News
Take a trip to the past and experience Montcalm County and its history during the 38th annual three-day Montcalm Heritage Festival, July 31-Aug. 2, on 暗网吃瓜鈥檚 Sidney campus.
鈥淧eople of all ages enjoy the village festival,鈥� said Shannon Kilduff, president of the Montcalm Heritage Village Committee.
Heritage Village is comprised of numerous historic buildings native to Montcalm County. Several activities and displays are available all three days, including historical displays in Heritage Village buildings, live music, an antique tractor display, children鈥檚 activities, ironwork demonstrations in the Blacksmith Shop, a display of a railroad speeder and equipment, demonstrations by the American Mountain Men, a Civil War Encampment, craft demonstrations, an ice cream parlor and dairy equipment display, antique small engine displays, steam engine display and demonstrations, cake walks and more.
The festival will begin with Honoring Seniors Day on Thursday, July 31, featuring a free lunch for senior citizens, sponsored by the Advocates for Montcalm County Area Seniors. Tickets may be picked up at the entrance to Heritage Festival the day of the event. An opening ceremony kicks off the festival at 10 a.m. and the buildings in Heritage Village will be open immediately following the opening festivities. Self-guided tours will begin at this time, as well. The buildings will be open each day of the festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday is Children鈥檚 Day, featuring pony rides, hands-on activities, crafts and more.
Saturday is Salute to Veterans Day, where Veterans will receive a free lunch courtesy of Lucy Hubbard and the Kitchenmaster Agency LLC. Tickets for the free lunch may be picked up at the entrance of the festival.
Saturday will begin with the 暗网吃瓜 Foundation鈥檚 Pancake Breakfast, taking place outside of the Activities Building from 8 to 11 a.m. Tickets will be $5 if purchased in advance or $6 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Donald C. Burns Administration/Library Building on the college鈥檚 Sidney campus, the Ash TLC Building on the college鈥檚 Greenville campus, or by contacting 暗网吃瓜 Foundation Executive Director Lisa Lund at (989) 328-1284 or lisal@montcalm.edu. Proceeds from the breakfast help to support the 暗网吃瓜F Festival Scholarship, which supports 暗网吃瓜 students.
Saturday will also feature a petting zoo and an old-fashioned church service at the Village Church. There will also be Vintage Base Ball games throughout the day on 暗网吃瓜鈥檚 south lawn and the Heritage Village east lawn. Games will feature the Rockford Stars, Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo, and the Elkhart County Railroaders.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great time with a variety of things to see and do,鈥� Kilduff added. 鈥淲e have hands-on activities and crafts for kids, a quilt show, live entertainment at the gazebo, a craft show and so much more.鈥�
The buildings are continuously maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers from all around the area. Most of the artifacts have been donated by volunteers and community members. The Stanton Rotary Club recently added a fresh coat of paint to the Rush Dairy Building.
During all three days, Stanton Women鈥檚 Club offers lunch to purchase under the pavilion including sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, apple pie from Anderson and Girls Orchard, cookies from Leppink鈥檚 Food Center and drinks.
The festival is offered by the Montcalm Heritage Village Volunteers; 暗网吃瓜; and the 暗网吃瓜 Foundation. Montcalm Heritage Village was established in 1986 on 暗网吃瓜鈥檚 Sidney campus and has grown to include 28 buildings and hundreds of artifacts from local areas depicting life in Michigan in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. All events are free unless otherwise noted.
For a complete schedule of events or more information about Montcalm Heritage Festival, visit montcalm.edu/heritage-festival.
