Honey Harvest FestA Honey Festival Near Gaylord, Michigan
Free honey sticks for everyone through the gate, honey-tossed chicken at the Farm Haus, and an insect house build for the kids. Honey day at Wilderness Valley Farm, with the whole farm open and included.
Get TicketsThrough The Gate
A Free Honey Stick For Every Guest
Everyone who comes through the gate on September 12 gets a honey stick, on the house. Sweet, simple, and the right way to start honey day on the farm.
What Makes Honey Harvest Special
See Inside A Real Honeybee Hive
Get an up close look at our observation hive and learn how thousands of bees work together inside the colony.
Bees Are Busier Than You Think
Watch workers move through the hive, learn about the queen, and discover how bees communicate, care for their colony, and make honey.
Our Observation Hive
See real honeybees safely behind glass and learn what’s happening inside the hive. It’s a hands-on learning experience for kids and adults during Honey Harvest Fest.
Get Tickets
Included With Every Admission
The Entire Farm Is Open
Your admission covers everything the farm has to offer. Gates open at 10am and close at 5pm.
Animal Encounters
Feed and pet friendly farm animals.
Farm Rides
Hay rides and the barrel train.
Pedal Kart Track
Race the paved loop on pedal powered karts.
Play Areas
Playgrounds and the tractor tire park.
Gift Shop
Apparel, hats, gifts and local goods.
Restaurant & Bar
The Farm Haus, the Waffle Barn and the Cider Haus.
Saturday, September 12
Special For This Event
Everything below is included with admission. Gates open at 10am, close at 5pm.
Honey Tossed Chicken
Enjoy our delicious honey tossed chicken, made fresh for Honey Harvest Fest!
Seed Bombs For Bees
Kids can make seed bombs with bee-friendly wildflower seeds to take home and plant.
Free Honey Sticks
Every guest gets a sweet treat! Enjoy a free honey stick on us.
Learn About Bees
Get an up-close look at our observation hive and learn about honeybees, how they live, and how they make honey.
A Little Honey Knowledge
How Honey Gets From Hive To Jar
Late summer is harvest time for Michigan beekeepers, which is exactly why honey day lands in September. Here is the short version of how it works.
- Bees cap the combWhen honey is ready, bees seal each cell with a thin wax cap. Capped comb is the beekeeper’s sign that the honey is cured and ready to harvest.
- Frames come out of the hiveBeekeepers lift the heavy frames or bars of capped comb from the hive, leaving plenty behind so the bees are set for winter.
- Cut comb or spun honeyComb can be cut straight into squares and eaten wax and all, like the cut comb in the photo above, or uncapped and spun so liquid honey pours out.
- Nothing else addedRaw honey is strained and jarred. That is the whole recipe, and it is why local honey tastes like the flowers the bees actually visited.
Flowers First
Where The Bees Do Their Work
Honey starts in the flowers, and this farm grows plenty of them. The lavender rows bloom through late summer and the apple orchard blossoms every spring, exactly the kind of forage that keeps pollinators busy, and exactly why local honey tastes the way it does.
Walk the lavender runs on your visit, and if you want a whole day built around those rows, Lavender Fest and U-Pick opens the season on August 29.
Before You Come
Plan Your Honey Harvest Visit
Honey Harvest Admission
One ticket covers the honey sticks, the insect house build, the animals and every activity on the farm.
| Adults (14-59) | $15 |
| Children (3-13) | $10 |
| Seniors (60+) | $10 |
| Children (2 and under) | Free |
Driving To The Farm
6500 Nicklaus Drive
Gaylord, MI 49735
Twenty minutes from downtown Gaylord in the woods of Otsego County, with on-site parking. An easy September drive from Petoskey, Traverse City, Boyne City, Grayling and Alpena.
Questions
Honey Harvest Fest FAQ
When is Honey Harvest Fest at Wilderness Valley Farm?
Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 10am to 5pm at 6500 Nicklaus Drive, Gaylord, MI 49735.
Are the honey sticks really free?
Yes. Every guest gets a honey stick at the gate, included with admission.
What is honey-tossed chicken?
A Farm Haus special for the day: chicken tossed in honey, served alongside the regular menu of burgers, tater tots and cold drinks.
What is cut comb honey?
Honeycomb cut straight from the hive into squares, wax and all. The whole thing is edible: the wax is chewable and the honey inside is as raw as it gets.
What is an insect house for?
An insect house gives backyard pollinators like solitary bees and ladybugs a place to shelter and nest. Kids build one at the festival and take it home for the garden.
Is the rest of the farm open during Honey Harvest Fest?
Yes. The reindeer, Tibetan yaks, Texas Longhorns, donkeys and peacocks, plus hay wagon rides, the pedal cart track, playgrounds, and the Waffle Barn and Cider Haus, all included with the same admission.
Should I buy Honey Harvest tickets in advance?
Buying online before you come is the fastest way through the gate on festival Saturdays.
The Sweetest Saturday Of The Season
Free honey sticks, honey-tossed chicken, and the whole farm open. Saturday, September 12, 10am to 5pm.