Discover Osceola 2019

2019 OSCEOLA

DISC VER

Our Home. Your vacation destination. Join us in discovering Osceola County.

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Discover Osceola County... a beautiful place to visit year-round!

I am often asked what makes Osceola County a special place. It is my favorite question to answer because there is no better place to live, work or play!

Osceola County, located in Central West Michigan, offers something to all outdoor recreation and relaxation all year long.

The communities of Reed City, Evart, LeRoy, Hersey, Tustin and Marion, each with their own unique appeal, offer a small-town charm to welcome you in. I highly recommend our citizens explore the diverse array of activities that each community of Osceola County offers.

Fun for the entire family can be found at one of the many community festivals. Take in the rich history of our past by visiting one of our local museums. Become inspired by the talent of Osceola County by watching a local theater or dance production. Relax with friends by visiting our downtown businesses. Osceola County truly does have something for everyone!

The streams, rivers, and lakes are perfect to enjoy for any outdoor enthusiast. They are perfect for fishing, kayaking, tubing, canoeing, or even swimming. Natural beauty is plentiful in Osceola County!

The home of the “Crossroads” of Michigan, the Pere Marquette and White Pine Trails intersect right through the heart of Osceola County.

Whether you are running, walking, bicycling, or even an avid snowmobiler, the trails have spectacular views and miles for you to explore.

With the many campgrounds and other places to stay, Osceola County is the perfect place to visit.

Filled with helpful information about our area, Discover Osceola is your guide for things to do, places to eat and stay. For additional suggestions, please call one of your local Chambers of Commerce.

Discover us today and you will be sure to come back again and again!

Kim O’Neil Executive Director Reed City Chamber of Commerce

About this Magazine Discover Osceola is published annually

by Pioneer Group Publications and is distributed through the Evart, Reed City and Marion chambers of commerce.

For advertising information, questions or comments about this magazine, please contact The Pioneer Group at (231) 796-4831 or by email at jcrees@pioneergroup.com.

Inside This Issue Razzasque Days Kettenun Center OCCF Evart Car Club Relaxation in Hersey Mighty Muskegan

Museums

Evart’s Fourth of July Evergreen Festival Rails To Trails Dulcimer Festival

Welcome to Osceola County!

For over 150 years, the lakes and woodlands of what is now Osceola County have attracted families and individuals hoping to not only build a life for themselves, but also to escape the overly busy cities to the south and re-create themselves in pristine natural settings throughout this area.

The beauty of Osceola and neighboring counties, especially along historic waterways and at the shoreline of a myriad of

lakes is not, and never has been a secret.

The Osceola County region attracted first loggers and industrialists, then fishermen and hunters to the woods and waterways.

Thousands of rustic cabins and cottages filled shorelines on many lakes tucked into lush second growth woods flourishing following the logging boom.

People still come to the area to find peace and a sense of tranquility off

the highways and byways of Michigan's more populated communities. Today, however, things are changing.

Seasonal cottages are being transformed into four-season homes and more and more area residents are renovating or building full-time residences where they can find a sense of relaxation and calm year-round.

Discover Osceola offers a small taste of the wonderful places and experi-

ences to be had visiting our community - a community we call home.

This publication will focus on life in and around the county while giving readers a more expansive idea of what to do and where to go while visiting or living in our area.

Thanks for your time.

We believe perusing our publication will be time well spent.

All the best, The Discover Osceola team

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Razzasque Days offers family fun in LeRoy LEROY - Summer fun coupled with celebration of tight-knit rural community is what the annual Razzasque Days in LeRoy is all about, from camping to trails, fishing and parks.

This year, the festivities will take place the second weekend of July with all the activity centered in beautiful downtown LeRoy. This year's festival dates are July 12-13.

Razzasque may be hard to pronounce and even harder to define, but the easiest way to describe the three day festival is simply, "fun."

There also is a slew of events going on all weekend long, such as a kids day with a costumethemed parade and games, a grand parade, a 5K run and walk, tournaments, chicken barbecue, vendors, an antique car show, live music and more.

This community-based festival is a familyfriendly event with something for everyone.

