back, and turn off your devices sort of thing. To unplug and relax in a world that feels so chaotic sometimes, coming back to normalcy or familiarity is comforting."
"Arbor Day Farm is an anchor to our community and AppleJack," Allgood admits. "It's so well put together. If we get people to Arbor Day Farm and AppleJack, they're going to fall in love with our whole city. AppleJack is a community-wide event that our entire community has embraced. You get to experience Nebraska City as a whole, not just one festival."
That's easy to believe when downtown boutiques offer festival specials, classic cars line the streets for the fall car show, carnival rides fill the air with laughter, and the beloved 10-block AppleJack Parade winds through town.
As Hrabik puts it, "We're not all trying to compete—we complement one another in a community-wide space."
And perhaps that's the real magic of Arbor Day Farm and AppleJack. It's not just about apples. It's about slowing down, reconnecting with loved ones, honoring history, and creating the kind of memories that someday inspire another generation to come back and do it all over again.