The Lakeshore Art Festival Downtown Muskegon July 7th and 8th

In case you have not noticed, Muskegon is on a bit of a roll.  Events are picking up steam and the outlook of many has turned to an optimistic viewpoint.  It's taken a while, and there are those yet to be convinced...change never happens over night, but it's also a great thing to have some staples stick around and grow.  Staples like the Lakehsore Art Festival now in it's 55th year!




July 7th-8th Downtown Muskegon once again comes to life, wait...what am I talking about "once again", this summer seems to have been busy non stop with things to do Downtown.  Let's try that again.  July 7th-8th Downtown Muskegon continues to surge with the Lakeshore Art Festival.  Boasting 300+ booths with a very unique blend of arts, crafts, food, brews, wines, interactive elements, kids activities, family participation, street performers and more.  Hackley Park is the center point but the sprawl covers most of Downtown up to almost the Muskegon Farmers Market.  If you're looking for fine art, they will have plenty.  If you are in the market for something for the cottage that will make it feel a little more like the weekend get away spot, they have that too.  Maybe your kids want to get in and get involved and this time it doesn't involve finger paint and your carpet....hey....that's the time to get them in to art.  You can even take time to be part of "Chalk the Walk" where all you have to do is grab the chalk provided and leave your artistic impression right there for the world to see.

Lakeshore Art Festival on Facebook

This really is an event for everyone.  If the "artsy" stuff isn't your thing, there is plenty of music and food and if you're not in to music and artisan food...we've got plenty of establishments that would be happy to have you pop in and have a cold one while the rest of your party shops and walks around.  If you've not been Downtown Muskegon in a while, now's the time to come see what's going on and how the atmosphere has changed.  If you are a frequent "Downtowner" come on out and show the visitors a good time.  The more events like the Lakeshore Art Festival Succeed the more will come...and I don't know anyone who's not excited about seeing more happening in Muskegon.

Carla Flanders is with the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce who organizes the event,  We had a really nice video done at Hackley Park, but some dummy ran out of room on his video camera...so we met up again at the Chamber office and had a chat about all things Lakeshore Art Festival.  Take a listen to the details below.

It's a great time to be in Muskegon!  Our idea to Watch Us Go is getting some legs under it and it's up to us to own it!  Be part of what's going on and be a part of the future.  Your presence is all that's really requested, but if in the meantime you find yourself in need of a beer, soft drink, elephant ear or maybe some new decor for the home, the Lakeshore Art Festival is for you.  You can link right over to their site by clicking on the photo below and we'll plan on seeing you Downtown Muskegon July 7th and 8th!

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The Quintessential Vibe of Electric Forest

I have preached.  I have begged.  I have even gotten involved and decided the the only way that I'll ever really know what's really going on at Electric Forest is to be part of it.  So, I threw my hat in the ring last year, dusted off the bar-tending skills that sat idol for 20 plus years and got back to work.  It was a good time last year and I learned a lot, but year two, is showing me a little more.




There are many preconceived notions in Muskegon about what this festival is.  I am not sure where some of the ideas are coming from.  A lot of times, people are very quick to judge when something new or different comes along, but you know...the only things new or different going on here are really the mindsets of the attendees.

I have been going to concerts and festivals for decades.  The first major festival for me was Van Halen's Monsters of Rock at the Silverdome back in 1987.  Van Halen, Scorpions, Metallica, Dokken, Kingdom Come.  Huge show, went to both days of it.  I was 17 and it was a spectacle beyond compare.  There were mullets a plenty, lots of people drinking beer, picking fights and yelling "show us your boobs" and forgetting about life's worries for a day or two.

Today, I will be brutally honest...I don't know the first thing about any of the bands at Electric Forest.  But you know, the attendees, they have not changed.  Instead of Metallica shirts, they wear Pokemon or Star Wars shirts.  Instead of seeing who's the toughest and trying to pick a fight, they hug and as far as the boobs...well, some are happy with just some stickers over them. They are pretty free minded.