For more information, check out razzdays.org or see the Razzasque Facebook page.

Discover Osceola 2019 • 5

Kettunen Center offers year-round activities TUSTIN – People looking for a peaceful and beautiful location to gather year-round to have fun and tackle a bit of business need to look no further than the Kettunen Center.

In addition to being a site of beauty and tranquility, the center has developed into one of Osceola County’s premier conference centers, hosting not only 4-H seminars and sessions, but also a wide range of organizational and business/industrial conferences and learning opportunities throughout the year.

Nicole Coats-Quales, business development manager at Kettunen Center, said the center is an excellent place to relax and take care of business at the same time because of the many trails and peaceful scenes it offers.

She noted people can not only have 6 • Discover Osceola 2019

fun on the property while they are taking a break from their work when the weather is nice, but they also can use the trails for activities such as cross country skiing or use the sledding hill.

“To me, the center is a little hidden gem people don’t know of here in Osceola County,” she said. “It’s off the beaten track, but not hard to get to.”

The center attracts thousands of guests each year from organizations such as 4-H groups, local municipal agencies, church groups and denominational organizations, as well as private business and industry groups.

Situated on 160 acres of rolling hills and forests on Center Lake just outside of Tustin and a short distance off of U.S. 131, the center has served as a focal point for 4-H activities in Osceola County and around the state of Michi-

gan for many years.

In 1961, the dream of Arne Kettunen, a long-time 4-H leader and founder of Michigan’s 4-H Foundation, to develop a site where 4-H could grow through the training of its volunteers and members, became a reality on 140 acres of forest and wetlands near Tustin.

Since these first years as a 4-H meeting center, Kettunen has grown significantly with the assistance of a $4.3 million expansion project, which helped the property grow into the 160acre, full-scale conference and retreat location for hosting a variety of gatherings and meetings it is today.

For more information on the Kettunen Center, contact the administrative office at (231) 829-3421 or visit kettunencenter.org.

OCCF continues to contribute

OSCEOLA COUNTY — For nearly three decades, the Osceola County Community Foundation has invested in the quality of life for people living in communities throughout the county.

Through grants, the OCCF has awarded funding to nonprofit organizations across the county for arts, culture, education, environment, health and social welfare projects. The foundation also has awarded hundreds of scholarships to Osceola County high school students heading off college or trade school to continue their education.

Since its creation, more than $1 million has been granted to nonprofit organiza-

SMITH Evart, MI

tions. Today, the foundation has over $9 million in total assets.

In its fall grant cycle, the OCCF team awarded $55,309.

The OCCF began in 1990 with $15,000 to $20,000 in seed money from a few county residents with a vision for the future. In its first year of awards, officials awarded grants to four libraries in the four corners of the county.

The foundation awards grants in two cycles — spring and fall. Grant application deadlines are Feb. 1 and Sept.

1.

Through the foundation, those who donate to the foundation can contribute to existing endowment funds that

For more information about the OCCF, visit facommunityfoundation.org/aboutus/geographic-affiliates/ osceola-county-communityfoundation/ or by writing 200 N. Chestnut St., P.O. Box 37, Reed City, MI, 49677 or by calling (231) 924-5350.

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Evart cruise and car show brings community together EVART - The weekend before Labor Day is the traditional kickoff of the Evart Car Cruise and Car Show, an event that has entertained classic auto fans since 1993.

The show normally draws between 150 and 300 cars, including a wide range of vehicle makes and models. This year’s event is slated to start Aug. 31.

Past organizers have said the show draws fans of American muscle cars from the 1950s and ‘60s more than vehicles from other times and places. However, the event is known to draw just about anything with wheels, so don’t be surprised to see a tractor next to a Ford Thunderbird.

Among the activities at past shows have been a 38-mile cruise throughout Osceola County, a car show at Evart’s Riverside Park and judging in several categories.

The Evart Car Club, which puts on the show, is a registered 501(c)7 organization that donates food pantries, sponsors holiday events and donates to the city’s annual fireworks show. Three times per year, the group picks up litter along state highways.

For more information, visit evartcarclub.com.

