Coast Guard Festival is a festival in Grand Haven, Michigan

Grand Haven, Michigan

Grand Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand Haven had a population of 10,412. It is part of the...

. Founded in 1924, the festival is a ten-day event that starts in the last weekend in July, and ends in early August. Over 350,000 people attend the festival, including the nation's highest-ranking United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...

 dignitaries from Washington, DC. The focus of the annual festival is to honor the Coast Guard and those who sacrificed their lives in the service of their country.

History

The Festival unofficially began in 1924 as a Coast Guard personnel only picnic when the local Coast Guard station held rowing competitions for those service members stationed in Grand Haven. The first festival began in 1937. Grand Haven was named "Coast Guard City, USA" by an Act of Congress and signed by the President of the United States on November 13, 1998.

Events

The 2010 event list is below.

Friday, July 30

• Lighthouse Quilt Guild Show

Saturday, July 31

• Tri Cities YMCA Coast Guard Run
• Lighthouse Quilt Guild Show
• Kids Parade

Sunday, August 1

• Cruise in Car Show
• Grand Haven Rotary Pancake Breakfast
• Coast Guard Festival Bicycle Tour
• Worship on the Waterfront

Monday, August 2

• USCG Ships Arrivals
• Ship Tours at Escanaba Park
• Scottville Clown Band

Tuesday, August 3

• Kids Day
• Ship Tours at Escanaba Park
• Downtown Carnival
• Grand City Skiers
• Youth Ambassador Program
• Street Dance

Wednesday, August 4

• Coastie Softball Tournament
• Downtown Carnival
• Coast Guard Retirees Dinner
• Ship Tours at Escabana Park
• Big Band Series

Thursday, August 5

• Coast Guard Reunion Breakfast
• Ship Tours at Escabana Park
• Downtown Carnival
• Tri-Cities Dinner
• Let's Hang On

Friday, August 6

• Coast Guard Craft Fair
• Ship Tours at Escabana Park
• USCG Auxiliary Memorial Service
• Walk of Coast Guard History
• Downtown Carnival
• National Coast Guard Memorial Service
• A Salute to Heroes Featuring the USO Liberty Bells

Saturday, August 7

• Coast Guard Craft Fair
• Ship Tours at Escabana Park
• Meijer Grand Parade
• Downtown Carnival
• Grand Finale Featuring 3 Men and a Tenor and the Spartan Dischords
• Firework Extravaganza

Sunday, August 8

• Worship on the Waterfront

Board of directors

Executive Committee

• Bill Herbst- Chair
• Jeff Bradbury- Executive Vice Chair
• Karen Little- Operational Vice Chair
• Mike Poort- Operational Vice Chair
• Dawn Davis-Secretary
• Joy Gaasch- Treasurer
• Don Rempinski- Member at Large

Board of Directors

• Joni Bennett
• Bill Boonstra
• Ken Bordua
• Fred Bruhn
• Matt Butler
• Andy Cawthon
• Brent Ewing
• Terry Grotemat
• Dan Guzek
• Kristen Klemel
• Jim Query
• Nichol Stack
• Lisa Stoner
• Rich Yonker

Advisors

CDR. M.J Smith, USCG (Retired)- Executive Director

Madonna Kramer- Director of Marketing& Fund Development

Sponsors

Title Sponsors

• North Ottawa Community Hospital
• WOOD-TV
  WOOD-TV
  WOOD-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southwestern Michigan licensed to Grand Rapids. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter in Middleville near the Barry and Allegan County line. The station can also be seen on Comcast and Charter channel...
  
  
• WOTV
  WOTV
  WOTV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southwestern Michigan that is licensed to Battle Creek. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 20 from a transmitter in Orangeville Township. The station can also be seen on Charter and Comcast channel 4. There is a high...
  
  
• Assurant Health

Event Sponsors

-JSJ Corporation

-Commercial Contractors

• Meijer
  Meijer
  Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in...
  
  
• National City Corp.
  National City Corp.
  National City Corporation was a regional bank holding company based in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, founded in 1845; it was once one of the ten largest banks in America in terms of deposits, mortgages and home equity lines of credit. Subsidiary National City Mortgage is credited for doing the first...
  
  
• Fifth Third Bank
  Fifth Third Bank
  Fifth Third Bank is a U.S. regional banking corporation, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the principal subsidiary of holding company Fifth Third Bancorp ....
  
  
• AAA
  American Automobile Association
  AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
  
  
• Muskegon Chronicle
  Muskegon Chronicle
  The Muskegon Chronicle is a daily newspaper in Muskegon, Michigan owned by Booth newspapers. It started publication in the early-to-mid-19th century. In May 2007, the paper celebrated 150 years. Click the Muskegon Chronicle on Mlive.com link below and look for 150 years in right column under...