As summer comes to a close, downtown Albion is gearing up for one of its most beloved traditions — the 58th Annual Festival of the Forks, presented by Ford BlueOval Battery Park. For nearly six decades, the festival has filled Albion’s streets with music, food, art, and community spirit. On September 19th – 20th, many residents and visitors will gather downtown to celebrate Albion’s heritage with two full days of festivities.
Whether you come for the parade, the music, the vendors, or the carnival rides, Festival of the Forks is a tradition that offers something for everyone.
Friday, Sept. 19
The festival kicks off Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. with the Cruise-In & Car Show, when classic cars line Superior Street for one of Albion’s favorite traditions. Downtown will be filled with 50s and 60s music, food trucks, and a 21+ beer tent at The Leisure Hour Club, while Reiger Park hosts the petting zoo and a brand-new carnival sponsored by the Calhoun County Visitors Bureau.
Later in the evening, the Sister City Committee will dedicate a new mural downtown, runners will take off in the Forks 5K, and the night wraps up with a high-energy kickoff party at Albion Malleable Brewing Co. featuring The Devil Elvis Show, starting at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 20
Saturday begins bright and early with the Foundry Mile races, followed by Albion’s Festival Parade at 9 a.m., filling Superior Street with marching bands, floats, and community groups. Throughout the day, more than 100 vendors, artists, and food trucks will be downtown from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., alongside live music on multiple stages.
Families can also enjoy the carnival, petting zoo, and community mural painting at Kids ’N’ Stuff, while festivalgoers gather for unique events like the foam party, chainsaw art demonstrations, and the exciting Rubber Duck 600 raffle race on the Kalamazoo River. The weekend concludes at 3 p.m. with Albion’s World Fest at the Bohm Theatre, featuring the internationally inspired sounds of Alla Boara.
The Albion Moose Lodge will also be hosting a couple events Saturday evening. Around 3 p.m., the Moose Lodge will be serving cabbage rolls for $5 each. Later in the evening, community members will gather to watch the LIVE Music of Swamp Gas, performing from 8 p.m. to midnight – a great way to wrap up the weekend’s festivities. These events are open to the public and will be located at 13387 29 Mile Rd, Albion, MI.
Milly Harrison Named Forks Parade Grand Marshal
The Greater Albion Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau and the Festival of the Forks have named Milly Harrison this year’s Grand Marshal. She will be leading the parade, as it kicks off at 9 a.m. on Superior St.
Milly just celebrated her 100th birthday this year. She is a 1943 graduate of Albion High School. She and her late husband Wayne Carl Harrison were married in 1949 and together they owned and managed Harrison Apple Orchard for 61 years. She and her son Gary reside on the family Centennial Farm today.
70th Anniversary of the Albion Historical Society
The Albion Historical Society will be celebrating two big anniversaries at the Gardner House Museum, 509 S. Superior Street, Saturday, September 20th during Festival of the Forks. The Gardner House itself will be 150 years old and the Albion Historical Society will mark its 70th year in Albion.
A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. At that time, an upstairs room will be dedicated to the memory of a life-long charter member, William Blomquist. With his encyclopedic knowledge of Albion’s history, Mr. Blomquist was a stalwart contributor to the society during his life and left a lasting legacy which will allow the museum to use state-of-the-art archival technology and make other enhancements.
The society is seeking the participation from individuals who are charter members, past board members, or anyone who ever worked on the building of the Gardner House Museum to march with the group at the Festival of the Forks or to come to the ribbon cutting ceremony. Those interested in marching in the parade should contact president Celeste Connamacher at (517) 629-3276.
Augustus P. Gardner completed the building of what is now the Gardner House Museum around 1875. The successful hardware store merchant lived there until his death in 1905. The City of Albion purchased the house in 1963 and then sold it to the Albion Historical Society in May, 1966. The museum was opened to the public in 1968. Rae Corliss, a local writer and newspaper publisher, first raised the call for a historical society in May 1954. With much support from the mayor and city government, the founding meeting for the Albion Historical Society was held on September 29, 1955, at the Rieger Park shelter house.
A Week to Remember
The Festival of the Forks has been Albion’s way of welcoming friends, neighbors, and visitors for nearly six decades — and this year’s celebration promises to be as vibrant as ever. Mark your calendar for September 19–20 and join us downtown for a weekend of music, food, tradition, and fun for all ages.
View the full schedule of events at www.festivaloftheforks.org/schedule
Albion Life Today 