8 • Discover Osceola 2019

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Discover Osceola 2019 • 9

Hersey offers relaxation, recreation HERSEY - With the beautiful Hersey River twining through a quaint, historic town setting, Hersey, a picturesque village off the beaten path in Osceola County, offers visitors and residents an opportunity to enjoy all the outdoors has to offer.

The Hersey River flows through the village and connects to the Muskegon River. The charming Mosaic Park, which historically was the old millpond park, recreates scenes of old times, when the site attracted people from all over to boat, fish and picnic. Weddings were even conducted in the park.

The river flowing by makes a real picturesque and romantic. It is a great place to rest and spend some quiet time.

10 • Discover Osceola 2019

The park also is a fine place for those floating down the Hersey River to pull up canoes, kayaks and tubes for a picnic under the spreading share trees that fill the area. A picnic pavilion and restored facilities have been developed and are well used.

The park area – at the northwest side of the village, enhances already thriving recreational opportunities in Hersey.

At the confluence of the Hersey and Muskegon rivers, Blodgett Landing is another successful recreational development in Hersey.

The park has really opened up what some consider to be “the middle stretch” of the Muskegon River to rec-

reational traffic.

Previous to the park’s opening a few years back, canoers, kayakers and tubers generally traveled the “top stretch” ending at Evart, or the “lower stretch” beginning somewhere in Hersey and ending up in Big Rapids.

Now, more and more people are using the river from Evart to Hersey – about a four-hour canoe ride.

With excellent camping facilities available at Blodgett Landing, more individuals and groups are making the Hersey park their headquarters for a few days of fun.

Hersey has a lot of offer people using Osceola County rivers – an attractive place for folks visiting the area.

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Mighty Muskegon is a recreation paradise OSCEOLA COUNTY – Picture yourself floating along a quiet river on a warm summer’s day.

Hardwood and pine forests tower above as a bird’s song comforts you.

Deer, otters and mink scurry by, barely noticing your boat, canoe or kayak as they go after their food. Brown trout and walleye, restocked in huge numbers by the state department of natural resources, swim underneath your watercraft, almost begging to be caught for your own dinner.

You’re not in some well-known outdoor paradise like Alaska, Montana or Wyoming. Rather, you’re in Osceola County, Michigan, home of the mighty Muskegon River.

Although unknown to many on a national scale, the Muskegon has become a premiere destination for hun-

12 • Discover Osceola 2019

dreds of thousands of visitors each year, who enjoy a trek of historical fun on one of Michigan’s most unique waterways.

With plenty of places in Osceola County to stop along the way, including Evart, Hersey and Reed City, the Muskegon can be a day-long journey as well as a quick 2-hour ride.

Those cities and others were, at one time, built with the help of the Muskegon River. At one point, it wasn’t the tourist destination it is today. Rather, it was an important transportation hub for Native Americans living in the area. Later, when European settlers moved in, the forests surrounding the Muskegon served as a source of building material for growing industrial cities.

The headwaters of the Muskegon

are located in Roscommon County’s Houghton Lake. The river starts out by weaving its way through counties to the north and east, picking up volume and speed as it drafts into the Osceola area from Marion.

It then cuts through Osceola from east to southwest, flowing into Mecosta County. Numerous streams and creeks add their water to the Muskegon as it heads for Lake Michigan, most notably in this area, the Hersey River.

Because of the Muskegon’s size and location, Osceola County attracted loggers to the area in the 1870s through the turn of the century.

But today, the sound of the sawmill has been replaced with bird songs.

The Muskegon is now a recreational paradise for all who seek it to enjoy.

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Discover the museums of Osceola County OSCEOLA COUNTY — Osceola County's past comes to life with a trip to one of the many local museums.

Whether you're a genealogy guru or have a hankering for local history, old photographs, antiques and artifacts, spending some time at any of the museums in Osceola County and neighboring communities will help illuminate the past. In addition, there are many old cemeteries to visit and research.

There are museums in Reed City, Evart, LeRoy, Tustin and Marion, and all have access to genealogical materials, as do libraries and/or museums in 14 • Discover Osceola 2019

neighboring Lake County in Baldwin, Chase and Luther, as well as in surrounding counties.

