 From our friends at Croton Township: Don't forget the big celebration this weekend in Croton Township. Saturday, July 1st is a big day! We will be celebrating "Freedom Fest" and a huge parade will start near the Croton Library at 12:00 noon It will end at the American Legion. The Causeway will close again at 6:00 PM for an action packed and fun time for everyone. Food trucks, vendors, a live band, singing of the National Anthem, a beer tent, and much more. All ages, no admission charge for this day of celebration and relaxation. At dusk (approximately 10:15 PM), a large fireworks display will be set off from a barge in an area close to the causeway. So, come on out and enjoy this special celebration! Please know that no alcohol may be carried on to or off of the causeway during Freedom Fest.
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 Wednesday event highlights diversity and inclusion.
June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month celebrated each year to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. (Look it up) The goal is to honor and celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons, as well as to raise awareness in society so that people can break free from the stigma and biases that surround them. While these celebrations have long been a part of many metropolitan areas, many rural areas still struggle with archaic prejudices and fear when it comes to the LBGTQ folks who have long been a part of their community. This Wednesday there will be a Pride Celebration at Brooks Park in Downtown Newaygo. This event provides an opportunity for people to look beyond their previously held ideas about the LBGTQ folks among us and possibly develop a bit of insight into the importance of diversity to any community. Near North Now is proud to be a sponsor of the event and hope that folks will lay aside their preconceived notions when it comes to the LBGTQ people in our community who add so much to who we are. Here is what we received from event organizers: On Wednesday June 28th beginning at 6:30pm join us to celebrate Pride! There will be entertainment, food trucks, games, giveaways, a photo booth and much, much more. This is a family friendly community event brought to you by Illuminate Counseling & Wellness and Little Mitten Landscape. We are celebrating unity and encouraging a culture of acceptance in our community so come join! Be proud be loud and above all… Have Pride.
Lots happening in our slice of peninsular paradise.
Fun seekers will find a lot of offerings this week as we start getting traction for The Big One. Yes the always magical 4th of J. weekend is on tap for next weekend. The midsummer birthday celebration like no other as revelers ring in #297 for the U.S. of A. There will be plenty goings on in our parts but before that let’s give the first weekend of summer it’s due Tonight (Wed) The Faulkners continue their commute tour of the region with a gig at Northern Trails from 6-9pm. Backwoods Express will be knocking down a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll and a whole lot of fun at Vet’s Park in Fremont Thursday starting at 7pm. The River Stop Cafe continues their Thursday night musical offerings as Whirlin Wind perform at the downtown Newaygo eatery from 6:30-9pm. We don’t know much about them but this most welcome series by the RS folks has been a hit thus far. Ok here’s a group we Do know about. The Guiness Brothers, one of the most popular acts in the area, will be gracing the deck at the Driftwood on Saturday (4-8pm) and Sunday (3-7pm). They never disappoint and Ms. Powell, who has some serious pipes,will get the deck rocking with her vocals. On Friday it’s Open Mike night at Flying Bear Books in downtown Newaygo starting at 6pm so convince your cousin Nate who has been entertaining at family reunions over the years to come down and play for people he’s not related to. Looking for some Bluegrass Gospel? Darin and Brooke Aldridge will perform on the Dogwood Center's Main Stage on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Like to dabble in the growing Michigan distillery industry? No, not investing. Sampling. The All American North Country Store (a.k.a.Hess Lake Party Store) is the site of a Spirit Tasting event with Northern Latitudes and RWB Distillery bringing in some samples for sippers. 4-7pm Friday. Nothing geeks up kids like loud trucks and tractors performing amazing feats in an outdoor setting. That being said, on Saturday the 3rd annual Bob Gilliland Memorial Truck and Tractor Pull is happening at the Fairgrounds in Fremont starting at 7pm. If you’ve never been to one you have to go. If you are already an aficionado it’s been marked off on your calendar since they announced it. Downtown Muskegon has the Lakeshore Arts Festival Saturday and Sunday from 9am-5pm Been hankering for a little rodeo action? You’re in luck. The Adam Scott Memorial Rodeo will be this weekend at 1343 40th street halfway between Newaygo and White Cloud. Good event with a lot of talent out on those grounds. Action begins Saturday at 6pm There it is. If you have an event coming up let us know and remember we are about to welcome in July with a bang or two so look at this weekend as kind of a warmup And by the way… Who does the 4th better these days, Hesperia or Croton? “Some of the best memories are made in flip flops.”