 Acclaimed Musician Mark Lavengood to Perform at Dogwood Center
The Dogwood Center is proud to present an unforgettable evening with award-winning multi-instrumentalist Mark Lavengood on Friday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box. The performance will feature two distinct sets: Lavengood's original compositions followed by a special tribute to legendary songwriter John Prine. Mark Lavengood, winner of the prestigious 2012 Rockygrass Dobro Competition, is celebrated as one of the most quintessential modern American songwriters. Known for his resonant energy and sparking smile that light up every venue, Lavengood has captivated audiences at renowned festivals including Telluride Bluegrass Festival, ROMP, Blissfest, and Wheatland Music Festival. The evening begins with Lavengood and his band performing original music showcasing his masterful dobro and steel guitar work. For the second half, audiences will experience "Prine Time," a heartfelt tribute to the late John Prine, recreating the timeless compositions of this iconic American singer-songwriter who influenced generations of musicians since his debut in the early 1970s. "Some audiences remain unfamiliar with the work of this revered American singer-songwriter," notes Lavengood. "Our Prine Time Tribute aims to change that by bringing these timeless tunes to new and longtime fans alike." Tickets are $20 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.
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 The NCCA-Artsplace Statewide Photography Competition is an annual event with the goal of exhibiting and acknowledging some of the finest photographers in Michigan while encouraging greater growth and achievement in the photographic community. With an entry deadline of May 17, photographers across the state are shooting and printing their favorite subjects for their entries in this year’s competition. Michigan photographers, 18 years or older, are encouraged to take part in this juried competition. All photographic processes are accepted and each photographer may submit up to two pieces of work for the entry fee of $30. Members of NCCA-Artsplace may submit two pieces for a reduced entry fee of $25. All entries must be framed and ready to display. Selected works submitted to the competition will be exhibited in the NCCA-Artsplace Ray and Phyllis Jansma Exhibition Gallery May 28 through July 12. The award announcements will be held on June 14 at 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Photographers awarded first, second or third place will be provided a cash prize. Honorable mention pieces will also be selected. The juror for 2025 is West Michigan photographer, Richard Hinton. Competition guidelines and entry forms are available at NCCA – Artsplace, 13 East Main Street, downtown Fremont or by calling 231.924.4022. The guidelines and forms may also be printed from www.ncca-artsplace.org or click here!  A Birthday, Some Birding, A Good Walk and A Play (and maybe BBQ?)
And On To Decade 2 Newaygo Brewing Co is celebrating their 10th anniversary with lots of music, lots of great food and lots of their epic beers. Music throughout most of the day both Friday and Saturday with Jack Leaver 17° South Perry Jill and Autumn Brown Nate Dill and friends Velvet Mushroom Syndicate Backwoods Express And there are always surprises at a NewBrew event. And there's beer. Did I mention the beer? And here is an interview with the owners https://www.nearnorthnow.com/news/newbrew-turns-10 Birding Trail Birding is big. One of the fastest growing activities around and Saturday the Newaygo County Birding Trail is launched with an event at the Newaygo County Welcome Center. And what great timing. We are entering the peak season of migratory winged wonders cruising through on their way to their summer homes. Here’s the skinny: https://www.nearnorthnow.com/leisure/upcoming-event-is-for-the-birders Walking With a Purpose On Saturday the Autism Community of Newaygo County is holding their annual Walk for Autism at the Pine Street Athletic Field in Fremont. Registration starts at 9:30am. Here are more details: https://www.nearnorthnow.com/living-well/a-walk-with-a-purpose5661689 Guys and Dolls at Frauenthal If you fancy the joy of a well performed musical and are up for a bit of a drive the Muskegon Civic Theater is performing the classic Guys and Dolls Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and a Sunday matinee at 3pm. Our favorite ex-comedian, former N3 columnist and theater veteran Megan Wirts is in this one and if you’ve seen the divine Ms. Wirts perform you already know this will be a good one. Frauenthal Theater in Muskegon is a great place to see a performance in case you have never been. Here’s how to get tickets: https://www.etix.com/ticket/e/1046560/guys-dolls-muskegon-muskegon-civic-theatre-at-frauenthal-theater Bonus for BBQ fans is the chance to have a pre show bite at Dr. Rolf’s just a block from the theater. If you're lucky they will still have burnt ends available. If they do, order them immediately and prepare for a bit of BBQ heaven.  Tropical Twist proves a winner
