Let Freedom Ring!

 

It is had to believe that it is almost July, which means the parties, fireworks, and parades are about to pack our calendars! Luckily for you, you have us, and we have compiled a list of all the firework shows happening in West Michigan. You're welcome :) If you can find a way to hit every single one of these, we want to know your secret! We have also listed a few events so if you don't already have plans, we think these are pretty great,

 

	Location	More Information
July 3
	Allegan	Allegan County Parks, Recreation and Tourism
	Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa, Thompsonville	Crystal Mountain
	Leland	Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
	Pentwater Pier	Pentwater Chamber of Commerce
	South Haven	South Haven Visitors Bureau
July 4
	Beaver Island	Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce
	Beulah	Benzie Area Visitors Bureau
	Constantine	River Country Tourism Council
	Cheboygan	Cheboygan Chamber of Commerce
	Frankfort Beach	Frankfort - Elberta Chamber of Commerce
	Grand Haven	Grand Haven Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
	Grand Rapids	Experience Grand Rapids
	Harbor Springs	Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce
	Mackinaw City	Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau
	Petoskey	Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau
	Saugatuck	Saugatuck-Douglas Convention & Visitors Bureau
	Silver Lake	Silver Lake Sand Dunes-Hart Visitors Bureau
	Torch Lake	Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau
	Whitehall	White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
July 5
	DeVoe Beach, Indian River	Indian River Tourist Bureau
	Shanty Creek Resorts, Summit Mountain	Shanty Creek Resort
July 6
	Otsego Lake, Gaylord	Gaylord Area Convention & Tourism Bureau
	Cadillac	Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau

 

 

 

 

For you last minute planners- here are some great events that won't break the bank.

 

Old Fashioned Fourth of July at Crystal Mountain!

July 1 - 7
Crystal Mountain
Thompsonville
800-968-7686
www.crystalmountain.com
Bring the entire family and join us as we convert Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa into “Main Street USA” and celebrate our country’s independence in good old fashioned red, white and blue style! This annual event—open to all—includes a family carnival, fireworks over the mountain, golf scrambles, 4k, live entertainment and more!

Tribute to the Troops at Michigan's Adventure

July 3 - 4
Michigan's Adventure
Muskegon
231-766-3377
www.MIAdventure.com

Michigan's Adventure will be celebrating Tribute to the Armed Forces on July 3 - 4 by offering military personnel of the Armed Forces, National Guard and Reserve a free admission. In addition, military personnel may purchase up to six additional tickets for immediate family members at $21 each. Guests will be required to show one active military ID, DD-214, or Veteran's Administration Hospital ID to qualify for the discount. Tickets purchased for this event are non-refundable and are valid for admission on one of the listed dates only. Tickets must be purchased at the park on the day of your visit.

The Emerald Island Lights Up with Fourth of July
July 4 • 2 pm
Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce
Beaver Island
231-448-2505
www.beaverisland.org
The Big Parade & Island Airways Flyover, featuring the missing man formation at 2:00.
Line up for the parade starting at Holy Cross Church starting at 1:00.

The Public Museum's Front Row for the Fireworks offers a truly unique Independence Day experience.
July 4
Experience Grand Rapids
Ah-Nab-Awen Park, Grand Rapids
877-847-4847
www.experiencegr.com
 
The parade will kick off the celebration Wednesday, July 4 at 5 p.m. on the corner of Lyon and Ottawa NW. The parade will continue to Veterans’ Memorial Park, 101 East Fulton St., where men and women who have served in the U.S. military will be honored.

Ah-Nab-Awen Park Concert Series
6:15pm Donald Kinsey http://donaldkinsey.com/ (blues) -- This guitarist and singer -- frontman for The Kinsey Report as well as the Donald Kinsey Band -- is literally a Chicago blues legend who just happens to live in the Grand Rapids area. He's played with some true music icons, including Bob Marley, and is even currently featured in the new 2012 documentary about the reggae star.

7:00pm | Atomic Hoop Troupe - glittering group of hooping professionals who incorporate all forms of dance to create dynamic and exciting live performances.
7:22pm | Kari Lynch Band (country) -- Led by a young, up-and-coming country singer, this Grand Rapids-based group brims with real energy. Lynch and her bandmates have quickly developed into one of West Michigan's leading country acts.

