Labor Day Getaways

September 1
Grand Crossings Labor Day Community Bridge Walk
An-Nab-Awen Park, Grand Rapids downtown
616-456-3168
You don’t have to go all the way to the Mackinac Bridge to walk an annual Labor Day Bridge Walk this year.  Join your neighbors and invite your friends. Participants can walk as many as five miles, the equivalent of the Mackinac Bridge, and cross as many as seven bridges. The route is wheelchair accessible and appropriate for all fitness levels. No sign-up is necessary. Please make sure you are physically able to participate. Mayor George K. Heartwell will lead the walk.

September 1
40th Annual Labor Day Arts & Crafts Festival
Big Rapids
231-796-7649
www.bigrapids.org
If you have never been here before you need to head to beautiful Hemlock Park in Big Rapids for the Annual Labor Day Arts & Crafts Festival. Over 150 booths displaying quality handcrafted items, and well over 10,000 guest attend this major event, it's a must see!

September 1
Labor Day Bridge Walk
Mackinaw City
800-666-0160
www.mackinawcity.com
Join thousands of pedestrians as they participate in a long-standing tradition, the LABOR DAY BRIDGE WALK. The walk begins at 7:00 a.m. on Labor Day and concludes at 11:00 a.m. This is the only day of the year that walking the “Mighty Mac” is allowed. The Mackinac Bridge was completed in 1957. The first official Bridge Walk began in 1958. This annual event, recognized as “the world’s greatest walking event”, brings upwards of 70,000 people to the area. Buses are available for transportation to the north end of the bridge. Participants walk from the north side to the south. At the finish line you are awarded a certificate of completion.

Cherry Tree Condo Hotel

Traverse City
800-439-3093
www.cherrytreecondohotel.com  
The Cherry Tree Condo Hotel in Traverse City encourages you to extend your summer - don’t let it end quite yet!  If you’re looking to getaway on Labor Day Weekend, the Cherry Tree is the place to be.  The waters are still warm, the sun’s beams still bright, and the activities still endless!  On Sunday, September 7th, the Cherry Tree’s fall rates begin.  Stay in one of our suites with a balcony overlooking beautiful Grand Traverse Bay for as little as $89* for a standard suite.   We’d love to have you stay with us and enjoy our hospitality! 

Labor Day Weekend Special

Cartier Mansion
Ludington
231-843-0101
www.cartiermansion.com

Don't think of this as the end of summer, but rather the beginning season of the most amazing sunsets you will ever see.  There is still plenty of time to shop, eat, and stroll along the beach.  Come experience Cartier Mansion and enjoy the view.Spend 3 or more nights and receive 25% off of regular room rates.  (includes breakfast)

Pickerel Lakeside Campground & Cottages

Baldwin Area
800-464-1468
www.LakeCamp-Cottages.com 

Enjoy your vacation at this perfect location for a peaceful, relaxing outing.  Pickerel Lake is located 9 miles south of Baldwin.  It is  approximately 100 acres in size and allows water-skiing, but is better known for its great  fishing and  quiet usage.  Our four "just like home", squeaky clean, fully modern lakefront cottages and  46 site lakefront family campground is the place to unwind and get in touch with nature. You'll see song birds, loons, ducks, geese, squirrels, deer, turkey  and an occasional eagle on our nearly  40 acres of wooded property and over 700 feet of lakefrontage .  Camp sites have electric, picnic table and fire pit, centralized water, sparkling outhouses and a dump station.  Boat launch, buoyed swimming area, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes and trails.  We are 10 minutes from the "Flys Only Section" of the Pere Marquette River, and miles of public land. 

Chain O' Lakes Music Festival

August 29- 31
Chain O' Lakes Campground
231-533-8432
www.chainolakescamp.com
Spend Labor Day weekend at the campground and listen to some great music! With Seth Bernard & Daisy May of Earthwork Music and the Ragbirds! More to be added soon!

The Wine Days of Summer

From spectacular scenery to specialty and reserve wines ... from warm, personal service to a leisurely vineyard tour, there are dozens of reasons to add a West Michigan wine tasting tour to your Labor Day plans.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a veteran, these tips will help to enhance your next visit to a winery tasting room and make it easy to enjoy some of the best Michigan has to offer.

• Try new wines. This is a chance to learn!
• Try lighter and drier before richer and sweeter. Wineries often have tasting notes with suggestions for progressing through a tasting of their wines.
• Swirl the glass and sniff, then sip. You can learn a lot by smelling the wine. Ask questions! Tasting room staff can help you recognize different aromas.
• Think food! Tasting room staff will suggest foods that complement their wines.
• Be safe. Have a designated driver, if possible.
• Take home a wine tasting! Purchase a variety of wines at the wineries you visit and invite some friends over to share your Michigan wine experience!