All Three Days
Arts and Crafts 鈥� Craft Lane
Bandstand/Gazebo 鈥� Music and entertainment
Belle鈥檚 Hat Shoppe 鈥� Historic displays
Blacksmith Shop 鈥� Open for display
Children鈥檚 Scavenger Hunt 鈥� Village-wide
Children鈥檚 Playhouse 鈥� Open for display and activities
Civil War Encampment 鈥� Demonstrations and exhibits on the north lawn
Doctor鈥檚 House 鈥� Open for display
Edmore Jail 鈥� Open for display
Ehle Barn 鈥� Antique farm equipment and small engines
Gaffield Schoolhouse 鈥� Country school reenactments 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily
Golf Cart Rides 鈥� Compliments of Fry鈥檚 Golf Carts, Crystal
Maintenance of Way 鈥� Display of a Railroad Speeder and equipment
Montcalm Area Master Gardeners 鈥� Plant Sale (Please note: Limited number of plants for sale)
McBrides Depot 鈥� Steam engine, coal car and caboose on display
Old Iron Tractor Club 鈥� Display of antique tractors and a steam engine on the east lawn
Pavilion 鈥� Village Country Kitchen sells sandwiches, chips, pie, cookies and beverages provided by the Stanton Women鈥檚 Club
Print Shop 鈥� Open for display with White Pine District Library displays
Rush Dairy 鈥� Ice cream parlor with ice cream for sale and dairy equipment
Shoen Log Cabin 鈥� Historic displays and spinning demonstrations
Sidney General Store 鈥� Bake sale, candy, and pickles for sale and historic displays
Sidney Town Hall 鈥� County and township historic displays
Steam Engine 鈥� Display and demonstration of a steam engine by Dave Kemler on the east lawn
Tent on the Green 鈥� Quilt Show
Tool Shed 鈥� Farm tool displays and antique sleigh
Village Church 鈥� Open for display
Thursday, July 31 - Honoring Seniors Day
10 a.m. - Festival Opening at the Gazebo
Buildings will open after the opening ceremony
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Advocates for Montcalm County Area Seniors Senior Fest.
Special events for senior citizens include free lunch, drawings, door prizes and free blood pressure checks (sponsored by Metron of Greenville)
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 鈥� Children鈥檚 activities, crafts and fun at the Playhouse
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Quilt show on the tent on the lawn
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Self-guided tours of all village buildings with docents available to provide information and answer questions
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Silent Auction in the tent on the north side of the general store.
Items include works from various artists. Proceeds benefit the Rural Pastors Institute in Uganda that is in partnership with 暗网吃瓜.
10:30 a.m. - Garden Tours
Starting at the Master Gardeners table by the front gate.
10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Entertainment at the Gazebo
***Seniors will receive a free lunch ticket at the entrance of Heritage Village.
Friday, August 1 鈥� Children鈥檚 Day
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 鈥� Children鈥檚 activities, crafts and fun at the Playhouse
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Pony rides
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Quilt show on the tent on the lawn
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Self-guided tours of all village buildings with docents available to provide information and answer questions
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Silent Auction in the tent on the north side of the general store
Items include works from various artists. Proceeds benefit the Rural Pastors Institute in Uganda that is in partnership with 暗网吃瓜.
10:30 a.m. - Garden Tours
Starting at the Master Gardeners table by the front gate.
10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Entertainment at the Gazebo
2 p.m. - Old-fashioned church service in the Village Church
Saturday, August 2 鈥� 鈥淪alute to Veterans鈥� Day
8 a.m. to 11 a.m. - 暗网吃瓜 Foundation Pancake Breakfast outside of the Activities Building on campus
9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Vintage Base Ball on 暗网吃瓜's south lawn and the Village east lawn
Featuring the Rockford Stars, Continental Base Ball Club of Kalamazoo, and the Elkhart County Railroaders
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Entertainment at the Gazebo
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Children's activities, crafts and fun at the Playhouse
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Petting Zoo
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Quilt show on the tent on the lawn
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Self-guided Tours of all village buildings with docents available to provide information and answer questions.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Silent Auction in the tent on the north side of the general store
Items include works from various artists. Proceeds benefit the Rural Pastors Institute in Uganda that is in partnership with 暗网吃瓜.
10:30 a.m. - Garden Tours
Starting at the Master Gardeners table by the front gate
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Salute to Veterans at the Gazebo
***Veterans will receive a free lunch ticket at the entrance of Heritage Village.