Websites and Facebook pages offer information on when such museums, libraries, genealogy clubs and historical societies are open in the summer and other seasons of the year, which ones offer what, and other information.

Groups also host a variety of informational sessions throughout the year.

In addition, chambers of commerce in Marion, Evart, Reed City and elsewhere can help point anyone in the

right direction to find the information they might need, whether it’s about research, camping, businesses, lodging or anything else you might need to know.

Those chambers in Osceola County include Evart at (231) 734-9799, Reed City at (231) 832-5431 and Marion at (231) 743-2461.

For more genealogy research, the Osceola County courthouse is located in Reed City, Lake County’s is in Baldwin, Mecosta County’s is in Big Rapids, Wexford County’s is in Cadillac, Clare County’s is in Harrison and Missaukee County’s is in Lake City.

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Discover Osceola 2019 • 15

Evart celebrates Fourth of July EVART – The city seems bigger than its size on the Fourth of July, when Evart traditionally hosts a large celebration in honor of America’s birthday.

The festivities usually kick off with a fireworks display, hosted by the Evart Area Chamber of Commerce, at Evart Municipal Airport. Dates and times for this year’s event were not finalized by press time.

In addition to the fireworks display, the city traditionally holds a 5K run/walk, to benefit the local school district’s track and cross country program. Afterward, an Independence Day parade is held. The Party in the Park usually follows, with familyfriendly games and activities at Riverside Park.

For more information, visit evart.org.

16 • Discover Osceola 2019

Parks & Rails-To-Trails

Parks of Reed City & Hersey Reed City maintains four parks: Rambadt, Westerburg, Linear and the Footloose Soccer Complex. Rambadt Memorial Park features camping and a free Music and Art in the Park series during the summer. Visit Blodgett Landing in Hersey for camping, fishing and canoeing.

Reed City Depot The Reed City Depot sits at the crossroads of the Pere Marquette and White Pine trails as a Chamber tourism area. The beautiful facility includes a community meeting room and 24hour restrooms, as well as a kiosk area, bonfire pit and fireplace. The facility is also available to rent for your special event. 231-832-5431

Discover Osceola 2019 • 17

Reed City Area Chamber of Commerce

2019 CALENDAR OF EVENTS January 17 Chamber Luncheon

July 18-20 Reed City City-Wide Yard Sales

February 21 Great American Crossroads Celebration (GACC) Meeting at the Reed City Depot 5:30pm

August 1 Chamber Board Meeting

March 21 Chamber Luncheon April 4 Chamber Board Meeting April 18 Annual Chamber Meeting & Luncheon May 2 Chamber Board Meeting May 27 Memorial Day Parade June 6 Chamber Board Meeting

(No actual Pageant)

September 5 Chamber Board Meeting September 12 Chamber Luncheon October 3 Chamber Board Meeting November 7 Chamber Board Meeting November 14 Business Expo November 29-30 Evergreen Festival

June 7 Chamber Golf Outing (rain date June 14th) December 5 Chamber Board Meeting June 20 Chamber Luncheon December 12 Holiday Chamber Luncheon July 9 Chamber Board Meeting

18 • Discover Osceola 2019

Reed City Chamber Events

March 7 Chamber Board Meeting

August 15-17 Great American Crossroads Celebration Miss/Reed City/Prince Pageant parade

Crossroads Celebration

AUGUST 15-18

2019

TS FESTIVAL HIGHLIGt H

Softball Tournamen Car Show Children’s Carnival, Street Party Craft/Vendor Show, Kickball Tournament Teen Dance Party Parade, Chicken BBQ, Festival Live Music e!

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FUN FOR ALL!

Please visit ReedCity.org for more information Discover Osceola 2019 • 19

Evergreen Festival celebrates holiday fun to Reed City REED CITY – Each year, Christmas festivities attract hundreds to Reed City, where the warmth, cheer and fun of the holiday season comes to life during the Evergreen Festival.

Hosted on Thanksgiving weekend, this year’s festivities will kick off on Friday, Nov. 29, and continue Saturday, Nov. 30.

