Grand Haven. Mich Coast Guard Fest

[BruceRTalbot]

If you are in the area of Grand Haven Michigan and are considering the Coast Guard Academy, stop by the annual Coast Guard Festival Saturday August 3, 2013. There will be several Coast Guard ships open for tours including "Big Mac" USCGC MACKINAW, along with the new hero-class Canadian Coast Guard ship. The American Legion Hall right next to the Grand Haven Coast Guard Station and across from the ship is serving a BBQ chicken lunch open to the public starting at noon. Here is a great opportunity to see a working Coast Guard ship out in the fleet and to talk to Coast Guard crew about life in the service.

http://www.coastguardfest.org/index.php/ship-tours

 

[LineInTheSand]

I've never been, but I've always wanted to attend. There are a number of "Coast Guard Cities" out there, after Congress required the Coast Guard to extend the program that started with Grand Haven. Most of the Coast Guard cities don't mean a thing, they're purely political. But Grand Haven is the TRUE Coast Guard City.

And I've heard, but have not yet experienced, that they do the festival right.

 

[BruceRTalbot]

I've never been, but I've always wanted to attend. There are a number of "Coast Guard Cities" out there, after Congress required the Coast Guard to extend the program that started with Grand Haven. Most of the Coast Guard cities don't mean a thing, they're purely political. But Grand Haven is the TRUE Coast Guard City.

And I've heard, but have not yet experienced, that they do the festival right.

They estimate 350,000 people attend the 10-day festival. I've been there several years for the entire festival and its so big I doubt you could see everything. We focused on the parade, the Coast Guard Silent Drill Team, and the ship tours during the day, and the concerts and fireworks at night.

 

[bruno]

If you are in the area of Grand Haven Michigan and are considering the Coast Guard Academy, stop by the annual Coast Guard Festival Saturday August 3, 2013. There will be several Coast Guard ships open for tours including "Big Mac" USCGC MACKINAW, along with the new hero-class Canadian Coast Guard ship. The American Legion Hall right next to the Grand Haven Coast Guard Station and across from the ship is serving a BBQ chicken lunch open to the public starting at noon. Here is a great opportunity to see a working Coast Guard ship out in the fleet and to talk to Coast Guard crew about life in the service.

http://www.coastguardfest.org/index.php/ship-tours

A good friend of mine sings with the Coast Guard Band and will be performing up there at the festival- it's supposed to be quite the event

 

[Jcleppe]

I was a member of the Coast Guard Silent Drill Team and did the Parade in 1976....I know, I'm old. I just loved Grand Haven, had lunch on Big Mac, what a great city. The current Festival sounds a whole lot bigger then it was back then, sounds like fun.

The downside of the whole trip is that we had to go to Detroit for the next stop on the tour, we were stuck on base because of Riots in the City and had armed guards escort us to our performance. At least we got to see Grand Haven.