The famous Coast Guard Festival is coming to Grand Haven again this year for the 80th year in a row. The event was established in 1924 initially as a rowing contest, but it has since grown to be a national attraction that brings in as many as 350,000 guests from around the country. These tourists come from a wide variety of backgrounds and the festival offers fun for the whole family. While the event is designed to honor those who have served in the Coast Guard, it can still be a fun experience even for those who haven’t served. The event will start on July 25 and will go until August 3, offering a full week of festivities to honor men and women in the Western Michigan area who served in the United States Coast Guard.

Since the event has become so successful, Grand Haven is often referred to as Coast Guard City, USA. This is because the Coast Guard Festival becomes the capital of Coast Guard activities during this time, with high-ranking dignitaries coming from around the country to give speeches and honor those who have served. In fact, Grand Haven was officially honored with the designation of “Coast Guard City” on November 13, 1998 by an Act of Congress signed by President Bill Clinton. Since then, the event has become especially important both for the local community and the national Coast Guard community as a whole.

The focus of the festivities is on the National Memorial Service, which will be held in Escanaba Park on August 1st, 2014. The event is open to the public and seeks to honor those who’ve shown exceptional courage and bravery while serving their country. The event also honors those who’ve passed away in the last year in Michigan. The park provides access to the USCGC Escanaba, which is the centerpiece of Escanaba Park.

Beyond honoring those who served, the event also offers a wide range of attractions that are be fun for the whole family. The event has two parades, one on each weekend at the beginning and end of the event that are fun for everyone and honor those who have served. The event also offers a “Fireworks Extravaganza”, which has attracted tourists from around the country since the fireworks started 74 years ago. This magnificent fireworks display has been described as “The best fireworks display in Michigan”, with choreographed music and an intense display that showcases american exceptionalism.