 Saturday Festival features family friendly fun A fun filled day awaits folks attending River Country Chamber’s Annual Grant Festival this Saturday, August 17th, with a bevy of activities for all ages. Now that we are now knee deep into August the wonderful array of outdoor festivals our area is known for will be coming to an end soon. It’s prime time for some outdoor mingling with a chance to run into friends and acquaintances seeking a bit of hometown revelry. We listed some of the highlights adding the generous sponsors who make them possible. You can start the day with a full stomach by hitting up the Pancake Breakfast at the fire station. Coffee and rolls from 7-8am then cakes and sausage from 8-11am. (Consumers Energy) Car buffs take note. The ever popular Auto Show will feature some fine rides decked out in their best for the competition. Starting at 9am with judging at 11:30am, the vehicular venue is on Front St. in front of the Community Center. From classic models to newer rides, you can check out hair dryers, huffers and hot licks while admiring the work that goes into these gas powered beauties. (Grant Tire Wholesalers Plus) Who doesn’t love a parade? A festival without a parade is just so wrong, thus at 12:30pm the caravan of candy tossing will begin and the streets will be lined with locals looking to see what surprises the lineup brings. AND since the primary is over there will be less candidates cruising along the route to shake a few hands and hand out flyers no one reads. One of our favorite events at any time is a BBQ Competition where smoke savoring savants roll out their ribs and slightly charred chicken concoctions for bragging rights and some cold hard cash for the winners. Pitmasters will learn the fate of their meat beginning at 5pm. Side note: A friend who is a certified judge of such events educated me as to how the frequently advertised “fall off the bone” ribs never make the cut since they are considered to be overdone. Ribs should apparently give just a bit of a tug to be considered prize-worthy. Who knew? (Choice One) Did I hear Beer Tent? Yep. Not only can you enjoy an adult beverage or two but there’s entertainment to be had beginning with The Faulkners a local duo who have been making a number of appearances throughout the area from 1:30pm-4pm and followed up with a welcome taste of country classics with the Larsen Brothers 4:30pm-6pm. If you are one of those folks who don’t normally carry cash, you might want to hit up an ATM since cash (and an I.D.) is your only way of scoring a brew. (High Profile) Soap Box Racing is always a hoot and with three divisions it will be interesting to see what these innovative riders come up with. Races begin at 9am and will wrap up around 12:30 pm. (Newaygo Plumbing) Once upon a time this festival included horseshoes but while there are still some ‘shoers’ out there, cornhole has passed it in popularity and now the festival has a Cornhole Tourney on hand. Dozens of competitors seeking to put their tossing skills on display will be looking to be this year's Boss of the Toss. (Wolff Builders) A Golf Simulator will give links lovers a shot at winning long drive and closest to the pin, there will be a Pie Baking Contest (The Depot) , a 5k walk/ run and the obligatory Dunk Tank (Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy), all add to the fun. And, of course, there will be a boatload of activities for the young ones including Gellyball (think paintball without the mess) , a Barrel Train, Face Painting and a Gem Mine. Our Gateway City is pulling out all stops to provide a day of fun and frolic so take your crew to Grant this Saturday, August 17th. For more detailed info visit the River Country Chamber site at: https://www.rivercountrychamber.com/events/details/grant-festival-2024-41231 
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 Annual meeting to feature a variety of entertainment
Stage Door Players Theater is presenting an evening of entertainment as part of their annual meeting on August 12 at 6:30 PM. The theme is Music and More! There will be a variety of music, musicians, and a puppet show, all family fun entertainment! Bring family and friends to Stage Door Theater at 1147 Wilcox in White Cloud for a chance to cool off in air conditioned comfort, meet new friends, and help support entertainment in our community. The building was originally a movie theater, there is a photo of it from 1947. Stage Door has occupied it for the past twenty years. Admission is free, donations are accepted. Light refreshments will be served.  Photo by Russ Tindall, ProPhoto Image