-Kellie Elmore  A collection of dedicated historians; Back row L-R Jan (Brooks) Smith, Marce (Graves) Hansen, Cindy (Graves) Sharp, Bob Burke, Mary (Fowler) Bleiler and Pat Ebenstein. Front row L-R Kathie (Bird) Lewis, Cindy (Zimmerman) Stowell, Doris (Steele) Sirk and Pam (Fetterley) Miller. New book provides a timely birthday present for White Cloud
In 2022, ten hardy souls embarked on a thirteen-month journey to put White Cloud’s history on paper. After being accepted by Arcadia Publishing to record White Cloud’s pictorial history, they began meeting each week on Wednesday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:30. This turned into a continual meeting of texting, emailing and phone frenzy throughout nights and weekends. The whole community came together and offered pictures and stories. Suzie Fetterley, Rosie Alger and Pat Ebenstein were the ones who provided a wealth of information. The committee dug through the collections of Doc Douglass and Martha Evans, as well as seventy years of White Cloud Chieftains and miles of microfilm. The historical resources of the White Cloud Community Library History Room were essential in their research. The final submission of the book was sent to Arcadia Publishing in January 2023. On May 8, the White Cloud Community Library had copies of “Images of America, White Cloud” hot off the press and ready for market. The books are on sale now at the White Cloud Community Library for $25.00. They will also be available at the Library’s Pig Roast July 7, 5:00 to 7:00, Saturday July 8 on the Library lawn from 10:00 to 4:00, and also at the alumni banquet on Saturday evening, July 8. The Committee did not sit idle while waiting for the published edition. They diligently worked on postcards which are now on sale at the Library. In addition, they researched and planned a driving/walking tour of 100-year homes, which will occur on all three days of the White Cloud Sesquicentennial Celebration. Lastly, they gathered life stories of twelve noteworthy individuals for a cemetery walk in White Cloud’s Prospect Hill Cemetery, which will take place on the afternoon of July 9 from 4:00 until 6:00.  Darin and Brooke Aldridge at Dogwood on June 24
Darin and Brooke Aldridge will perform on the Dogwood Center's Main Stage on Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m. Brooke and Darin play and write bluegrass and bluegrass gospel music, carrying forth their families’ native North Carolina roots. The husband and wife duo tour with a gifted band of musicians and they have gained national attention with their music topping lists on Americana/Roots, Sirius XM, Bluegrass, and Gospel charts. Their albums have brought the couple accolades from the International Bluegrass Music Association, Darin as a Mentor honoree and Brooke as the IBMA’s Female Vocalist of the Year in 2017-18. Their extraordinary voices have led to over 32 appearances to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. This sweetheart duo combines rich harmonies with impeccable musicianship, creating an unmistakable sound that has made them one of the hottest acts around. Throw in an equally fantastic band of pickers, and you have a can’t miss concert! Tickets are $17.50 and are available online at www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the Dogwood Box Office, or at NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont or just click here! The Dogwood Center Box Office is open Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.  Hess Lake as seen from the Smugglers at North Shore Upper Deck Hess Lake Eatery Edges Toward Opening Smugglers At North Shore continues to move the community toward a return to lakeside dining. The facility’s progress both inside, outside, and across the street (parking lot) has prospective diners anxiously awaiting the opening including the lake dwellers who look forward to pulling up on a pontoon for drinks and dinner. We hear they have hired their Executive Chef and are in the process of putting together a staff so while it may not be time yet to be making reservations an opening appears imminent if not immediate. We got a hold of co-owner Raeanne Huskey to ask about an ETA. “Our team is so excited to open our doors. The progress continues to be amaze us and everything is coming together beautifully. Our hope should things continue to progress nicely will be to open sometime in August. We will be sure to make a big reveal as we get closer to that time!!” Thank you Ms. Huskey. And between you and I, please put me down for 2 on the deck somewhere near that sometime date in August.  