As we noted in a previous article NNN received some samplings from H-vile Ice Cream and while I took care of the bars (short lived as they were) my colleague Ms. M. took on the task of testing the Peach Cobbler and Topical Twist. By Alexis Mercer There is a reason why ice cream is eaten with a spoon, and as my family taste tested the new Hudsonville Ice Cream flavors, I discovered why. Had I been holding anything other than a spoon, like a fork, for example, I might have hurt someone in trying to fend them off in stealing the Tropical Twist. It was that good, and I wasn’t about to share. The Mercer household picked up two flavors of ice cream from Ken: Tropical Twist (Summer Limited Edition) and Peach Cobbler—new all-season flavor. I was super excited about both, but had no idea what to expect. Sherbet is my personal favorite “ice cream”. I choose sherbet over most ice cream flavors because I like the lightness of it, and the fruity flavor. So I kept the Tropical Twist to try second because I usually save the best for last. I scooped out Peach Cobbler for myself, but my kids weren’t super interested in trying it. They are more chocolate kind of kids. I wasn’t sad that I didn’t have to share. I took a bite with everyone in my family just watching my reaction. I paused and then smiled really big. It was so peachy! A legitimate peach flavor with peach chunks that were a good texture (for a girl who really is bothered by textures that don’t match the expectation). The surprise element was the cobbler aspect. The cobbler addition was delicious. It tasted just like a homemade cobbler made by my mom straight out of the oven…only in ice cream form. I scooped myself some more and enjoyed the whole bowl. Then on to the Tropical Twist. I took a big bowl, both my boys took a big bowl and my husband took some, too. The very first bite my eyes lit up with excitement. My older son said “Yup. Yup. Yup. This one is a winner.” And my younger son took his bowl to the table and ate it so quickly I wasn’t sure he actually scooped any in the first place. Both of them came over to where I was standing by our kitchen island and tried to get more from the tub. This is where the spoon came in handy, and where I’m thankful we don’t eat ice cream with forks. I held up my spoon and threatened to use it if they tried to take more: I would be keeping that for myself, thank you.  County Poetry Contest wants to see your work “Poetry addresses individuals in their most intimate, private, frightened and elated moments. People turn to poetry in times of crisis because it comes closer than any other art form to addressing what cannot be said.”- W.S. Merwin Before you go any further this is a bit of a warning for anyone dealing with metrophobia. If you are afflicted with this scourge of the literary world the next few sentences might be a tad disturbing. You see, we’re touting the Newaygo County Poetry Contest, a competition for all who appreciate the creativity involved in putting words together to express one's feelings, thoughts and ideas. Oh, and metrophobia is fear of poetry. Seriously. It’s a thing. This contest is a very cool endeavor sponsored by the Fremont Library, the Fremont Area Community Foundation and the NCCA Artsplace. It delivers an opportunity for folks to not just share their work but possibly win nice chunk of change should their poems take one of the the top prizes. Print one of those you’ve written and kept to yourself for a time or finally write that poem that has been rattling around in the inspirational part of your brain.. My hope is that a whole lot of folks throughout the county of all ages and interests will take some time to pen a bit of poetry for this competition. Think of it as striking a blow in the battle to cure metrophobia. Entries may be mailed, brought to the Fremont Area District Library, or submitted by email no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 16. Here’s the skinny on the contest: https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/newaygo-county-poetry-contest
 The case upon arrival  Note that both have been opened and are propped up due to excessive pre photo sampling Hudsonville rolls out some newbies just in time for the season to begin in earnest
