CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. — The Red Flannel Festival has donated $5,000 to the city of Cedar Springs to help restore the community's historic "Red Flannel Town" identity that was removed more than a decade ago following a dispute.
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The Red Flannel Festival and Cedar Springs have been connected for 87 years, dating back to 1939 when a New York resident complained there was no red flannel available for purchase in the city.
"Then there were two newspaper editors here, Grace and Nina, who had issued an editorial in the newspaper here saying, 'Hey, Cedar Springs has red flannels.' So, the first red flannel day happened in November 1939," said Matt Andres, Red Flannel Festival president.
For years, both the festival and the city used the Red Flannel logo and "Red Flannel Town" motto. The festival owns the trademarks. However, that partnership ended in 2012 after a financial dispute.
"So that kind of led to a back and forth on, well, hey, could you use our logo? It is our logo in exchange for services. That kind of fell flat with the city manager at the time," Andres said.
Following the dispute, Cedar Springs removed the logo from street signs and changed the city motto.
"So that's where the festival really has offered up to $5,000 to help make Red Flannel Town, Red Flannel Town again," Andres said.
During the Aug. 13 city council meeting, council members accepted the donation and authorized City Manager Darla Falcon to work with the festival on the use of the funds.
"The festival said maybe in the future we can promote Red Flannel Town or hang more of the Red Flannel underwear medallion pictures throughout town, which we're not opposed to," Falcon said.
Last month, the council voted to display a Red Flannel Town sign inside the new city chambers.
"The decision was to hang it here at the new city hall, kind of keep that City Hall tradition, but then now we have a donation to promote this even more citywide," Falcon said.
Andres said promoting Red Flannel Town year-round benefits both organizations.
"We've had an agreement for the last 11 years for them to use that logo, but you know they've developed their own logo, and they have their own identity now, which I think is a good thing. But I also think we can make that better. We can bring it back," he said.
The Red Flannel Festival is held annually on the first Saturday of October. This year's festival is scheduled for Oct. 3.
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