The annual arts and craft show, sponsored by Community Education, will take place both days of the festival. More than 100 booths and vendors will line the corridors of Reed City High School, offering items and gifts for friends and family of all ages.

Saturday’s Evergreen Parade is one of the highlights of the festival with floats, walkers and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus make their Osceola debut with some of their reindeer, and make sure they know what each child wants under the tree with visitations at the depot.

20 • Discover Osceola 2019

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Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy beautiful views on Rails-to-Trails OSCEOLA COUNTY – Residents and visitors of Osceola County who enjoy immersing themselves in nature have access to the beautiful views of rolling hills, farmlands and woods year-round through the Rails-toTrails network.

This system consists of dozens of miles or reclaimed rail beds which crisscross the county and attract growing numbers of people seeking a four-season recreational destination.

Most of Osceola County’s communities were originally borne out of logging and the supporting railroad system. Even after logging was no longer the spearheading industry in the region, the railroads continued to roar through the area, guiding both pas-

22 • Discover Osceola 2019

senger and freight trains east and west and north and south.

However, in the mid-1980s, most railroad traffic came to an end (except for one still-active line in the northeast Marion region.)

In an effort to breathe new life into this network, a number of agencies have worked together with the state of Michigan to create one of the most extensive Rails-to-Trails systems in the state.

The trails are now open to people who wish to ride bicycles, run or jog, cross country ski or snowmobile while enjoying the views of the countryside.

Anyone who needs a break from their journey down the trails can stop at a number of rest areas along the

way, including at a Rails-to-Trails rest area in Evart, and the renovated railroad depot in Reed City which sits at the crossroads of the Pere Marquette and Frederick Meijer White Pine trails.

Throughout Evart, Hersey, Reed City and the surrounding area, there also are a wide variety of restaurants, places to stay overnight and four-season activities and events.

Information about specific stretches of the trail and events occurring during the year are available through local chambers of commerce.

In Evart, call (231) 734-9799, and in Reed City, call the chamber at (231) 832-5431

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Dulcimer players to descend upon Evart EVART – The distinct sounds of the dulcimer will fill the air of Evart this summer as musicians from across the Midwest and beyond gather for the annual Original Dulcimer Players Club FunFest.

Enthusiasts of the dulcimer and other acoustic instruments will set up camp for the event from Thursday, July 18, to Saturday, July 20, at the Osceola County 4H/FFA Fairgrounds.

FunFest will showcase a variety of instruments, with music from the banjo, guitar, ukulele, harmonica and 24 • Discover Osceola 2019

more being heard throughout the fairgrounds from sunrise to sunset.

General admission for the event is $15 per person, which allows people to attend concerts and workshops, as well as speak with different vendors on site. Single day passes will be available for $7.

Camping will be offered, with electric hook-ups costing $20 per night, and primitive camping set at $17 per night. The fairgrounds do not accept reservations, and campsites will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve

basis.

Campers also may bring their pets, but they must remain on a leash. For more information on camping, call (231) 734-5481.

Food and beverages are served throughout FunFest, and members of the local Future Farmers of America chapter will cook dinner and prepare a dessert each night.

For more information about workshops, vendors and musicians attending, visit evartdulcimerfest.org.

Osceola County 4-H/FFA • FAIRGROUNDS

2019 Calendar of Events For questions about any event call the Fairgrounds 231-734-5481 Email us: osceolacountyfair@sbcglobal.net • osceolafairgrounds.com

MARCH 9 Recycle 12 Fair Finance Meeting 16 Women’s Club 25 Fairboard Meeting 7:30 pm 30 Gun Show APRIL 6 Rabbit Show 9 Fair Finance Meeting 11 Recycle 22 Fairboard Meeting 7:30 pm 25-28 LOW Camping Group MAY 2 Osceola County Foundation Fund Raiser dinner/auction 11 Recycle 14 Fair Finance Meeting 18 Wedding Reception

25 27

Open House Fairboard Meeting 7:30 pm

JUNE 4 5-8 8 11 10-14

Woodcarvers Reception Wood Carvers Roundup Recycle Fair Finance Meeting Floydfest Carving Seminar http://fantasycarving.com 20-23 Gold Wins Touring Association 24 Fairboard Meeting 7:30 pm

