Grand Haven’s Coast Guard Festival, a beloved summertime tradition for many in West Michigan, officially begins today and runs through August 3rd.
The festivities kick off at 9 a.m. with the Lighthouse Quilt Guild Show, followed by the first concert of the festival tonight at Waterfront Stadium featuring Mega 80's at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the retro rock show are available now for $18 on the Coast Guard Festival website.
On Saturday, attendees can start their day with the Coast Guard City USA Run at 7:30 a.m., followed by the Kids Parade at 10:30 a.m. and a Cardboard Boat Race at 1:30 p.m. Concerts will continue throughout the weekend.
The popular Parade of Ships is scheduled for Monday, and the beloved fireworks show will take place next week on August 2nd. A complete schedule for the festival can be found at here.
For those concerned about parking, marketing director Annie Lengkeek has announced a shuttle service that alleviates the issue.
"The parking issue. It's not an issue anymore. So we have a shuttle that brings you from Harbor Island, which is right over the bridge. You park your car, you take a shuttle right downtown Grand Haven, and then you walk around, and then you walk back to it. It takes you right back to your car,” she said.
The headliner for this year’s festival is Gary Sinise and the Lieutenant Dan Band, performing on Saturday, August 2nd at 7:30 p.m. Lengkeek described Sinise, stating, “For those people who don't know who Gary Sinise is, he was Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump. He has a foundation that really focuses on military veterans and families. So he helps people all year long, and he is bringing his band here for Saturday night."
Annie also recommended downloading the Coast Guard Festival app, where visitors can buy tickets, check maps, and navigate the festival directly from their phones. You can download it by scrolling to the bottom of the Coast Guard Festival website, and clicking the Apple or Android link in the bottom right corner.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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