Blossomtime Festival announces return of Run for Buds, Youth Parade

The public is invited to join in for the fun-filled week to celebrate the 117th year of the Blossomtime Festival with the annual Run for the Buds and Youth Parade.

The 42nd annual Run for the Buds, a chiptimed 5K run/walk along the Grand Floral Parade route that starts and finishes in St. Joseph, will take place Saturday, May 13. The 5K route is an out and back course following Main Street in Benton Harbor. Free parking is available at the Berrien County Courthouse on the corner of Main and Port streets.

Fees are for all ages, $30 through April 30; $35 from May 1-6 and $40 from May 7 through the day of the race.

To register, visit www.runsignup.com/Race/ MI/SaintJoseph/RunfortheBuds2023.

Race packets may be picked up the day before the race at Silver Harbor Brewing Company, 721 Pleasant Street, Street in Joseph from 5:30-7 p.m. Friday, May 12. Same day registration and packet pickup begins at 8:30 a.m. at Silver Harbor Brewing Company as well. The awards ceremony will start at approximately 11:30 a.m. Jonny Reinhardt from Midwest Family Broadcasting will be on hand to provide music and announcements during the race. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Blossomtime Festival Scholarship Fund.

As the oldest and largest multi-community festival in the state of Michigan, the Blossomtime Festival believes in helping young people of Southwest Michigan be the very best they can be.

The Blossomtime Festival Scholarship Fund was set up to give financial support to young men and women to further their education and pursue their dreams. The festival stands behind 117 years of tradition, community service, honoring the values set before us and celebrating the beautiful and prosperous farms, fruit orchards and the agriculture that puts Southwest Michigan on the map. By supporting the Blossomtime Festival and Run for the Buds, you’re supporting the hopes and dreams and the future of Southwest Michigan. The Blossomtime Festival will hold its annual Youth Parade for youngsters from preschool through middle school age at noon Saturday, May 6, along Lake Boulevard in downtown St. Joseph.

Come out and celebrate this special parade day featuring the festival’s Grand Marshalls, the 2023 Bud Princess, Avry Schmidke and Bud Prince, Cameron Johns as they lead the way, along with many queens and kings in attendance.

Check-in will begin 11 a.m. at the corner of Pearl Street and Lake Boulevard. Pre-registration is required. Awards will be given, with identification, to the person whose name is on the entry form, immediately following the parade at the Band Shell.

Entrants will be judged in the following categories: Floats, Bands, Shoe Box Float, Scout Troops, 4H Units, Pom Pon/ Cheerleading/Drill Teams, Pets, Costumed Individuals, Costumed Groups and decorated wagons and bikes. No motorized vehicles are allowed in the Youth Parade unless the entrants are a Float A Division unit. Fillable applications are available by emailing the office or visiting www.blossomtimefestival. org. Please return applications to the Blossomtime Office by e-mail at office@ blossomtimefestival.org or by faxing to 269-982-8018. Any questions, please call 269-982-8016 or email the office at office@ blossomtimefestival.org. Applications are due Friday, April 28.

The Youth Parade is sponsored annually by Starks Family Funeral Home and awards provided by Twin City Awards & Trophies.

Construction of more single-family residences has been completed in La Porte, where officials are pushing to update an aging housing stock.

Two of four newly built town homes overlooking Fish Trap Lake and priced at about $700,000 have already been sold.

Each of the new two story dwellings containing three to four bedrooms include a basement and a common area containing a swimming pool and fitness center.

“They’re absolutely beautiful,” said La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Director Bert Cook.

Work is about begin on putting up four more town houses at the edge of the small