This year’s Deb Emerick Summer Celebration of Music, honoring the memory of a beloved Fremont artist and musician, will again feature an impressive and diverse collection of Newaygo County talent. The concert is scheduled for Tuesday evening, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Dogwood Center for the Performing Arts. Admission will be free, with donations going to the Newaygo County Compassion Home, a community-supported non-profit that provides free end-of-life care for local people. An anonymous donor recently offered to match any donations that come in for the Compassion Home, up to $20,000. Concert impresario Dean Morehouse said that donations toward the $20,000 match will be accepted before, during and for a few days after the show. Like last year’s show, this year’s event will include the Braunschweiger Blues Band and the Outhouse Band. Deb Emerick’s son Tracy Veenstra and her brother Dan Price will again perform as a guitar and vocal duet, and Deb’s husband, local Entertainment Utility Man Mat Emerick, will do some clowning or juggling or both. Internationally acclaimed mandolin virtuoso Brian Oberlin of Rockford will play and sing, as will The Vandenberg Family of Grant and Mick Hanna of Fremont. Solo vocalist Jean Howarth of Croton and pianist Bernadine Johnson will perform, and Frank Sinatra devotees Miguel Escobedo and Luis Gomez of Hesperia will return for more crooning. Newaygo County Compassion Home Executive Director Diane Rudholm said that, since welcoming the first guest to a small house in White Cloud in July of 2018, the non-profit Compassion Home has served 347 guests and their families. The home served 88 guests in White Cloud and then moved into its current building in March of 2021. The former dental office at 20 S. Stewart Ave., remodeled into a roomy, quiet and comfortable home, offers four guest rooms and a room that is used primarily for five-day respite care. The free round-the-clock care is provided by dedicated paid staff members, with help from local volunteers. “Without the staff,” Rudholm said, “we couldn’t do what we do. They’re in it for the right reasons. They have great hearts.” Volunteers help with patient and family support, maintenance, special events, grant-writing, advisory committees and other work Rudholm’s files are full of expressions of thanks from families whose loved ones have been guests of the home. “The Newaygo County Compassion Home is the epitome of community caring for community,” said the wife of a recent guest. “I cannot imagine having gone through this experience without their support, wisdom and compassion.” Nurse Ann Hindes and colleagues Amy Drilling and Brandee Chase saw the need for the Compassion Home and began working to see it become a reality. People like Dr. Douglas Johnson, the current president of the Compassion Home’s board, helped make it happen. The Compassion Home does not replace hospice care. It works with several hospice care providers, and placement in the home is a collaboration between clients, hospice agencies and the Compassion Home. More information about the Newaygo County Compassion Home is available online at newaygocountycompassionhome.org. To take advantage of the $20,000 matching offer, supporters can donate directly to Newaygo County Compassion Home online or by check, including a note mentioning the Summer Celebration of Music. Donations to the home will also be accepted at the Aug. 13 event. Deb Emerick, whose art-filled life was cut short by a brain tumor last year, left behind a colorful collection of artwork, including a multitude of mosaic pieces displayed around the Fremont area. She taught art in the community for many years, injected artistry into her devoted church ministry, performed extensively as a musician and singer, and co-founded the Outhouse Band. She and her husband, Mat Emerick, performed together as The Patchwork Pear  Ted Yoder, known for his groundbreaking and innovative approach to the hammered dulcimer and widely recognized as the “Bela Fleck of the hammered dulcimer,” will perform in the Dogwood Center Black Box on Friday, August 2 at 7:30 p.m. Yoder gained widespread attention when his hammered dulcimer cover of Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" became a viral sensation on Facebook, amassing over 100 million views. Yoder has redefined what's possible with the hammered dulcimer. His original compositions blend rock 'n roll sensibilities and unmistakable innovation, creating deeply moving and joyous music. He has won the title of National Hammered Dulcimer Champion, performed on NPR radio, opened for Jake Shimabukuro, performed at Busch Gardens, and the historic WGN radio in Chicago. Ted’s unwavering dedication to his craft has also led him to release 10 albums, perform at Busch Gardens, travel to a Brazilian island, and stage concerts in 40 of the 50 states. Join us for a great night in the Dogwood Black Box! Tickets are $15.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line by clicking here. Beer and wine will be available at a cash bar. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.  Clubhouse Arcade operator Alex Harmon working the flippers and avoiding the drain  Clubhouse Arcade’s annual tourney to honor Rich Tanis By Zoe Wilbur Just outside downtown Fremont lies Clubhouse Arcade, hosting over 100 pinball, arcade, and redemption machines. Every year, the arcade hosts a large charity pinball tournament during the National Baby Food Festival (NBFF). This year the tournament is a fundraiser for the American Heart Association in memory of a wonderful family member and friend, Rich Tanis. In March 2023, our cousin Rich passed away unexpectedly due to a heart attack, leaving behind many loving family members and friends. It was a deep loss for all those who knew Rich, because to know him was to love him. He was the life of the party, and a man who treated everyone he met like family. Rich was a huge supporter of Clubhouse Arcade’s charity pinball tournaments and when the tournaments were held downtown, he spent hours canvasing around town encouraging folks to come check us out. This is why we have chosen to hold a memorial pinball tournament in honor of Rich. “The reason we love to hold charity pinball tournaments is because not only do we get to support causes we care about, but they tend to be more approachable for both new and seasoned players,” commented arcade operator, Alex Harmon. “We like to create a friendly tournament atmosphere that everyone feels comfortable playing in, whether this is your first time hitting the flipper buttons or your 1,000th – it doesn’t matter to us, we just want you to have a good time while supporting a good cause.” And that is truly what this event is all about - coming together to have fun, just as Rich would have wanted. The fun will begin on Tuesday, June 16 (4:00pm-9:00pm), and continue Thursday, July 18 (1:00pm-9:00pm), Friday, July 19 (1:00pm-9:00pm), and Saturday, July 20 (1:00pm-9:00pm). Each day there will be multiple pinball tournaments that folks can enter including: a Thursday Daily tournament (with finals on Thursday at 7:30pm), a Friday Daily tournament (with finals on Friday at 7:30pm), a John Wick Launch Party (with finals on Saturday at 8:00pm), a Main Division tournament, and a Classics Division tournament. To enter a tournament, all you must do is submit scores on the selected machines – and just by doing so you will become a world ranked pinball player! How about that for a fun thing to brag about? If you catch the bug and want to participate in the Main or Classics Division tournaments finals, they will be held on Sunday, July 21 at 1:00pm (arcade opens at 10:00am for tournament players only). As an added incentive, Ameriprise Financial, office of Phil Harmon, Zoe Wilbur & Trey Schuiteman in Fremont, has committed to donating $10 for every person who successfully enters the Main and/or Classics Division tournaments. So, bring a friend and help us rack up the donations! In addition to pinball tournaments, Clubhouse Arcade also invites you to come on down and play “The Price is Right” Plinko. The large-scale version of Plinko will be available to be played during all open hours of the event – first play is FREE and each additional play is $5, with proceeds being donated to the American Heart Association in memory of Rich Tanis. Everyone who plays is a winner, and when you hit the 100, 200, 300, or 500, you will receive raffle tickets to enter to win one of the grand prize baskets! Local Fremont businesses have donated awesome prizes and each basket is valued at $50+. The arcade will also be open for regular game play. You do not have to participate in the tournaments or Plinko to come out and have a good time! With over 100 machines to be played, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy. The cost to play, whether regular game play or tournament play (or both!), is a suggested donation of $5+. All proceeds will be donated to the American Heart Association in memory of Rich Tanis. There is no doubt Rich knew how to have a good time wherever he went and whatever he was doing, so we hope to honor him by having an enjoyable and successful event. We hope you will come out and join us at the Rich Tanis Pinball Tournaments where folks of all ages and skill levels are welcome and encouraged to participate! Clubhouse Arcade is located at 7020 W. 48th Street, Fremont, Michigan. The arcade is open to the public most Tuesdays (4:00pm-9:00pm), Fridays (1:00pm-9:00pm), and Saturdays (1:00pm-9:00pm). The arcade is also available to be privately rented for parties and events. Be sure to check out Clubhouse Arcade on Facebook for any changes to these hours or to contact a staff member with questions.   NBFF Grand Parade 2024 welcomes George Lessens as Grand Marshall!
