Tag Archives: fun for all

‘Bark in the Dark’ is just around the corner!

3-bottom, Kids Activities, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Pets/Animals, Upcoming Events, ,
We’re only one month away from Bark in the Dark 2018!
This family and dog-friendly glow-in-the-dark 5k and 1 mile fun run/walk is bound to be a blast! Before the race, attendees will enjoy family activities including balloon animals, face painting, and a pup-a-razzi photobooth! Afterwards, enjoy local beer, wine, hard cider, treats, and music with your fellow animal lovers.
All proceeds from the event benefit Humane Society of West Michigan, a 100% donor funded 501(c)3 non-profit that promotes humane treatment and responsible care of animals in West Michigan through education, example, placement, and protection. Be sure to register for the event, enter your pup in the costume contest, and start fundraising for great prizes!
Humane Society of West Michigan is 100% donor funded so participants are encouraged to help our animals by asking friends and family to make donations which help to provide the daily care our furry friends need until we find their forever homes. When you sign up for the event a fundraising page is created for you which makes it super simple for friends to make a donation online on your behalf!
Your donations at work:
  • $10 provides a behavioral evaluation for 1 animal
  • $20 provides microchips for 5 animals ensure proper identification and help unite owners with lost pets post-adoption
  • $30 provides 1 day of care for 1 animal at HSWM
  • $50 provides for the spay or neuter of 1 animal
Event Details:
  • Saturday, Oct. 6
  • Riverside Park
  • 5:00-6:30pm: Registration/Check-In and Family Fun Activities (including: balloon animals, face painting, live canvas painting of pets, the Independent Bank dog costume contest, and a pup-a-razzi photobooth)!
  • 6:30pm: Run/Walk Begins
  • 6:30-9:00pm : A celebration complete with a beer tent sponsored by Alliance Beverage featuring beer, wines, and hard ciders, complimentary snacks from Herb & Fire Pizzeria, Yesterdog, Flo’s Sports Bar, and more, plus doggy approved music by DJ Shannon Williams!
Registration Fees:
  • Adults 18+: $35
  • Youth Ages 5-17: $10
  • Children under 5: FREE with registered adult

Register here.

Annual Fine Arts and Crafts Festival at Fallasburg Park, Sept. 15 & 16

3-bottom, Food, Kids Activities, Recreation, Senior Living, Upcoming Events, , , ,
Photo courtesy LowellArts

 

By Janet Teunis, LowellArts

 

Celebrating its 50th year, the annual Fallasburg Arts Festival is presented by LowellArts and will be held on Sept. 15 and 16. The two-day festival includes 100 fine art and fine crafts booths, timeless craft demonstrations, live music, children’s activities, and food booths.

  • Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm.
  • Admission is free.
  • Location: Fallasburg Park, 1124 Fallasburg Park Drive, Lowell, MI, 49331.
  • For more information, visit lowellartsmi.org.
Photo courtesy LowellArts

Artist booths are juried and a broad range of different mediums are represented including jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, glass, fiber, mixed media, wood, painting, drawing, photography, floral, basketry, print-making, and more. Demonstrators of traditional crafts are located in the pavilion. Visitors of all ages are invited to watch the artisans at work. Demonstrations include iron forging, mosaic, fly tying, leather craft, origami, quilting, wood carving, weaving, and more.

 

Musical entertainment is held on an outdoor stage both days of the event, featuring a variety of music styles.

 

Saturday music line-up:

  • 10:15am The Bruce Matthews Band
  • 11:30am Paddy’s Cure
  • 1pm Fauxgrass
  • 2:30pm Hawks and Owls
  • 4pm Josh Rose and the Founding Fathers
Photo courtesy LowellArts

Sunday music line-up:

  • 10:15am Lighting Matches
  • 11:30am Steam Powered Bluegrass
  • 1pm The Cheater B’s
  • 2:30pm The Adams Family

An enclosed Children’s Area provides children the opportunity to decorate and take home a pumpkin. Food booths offer an array of fall-inspired and festival foods, offered by local community organizations. Visitors are invited to purchase raffle tickets to win one of over 90 artist-made items donated by festival artists or the grand prize quilt created for the event. Annual attendance estimates are 25,000. This year’s event sponsors are Fifth Third Bank, Meijer, All-Weather Seal, and Local Spins.

 

Fallasburg Park is located off Lincoln Lake Road north of downtown Lowell at 1124 Fallasburg Park Drive, Lowell, MI. Lowell is located 14 miles east of Grand Rapids and 1-hour from Lake Michigan and Lansing. For more information, contact LowellArts at (616) 897-8545, e-mail info@lowellartsmi.org or visit lowellartsmi.org.

Get your “Quack On” at Bellaire’s annual Rubber Ducky Festival Aug. 13-19

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Holidays, Kids Activities, Pets/Animals, Recreation, Senior Living, Upcoming Events, , , ,
Photo supplied

By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association

 

The 31st Annual Rubber Ducky festival kicks off on Monday, Aug. 13 in Downtown Bellaire and runs through Sunday, Aug. 19. The festival features several week-long events, including Bay Area Big Band, Community Paddle Event, Commission on Aging Picnic and Car Show, Duck and Glow 5k Run/Walk and 1 Mile Kiddie Dash, Corn Hole Tournament, Kids Activities, and Rubber Ducky Parade and Race. Finish the week with the return of the Short’s Glacial Hills Challenge XC on Sunday.

 

Rubber Ducky Festival’s biggest day is on Saturday, Aug. 18, with a quarter-mile race as 2000 yellow ducks are dumped into the Intermediate River, after Bellaire’s largest parade of the year, with the finish line at RIVERSIDE MARINA. Visitors can buy a $5 race ticket that corresponds to the number on a Rubber Duck. Ducks finishing the “Top 27” win a cash prize. Prizes: 1st – $500; 2nd – $300; 3rd – $100; 4th-7th place – $50; 8th-27th place – $10. Participants do not have to be present to win.

