The Michigan Irish Music Festival in Muskegon is the hands down best organized event in the region but beyond that it is an absolute jewel of jollification with top level entertainment and a boatload of activities to appeal to all ages and interests. But, of course, if you might be a Hibernophile this is a slice of neamh ar domhan (heaven on earth). The music is amazing, the Jamesons and Guiness are flowing, the food is fantastic, the shopping ops are intriguing and the whole tone of the place is upbeat and atmospherically pleasing. Like the whole Irish scene but don’t want to miss any of the football games on your Saturday calendar? Or perhaps want to check out and see if the Lions can possibly look any worse than last Monday? Not a problem. Giant TVs are in nearly every concert tent with a variety of games on tap (as is the beer) including of course the 2:30pm game featuring the Fighting Irish on Saturday. If you’ve ever been, you’re likely already going but if you have never hit the premier festival offered by our Lakeshore metroneighbor we would highly recommend spending some time at Heritage Landing. Once you go, chances are you will be hooked on Hibernia. Friday 5-11pm, Saturday 11am-11pm and Sunday 10am-6pm. From Howard City? Ever lived there? Visited? Passed through? Well, no matter the level of relationship you might have with our panhandle pal to the east you’re invited to their 150th Birthday party (known officially as the sesquicentennial) with a variety of events taking place Saturday and Sunday. For details go to their facebook page (Howard City 150th Anniversary Celebration) HC is a great town and has aged well so stop in and check out a little community pride. Friday from 9-10am you can meet and chat with Dr. Rob Davidson the Democratic candidate for the 2nd Congressional seat currently occupied by Bill Huizenga. Where, you say? Kick Start Cafe the very cool coffeeteria located just a stone’s throw north of Grant on M-37. To vote informed, one must be informed so stop in and see what the nominee/physician has to say about health care and grab a bagel to go with your hot drink choice. Do you rodeo? Saturday smack dab between Newaygo and White Cloud (1343 E 40th St.) the Cowboys and Clowns Speed Show will be going on for the 4th (and final) time this summer. Barrel riding, pole bending and flag races are on tap and though our knowledge of such things remains minimal, it looks like fun. Starts at noon and details can be accessed by going to the Cowboys and Clowns facebook page.
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Native American Gathering coming to Newaygo Photos by Larry Gouine The 3rd annual Native American Gathering will be held on Saturday, September 22 from 11a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, September 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Brooks Park in downtown Newaygo. This family friendly event is free and open to the public. “Everyone is welcome to come and share Native American Indigenous music, dance, food and culture,” said Richard Ritter of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, one of the coordinators of the event. “There will be demonstrations of moccasin making, beading and carving, among other arts and crafts.” Speakers will talk about current and historic topics related to Native Indigenous issues. Among the presenters will be Banashee Cadreau of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa who will talk about the Clans of the Anishinaabe; Gordon Henry of the White Earth Anishinaabe Nation of Minnesota who will speak about Ceremony; Beth Moody, Eagle Clan of the Shawnee Nation, whose topics are Water is Life, Cradle Boards and Moss Bags. Several other local and regional speakers will touch on subjects such as Indian Boarding Schools, Borders and Immigration, Indigenous Archeology, Grandmother Moon, and the Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978. “Peace Maker”, an original moose antler carving by Gene Reid, Mohawk Tribe, will be raffled off to a lucky winner at the Gathering on Sunday, September 23 at 3:45pm. Raffle tickets for this unique and beautiful work of art, valued at $1,100, will be on sale at the Gathering on both Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are also on sale at these local businesses: Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center, Flying Bear Books, and Cronk’s Ace in Newaygo; Maike’s Bakery in White Cloud; Red Pine Crafts in Fremont; and Two Sisters Resale in Hesperia. Email for ticket information via [email protected]. Tickets are $10 each or 3 for $25, and donations are tax deductible. The Native American Gathering is the major annual event by the Native Circle of Newaygo County (NCNC), a 501c3 non-profit organization. NCNC’s mission is in part to share Native Indigenous cultures with all people and to tell the true history of Native Americans from their experiences and perspectives. NCNC also offers other events such as Indigenous film viewing throughout the year. “We hope everyone will come out to the Gathering and enjoy the cultures of our People,” added Laci Reagan of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa, a beader and member of the Native Circle of Newaygo County. “It will be an experience you won’t forget!” For information about the Gathering, the Native Circle of Newaygo County, or if you are a Native American artist, crafter, drummer or dancer and would like to participate, please contact: [email protected]. Or call Sally at 231.519.9471. Have some fun this fall and shoot away….with your camera! Newaygo County is prime country for that perfect fall photo. Take your best shots and enter the NCCA-Artsplace Fall Photography Contest. The contest is an annual community event that anyone can enter and showcases the fall beauty of our area. Entry deadline is Tuesday, September 18, by 5:30 p.m.
