Applications for participation - Below you will find links for applications to become a participant in the Johnny Appleseed Festival. If a link is active, we are currently accepting applications for the current year's festival. Contact information and where to send the application and associated fees are included. You are not considered a participant until you have been contacted by the chairperson of that specific area, your fees (as identified in the application) are paid. Some areas have limited availability and at times waiting lists are standard.

It is HIGHLY recommended that if you have an interest in becoming a participant in the festival, and an application link is not active, use the contact us page OR the contact form on the area page of interest. The Johnny Appleseed Festival has, in the past, been represented by participants from 42 different states from here in the U.S.A.

Participation into the Johnny Appleseed Festival is by invitation only.  The J.A.F. Board of Directors reserves the right to decline invitation, revoke invitation or remove you from the festival at anytime.

Rules And Regulations for the Johnny Appleseed Festival

Each year, the people of Fort Wayne invite visitors from throughout the nation to celebrate the pioneer spirit of John Chapman, better known as "Johnny Appleseed". This national folk hero spent this last years planting orchards in the Fort Wayne area. The Johnny Appleseed Festival was created in 1974 to commemorate the life and good deeds of John Chapman and to depict the pioneer life he lived in the 1800s. It is one of the few festivals in the United States aimed at preserving American history. The first Johnny Appleseed Festival was a one day event with several thousand visitors. Today the festival is a two day event and draws over 300,000 visitors from all over the Midwest.

The volunteer Johnny Appleseed Festival Board is proud of the direction the festival has taken over the years and is dedicated to maintaining a high standard of quality and authenticity for the event. It is you, the participant, however, who brings history to life at the festival and make it the cusses it is today. Our goal is to provide a historically accurate representation of rural pioneer life in the 19th century. This requires the enthusiasm and cooperation of every person involved, from the festival planners to the many vendors, performers and participants.

The Johnny Appleseed Festival Board has established a set of guidelines for participation in the festival. Compliance with these guidelines is mandatory and will be strictly enforced. Groups or individuals unwilling to stay within these parameters will not be allowed to participate in the festival. Please read through the following pages carefully. Any questions should be directed to your area chairperson. Again, we welcome you to the Johnny Appleseed Festival and hope your participation proves to be a successful and enjoyable experience.

Johnny Appleseed Festival Board

Life in the 1800's

The pioneers, by necessity, were a resourceful people. Much of what they had was made by hand. Materials available in the 1800's included: wood, tin, brass, iron, steel, glass, rope and cloth. There was no plastic, styrofoam, lucite, latex or elastic. There were no aluminum pop cans or cardboard boxes. Please do not bring these items to the festival. (only hot food/drinks may be served in styrofoam.) Use paper lunch bags rather than plastic baggies for individual sales such as potpourri or candy. If you have an item on this "banned" list that is required by the Board of Health and you lack a suitable substitute for the item, please follow these suggestions:

COVERINGS - Cloth drop clothes, oilcloth, burlap sacks, quilts or blankets may be used to cover unacceptable items. Paint suppliers are a good source for canvas drop cloths.

COOLERS - Plastic or styrofoam coolers may be placed inside a wooden box or covered with a cloth (see COVERINGS). Some participants make their own coolers from wood lined with galvanized tin or steel.

TABLES - Tables must be covered to the ground on all four sides. Suggested fabrics include: broadcloth, calico, gingham, burlap, muslin, canvas, chambray or osnaburg. Clear plastic table covering is not appropriate. Items from the "banned" list may be hidden under the table.

STRAW BALES - Straw bales will be available from purchase the Festival. Individual and group participants are responsible for straw clean-up if the bales are broken.  Bales placed at our 3 stages ARE NOT FOR YOUR USE.  They are for the visitors to use as seats at our stages.  The removal of these bales for use in your booth could cause for a fine in the amount of double the rate currently being offered by our straw vendor, ejection from the festival or your organization not being invited to return.

CUPS/MUGS - Remember, plastic cups are not allowed. Place your personal refreshments in stoneware, tin or ceramic mugs. Many modern mugs look old.

TENTS - The festival board provides tents in neutral and off-white colors for certain festival participants. Neutral or off-white colored tarps or tents are preferred. Aluminum tent poles must be disguised.

SIGNS - Signs should be made of wood, tin brass or other period materials. Cardboard is not acceptable. Signs may be placed on your counter top or nailed to a pole you bring for your set-up. No signs of any type are to be nailed to trees or tent piles or attached to a campground post. These will be promptly removed and the group's status for returning to the festival next year will be jeopardized.

CRAFT ITMES - Exhibited items must be hand made by the person or persons participating. Mass produced items are not acceptable, including books, tapes, compact discs, artificial Christmas trees and plastic items.

ANIMALS - Please leave pets at home.

BREAKING CAMP - Booth take-down may not begin until the festival closes. You should plan enough product to be able to maintain your booth through the entire festival.

SALES EQUIPMENT - No battery operated cash registers are allowed. Pocket calculators and change card apparatus must be concealed.

What should I wear?

Early to mid 19th century costumes must be worn by all men, women and children participating in the festival. This includes those who will be working in booths even for only short periods of time. Tennis shoes, ball caps and t-shirts are not appropriate attire.

The pioneers and settlers had little time or need for fashion. Clothing was designed to be sturdy and practical. It was he women's responsibility to cloth her family. Since the sewing machine wasn't invented until 1846 and paper patterns much later, all clothing had to be hand stitched. Each garment was nursed to last many years.

