Sep 26, 2025

GLEXPO Michigan Apple Cider Contest returns

The Michigan Apple Cider Contest makes a return appearance at this year’s Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO conference. 

The cider contest is in its 27th edition. The contest and the sweet and hard cider educational program are part of GLEXPO’s conference, which is scheduled for Dec. 9-11 at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension continues the tradition of honoring the excellence in the state’s commercial cider production, according to a news release from the Michigan Farm Bureau.

The sweet and hard cider educational sessions are scheduled for Tuesday morning, Dec. 9. There will be two separate hour sessions with an hour break in the middle. The first session on hard cider will be 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and feature special guests Mike and Mark Vansteenkiste from Twin Pines Orchard and Cider House in Thedford, Ontario.

The sweet cider session is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and focus on unpasteurized cider regulations and cider preservation.

Entering the contest is easy. Contestants are to bring 2 gallons of thawed cider to the exhibitors registration booth at the EXPO registration area 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 9 or 8 a.m. to noon on Dec. 10. Judging will take place on Dec. 10. Many of the winning ciders over the years of this competition have been from frozen cider made earlier in the fall, according to the release.

Entry forms can be downloaded.

Instead of the traditional expo banquet, a Dec. 10 evening social is scheduled. Contest winners will be announced at the social, with the final round entrants being notified ahead of the event. The winner will receive the traveling trophy and second and third place will receive plaques. 

Last year, Farmer White’s of Williamsburg, Michigan, won first place with Klein Cider Mill and Market of Sparta taking second place and Apple Barrel Cider of Ithaca placing third.