This free competition is for all ages and all levels of skill. All entries must have a fall or harvest theme. Participants may submit up to two entries. Each entry must be an 8”x10” unframed photograph. All entries will be on display September 20 through October 27 in the corridor gallery at NCCA-Artsplace. First, second and third place ribbons will be awarded on Thursday, September 20 at 5:00 p.m. during Fremont’s Fall Harvest Festival. Registration forms for the competition are available at NCCA-Artsplace, 13 East Main Street, downtown Fremont or call 231.924.4022. The guidelines and forms may also be printed from www.ncca-artsplace.org. By Charles Chandler How popular is deer hunting and how passionate are hunters about bagging a trophy deer? According to the U.S. Fishing and Wildlife Service deer hunting has dominated the nation’s hunting scene for decades and from their most recent survey of the nation’s 11.6 million big-game hunters, 94 percent were deer hunters. Where does Michigan rank in all this? According to Outdoor Life Magazine in 2016 – 17 Michigan had the nation's second-largest deer harvest. How passionate are deer hunters about their sport? Well you would probably have to ask the individual hunter. This N3 Correspondent recently had an opportunity to meet some young hunters who are very passionate about deer hunting. On August 17th, a group of very proud parents and guests attended the annual Youth Challenge Hunt Ceremony at Legends Ranch. This spectacular 2000 acre hunting Ranch is located at 2022 West 14 Mile Road in Bitely. The Ranch is operated to allow guest hunters the opportunity to bag a once in a lifetime trophy whitetail deer. Those familiar with the Legends Ranch know that this is where whitetail deer hunters’ dreams come true and this was certainly true for the four young hunters Brady Sprik, age 15 from Platte, SD, Jordynn Bibbs age 9 from Newport, MI, Noah Williams, age 19 from Strasburg CO, and Mason Woods age 13 from Fairborn, NE that were chosen to participate in the 2018 Legends Youth Challenge hunt. Each of these deserving hunters has some significant physical challenge caused by an unfortunate illness or accident. Each year Kelly Wawsczyk the Director's Assistant and Ranch Manager Robert Sergi solicit and select four young hunters from across the country to participate in the annual hunt. The applicants submit a personal bio and a narrative describing why they want to participate in the famous Legends Ranch hunt. The submittal is important because this is an inclusive weeklong hunt. All travel, lodging, meals,trophy deer processing and taxidermy are covered for the young hunters and their family. Once a hunter is selected and notified, the Ranch staff addresses every detail to make this the hunting experience of their lifetime. In an interview with Kelly and Robert, I learned that they review the applicant’s bio and then pair them with a Ranch Guide they believe will ensure a successful hunt and be a match for the personality and challenges of the young hunter. The closing ceremony for 2018 Challenge Hunt began with an excellent breakfast specially prepared by the Ranch Chief and kitchen staff. The breakfast and following ceremony was attended by about 50 participants, which included the hunters and their families, members of the River Country Chamber of Commerce, Ranch Staff and some hunt sponsors. This year sponsors were the Safari Club International, Ravenna Conservation Club, Holland and Carolyn Powell, SCI Lakeshore Sportsman Chapter, Kelly and Judy Conley, D and J Asphalt, SCI-New England Chapter, Westwind Taxidermy, Southwest MI Bowhunters Chapter, Bitely. After the breakfast, everyone gathered outside on the Lodge lawn for some inspirational music and thankful words for a safe hunt. Next, there were introductions of the young hunters and their guides with a recap of their hunting experience at the Ranch. Additionally, and as a very thoughtful touch, each hunter received a Legends Ranch Trophy in recognition of bagging a trophy deer. When asked about this tradition Kelly said “I order a trophy for all of them with their name on it. Sometimes it may be the only trophy they have received in their childhood since sports may be hard for them to participate in. They deserve a trophy for the trophy they harvested.” After the awarding of the individual hardware, it was photo op time for the young hunters with their trophy deer. If you are a whitetail deer hunter you know this is the big moment. All the work, the practice, and the waiting are over. It is just you, your trophy and at this event a few proud parents, smiling hunting guides and attending Ranch Staff. Soon it was time to say goodbye and the participants all loaded on the camo colored Ranch bus and headed back their real life. In the words of Mr. Arthur Gutierrez the Patriarch of Legends Ranch, “as you know, it is not just the trophy, but it is also all of the details that when done right translate into a special memory, a new friendship, and a return trip.” Legends Ranch “done right” by these four young hunters and they now know that whitetail hunting dreams do come true. If you would like more information on how to sponsor one of these hunts, please contact Director's Assistant-Kelly Wawsczyk at 231-745-8000 or [email protected] Raion Taiko Japanese Drumming will perform on the Dogwood Center Main Stage on Sunday, September 23 at 3:00 p.m. The drumming ensemble will get your heart racing with an exciting and unforgettable performance of deep thunderous sounds of the 3.5 foot diameter Odaiko to the quiet and subtle beauty of the bamboo flute.
Raion Taiko is an ensemble of performers sponsored by the Great Lakes Taiko Center. Their programs are a variety of authentic, modern and traditional taiko, performed on authentic taiko drums imported from Japan’s Asano Taiko, the world’s most famous taiko maker. The Great Lakes Taiko Center is located in Novi and offers taiko drumming classes, educational presentations, workshops and performances for all ages. Learn more about the taiko center at www.michigantaiko.net. “Taiko” in general is often used to mean the relatively modern art of Japanese drum ensembles (kumi-daiko), but the word actually refers to the taiko drums themselves. Literally, taiko means “fat drum”, although there is a vast array of shapes and sizes of taiko. Within the last fifty years since kumi-daiko was created, it has seen phenomenal growth to the point where there are over 8,000 taiko groups in Japan by some counts. Borrowing on thousands of years of traditional, taiko groups are now taking the style worldwide. Tickets are $12.50 for adults and $5 for children 18 and under. They are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. |
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