Coast Guard Festival organizers expecting record crowds for 100th anniversary

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) — The 100th year of the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival kicks off Friday as organizers expect record-breaking crowds.

The initial event was a picnic held back in 1924 exclusively for Coast Guard members and their families. Since then, the event-turned-festival has developed into a 10-day celebration to honor the men and women who have served and continue to serve.

“It is a big anniversary year for us. This year, we’ve added a couple of extra things. We’ve added drone shows,” said Annie Lengkeek, marketing director for the festival. “We’ve added opening acts at the concert the entire week long, and we added a shuttle to get people in here because we are expecting record numbers.”

In recent years, around 350,000 people have flocked to Grand Haven during the festival. Parking has consistently been a problem as large crowds pack this small community. But new this year, organizers are introducing a free shuttle to help visitors get around more easily.

“We have a shuttle running from Harbor Island all the way down to Third and Columbus for an entire week,” Lengkeek said. “So this Friday to Friday.”

The Parade of Ships is scheduled for Monday. Once the five vessels dock, the public is invited onboard to explore what the life of a Coastie looks and feels like.

“The heart of the festival is to really honor the men and women of the Coast Guard. We do things for the Coast Guard all year long,” Lengkeek said. “If they have a new baby or they’re moving here and they’re not quite sure how to get set up with doctors and dentist, we really try to pitch in when we can.”

The Tri-Cities Historical Museum, located in downtown Grand Haven, opened a special exhibit earlier this summer to commemorate the 100th year of the festival.

“This is a great place to see those images and some of those lesser known facts about the festival,” said Erica Layton, executive director of the museum. “We have a whole section on the Coast Guard queens which was very popular in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s.”

The museum is free to the public.

The Coast Guard Festival wraps up Sunday, Aug. 4. For a full list of concerts, the fireworks show and other events, click here.

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