SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — From pulling out weeds, to placing barricades, and picking up the trash, Deb Davidson said the little things make the difference when it comes to making South Haven presentable for big events coming to town.
Davidson is director of the South Haven Downtown Development Authority. “I believe the whole community is coming together and giving them quite a good impression, so much support,” she said.
She said the festival’s steering committee has a great volunteer base. “We certainly have come out to make this downtown and venues look really nice,” Davidson added.
“What city staff tries to do is take a walk around the downtown and find things that could hinder a good time,” she said.
Davidson gave an example of the city’s attention to detail. “We redid a section of the sidewalk because we felt that it was a tripping hazard. So we always go through and look, inspect, and just try to put our best foot forward,” she explained.
The festival spent more than a decade in Saugatuck. Organizers plan to move it around more often along the lakeshore. As families line up for popcorn and tickets at this year’s film fest, Davidson said it’s possible the festival will spend two years in South Haven.
The DDA, chamber of commerce, and other local organizations are pulling for a repeat. “We’ve already discussed that some of us from the city and the festival committee would like to get together and see what we can do better. I heard some suggestions. We can make some things happen. There’s room for improvement always,” Davidson said.
Movies and short films are playing at South Haven High School, Foundry Hall, and the Michigan Theatre. You can find show times by clicking here.