I saw a sign someone was walking around with that said "This is where I feel alive".  Electric Forest is where they are away from the never ending barrage of slanted news coverage, horrific world views, never ending pressure and the constant search for approval.  Electric Forest is where they can just be them.  No one I know looks down at 100k plus NASCAR fans all dressed up in their favorite drivers gear...why should we look differently at someone in a viking outfit or a fairy costume?  We really shouldn't.  We should realize that what's happening here is a global sigh of relief for a weekend or two.  Trust me when I tell you, they truly come from across the globe for this.

Being there personally I know this now.  While the money is great, I know that there will be my "moment".  That there will be a surprise for me at some point in the day that will completely fill my heart.  Keep in mind too, I am a pretty fortunate guy in the life satisfaction department.  But every year so far it's happened.  This year, that moment came late Friday night.  I had been on my feet for 12+ hours for 2 days and I was tired.  I was cleaning off my little corner of the bar and there was an Easter Egg.   I grabbed it, and went to throw it out, but though "Well, what the hell....I'll look."  I found this...yes..I got a little misty eyed and I knew I was where I needed to be to have my faith in the human race restored.  It made for a very Happy Forest.

Bootsy's Beat Blog - Life in Muskegon From a Kids Point of View

When I was 10 I was riding around on my mini bike, building forts and hoping to be able to spend the night a couple times a week at any friends house that had Cinemax.  That was life in 1980 and good or bad, the average 10 year old today is kind of forced into a little more complicated life.  Computers, phones, tablets, social media....it's all overwhelming enough for me let alone a pre-teen kid.  Do you ever wonder what life in Muskegon looks like through the eyes of a young person?


Well, you may remember Boots, who came on the blog a little over a year ago.  She came on to talk about the Muskegon Dog Park which she was very excited about and doing what she could do to help get the project up and running.  Now that that's underway, Boot's has taken it upon herself to stat her next project and that's to show the world a little more about Muskegon from her point of view.  The Blog is called Bootsy's Beat.

Boots at  yoga

The great opportunity I see here is two fold.  One, I don't ever see a bad time to develop a new talent.  Boots has shown some pretty keen interest in becoming a writer and has some pretty amazingly artful people around her.  The blog, was all her idea and she's being supported in it by her dad Chris Cordle and Sarah Sass who had a thing or two behind bringing us Veda Rooks...who's made a dent in the writing world too.  Secondly, starting as young as she is, 10....soon to be 11 mind you, we're all in for a ride.  This is the chance to watch a young person develop along with the town.  Watch her perspective change as life unfolds and as Muskegon begins to take shape once again.  She'll be on hand to chronicle what matters to her and what impacts her life.  She'll be able to hold the mirror up for us once in a while and show us what's right and wrong and for now...a reminder of what it's like to be a kid.


I took the chance to sit down with Boots now that I have a big boy camera, last time it was still the GoPro and talk about her blog and why she wants to do it.  Take a listen.

I am excited.  Not only to watch a kid take off, but to follow her and help where I can.  As we talked in the interview, the way we're getting our news and info is changing.  People are mobile...and they are adapting.  News isn't at 6 and 11 any more and it's certainly not thrown up on your front porch any more every morning.  You don't need a degree and a cheap suit to repot on things anymore and even if you're 10...soon to be 11 mind you...what you have to say matters and who you talk to can make a world of difference.  If you are so inclined...follow Bootsy's Beat, it's linked in the photo below!

Bootsy's Beat Blog

Muskegon's Rockstock - Carrying on The Unstoppable Summer in Muskegon July 3rd and 4th

We've been evolving in Muskegon for a while, and evolving means change.  Change...well that means some things come and some things go and that means what was may have been great but what is....well what is gets to grow and carry on.   It's happening in more than one spot and it's being embraced a little more all the time.  It's on all of us to help those who keep digging to make things happen....




One of the events that's carrying the torch of a good time for everyone, is Rockstock in Muskegon.  I remember years ago, Brandon Baskin came into the radio station to tell me about his idea.  Some local bands playing in Hackley Park in an atmosphere that wasn't a bar, late at night and it was an open atmosphere where younger fans could come out and enjoy the show.  He was planting the seeds to get things going.  At the time, we still had Summer Celebration and everyone enjoyed that, but as time marched on and the cost of entertainment and infrastructure ran Summer Cel out, the first few baby steps of Rockstock led to an opportunity to grow a little and make the jump to the bigger stage.