By Ken DeLaat There are some definite perks to being part of an online news site. After all there are the press passes for local high school sports but of course you also need to write the games up for posting. There are the invitations to grand openings also requiring a write up of course, and then there are the opportunities that seem to fall out of the sky like some small miracle. Recently Near North Now received an email from Hudsonville Ice Cream asking if we were interested in sampling their new products and giving them a bit of a review. “Whoa! You mean ice cream in several incarnations delivered to my door with the requirement of giving them a try? How can this be? What did I possibly do to deserve this and I need to immediately go out and buy a lottery ticket!” A few days later the goods arrived packed with dry ice (which by the way looks very cool when you dump water on it and it returns to a gaseous state). There before us were cartons of
It was decided these tantalizing treats are just too good to be limited to a group review so over the next few days we will deliver a little critique of the products two at a time. Today we will feature the bars. Both are stick borne siblings of a pair of H-ville’s long time faves and both deliver their traditional tastes in a most convenient manner. My first venture was the Brownie Batter Cookie Dough soon after the arrival. Being a chocolaholic (pre-recovery) I was surprised that I’d never grabbed one of the cartons of this flavor before. I have a few regulars when it comes to ice cream and often vacillate between their Chocolate Almond and Toasted Coconut so not only was the bar a different twist it was a totally new taste to me. It won me over in a heartbeat. The rich flavor was evident from bite one and the stick itself held up well, holding fast to the last of the frozen treat to make for a pleasant lick to the finish. Then came the Traverse City Cherry Fudge. Look, I liked the BBCD a lot but after a bite of the TC Cherry Fudge I remembered why this flavor had been a favorite years ago and it was a welcome reunion indeed. Since the first day the bars have slowly dwindled and I must admit that once I got a taste for them I failed to ask for other volunteers. After all, what was left to say? Now here’s the thing about having these frigid treats in bar form. They appear to be the perfect amount. When I dish up on my own there’s a tendency to sometimes…well, most times…, go a bit overboard. These bars are great for that right sized treat as it left me in that space where you’re happy with what you had but not feeling you might have overindulged. On a side note, another bar benefit is how much easier it is to go undetected when you slip one of these beauts out of the freezer as opposed to requiring a bowl, a scoop and some rather noisy effort when your spousal companion might be busy working on a quilt in her sewing room.. You know, just saying…  The Chris Perondi's "Stunt Dog Experience" will perform on the Dogwood Center Main Stage on Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. Perondi has been entertaining audiences of all sizes since 1999. During this “Stunt Dog Experience” you will witness some of the most incredible stunts and behaviors ever performed by dogs. The experience has amazing tricks, big air stunts, comedy antics, dancing dogs, athletic feats, and is the most entertaining show of its kind. Join us and you will meet a cast of professional performers along with over a dozen talented pound pups. The show is one-of-a-kind and brings forth pet adoption awareness. All the dogs have been rescued from pounds and shelters from across the country. The mission is to promote animal rescue, pet adoption, and encourage people to spend more time with their pets. These stars have been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, David Letterman, the Tonight Show, Ellen DeGeneres Show, Animal Planet’s Pet Stars, the CBS Early Show, and much more. They have also starred in commercials and have been featured on the news and in magazines across the country. This performance is generously sponsored by Loving Care Animal Clinic of Fremont. Tickets are $20.00 for adults, $10.00 for children, 18 and under, or click here! The Dogwood Center Box Office is open Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the Dogwood Box Office, or at NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont. For more information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.    Congressman John Moolenaar and Nevada Draper, the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for Michigan's Second District, and her painting, "One Generation Away."  