Take a day trip or spend the weekend, but get out to Michigan’s wine country, try out your tasting skills and, most of all, have fun with it!
 
For a complimentary Michigan Wine Country magazine, with detailed information about Michigan’s 56 wineries, contact the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council at 517-241-1207 or online at www.michiganwines.com.

White Lake Area Labor Day Community Walk

September 1
White Lake Area
www.whitelake.org

Put on your walking shoes and head to the White Lake Area.  At 10:00 a.m., join locals and visitors in their walk from the Montague Bike Trail pavilion, across the White River Bridge into Whitehall, ending at the bridge over Lake Street.  For the truly adventurous, walkers are welcome to continue along the Bike Trail to the White Lake Community Library.

Shoreline Spectacular

August 29 - September 1
Pere Marquette Park, Muskegon
231-740-8454
www.visitmuskegon.org
Join Muskegon in celebrating Labor Day weekend for the annual Shoreline Spectacular. Activities include arts & crafts fair, Labor Day parade, Laura the elephant rides, carnival games, kids art workshops, American's Best Frisbee Dogs, and live bands every night.

Big Rapids Riverdays Festival

August 28 – September 1
Big Rapids
888-229-4FUN
www.bigrapids.org
The Riverdays Festival is a family festival that starts the Thursday before Labor Day and runs through Labor Day. During these five days, various events and activities are planned for both young and old. Activities during the five days include everything from arts and crafts, antique cars, music, STAGE M production, and 5-K run, separate events for children and seniors, and food vendors. The festival centers on Hemlock Park, the Muskegon River and beautiful Riverwalk.

Auto Value Super Sprints

August 30
Berlin Raceway
Marne
616-677-5000
http://www.berlinraceway.com
Auto Value Super Sprints: AVSS (30 Laps), Engine Pro Super Stock (30 Laps), De-Jay Slick Truck Pro Stock (25 Lap), Instant Cash Advance Sportsman (20 Laps); AVSS on-track autograph session; $1 Beer and $1 Hot Dogs.
Gates open at 12:15 p.m. and the first race gets under way at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, half price for kids 6 to 12 and free for 5 and under. Pit passes for those 14 and over are $25.

34th Annual Kircher Cup

August 28 - September 1
Boyne Highlands
800-GO-BOYNE
www.boyne.com
Two person amateur teams from around the Midwest compete in this 54 hole better ball competition held on multiple courses at Boyne Highlands Resort. The Kircher Cup is named after the founding family of Boyne USA Resorts and the names engraved on the cup are a venerable “who’s who” of Michigan amateur golf. Divisions include Championship, Mid-Senior and Senior.

Newaygo Logging Days

August 29 – September 1
Newaygo
231-652-3068
www.newaygonaturally.com
The Logging Fest takes place over Labor Day Weekend.  Newaygo was built around the logging industry, and we are celebrating our logging heritage.  Highlights of the Logging Fest include the Chainsaw Sculpture Competition and Auction, Lumberjack's Competition and Fireman's Water Battle. The Arts & Crafts Show in Brooks Park is host to exhibitors from all over the country displaying their arts and crafts.  The local merchants have sidewalk sales.  The event also includes kids activities and games, and on Sunday a parade route goes through downtown Newaygo.  You can also find a BINGO tent and Chicken BBQ in the park over the weekend.

Concert on the Green

August 30
The Inn at Bay Harbor-A Renaissance Golf Resort
231 439-4003
www.innatbayharbor.com
Big Band music is back at The Inn at Bay Harbor. Concert on the Green will feature the "UP NORTH BIG BAND" This group of 18 talented musicians from across Northern Michigan come together to preserve the musical heritage of the Big Band Era.
With over 300 sounds in their playbook from swing, Latin, waltzes, foxtrots from the 30's, 40's & 50's you are sure to be delighted. Concerts are free and open to the public. Blankets provided for seating. Event is subject to change.

Royal Craft Show

August 30 - 31
Castle Farms
Charlevoix
231-237-0884
www.castlefarms.com
Castle Farms is proud to host the annual Royal Craft Show in beautiful Charlevoix, Michigan on Labor Day Weekend.  The grounds and buildings of Castle Farms will be the host to one of Michigan's most prestigious craft shows where thousands of visitors will attend this event.  This craft show will feature only the finest arts and crafts that can be found and will be held in one of the most affluent areas in the state. Free parking with a $2.00 per person admission fee. Children under 12 are admitted free.  Food is available at a nominal charge. Pets are not allowed.