From this...  To this!  Photo by Dave Knapp Star Party Coming Saturday “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”- Carl Sagan, Cosmos By Ken De Laat I can’t recall the first time someone pointed out a constellation to me, but to this day when I look at the night sky my eyes focus in on these magical gatherings of stars. Sometimes I think about the ancients who were captivated by the cavalcade of lights that appeared at night. The Dippers (aka Bears, Ursa maj. & min.), Orion, Virgo, Scorpio, 7 sisters and others are like old friends in the sky. It’s all part of a fascination so many of us have with the vastness of the skies above us. The first time seeing a planet through a telescope is not just awe inspiring but addictive as well, bringing just enough of the mysteries space holds to pique one’s interest. The S.F. Wessling Observatory hosts Star Parties at their location up at the Kropscott Farm and they have one this Saturday June 17 beginning around 9:30 pm. One of the cool things they do is encourage folks to bring their own equipment whether it be a set of binocs or that telescope you’ve been promising to set up but haven’t found the right time to do so yet. Here’s the skinny from the Dark Sky folks: Planned viewing for the evening will be... - The Northern Cross. - Venus and Mars in the western sky. - Various star clusters. - Other Messier objects (Galaxies and nebulae). - And, always a visitor favorite - The Constellation Tour for June! Evening temps are forecast to be in the mid-50's range, so it may still be a bit chilly for some folks. Just in case, it's good to bring a few extra layers with you (i.e. - a few long-sleeved shirts, a warm jacket). *** Any club members or visitors who have their own equipment (telescopes and/or binoculars) are encouraged to bring their setups. So feel free to bring your toys to share with everyone! *** PLEASE NOTE: Observatory viewing is subject to cancellation due to cloudy skies/rain. However, sometimes we still offer an inside program during inclement weather, so please keep tabs on the page! *** At the time of this post, there is a 40% chance of rain for the Fremont area that night, w/ clouds throughout the day. However - as usual - we'll be monitoring the weather and announce any changes, cancellations, or updates here should observing conditions turn sour. Admission for the evening is: Adults - $5.00 17 and younger - $2.00 Kids under five - FREE (Please stop by the Science Building *FIRST* to sign in - - All proceeds go toward the maintenance and improvement of the observatory and Kropscott Farm property). The Dark Sky Astronomers crew look forward to viewing the night sky with ALL of you on Sat. June 17! Until then...  S.F. Wessling Observatory.-Drone photo by James Maike  “It’s more than a race, it’s a whole experience” N3 Publisher note: I’m not a runner. Editor Mercer is a runner. A serious one at that with marathons, half marathons, crazy-long trail races and a host of other such events under her belt. My primary running involved going base to base on a softball team where I was known for hitting some of the longest singles in slo-pitch history. But if you enjoy mixing it up when it comes to your race genre, this Saturday the folks from Let’s Glow Newaygo are putting on a unique series of activities from a 24 hour endurance run and a nighttime glow 5K to cornhole competition and kids games. So for those like myself who move at more of a walking pace there looks to be plenty to do. It should be quite the extravaganza and takes place at the Luce Mill Farm, a new event barn in Fremont. Bonus to us was the info that part of the proceeds would go to benefit the Newaygo County Promise Zone, the program that offers two years of tuition free post secondary schooling/training for county graduates We contacted the Let’s Glow folks for some further info and here’s what we got. We want to encourage people of any age and fitness level to get out and get moving. We have races for every age and fitness level and yes, people are welcome to walk, skip or dance their way to the finish line. It's more than a race, it's a whole experience. We have activities throughout the day. Our day begins with the 24 hour and 12 hour Ultra runners who will really test their endurance. Then we have our kids fun run which includes the race for their age group that starts with an inflatable obstacle course and ends with a foam finish! We also have RC racing, face painting, smores, and yard games. For an additional cost we will have Gelly Ball for $5 per game. We offer several food options such as JAMS Sweet Retreat, Big Reds BBQ, Papa Don's Italian Ice and Riverwalk Nutrition. Mid day we are hosting a corn hole tournament for Michael Burns. Originally this was to help him earn money to go to Worlds for weight lifting but he was recently diagnosed with cancer. We will still be hosting the event, we just have a new purpose for that money. It all builds up to our Glow 5k! This event takes place in the dark. As participants run past various checkpoints on the trail, they will receive more and more glow accessories to wear. This too ends with a foam finish and an exciting after party. And here is their website www.letsglownewaygo.com 