Muskegon Rockstock on Facebook

A new location, Heritage Landing,  and new approach, tribute bands, to the 4th of July party seem to have worked.  Keep the ticket cost low, $5 bucks, keep the music familiar, keep the fireworks and slowly add things for a bigger crowd.  We've still got our community get together with plenty of suds..songs and bag chairs.  After all, it's a community event let's be a community.

Rockstock will be happening July 3rd and 4th this year.  You'll hear the musical tributes of Echoes of Pink Floyd,  Crazy Babies - Ozzy Rebourne, Let There Be Rock - AC/DC Tribute and more! They are adding Kidstock with the help of Kangaroo Palace, an area dedicated to kids fun and play with tons of energy burning activities.  It will all be capped off on July 4th with the beautiful fireworks out over Muskegon Lake.  We'll celebrate as one.  It will feel good.

I had a chance to catch up with Brandon, we used Heritage Landing as the back drop, take a litsen below.

The moral of this story is....we don't give up.  Muskegon is filled with great people like Brandon and his staff who keep swinging.  If there is a will there is a way.  Find a new canvass and start painting on it and in time, your vision will grow.  The idea of "Muskegon just lost another" whatever is the old way of thinking...now, it's "How can we find the next amazing thing".  What I saw in Brandon way back when was a kid showing off some bands...what he became is a visionary leader ready to learn, adapt and grow and continue to find ways to provide for Muskegon.  Make sure you head out to Rockstock and enjoy some fun Downtown Muskegon over the 4th holiday.  We'll see you there!  For more info, click on the Rockstock logo below.

Muskegon Rockstock Online

Padnos Shoreline Recycling Center Helping Clean Up Muskegon

I heard from Padnos Shoreline Recycling Center a couple of weeks ago and it was a good thing.  The wondered if I had any ideas of how they could become more involved in what they were seeing going on around Muskegon, specifically Downtown Muskegon and how could they become more involved in a very active community.  So, I figured I'd stop in and see what they had in mind, I know a few people around town, I could probably make a connection or two happen.


I didn't really plan on what came of the conversation, but as we talked... I was all in.  From their shop on Ottawa Street, they are seeing exactly what everyone is seeing.  Things in Muskegon are moving.  Clean up is happening, attitudes are changing and as all of this is going on, Padnos Shoreline Recycling wants to be a leader in helping spotlight those who are making a difference in Muskegon.

Shoreline Recycling on Facebook

Did you know that Shoreline Recycling takes care of our planet by recycling just about everything?  From paper to cardboard and and magazines, appliances, cars, batteries, steel, copper, wire...you name it.  They assure that our precious resources don't end up in a landfill but they are recycled and reused.  They are also very generous stewards in Muskegon, they help sponsor Kids Food Basket, The Greater Muskegon Jaycees, Special Olympics and The United Way.

Shoreline Recycling also takes amazing care of their customers.  If you are there every other day, or once or twice a year, you'll find great customer service, top dollar paid for your items and some really fun incentives from time to time.  Right now, they have a Summer Celebration raffle going on where you can win a Kindle Fire.  They are having a pizza appreciation day coming up in July and they will close out the summer with a party providing lunch too.

The added touches are nice, but the meat and potatoes are this.  They want to highlight YOU.  are you getting the job done in Muskegon?  Are you spearheading a clean up or organizing a neighborhood recycling event?  Are you an individual scrapper who makes a few extra bucks helping get things taken care of for folks?  We want to hear from you!  From July-September we'll be spotlighting some efforts to make Muskegon more beautiful by recycling through Shoreline Recycling.  It's not necessarily a weight contest, but rather a way to highlight some great work going on that might not otherwise get seen.  The all hands on deck effort in Muskegon should be seen from every angle and Shoreline Recycling wants to spotlight the hands that are "getting dirty".

I met with Kurt Alderink who's the Center Manger of Shoreline Recycling in Muskegon to talk a little about the business and their active role in so many things in Muskegon take a listen to our talk below and start thinking about how we can highlight your clean up project.