The 33rd Annual National Baby Food Festival announces this year’s Grand Marshall for the Grand Parade will be Meteorologist George Lessens. Help us welcome George to the National Baby Food Festival! The grand parade will step off Saturday, July 20 at 10:30 am from the Fremont Middle School. George Lessens began his career at 13 ON YOUR SIDE in 1980 as weekend meteorologist and became Chief Meteorologist in July 2001. In October 2007, he became the longest-tenured meteorologist at any single West Michigan TV station: 26-years, 11-months. George has been passionate about weather ever since the 1965 Palm Sunday tornadoes hit West Michigan. He grew up in Lowell, Mich. and formed a weather club as a youth to scan the skies for storms and tornadoes. Although he has never seen a tornado, he has been inside the damage paths of many of these storms. Over the years, George has provided weather forecasts for many West Michigan radio stations, agricultural weather forecasts for West Michigan farmers and numerous ski resort forecasts George edited a weekly weather column for the Advance Newspapers, enlightening readers with his vast knowledge of West Michigan weather trivia, facts and folklore. George is a member of the American Meteorology Society (AMS) and holds its highest seal of approval as a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM.) In his spare time, George loves working with computers, gardening and landscaping around his home. He lives in East Grand Rapids with his wife, Sherry. Watch George Lessens weekdays at 5, 6 and 11 p.m. You can email George at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Thank you to our parade sponsors – Gerber Life Insurance Co and Gerber Products Company. The parade route begins at the corner of Pine Street and Gerber Avenue at the Fremont Middle School, then heads north on Gerber Avenue to Sheridan Street, and continues east on Sheridan Street to Division, then heads south on Division, ending at Cedar Street. For more information on the National Baby Food Festival, visit www.fremontcommerce.com or stop at your local Fremont businesses for a schedule of events.  Ah yes the outdoor music season is in full bloom and there are some beauties coming up. Too many good ones but we have our eyes set on The Accidentals in Sparta, Kathleen and the Bridge St Band in Rockford and the Guinness Bros. never fail to please. Lots of tunes if you don’t mind a little drive now and then. After all, there will be significantly fewer opportunities for outdoor music once we’re deep in November and edging toward December and most of those will involve carolers. Fremont Summer Concert Series Veterans Park 7pm July 4 Whiskey Bound- Country, Classic Rock July 11 The Guinness Brothers- Classic Rock July 18 NBFF July 25 6 Pak- Rock Sparta Concerts in the Park Rogers Park 6:30pm July 3: Bucket O' Maybes - Classic Rock July 10: The Accidentals - Folk Pop July 17: Twyce the Band - Oldies July 24: The Steeple Hill Band - Country July 31: Trillium Irish Band - Celtic Music Rockford Rogue River Blues Series July 2 -Laura Rain and the Caesars July 9 - The Schrock Bros Band featuring Peter Madcat Ruth July 16 - Kathleen and the Bridge St Band July 23- Big Daddy Fox July 30 - Nathan Walton and the Remedy Howard City Music in the Park Ensley Park July 9 Sea Cruisers- Oldies July 16 On the Lash- Celtic July 23 Decades- Rock July 30 Drew Nelson- Americana Baldwin Summer Concerts Wenger Pavilion 7pm July 3 Funky Uncle- Funk, Soul July 10 Jazz Deluxe w/ Robin Connell-Paul Brewer July 17 Jim Cooper Quartet- Blues Jazz & Soul July 24 Mustang Band- Classic Rock, Country Favorites And indoors… RStop Cafe Thursdays 6pm July 4 Marqui Bernard July 11 Gina and Jordan July 18 Denny Larsen July 25 Lynn Thompson 