 

Saturday also features a Fine Arts & Craft Show at the Antrim County Courthouse, Kid’s “Ducking Park” including games for all ages, bounce houses & slides, face painting, and a FREE kid’s movie. Downtown Bellaire will be alive with sidewalk and library book sales. Bellaire’s biggest parade of the season kicks off at 3pm, followed by the dropping of 2,000 ducks at the North Bridge Street Bridge. End the night with the 2nd Annual Community BBQ, Music by Frank Sinatra (aka Billy McAllister) and Jukebox Saturday Night.

 

This year’s festival is part of Bellaire’s 12 Days of Summer Celebration, Aug. 8-19, kicking off with the 3-day Antrim County Fair, with a restaurant cook-off, dog show, family movie night and horse pulls Aug. 9-11.

 

For a full schedule of events or to be a vendor, visit the Bellaire Chamber of Commerce website at bellairechamber.org or call Bellaire Chamber of Commerce at 231-533-6023.

‘Pumpkinfest in Disguise’ takes over Zeeland Oct. 7 & 8

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Kids Activities, Upcoming Events, , ,

october782015-1

The countdown is on for Zeeland’s Pumpkinfest — celebrating community, family fun and fall activities for over 30 years. The theme for 2016 is “Pumpkinfest In Disguise.”

 

The two-day event features a number of free and low-cost events that can be enjoyed by all ages, and it all happens Friday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 8 — a departure from Pumpkinfest’s traditional three-day schedule.

 

For the second year, Pumpkinfest is partnering with the Holland Area Arts Council to coordinate a community art-centered project called Pumpkinfest Avenue Art, and the community is welcome to join in to express their creative talents.

 

On Friday, Oct. 7,  Dessert on Us — a celebration of community and a complimentary donut and cider — replaces the event formerly known as Dinner on Us. A sweet treat, combined with an evening of family activities, including the Kids Tractor Pull, hayrides and KidzFest events, will make for a see and be seen community event that you won’t want to miss.

pumpkins-002Then, on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3 pm it’s time for the Pumpkinfest Parade featuring marching bands, horses, walking groups, tractors and, of course, floats featuring this year’s theme. The parade route is: West on Main Ave. from Centennial St. to State St., South on State St. to Central Ave., East on Central Ave. ending at Maple St.

 

Pumpkinfest also features a fun place for kids to be creative, learn and play at KidZfest. Within the KidZfest area, families will discover bounce houses, petting zoos, stage performances, pony rides and more. KidZfest will be located on Church St. just south of Main Ave.

 

Fans can purchase event merchandise, including collector’s edition longsleeve and short-sleeve Pumpkinfest t-shirts as well as insulated travel mugs at the Pumpkinfest Information Tent, located at 130 E. Main. Profits from merchandise sales are used to support future Pumpkinfest activities.

 

The complete Pumpkinfest schedule can be found here. For more info, call 616.283.0623 or email zeelandfestivalsinc@gmail.com.

Robinette’s to host ‘Peanuts’-themed maze during fall season

3-bottom, Beer, Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Food, Local Business, Travel, Upcoming Events, , , ,

robinettes

 

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of one of the most beloved, quotable, and unforgettable Peanuts television specials of all time, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Peanuts Worldwide and Robinette’s are preparing a once-in-a-lifetime celebration: the creation of a unique corn maze, custom-designed to feature Peanuts themes.

 

The maze, which will feature The Red Baron Scene, will cover 6.5 acres on the farm’s lot. It will be open from September 8 to November 5th, 10 am to 5:30 pm. In addition to the maze, Robinette’s will host a special screening of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on September 8th at 5 pm. Snoopy will also be paying a visit on Saturday, September 24th from 12 pm to 4 pm.

 

2016 robinettes mazeThe venue will also incorporate Great Pumpkin artwork into other areas of its venue, providing the perfect setting for visitor photo ops with the Peanuts characters.

 

Robinette’s is one of more than 80 farms in North America selected by Peanuts Worldwide to create a Great Pumpkin maze this year. Collectively, the farms—which are part of The MAiZE network and span North America in two countries and 32 states, from California to New York, Canada to Florida—will reach more than 2 million visitors during the fall season.

 

“The Great Pumpkin and cornfield mazes are two of the world’s greatest fall traditions, eagerly anticipated by fans every single year, and we’re so excited to bring them together for this landmark anniversary,” said Jill Schulz, daughter of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. “As we prepare to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, it’s only fitting that we should find a tribute that’s both joyful and visually compelling, just as my father’s characters have been for more than 65 years.”

 

pumpkin patch“We’re thrilled to work with Peanuts Worldwide and The MAiZE, Inc. as we customize our corn maze to celebrate It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” said Ed/Allan Robinette, Owner of Robinette’s. “Corn mazes are all about providing a fun and interactive experience for our visitors—even the adults feel like kids again! And that’s exactly what Peanuts does: Aren’t we all kids again when we see Snoopy and Charlie Brown? This is the perfect match of holiday traditions.”

 

“It’s been a huge pleasure for us to collaborate with Peanuts Worldwide and corn farms across North America to design these unique, custom corn mazes,” said founder Brett Herbst, The MAiZE, Inc. “We’re all fans of Peanuts and the Great Pumpkin, and we’re delighted to honor the 50th Anniversary by having the Great Pumpkin, this one time only, rise out of a corn maze!”

 

Admission to the maze is $7 per person (groups of 15 more with one person paying is $6 per person). For more information, visit www.Robinettes.com.