Labor Day Getaways
Labor Day is the unofficial end to summer, so celebrate it in style. West Michigan offers a variety of ways to take in the last rays of summer, from triathlons to pot lucks and everything in between!
Royal Craft Show
September 3 - 4
Castle Farms
Charlevoix
231-237-0884
www.CastleFarms.com
Looking for the perfect chance for one last chance of guaranteed family fun before the new school year begins? Visit Castle Farms of Charlevoix, where self-guided tours are offered daily 10 am - 4 pm. Young and old alike thrill to tour the unique historic buildings, take a leisurely stroll through our magnificent gardens, visit the gnomes and fairies in the Enchanted Forest, or try their skill at a game of Giant Chess or Croquet. Royal family memorabilia, plus extensive castle, wedding, and antique toy collections are a must-see for avid enthusiasts.
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.
The Royal Craft Show hours are Saturday, 10 am - 5pm, and Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm. Free parking with a $3.00 per person admission fee. Children under 12 are admitted free. Food is available at a nominal charge. Pets are not allowed.
54th Labor Day Bridge Walk
September 5 • 7 am - 11 am
Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau
Mackinaw City & Mackinac Bridge
800-666-0160
www.MackinawCity.com
Join thousands of pedestrians as they participate in a long standing tradition, the Labor Day Bridge Walk. This is the only day of the year that walking the "Mighty Mac" is allowed.
Labor Day Weekend in Newaygo
September 2 - 4
Newaygo Area Chamber of Commerce
231-652-3068
www.newaygonaturally.com
Look forward to three full days of family fun in Newaygo on Labor Day weekend, highlighted by the Logging Festival in Brooks Park. For shoppers, Newaygo merchants will feature sidewalk sales while over 75 arts and craft vendors will have their products on display from Friday through Sunday. The Farm Market will be open from 2 to 7 pm on Friday.
Start the weekend with the Fireman’s pancake breakfast on Saturday morning and for lunch, plan on Chicken BBQ Saturday and Sunday afternoon. The daytime hours will also feature lumberjack events and chainsaw carving competition as well as a parade and the ever popular Firemen’s Water Battle. On Saturday night, adult visitors can quench their thirst at the beer tent and enjoy live music from 5 to 11 pm at the stage in Brooks Park.
Pure Michigan Labor Days
September 2 - 5
Crystal Mountain
Thompsonville
800-968-7686
www.crystalmountain.com
Celebrate all things Michigan at northern Michigan's newest summer tradition! A full weekend of fun, including Taste of Michigan (Saturday, 4 to 8 pm), featuring Michigan wines, Michigan craft beers and many other delicious foods & flavors from throughout the Great Lakes state.
Package includes:
- Two nights' lodging
- Admission and 10 food & beverage tickets per adult for Taste of Michigan, 4 - 8 pm Saturday, September 3rd
- After Party, 8 - 11 pm Saturday, September 3rd
- Rates from $99* per adult, per night
Enjoy these fun events at Crystal Mountain all weekend long:
- Friday, September 2: Farmer’s Market & Ice Cream Social
- Saturday, September 3: Taste of Michigan & Outdoor Float – In Family Movie
- Sunday, September 4: Labor Day 5K, Family Golf Scramble & Big Splash Pool Party
- Monday, September 5: 2-for-1 Community Day
Sample all the fun you can handle at special rates!
- Park at Water's Edge: 2-for-1 passes
- Crystal Coater Alpine Slide: 2-for-1 rides (single ticket)
-
Vertical Edge Climbing Wall: 2-for-1 climbs
Run For Sight 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Event
September 3
Muskegon County Convention & Visitor bureau
Muskegon
www.Visitmuskegon.org
The 6th Annual Run For Sight will take place on Saturday morning, along the beautiful Lake Michigan at Pere Marquette. Run For Sight raises money for The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in West Michigan.
”Grand Crossings” A Bridge Walk on Labor Day
September 5 • 8 am
Experience Grand Rapids
Ah-Nab-Awen Park, Grand Rapids
616-456-3168
www.experiencegr.com
You don’t have to go to the Mackinac Bridge to join the annual Labor Day Bridge Walk. Join your neighbors, 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
3rd Annual Barefoot Triathalon
September 4 • 8 am
Shanty Creek Resorts
Bellaire
www.shantycreek.com
Join us for the third annual BAREFOOT Triathlon on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, September 4, 2011.
SPECIAL ROOM RATE
We're offering special room savings for triathletes and friends or family members of triathletes.
- Hotel rooms start at only $159.00 per night*
- Tower rooms start at only $189.00 per night*
- One Bedroom Condominiums start at only $209.00 per night*
Beaver Island Marathon
Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce
231-448-2505
www.BeaverIsland.org
Make the end of summer memorable with a trip to Beaver Island – the most remote inhabited island of the Great Lakes. Visitors can expect to discover a wealth of ecological resources, including nature preserves and state land available for walking and exploring. Approximately 35% of the Island – located about 30 miles north of Charlevoix in Northern Lake Michigan – is state forest land.
Those searching for a truly removed up-north destination will find it on Beaver Island, one of the purist four-season vacation destinations in Michigan. When it comes to natural escapes, nothing compares to America’s Emerald Isle – Beaver Island.
Beaver Island Marathon
September 3 • 9 am
Beaver Island celebrates Labor Day weekend with the 3nd annual Harbor 3.5-mile Run, Half Marathon and Run Beaver Island – a Boston Marathon qualifying event – on Saturday, September 3. Described as “a most memorable marathon” this race offers tranquility and natural beauty – including sand dunes and the views of Lake Michigan – on Michigan’s largest inhabited island. Large crowds are found at every turn of this route, with a combination of dirt, clay, gravel and pavement. After the race, runners can enjoy a "dip" in the cool, pristine waters of Lake Michigan.
Good Bye Summer, Hello Kalamazoo
Discover Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo
269-382-6555
www.discoverkalamazoo.com
Make the "unoffical" last weekend of summer offically a memerable one with a trip to Kalamazoo. We'll get you started with a couple of tried and true two-day itineraries like, Made in Kalamazoo or Enjoy our Good Nature. Use theses themed itineraries or let us design one to fit your personal taste at www.discoverkalamazoo.com