Fabrics commonly used by the pioneers include:

• Flannel (even red)
• Muslin (bleached/unbleached)
• Wool
• Calico
• Gingham checked
• Denim
• Cotton
• Linsey-woolsey
• Linen
• Towcloh or burlap
• Fustian (50% cotton/50% linen)

Women's Clothing

Buttons were rarely used on women's garment. Drawstrings and ties were common features and pins were used as fasteners.

The Chemise . . a simple long sleeve garment made of linen or cotton worn next to the skin, often doubling as a nightgown and a dress. Many women had only two chemises. It was common in hot weather to wear the chemise without a petticoat.

The Petticoat . . a long full skirt gathered onto a waistband. Petticoats were worn over the chemise. In cold weather ladies might wear three or four petticoats over each other for warmth.

The Apron . . an indispensable item of clothing made in several different styles. The word "pinafore" came from the bib apron with the bib pinned in place.

Heat Coverings . . Pioneer women always kept their hair covered. Mob caps were often worn. Many times a square of cloth was folded into a triangle and tied under the chin (peasant style), on top of the head (turban style), or behind the head at the nape of the neck. Out of doors, straw hats with wide brims and flat crowns were worn over a mob cap and tied under the chin. Sunbonnets were also worn.

The Kerchief . . a 29" to 32" square of fabric folded to form a triangle and worn over the shoulders, tied or pinned in front. Wool was used for warmth in the winter. A thin fabric was used in the summer. The kerchief was usually white or blue.

Cold Weather Garments . . Shawls, capes or mantels were worn for protection against the elements.

Women's clothing need not be hand sew. Aprons over blue jeans are not allowed. Women's skirts must reach the ground.

Men's Clothing

The Work Shirt . . made from cotton fabrics or flannel and fastened at the neck with one or two buttons (not down the front as shirts today). In the 1820's, a long sleeved knitted undershirt was developed. It was also worn as a work shirt and eventually developed into the union suit.

The Waistcoat . . a vest-like over garment which buttoned down the front and worn for all occasions.

Breeches . . short pants made of cotton, linen, tow, linsey-woolsey and leather fittings snugly just below the knee. They had gussets in the back which laced to fit the wearer and a narrow front fall. Breeches were worn in the early 1800's.

Trousers . . full length baggy pants made from cotton, denim, linen, linsey-woolsey or leather. They had a broad front fall and often did not have waistbands. They were held up by suspenders or a sash. NO BELTS!

(Note: Fly fronts had not come into use yet. We suggest you wear blue jeans with a long work shirt that will cover the fly.)

Aprons . . were occasionally worn by men, depending upon their task. They were usually made from denim or leather.

Hats . . two common styles included a flat crown straw hat with a broad brim or a large crowned, wide brimmed hat made of felt. The crown was sometimes creased.

The Neckerchief . . a 25" piece of cloth folded to form a triangle and worn around the neck when working. Neckerchiefs were generally red or blue. In 1832, a store in Fort Wayne sold them for 40 cents.

Stockings

Stockings were an absolute necessity for both men and women. They were either hand knit, loom made or sewn fabric. In this area, they were probably hand knit and dyed a solid color.

Shoes

Shoes for men and women were either brown or black (NEVER WHITE!) and were many different styles: moccasins, slip-ons, low laced oxfords and either laced or pull-on boots. Any type of laced sport shoe is acceptable if the uppers and soles are black or brown. Should there be a logo visible, please cover it with tape.

If you are working around fires, please wear leather shoes. No pen toe shoes, please.

Children's Clothing

Children were dressed like miniature adults. They had many tucks in their clothes so they could be easily adjusted as the child grew.

Patterns . . Clothing/Costuming ... Necessaries

Townsend and Son, Inc. in downtown Pierceton Indiana.

For catalog: 800-338-1665 or www.jastown.com. Patterns for period clothes and many supplies for living history.

Smoke and Fire Co. 27 N River Road, Waterville, Ohio. 43577

800-766-5334 or www.smoke-fire.com or fax 419-878-3653 for catalog.

Patterns, variety of goods for living history or period clothing.

Gohn Bros. in downtown Middlebury, Indiana, Box 1110, 46540-1110

800-595-0031 for catalog. Many selections-Amish and plain clothing, materials, necessaries for living history.

Patterns available locally  . . . Simplicity 9708 and 9713. McCalls 3669 . . . 2337 . . . 9423

Rain Policy

In the event of rain, goods may be protected by plastic or similar material. Rain gear is acceptable. Booths may be set up after 9:00 a.m., however, vehicles are still prohibited on the grounds between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Saturday and between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Under wet conditions, it is acceptable to spread straw in your area. Electing not to set up a booth is permissible only under severe weather conditions and with approval or your area chairperson. Plastic tarps are to be removed when the rain ends or at the request of your area representative or festival official.

Fire Policy

Fires must be built in a pit or barrel-type container roped off at a distance of at least 3 feet. Fires must be supervised at all times. Please remove sod carefully and replace it at the conclusion of the festival. Propane gas is not allowed.

Gray Water

Gray water is water that has been used to wash pots, pans, hands, etc. Please discard this water at the dump station by the Camp Office.

Clean Up

Each participant is responsible for leaving his/her booth area as it was found upon arrival. The areas should be cleared of all trash and any straw or hay. Any sod removed for fires must be replaced.

Special "thanks" to Reba Dunmire for her time, interest and energy in developing this manual and for her many hours of help through all the festival years. Our memory of her is a special treasure shared by all.