An oasis appears in a farmers market desert Baldwin kicked off their market season with the Wednesday June 19th Grand Opening of Pure Markette in their downtown area. We caught up with Volunteer Market Manager Meredith Gremel to get the skinny on this new initiative put on by our neighbor to the north. How did Pure Markette get started? Who were the major players in getting it off the ground? This initiative was one of the top five short-term needs identified in the Village of Baldwin Downtown Development Authority (DDA) 2023 Vision Plan. More than 750 residents, seasonal homeowners, visitors, business owners and community partners provided input and expressed the need for a community gathering space and greater access to fresh fruit and vegetables. I served on the Vision Plan Development Committee and raised my hand to lead the efforts to launch, as executing a top priority not only says ‘we listened,’ but also cultivates believers in our long term vision. My husband Andy’s company, The Gremel Group, donated initial seed funding, and as a member of the DDA, he advocated for the DDA to support financially. The DDA is our top sponsor, and several of the DDA members’ businesses also provided funding, including Lake-Osceola State Bank, Baldwin Lumber, and Wenger Insurance. Additional sponsors include Lake County Community Foundation, Priority Health, Apex-Insurance, MSU Extension Services, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Corewell Health, ServPro, Lake County Sportsman’s Club, L Lake Association, Marquette Trails Golf, Fredenberg Carpentry, and individual donations through the Friends of the Pure Markette. Jodi Nichols, Executive Director, Lake County Economic Development Alliance, has been a tremendous supporter and advocate for the Pure Markette, serving with me as Co-Chair of the Pure Markette Planning Committee. We held our first meeting with volunteer leaders in the community in early February and have been very busy developing the Markette in time for our June 19 Grand Opening. Tell us about the name? One of the first things we did to build awareness for the farmers-makers market project was to announce a naming contest at our Feb. 28 community open house. We had great participation with 181 entries submitted and 15 played with the Pere Marquette in the name as this world renown tributary is an angler’s dream and is the location for the first brown trout planting in the US in 1884. Plus, Pure=all things fresh from the farm and handmade; Markette sounds like Marquette. Google Pure Markette and we are in fine company with Pure Michigan and Pere Marquette. Sarah Slattery, former graphic designer from when I owned a marketing communications company, designed the logo below, along with her daughter who created the illustration. Devin coincidentally did the mural in the new, extended terminal at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. You can see how the professional branding looks on the cool 10 bright blue branded tents we created for our community partners to reserve at no cost – creating greater connectivity service resources, social organizations, and other area nonprofits. Why is this project important? I like to say the Pure Markette is much more than a place to buy tomatoes and potatoes. It is a place to Explore. Discover. Connect. (EDC – economic development cultivator) … and ultimately, our community will Thrive physically, mentally, socially and ultimately financially. (This map from the Michigan Farmers Market association is a stark reminder of the food desert called Lake County. We are the lone red circle). What are the goals for Pure Markette In addition to the comment above, we have a long-term goal to continue to expand the Pure Markette, the variety of vendors and community partners joining us each week, and ultimately raise funds for a permanent, year-round Community Gathering Space that is financially self-sustaining. Will this be held every week? If so, what part of the year will it operate? We are open Wednesdays from 3-7 pm through Labor Day (the free, live music concert series starts at 7 pm in the Pavilion adjacent to the Markette and draws a great crowd). We are surveying our vendors to switch to Saturdays through October to take advantage of the fall harvest, color tours, salmon run, side-by-side events, and deer hunting. How do potential vendors get information? Both the vendor and community group applications are online at www.villageofbaldwin.org. The completed application can be emailed directly to me at [email protected], or mailed to the Village offices at 620 Washington, Baldwin, MI 49304 – attn: Pure Markette (office hours are M-Th, 8 am – 4 pm). We will reach out to applicants after we review their information. Products must be grown, processed or produced