NILES — Apple peeling, beard growing and log sawing are time-honored traditions at the Four Flags Area Apple Festival, and its board members intend to keep them that way.

When the five-day festival kicks off with its Youth Day Saturday, Sept. 21 at 1740 Lake St. in Niles, not only will ruby red fruits be served, rings be tossed onto bottle tops and first kisses be given on a Ferris wheel, an assortment of niche competitions will be hosted with competitive spirit.

Festival board member Abby Zeider has not taken part in contests since she competed for the Miss Apple Festival title as a teenager. She said she has been too busy volunteering. Nevertheless, she tries to make it to a number of contests because she enjoys them so much.

“Most of our events have been around for years,” she said. “There were generations in the past that came up with these, and we usually keep the tradition going and add in new stuff as we go.”

The only contest that may be new to some attendees is the Backyard Grillers BBQ Cookoff, which had its inaugural contest last year. Otherwise, all contests have been hosted for years and have gathered crowds each time.

Many of the contests require skills not common or popular, Zeider said, making many competitions fair game for people of all ages and abilities. A teenager could chow down the best in the Apple Pie Eating Contest, while a recent retiree could spit out an apple seed the farthest.

“We like to focus on being a family festival, so there is something for every age,” Zeider said.

The Apple Festival splits most competitions into age groups just in case one demographic has an unfair advantage.

A longtime competitor does not equate to a guaranteed winner, either.

“We have a core group of people that make their contests or bit every year, but we always see new faces as well,” Zeider said.

The chair of pageants, sponsorship and the beer and wine tent said every event is free aside from the horseshoe tournament, barbeque contest and car show.

Winners receive prizes from each event. Some pay out cash, such as the lip sync contest’s $400 first place prize. Others pay out items related to the contest’s theme, such as men’s grooming prizes for the beard and mustache contest.

Judges are not hardline beard trimmers, apple eaters or tricycle racers. Instead, judges are volunteers. Some are members of the group sponsoring the event. Others are Apple Festival volunteers and friends of board members.

In a sense, each contest winner is the people’s choice.

The goal of each event is not to win, Zeider said, but to have fun, whether participating or watching.

The goal of the Apple Festival itself — aside from drawing in a larger crowd than the year before — is to keep adverse weather away so the contests can happen.

“We’re praying for good weather,” Zeider said.

The following contests will occur at the Apple Festival, which runs on Saturday, Sept. 21 and Thursday, Sept. 26 to Sunday, Sept. 29.

• Trike and big wheel race — 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at Ring Lardner Middle School. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

• Apple Festival Prince and Princess selection — 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 at the fairgrounds.

• Window decorating — 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 at various locations.

• Biggest apple contest — 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 at the Apple Festival Building. Registration occurs 4 to 10 p.m. Sept. 26 at the same location.

• Barbecue cookoff — 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.

• Old-fashioned log saw contest — 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday Sept. 28 near the Apple Festival Building.

• Beard and mustache contest — 5 p.m. Saturday Sept. 28 at the Main Tent.

• Anything apple contest — 5 p.m. Saturday Sept. 28 at the Semco Tent.

• Custom car show — 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 at National Standard Grounds. Registration is from 9 a.m. to noon.

• Scarecrow contest — 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 on the fairgrounds. Registration ends at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 at the Apple House.

• Harold Galbreath “Galley” memorial horseshoe tournament — 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 at the horseshoe area.

• Lip sync contest — 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26 at the Entertainment Tent. Registration due Sunday, Sept. 22 at the Apple Festival Building.

• Apple peeling contest — 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 near the Apple Festival Building.

• Apple pie eating contest — around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 at the Entertainment Tent.