Disclaimer: This is sponsored content. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and do not reflect the same of Fox 17.
Taste Michigan in one night — BattleGR in Comstock Park hosts the Michigan-Made Craft Beverage Tasting Festival this Friday, featuring more than 25 Michigan distilleries, breweries, cideries and wineries. Guests 21 and up can sample craft beverages from names like Long Road Distillers, Short's Brewing and St. Julian, plus enjoy appetizers, live music and axe throwing. General admission is $49 and starts at 7:30 PM, while the $109 VIP experience opens at 6:30 for guided tastings and food pairings. A $49 non-alcoholic option offers 10 mocktail tastings for those who want the full festival without the alcohol. $5 from every ticket benefits the South Kent Chamber Foundation. Head to Eventbrite to get your tickets.
The John Ball Zoo was the first zoo in Michigan to earn its accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It's a standard only met by about 10 percent of zoos and animal exhibitors. And our zoo just got it for the forty-third year in a row... with inspectors saying the new pygmy hippo and otter habitats perhaps being the best they've ever seen. The zoo is open thru November 22. Get more at JBZoo.org.
Walker's new library just got a major boost — Meijer has donated $1 million to support the city's new library, which opens to the public Monday, October 19, at 9:30 AM following a short ribbon-cutting ceremony. City leaders say the gift will help build a space where families can learn, kids can explore and neighbors of all ages can connect. Walker's mayor called Meijer part of Walker's story, saying the company has long understood the importance of growing alongside the communities it serves.
Michigan's origin story told through the documentary "Frontier to Freedom" has won a 2026 State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan! The film traces the Great Lakes region from sixteen hundred to eighteen thirty-seven... with Native American and African American voices telling their own stories. Its reach has grown and is now airing on more than five hundred PBS stations nationwide. Learn more at ManitouFilms.com.
Fall is the perfect time to get outside, and Ottawa County Parks is making it easy with several guided hikes and walks this season. Thursday evening thru hikes run this week through the 29th at parks like Riley Trails, Rosy Mound and Grand River Park. The Fall Colors Hike hits Hemlock Crossing Friday and Rosy Mound November 14. Adventurous hikers can join the Moonlight Night Hike at Connor Bayou on October 23 to spot nocturnal wildlife, and there's a themed Sunday stroll at Hemlock Crossing every week at 2 PM. There's also a Leadership Perspectives hiking series with parks leaders, plus a one-way Coastal Greenway hike on November 7 from Ottawa Sands to P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. Most programs are free, and registration details are on the Ottawa County Parks event calendar.
Follow the FOX 17 Morning Mix on: Facebook, Instagram, & TikTok