JULY 9 13 17 18-21

Fair Finance Meeting Recycle Funfest Welcome Reception Non-Electric Music Funfest Photos http://dulcimers.com/festival.html 22 Fairboard Meeting 7:30 pm 7-29 OSCEOLA COUNTY 4H - FFA FAIR to 8-3

AUGUST 1-3 OSCEOLA COUNTY FAIR CONTINUES 10 Recycle 8-11 Gold Wing Road Riders 15-18 MI Trappers/Preditor Callers Assn. Rally 16-19 MI Trappers/Preditor Callers Assn. Rally 26 Fairboard Meeting 7:30 pm SEPTEMBER 9 Wedding Reception 10 Fair Finance Meeting 14 Recycle 12-14 Spit & Whittle Woodcarvers http://www.evartroundup.com 21 Wedding Reception 23 Fairboard Meeting 7:30 pm 28 Wedding Reception

Building is available by reservation for:

Weddings • Concerts • Receptions • Family Reunions Discover Osceola 2019 • 25

Annual Evart Roundup to attract hundreds of woodcarving enthusiasts EVART – Wood chips and sawdust will fly through the air this summer once again as woodcarving enthusiasts from around the country descend upon Osceola County for the annual Evart Roundup.

This four-day carving extravaganza will fill the Osceola County 4H/FFA Fairgrounds this year from Wednesday, June 5, to noon on Saturday, June 8. It will be host to various vendors and hands-on workshops for both veterans and newcomers to the craft to try their hand at different projects.

Multiple buildings at the fairgrounds will be used for the craftsmenled tutorials and workshops, vendor sales, entertainment and more.

26 • Discover Osceola 2019

Sandy Holder, an organizer for the Evart Roundup, said there will be an opportunity for people to try all different kinds of carving – from human busts to Christmas ornaments, fantasy creatures to crosses.

She added there also will be people demonstrating carving alternatives such as wood and gourd burning.

“This is an affordable event for anyone who wants to learn carving and for people who are proficient at it,” Holder said. “It’s really for all skill levels.”

Workshops will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, June 7, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Admission to the event and indi-

vidual workshops is free, but supplies and tools for carving are priced accordingly.

Other activities during the weekend include a daily breakfast and lunch provided by the Evart Lions Club and the fairground’s Blue Ribbon Café, an ice cream social, an informal carvers’ music jam and a carvers’ swap.

More information on the Evart Roundup can be found at evartroundup.com or by calling Holder at (231) 250-3855 or organizer Floyd Rhadigan at (734) 649-3259.

Electric hook-up or primitive camping sites are available. For information, call (231) 734-5481.

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Osceola County 4-H/FFA Fair a staple of summer for the area OSCEOLA COUNTY — For one week a year, Oseola County residents spend their days celebrating the strong agricultural heritage of their county.

From animal barns or nights at grandstand events, thousands will visit the Osceola County 4-H/FFA Fairgrounds this summer, as it showcases animals, music, tractor pulls, rides and fair food.

This year's fair will be from July 27 to Aug. 6.

The Osceola County 4-H FFA Fair not only attracts residents of Osceola County it has expanded to a wider area, covering the neighboring counties and beyond. It brings in visitors, tourists and those passing through the county 28 • Discover Osceola 2019

Grandstand events for the Osceola County fair begin at 7 p.m. and Monday, July 29, will feature a garden tractor pull; Tuesday is the heavyweight horse pull, Thursday is the truck pull and Friday is the antique tractor pull.

Saturday is the farm stock tractor pull.

When it comes to the animal shows, Monday kicks off with rabbit, poultry and water fowl judging. Tuesday features goat judging, western riding and youth and open class beef and dairy beef judging.

The fair continues on Wednesday with swine judging, a noon chicken barbecue sponsored by the Osceola County Farm Bureau and sheep judging.

On Thursday, attendees can watch

dairy and horse judging, llama and alpaca judging and the small animal auction in the evening.

Friday will feature horse and pony judging and the market livestock auction in the evening.

