Michigan's Bustling Beachside Festival Transforms This Coastal City Into Pure Americana Joy Each Summer

The beachfront cities of Michigan might not get the same reputation as those of Florida or Southern California with their beach parties, but their summer spirit is just as strong, with local festivals, sandy dancefloors, and beach barbecues. Just one example is Caseville's legendary cheeseburger festival, which comes with Lake Huron views. If you come to Michigan at the height of summer, you can sample some of the best of its lakeside liveliness in Grand Haven, the resort city with serene beaches and a bustling boardwalk. Every year, starting toward the end of July, the city hosts The Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival, a celebratory feast of music, rides, and fairs that honors U.S. Coast Guard members.

The Coast Guard Festival has its roots in 1924, when a local Coast Guard station made an unofficial event for its members including a picnic and rowing competition. It became an official, annual festival in 1937, and over time, grew to such significance that Grand Haven was named Coast Guard City, USA by Congress. Today, the festival hosts over 350,000 attendees each year. While the week-long celebration has an array of activities and events, it centers around the National Memorial Service, which honors Coast Guard members who lost their lives in service over the past year. The Memorial Service is followed by a Grand Parade to salute Coast Guard members. Beyond honoring the military, the festival is a beloved local tradition that blends patriotism with summer fun.

Grand Haven is about an hour drive from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids. Its Coast Guard Festival takes place around the last week of July and the first week of August. Events occur all around the city: a carnival hosted on downtown's Washington Street, music performances along the boardwalk, and fair food stalls scattered across the waterfront. The waterfront is located near Grand Haven State Park, home to one of America's best beaches. As the festival draws thousands of attendees, be prepared to fight for parking. "For the big parade, it's best to arrive at least 2 hours early to find parking, anything later than that and you will have to walk a few miles or take an Uber/Lyft," Mindy Snyder wrote in a Google review.

During the week of festivities, you'll get to experience everything from a quilt show to a car show, the carnival to the big parade. The carnival is definitely a highlight, with over 20 rides, fair games, and a food court. The cardboard boat race is a free event you can't miss, where you'll get to work with a team to design a boat from cardboard that your team can paddle and outrun competitors on the lake. For those interested in even bigger boats, you'll have the opportunity to tour two different Coast Guard ships, with tours slotted on each day of the festival. Numerous street dances and musical performances take place throughout the week, culminating in a live show accompanied by the fireworks extravaganza.