Let's go!  Who's cleaning up and who's going to be thrown into the spotlight?  What I thought was just going to be helping a few connections along has turned into a magnificent opportunity to help Muskegon continue with the beautification projects and spotlight some pretty amazing people who are doing it.  Are you in a clean up project?  Let us hear from you!  You can send a Facebook message to Positively Muskegon.  Include a few pictures of your project as well as a few details about what you're doing and you might be hearing from us and Shoreline Recycling!  If you'd like to know more about Shoreline Recycling click on their logo below!

Corey Davis Visits With Jeffery VanDyke About the Michigan Victory Games and His Art Work

A couple weeks ago we did a story about The Victory Games, which is an opportunity for individuals with disabilities to compete in athletic competitions, win medals, and gather with fellow athletes at social events. Muskegon’s own, Jeffrey VanDyke took the time to sit down with Positively Muskegon and discuss his experience at the games, his achievements, and the positive energy and unique experience he had.



Besides being an awesome athlete, Jeff is also an incredible artist! He talked about his path to becoming a graphic artist, what inspires him, and his techniques. Watch the story, check out some of his impressive portfolio, and if you’re interested in having some custom artwork by a local artist, get a hold of Jeff via his Facebook page, you'll find that linked under the pictures to the right.

Find Jeffery VanDyke on Facebook

We caught up at McGraft Park to talk about the Victory Games, how he's adapted his work in art with disability over time and how he'd like to be seen for his talents and personality instead of his chair.   Take a listen to our chat below.

A giant thank you to Jeff for being our guest and highlighting what Positively Muskegon is all about; unique individuals in our community making a difference!

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West Michigan Business and Craft Fair at Hackley Park June 24th

We're "Watching Us Go".   More and more, the idea is seeming to catch on and inspiring people are taking action.  Action is a big part of the next phase... I mean, standing around and watching is one thing, but unless someone is getting their hands dirty, we're going nowhere.

Well, they are...and Muskegon is a community on the move.




There is an issue however though...being an upstart is tough.  How do you get the exposure you need for your business?  Where do you invest wisely to have the impact you need to see a return on investment?  Where to connect with others who are upstart entrepreneurs like yourself to share thoughts, experiences, concerns and hopefully some success stories?  Well you can join club after club or organization after organization.  Trade networks, Craig's List ad's, Facebook Groups , the list goes on and on, or you could stop into the West Michigan Business and Craft Fair June 24th at Hackley Park.

WMBCF on Facebook

Vanessa Davis got a hold of me to let me know about the event.  Vanessa is a jewelry maker. She loves to create things that help women feel beautiful, and a quick scroll across her Facebook page you'll see in a hurry, she's good at what she does.  Like many others, she relies on her creative side for an income and in as much as craft shows around the holidays are great, the goal of a year round business is always at the top of her mind.  Her husband Tony, left a union job to follow his dream of owning a business and opened Pampered Auto Hand Car Wash and Detail Shop on Apple Ave.  Their combined desire to build and grow their own business drove them to want to help others get the word out about theirs.

From their event page - "  Our Community Business and Craft Fair is intended to bring recognition to 150 small businesses, artists and crafters. Our event will help those in our community who have not been able to advertise or exhibit their skills and talents due to the costs involved. Our intent is to underwrite some of the costs for them with a much smaller participation fee. Our hope is that our community will see and experience the great products & services we have right here in West Michigan. Increasing commerce is our goal."

Vanessa and Tony were to meet up with me at Hackley Park, but when we were scheduled to tape, the sky was a little threatening so we went to Drip Drop Drink as plan b.  Take a listen to out chat below.

It takes all of us.  It takes those who are established and those who are just getting started.  Together, we build toward a solid community and solid local economy.  No idea is too crazy and no opportunity is far fetched.  Let's be honest, there's a guy going around town with a video camera and a couple websites spreading a message or two....if he can make it...so can anyone.  Vanessa and Tony are chasing their dreams and so should you.  If you're not out for the chase just yet, stop by the event and see who is.  

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