The final day of the fair will host a fun horse show, an animal costume contest, the sweepstake showmanship competition and the Ag Olympics, a highlight for 4-H'ers of all ages.

Each day of the fair, midway attractions will provide rides and games for all ages.

For a list of events scheduled to take pace at this year's Osceola County 4-H FFA Fair, visit osceolacountyfairgrounds.com.

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Discover Osceola 2019 • 29

Summer music abounds in Osceola County OSCEOLA COUNTY — A variety of music will echo throughout Osceola County this summer as warm weather brings an opportunity for outdoor concerts and performances.

The annual Evart Summer Concert Series, hosted by the Evart Downtown Development Authority, is an event for all ages who love all different types of music. Hundreds are drawn to the city each summer to enjoy an evening of family-friendly, toe-tapping tunes.

A list of performers and concert dates for this year's series has not been finalized.

The concerts are traditionally scheduled from June to September, offering free entertainment. Classic rock, oldies, R&B, folk, country and pop are expected to be represented this year.

The concert series is supported through donations from local individuals, organizations and businesses, 30 • Discover Osceola 2019

along with grants from the Osceola County Community Foundation and others.

Music can be heard at the Reed City Depot on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month from May through August, as well as Friday nights at the Crossroads Picnic Showcase at Rambadt Park.

In addition, this year’s Dulcimer Funfest will take place from Thursday, July 18, through Sunday, July 21, at the Osceola County 4-H FFA Fairgrounds in Evart. The event, sponsored by the Original Dulcimer Players Club, has welcomed music lovers from across the country since 1973.

Though the event’s focus is mainly on the dulcimer, lovers of other nonelectric, stringed instruments also are welcome and can find workshops and items for sale from vendors to fit their needs and tastes. Children who

wish to learn or improve their musical skills have the opportunity to join workshops fit for all experience levels with instructors offering tips and suggestions.

The mission of the ODPC is to preserve and promote the playing of the dulcimer. To do this, the club offers the chance for musicians to experience the hammered dulcimer for one year with a deposit fee. The program includes everything a new player will need to fully integrate themselves in the instrument without the expense and commitment.

The Dulcimer Funfest doesn’t only welcome musicians, but also the general public who wish to watch, listen and learn more about acoustic instruments of all types. Most attendees get caught up in the event and become inspired by the sounds and tunes filtering through the fairgrounds.

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Discover Osceola 2019 • 31

Marion Fair kicks off summer fair season MARION — The annual Marion Fair kicks off the fair season for the area in June.

The 80th installment of the fair will take place June 17 through June 22 at the fairgrounds, 380 S. Mill St. in Marion.

The schedule for this year's fair has not been finalized, but there are grandstand events set throughout the week, as well as a free gospel concert. The annual pie and ice cream social also will

take place following the concert.

Other traditional grandstand events at the Marion Fair include tractor and truck pulls and a figure-eight demolition derby.

The fair also is the kickoff for many area 4-H'ers, as they begin a busy summer of showcasing their projects and exhibits.

The fair also includes kids games, music, grandstand events and a number of attractions for the entire fam-

OLD FASHIONED DAYS The village of Marion becomes a bustling center of family fun the first weekend of August for Marion Old Fashioned Days.

The festival celebrates outdoor family fun with hot dog roasts, street sales, duck races, live music, a canoe/kayak race, a parade and more.

Old Fashioned Days is slated for Aug. 2-4.

The festival also includes horseshoe tournaments, kids games, craft vendors, car shows, car, truck and bike cruise, tractor pulls and more.

Visit the Marion Chamber of Commerce's website, marionmichigan. com, for more information.

32 • Discover Osceola 2019

ily. Across the midway and the barns, attendees will enjoy the sights and sounds as well as hoping for a "bingo" in the pavilion, hosted by VFW members.

The midway will open Wednesday, June 19, which is kids day with games and the pedal pulls, 4-H competitions, animals in the barn, For more information or a full schedule of events, visit marionfair.com or find Marion Fair on Facebook.

Discover Osceola 2019 • 35

36 • Discover Osceola 2019

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