No not the Marvin Gaye song (which was incidentally is a classic piece of musical artistry) but the music and more coming to these parts and beyond this week
Nearby Hiking is huge. More and more folks are taking to the trails for a little exercise while communing with the outdoors. This Tuesday starting at 7pm Ron Rademacher, author of Michigan Back Roads books, presents Nature Getaways a talk at the Fremont Library that will feature overlooked nature areas and easy walking trails in Michigan. Each destination offers something unique--a waterfall, incredible scenes, or rare natural wonders. Local attractions are discussed near each nature area so each can make for a great day trip. We stay in Library mode on Thursday when the Newaygo Library hosts Snakes, Lizards, Turtles, Oh My! From 11-12. Here’s their blurb: “Join our friends from Outdoor Discovery to see live reptiles and learn how to identify reptiles and the ways they differ from other animal groups. experience hands-on artifacts including skins, skulls, eggs and shells of several species native to Michigan.We will be meeting outside in Brooks Park.” Thursday evening there’s an opportunity for some live music in River City as The Andrews will perform from 630-9pm at the RiverStop Cafe. Meanwhile at Vet’s Park in Fremont the Northwood Brothers will be cranking out some gospel selections beginning at 7pm. Friday afternoon the Newaygo Library is sponsoring a concert at Brooks Park featuring guitarist Neil Jacobs from 2-4pm. The man is a wizard on the 12 string and he will likely also share a few stories. The concert is during market time at the park so you can listen in while picking up some fresh veggies and fruits from the vendors. Friday is Open Mike night at Flying Bear Books starting at 6pm. And while there get your hands on one of their tempting creperie creations. FBB comes right back Saturday with a Merle ``We don’t smoke marijuana in Muskogee '' Haggard tribute from 2-3pm featuring Ferrell Cordle who will also have some of his artwork on display. Ferrell’s not Merle’s. And then there’s still the crepes should a version of “The Fightin’ Side Of Me” make you hungry. The Driftwood is putting out some serious tunes on the deck this coming weekend with The Faulkners hitting the stage Friday, The Denise Anderson Band coming in on Saturday and The Messin Around Band capping off the weekend’s music offerings on Sunday. Farther afield For those who love festivals head to Whitehall’s Goodrich Park Saturday and Sunday where the 44th Annual White Lake Area Arts & Crafts Festival is going to be happening. Live music, festival food inflatables and lots and lots of vendors. 10am-5pm Saturday and 11am-4pm Sunday Like watching golf? Well I only tune it in if I need a nap but many folks appreciate golf excellence and there is no better place to witness this than the Meijer Classic at Blythefield Country Club in GR Thursday through Sunday. There you go Near Northinans. Plenty of Music & More on tap so get thyself into reveling mode because it is Summertime in our piece of bipeninsular paradise. And remember to always eschew obfuscation.  Goldpine will perform in the Dogwood Center's Black Box on Saturday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m. The Americana music duo was built by married couple Benjamin and Kassie Wilson. From festivals like 30A Songwriting Festival and Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion to listening rooms throughout the United States, Goldpine has been offering their own brand of raw Americana to audiences large and small. Finalists in the Kerrville Folk Fest 2021 New Folk Competition and the 2022 Rocky Mounty Songwriter contest winners, the duo’s bold harmonies are clearly a channel for their highly charged songwriting. Exposing the pains of severed relationships and unearthing the pursuits of love and purpose, Goldpine is cathartic, moody, raucous, and relevant all wrapped into one. Touring since 2015, they have been lessening the gap between music and the audience by disclosing their stories behind the lyrics at every venue along the way. Tickets are $12.50 and are available online at www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the Dogwood Box Office, or at NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont. The Dogwood Center Box Office is open Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. |
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