Moolenaar with Gracie Knudsen and her painting, "Clouds over Lake Michigan." Nevada Draper takes top prize, Gracie Knudsen wins Regional honors Congressman John Moolenaar announced the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition last week at a reception held at the Green Charter Township Hall. Nevada Draper, a 12th grade home schooled student from Hesperia, won the competition's grand prize with her painting, "One Generation Away." Her artwork will be placed on display at the United States Capitol for the next year where it will be viewed by visitors from around the world. Moolenaar also announced Gracie Knudsen of Newaygo High School, and Charlotte Torrez of Ludington High School as regional winners for their submissions. Gracie's painting titled "Clouds over Lake Michigan" and Charlotte's Acrylic painting titled "Animals of Michigan" will be placed on display at Congressman Moolenaar's offices in Caledonia and Clare, respectively. The Congressional Art Competition takes place annually in districts across the country where students submit original artwork. More information about the Congressional Art Competition can be found here.  Charlotte Torrez's painting, "Animals of Michigan."  Readers riff on their favorite Bar Burgers
In a totally non-scientific poll, hopefully not rife with voter fraud, we took two venues from each of 5 areas and ran a bit of a competition asking our readers to make the choice between the pairs. For the Northern sector of the county the Bitely Bar beat out the Shamrock Pub & Grill. The one comment we received in this matchup was about the Bitely Bar. “Best burger in the county” Grant/Bridgeton paired Old Iron Bar & Grill with 7 Mile Inn. Once again we only got a lone comment and it was ascribed to Grant’s favorite (and only) bar. “The blueberry sauce on the burger makes it great.” In the voting however 7 mile edged Old Iron by a single vote. In Newaygo there was another hotly contested duel that saw Sportsman's Bar emerge on top with comments like “The River Bottom Burger is delicious.” “Love the Super Sport when you want a burger but not bread.” “Great tasting patty, buns are fresh and don’t fall apart and the IPA draft is always cold and the taxidermy lets me know I’m in Michigan.” The Riverstop Saloon had their fans as well with “Always delish, never disappoints.” “Fresh off the grill flavor.” “Juicy and plenty to eat.” In Fremont The Blind Squirrel continues to hold its place as a huge favorite among burger lovers, though Brew Works made a respectable showing. The praise for the Squirrel included “Lucious.” “Innovative options.” “The Mushroom Swiss is my husband’s favorite.” The Brunch Burger is amazing.” and “The best around.” As in our pizza competition we had another tie and it was in Croton. The Driftwood and Northern Trails matched vote for vote. Driftwood fans said “Local and big.” Best flavor of beef patty.” and “Made with love.” Northern Trails folks said “Love that burger.” and “Consistently prepared well.” Once again we thank our readers for their participation. Stay tuned and send in suggestions for our next poll, The best Breakfast in the County  Photo by Jamie Geysbeek, courtesy Grand Rapids Symphony The Grand Rapids Symphony returns to the Dogwood Center on Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. for a sure to be incredible performance! Join us and you will experience a world-class orchestra performing for you live at the Dogwood! The evening's performance will be conducted by Assistant Conductor Duo Shen, and will feature the music of Mendelssohn, Mascagni, Borodin, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius and Rossini. The Grand Rapids Symphony was officially organized in 1930 and is recognized as one of America’s leading regional orchestras. The Grand Rapids Symphony presents more than 400 performances each year, touching the lives of some 200,000. Nearly half of those who benefit are students, senior citizens and people with disabilities reached through extensive education and community service programs. Their mission is “to share great music that moves the human soul”…..and that is what they will be doing right here in Newaygo County! Audience members are invited to a post-performance, insightful and informative “Talk Back” session with Associate Conductor Duo Shen and GRS Director of Education Sarah Stickney in the Main Stage area! This program is funded in part by the Fremont Area Community Foundation and is sponsored by White and Associates Insurance Agency. Tickets are $17.50 for adults, $5 children 18 and under and seating is reserved. Tickets 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. |
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