8:30pm | Garrett Borns  (pop) -- Regularly selling out his West Michigan shows already, this 20-year-old singer-songwriter phenom from Grand Haven is slated this summer to play big festivals like Summerfest in Milwaukee and Arts, Beats & Eats in Royal Oak. Backed by a supremely talented band, Borns is touring behind his acclaimed debut album, "A Dream Between," recorded at Grand Haven's Redwall North Studios.
9:27pm | The Outer Vibe (rock) -- There literally is no more professional act in West Michigan than this one: This polished, five-piece outfit puts on a colorful, high-energy show with great diversity in approach. They're the only returning act from last year (they played the Rosa Parks Circle stage). They also plan to make this Fourth of July show the CD-release party for their brand new studio album, "Hoka Hey."

Grand Rapids Public Museum, grmuseum.org, once more offers its Front Row for the Fireworks event. The evening’s festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. In addition to a front row seat for the fireworks, the night will include: organ concerts with stirring patriotic melodies in the Meijer Theater, exciting shows in the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium, rides on our famous 1928 Spillman Carousel, as well as a unique new museum-wide scavenger hunt for the family. Please note, the museum will close at 4 p.m. July 4 and re-open at 6:30 p.m.
The Café will serve a Meal Deal for $5.00, featuring hot dogs, bratwurst and pizza. Ice cream and other treats will also be available for purchase. At dusk, visitors can stay inside the museum in air-conditioned comfort or head outside to the carousel walkway or the enclosed lawn seating area. Either option provides an amazing view of the fireworks as they burst over the Grand River. Member ticket sales ($10/adults and $5/children) began at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 3. Ticket sales open to the general public ($15/ adults and $7.50/children) on June 10. Guaranteed Museum ramp parking passes are available in conjunction with ticket purchases for $10. For tickets, visit www.grmuseum.org, call 616.456.3977 or stop by the Museum’s front desk. Proceeds from this event support exhibits and programs of the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

July 4 • 11:30 am - 5 pm
Historic Charlton Park
269-945-3775
Hastings
www.charltonpark.org
31st Annual 4th of July & Veterans Bar-B-Que is July 4, 2013 from 11:30am - 5pm. The Veterans Association Complete Pork & Chicken Bar-B-Que Buffet will run from 12:30pm - 4:30pm in the Walnut Grove. Cost for the fundraising Bar-B-Que TBA.
Flag raising and remembrance begin before the Bar-B-Que. Games begin at 1:30pm on the village green. Everyone is encouraged to bring a home-made pie to be judged by our expert panel. Pies will then be auctioned off for the benefit of the Park. Admission and participation in the event is FREE!

Watermelon and July 4th go hand in hand at Binder Park Zoo!
July 4
Binder Park Zoo
Battle Creek
269-979-1351
www.binderparkzoo.org
Could you fit a whole watermelon in your belly? Some animals in the zoo can! Who will be the fastest? Enjoy seeing the juice run down the chins of your favorite animals as they chomp on watermelons in the summer sun.

Stafford's Pier Restaurant, Harbor Springs

July 4
Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce
Harbor Springs
231-526-7999
www.harborspringschamber.com
The City of Harbor Springs, the Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, Harbor Springs Public Schools and many other community organizations come together on this special day of celebration to bring you a series of spectacular patriotic events. See you on the Fourth and be sure to wear your red, white and blue!

• Fourth of July Art Fair
• Paul Revere 3 Mile and 10 Mile Run
• Dog Look-a-Like Contest
• Fourth of July Parade
• The Keelhauler's Live On Dudley's Deck at Stafford's Pier Restaurant
• City of Harbor Springs Fireworks Display

Shout Out To Dad!

Bill Cosby once said, "Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope." This Father's Day, June 16, treat your Dad to an experience he'll really love, from award-winning golf and micro-brews to truly unique outdoor recreation in West Michigan. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Pine River Paddlesport Center, Wellston

This Father's Day, give him the gift of unleashing his inner he-man. West Michigan's varied landscape of rivers, woods, and dunes is primed for adventure, thumbing its theoretical nose at the day-to-day shirt and tie routine.
Sitting deep in the cockpit of a kayak, floating down miles of waterways, offers a serene perspective of the world: bubbling brooks, chattering critters, bluebird skies... Or turn it up a notch by heading for raucous rapids that will surely leave Dad white-knuckled and grinning for days. From tranquil streams to rushing rapids, a day spent with a paddle in hand certainly beats one doing yard work, and there are dozens of paddlesport liveries waiting to assist.

