Long Grove Apple Festival 2011 | Photos

The folks in Northwest Long Grove love their seasonal fruit; so much so that they organize entire festivals around the town's summer and fall bounties. We hit the Strawberry Festival in June, which made us doubly excited for the fall version that took place over the weekend: an Apple Festival featuring bushels upon bushels of the fruit's diverse colors and tastes, as well as vendors hawking scrumptious apple preparations such as cider, brown bag pies, doughnuts, dumplings, fritters and more.

The fest's small town charm, combined with killer activities such as pony rides, face painting and an ice cream-eating contest make it a prime destination for kiddos. Our photographer was there to capture families on the scene. We dare you to get through these pics without drooling (and while you do that, we'll be wandering through the Loop in search of cider). Enjoy!