in Michigan, as close to Lake County as possible. We do not allow resale items, and we are looking for ‘up north’ themed makers that reflect the beauty of our natural resources and Lake County. We are also careful to have a wide variety of products and minimal duplication so our vendors do well. Anything to add? The Pure Markette is a 100% volunteer run initiative and we are most grateful to everyone who has stepped up to provide their time, talents and in-kind donations each week. Markette sustainability is much more than our commitment to the environment and providing healthy food products. It takes many volunteers to help run the Markette and ensure an exceptional visitor and vendor experience. Anyone interested in volunteering can sign up at the Pure Markette Welcome Center, or email me. We also GREATLY appreciate all those who follow Pure Markette on Facebook, our new Instagram channel PureMarketteSocial, and encourage family, friends and colleagues to attend and support the Markette. Our Grand Opening was on Wed., June 19 and drew several hundred attendees and 31 vendors and community partners – not to mention the 30 volunteers who stepped up in the blazing heat to help. The Markette is located in the parking lot behind 830 Michigan (M-37) in downtown Baldwin. The iconic Jones Ice Cream is an easy marker.   NCCA-Artsplace Statewide Photo Competition Award Winners - (L-R) Stone Peng, Tim Motley, Bob Brown, judge Randall Nyhof, Dianne Carroll Burdick and Russ Barneveld The award winners of the 2024 NCCA-Artsplace Statewide Photography Competition were announced on Saturday, June 15 at the exhibit reception. Photographers and their families and community members waited in anticipation as the first, second, third place winners were announced, as well as the two honorable mention winners. The competition is an annual event that exhibits and acknowledges some of the finest photographers in the state of Michigan. The exhibit and awards this year were selected by Randall Nyhof, a professional West Michigan photographer. Award winners are: 1st Place – Bob Brown of Grand Rapids for “Tulip – Elegance of Form" 2nd Place – Dianne Carroll Burdick for “Lotus Flowers” 3rd Place – Tim Motley for “Boys in the Band”, Honorable Mention – Stone Peng for “Milkweed Pod” Honorable Mention – Russ Barneveld for“The Visitor" This interesting exhibit is a must-see and everyone is encouraged to stop in and take a stroll around the many photographs on display through July 20. NCCA-Artsplace is located at 13 E. Main Street in downtown Fremont. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Bob Brown's winning entry "Tulip- Elegance of Form"  L-R Elizabeth Ostoin, Alex Svoboda and Isaac Frisbie of Cold Leather Seats West Michigan Americana band, Cold Leather Seats perform at the Dogwood Center Black Box on Friday, June 28 at 7:30 p.m. The band's music is described as, “if the Zac Brown Band recorded an indie-folk album.” Composed of frontman and lead singer Alex Svoboda, bassist Issac Frisbie, vocalist Elizabeth Ostoin, the band has found success through their evocative storytelling and genre bending performances. Rounding out the band are drummer Drew Peohl, Sejeon Karrip on lead guitar, John Robey on fiddle, and keyboardist Erin Brown. In 2020, the band joined the label, White Elephant Records, and released their debut single, “Roots”. Since that time, their success has shown no signs of slowing. In 2022, Cold Leather Seats’ music video, Where We Are, was nominated for a Michigan Music Video Award. In 2023, the band was nominated for, “Artist of the Year,” at the WYCE Jammies. They have opened for renowned acts such as, Full Cord, winner of the 2022 Telluride Bluegrass Festival; Drew Hale, recently named ‘Best New Act in Country Music’; Rachael Davis, Michigan Rattlers, and more. Ever committed to their values and their craft, the band is working relentlessly to bring authentic song-writing and spectacular performances to life. Join us for a great night in the Dogwood Black Box! Tickets are $12.50 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com or just click here! Beer and wine will be available at a cash bar. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. |
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