If Dad doesn't exactly have webbed feet, help him concure land by tearing up pristine shores and forests in engine-powered, big boy toys. Jeeps, quads, and dune buggies rip through the landscape at the push of a peddle, giving passengers a bumpy ride they won't soon forget. Have your own ORV or ATV? The Silver Lake Sand Dunes are the only dunes east of Utah that allows you to drive your own.

Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa, Thompsonville

For some, golfing is a way of life, dreaming of bogies, birdies, and the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player. This June 16, give Dad the opportunity to explore the award-winning courses these golf greats designed in West Michigan.

Double JJ Resort, Rothbury, is treating dads to free golf with a paid round at the Thoroughbred Golf Club June 16. Designed by renowned architect Arthur Hills, the Thoroughbred Golf Club is known for its beauty and solitude. With bent grass tees, fairways and greens, the Thoroughbred offers 18 championship holes that sprawl over 240 acres of rolling Michigan woodside.

New Holland Brewing Co., Holland

There's little wonder why Michigan is called the Great Beer State. With more than 70 microbreweries – and hundreds of brews – there’s something to please every beer drinker's taste. From pilsners to stouts, ales to porters, West Michigan's brewers take the time and care to craft complex beverages, pushing the beer boundaries and exploring uncharted flavor territory.

If Dad is new to the microbrew world, a trip to a local brew pub for lunch, dinner or a brew house tour will get him hooked for life. Already a true brew connoisseur? Consider a Michigan Brewers Guild membership which includes VIP “early admission” status at the Guild’s various festivals, discounts at participating membership brewpubs, special VIP brewery tours, and a free Michigan beer t-shirt.

An estimated 4,000 fans of award-winning craft brewer,  Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, will gather on Saturday, June 22 for the 5th Annual Founders Fest – an outdoor beer and music festival in downtown Grand Rapids. From 3 - 11pm, the street (Grandville Avenue between Cherry and Bartlett) will be blocked and the grounds of the brewery secured for the festivities – including a variety of local, regional and national entertainment, local food vendors, an expanded “Local Artists Row” and fellow craft beer lovers.

Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners

Father's Day is the perfect time for Dad to visit the car he had or the one he always wanted. As one of the top five car museums in the nation, The Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, features over 200 historic vehicles spanning more than 100 years of automotive heritage. On its 90 acres, Dad will find exhibits ranging from a 1899 Locomobile to the classic Duesenberg, the elusive Tucker '48 and from the Model T to the muscle cars of the 60s and 70s. Current special exhibits include The History of Stock Car Racing, Vintage Motorcycles, The Great Migration: The Automobile in the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, and Ford Muscle: A Rare Gathering of American-Made Power.

Historic Charlton Park, Hastings, presents its 32nd Annual Fathers Day Car Show is June 16 from 8 am - 4 pm, rain or shine., with over 1,100 vehicles on display.  Admission: adults, $5.00; kids 5 - 12, $3.00; four and under are free. This event is sponsored by the Southern Michigan Street Rod Association.

Lemon Creek Winery, Berrien Springs, is proud to present their 29th Annual Father’s Day Festival and Corvette Car Show. This Southwest Michigan tradition gained national acclaim in 2009 when it was featured as one of the top Father’s Day events by the Wall Street Journal. With live music, wine tasting, and a Corvette car show, along with hayrides and kids games, this is an event the whole family can enjoy. Admission fee is $10.00 a person for those 21 years and over with a valid ID. Children under 21 are free with the family.

Traverse Tall Ship Co., Traverse City

If Dad's a history buff, delve deep into West Michigan's rich maritme heritage. With over 30 lighthouses on our Lake Michigan shoreline (103 in all!), there's no shortage of sites to explore. Several lighthouses are also home to naval and shipwreck museums, chronicling the lives of both seamen and keepers long ago. 

For an authentic nautical experience, take to the seas! Restored tallships still make the rounds on Lake Michigan and the Grand Traverse Bay, giving Dad the opportunity to do his best Captain Jack impression.

So we want to know, where are you taking Dad next weekend?