The Festival Issue, June 2013

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When the weather’s warm, everything is just better. The food, the company, the entertainment. Exemplify it all with one of Michigan’s multiple festivals happening this summer. Whether you have cash to spend or you’re on a budget, there’s an entertainment option for everyone. Read on to find your kind of festival.

by Revue Staff and Minions / illustration by Anthony Carpenter

Eclectic Local First Street Party June 1. Food vendors and local goods abound in front of Bistro Bella Vita. The best local music provides a background to a celebration of all things Grand Rapids. Stepdad, The Crane Wives and The Concussions are among the bands performing and food will be provided by Egg Roll Queens, Louis Benton, Spoonlickers, Twisted Rooster and several other local restaurants. » Downtown Grand Rapids / localfirst.com

Woofstock Fest June 1. Animal lovers will be pleased to know they don’t have to leave their pet at home for this festival. Enjoy music and entertainment, plus a day of bonding with your furry friend. » Arcadia Creek Festival Site / $5 (kids 12 and under and dogs get in free) / woofstockdogfestival.com

Vicksburg Old Car Festival June 7-8. A ‘50s drive-in and a Friday night cruise precede the Saturday auto show and juried craft show with the added bonus of live entertainment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. » 104 S. Main, Vicksburg / vicksburgoldcarfestival.com

Weko Beach Concert Series Second and fourth Sunday of June, July and August. Concerts take place at 7 p.m. two Sundays each month throughout the summer at Weko Beach Campground on the shores of Lake Michigan. Highlights for this year’s lineup include country folk rock group Everyday People and variety band Top Secret. » Weko Beach Campground, Bridgman / bridgman.org

Spring Lake Heritage Festival June 11-15. Celebrate Spring Lake’s Civil War heritage with a living history walk around town before taking in fireworks over the water. Plenty of food and beverage options include a barbecue chicken wing contest, free ice cream and popcorn, a $4 pancake breakfast and a beer tent that has not raised prices in seven years. » Downtown Spring Lake / slheritagefestval.com

Saugatuck Venetian Festival July 28-28

Rock the Block Culture Fest June 15. A community fair celebrating health and wellness with entertainment, food, horse rides and more. » Madison Square, Grand Rapids

West Michigan Pride Festival June 15-16. The 25th annual festival is part of a series of national events that have been taking place since 1972 aiming to promote gender equality and the free expression of sexuality. The event also includes live music, food and beverages. The Grand Rapids Parade of Pride is held on June 16, right after the festival. » Calder Plaza, Grand Rapids / westmipride.org

Harborfest June 20-23. South Haven’s weekend festival offers renaissance flair with something for everyone, including craft shows, a pancake breakfast and live music. Those with a competitive edge can take part in the ancient Chinese sport of Dragonboating, all supplies included. » southhavenharborfest.com

Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival July 3-7. Experience an abundance of hot air balloons, whether it be

Photo: Ted Swoboda

them coming, going or performing a show. This festival also has a variety of vendors, rides, shows and music to keep the whole family entertained. » Battle Creek / $5-15 depending on day and time / bcballoons.com

Kindleberger Festival of the Performng Arts July 10-15. This eclectic, family friendly week-long event features musicals, a car show, arts and crafts, food, a 5k and more. » Kindleberger Park, Parchment / kindleberger. org/festival.php

Berlin Fair July 15-20. Highlighting youth and agriculture, this festival’s mission is to educate, entertain and create community involvement by allowing people to showcase their agricultural and craft products. Carnival rides and live entertainment are also a big part of the festival. » 2008 Berlin Fair Dr., Marne / berlinfair.org

Calhoun County Fair August 11–17

Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival July 26-Aug. 4. Possibly one of the biggest festivals to hit the lakeshore, the Coast Guard Fest celebrates the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard with a downtown carnival, free hot dog lunch, ship tours, a car show and live entertainment. Fitness fanatics can take part in a 5K race or a 33 to 100-mile bike tour. » coastguardfest.org,(616) 846-5940

Saugatuck Venetian Festival July 26-28. This spirited festival has a costume contest, themed boat parade and a motorcycle poker run. You also can’t forget about the live enter tainment, fireworks and much more. » Corner of Culver and Griffith / saugatuckvenetianfestival.com

Coopersville Summerfest

July 18-20. Every year, Fremont offers a reason to get excited about baby food. The street festival features live music at night and a carnival atmosphere by day, including a baby food eating contest for adults. » 7 E. Main St., Fremont / babyfoodfest.com

Aug. 5-10. A week full of festivities dedicated to celebrating the community and keeping the heritage alive. The festival kicks off with a pageant on Monday night, followed by a week full of events, including a jam night, box car derby, tractor competition and more. » coopersville.com/summerfest

Ionia Free Fair

Kalamazoo County Fair

July 18-27. The fair offers a variety of events, including Ionia Idol, rides, agricultural learning experiences, MONSTER TRUCKS and much more. » Ride wristbands $14 before

Aug. 5-10. Family friendly activities abound among 4-H showings, food, and vendors. » Kalamazoo Expo Center / kalcounty.com/parks/ fair/index.htm

Clown Band Concert and Corn Roast Aug. 6. Enjoy fresh-roasted sweet corn, bratwursts and hot dogs while listening to the Pentwater Civic Band and Scottville Clown Band perform at this annual concert. » Ludington / historicwhitepinevillage.org

Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival Aug. 6-11. The name says it all. This festival is all about feminism and being a free woman. Within six days, you could experience music from a variety of different performers and wander through 650 acres of woodland. » $65-$600 / michfest.com

165th Annual Calhoun County Fair Aug. 11-17. Michigan’s oldest fair, Calhoun offers rides, exhibits and an array of events. This year’s Grand Stand Entertainment includes a mud run, semi-tractor pull and a demolition derby. » Marshall / calhouncountyfair.org

Continued on page 30 »

Scene Sounds | Sights | Dining | Schedule

National Baby Food Festival

July 17 and $22 starting July 18 / ioniafreefair.com

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Michigan Fiber Festival Aug. 16-18. This festival doesn’t help promote a healthy digestive system.

No, no. no. It celebrates natural fibers, businesses that work with them and art and craftsmanship.

Festival-goers can also enjoy food, animals and live entertainment. » Allegan County Fairgrounds / $3 Friday, $5 Saturday and Sunday, $8 weekend pass / michiganfiberfestival.info

Festivals

Music B 93 Birthday Bash June 8-9. B-93.7’s annual blockbuster country festival lineup includes country stars Hunter Hayes, Gary Allan, Uncle Kracker, Randy Houser, Tyler Farr and Rachel Farley. » US 131 Motorsports Park, Martin / $30 parking fee / b93.com

Spirit of the Woods Folk Festival June 15. Immerse yourself in folk with performances by Red Sea Pedestrians, The Crane Wives, Kennedy’s Kitchen, The Nephews and Billy Strings & Don Julin. » Dickson Township Park, Brethren / spiritofthewoods.org

Island Festival June 20-22. The 18th incarnation of Michigan’s go-to reggae festival features DubTonic Kru’s fusion of dubstep and reggae, as well as Mykal Rose. » Downtown Kalamazoo / islandfestkalamazoo.com

Summer Solstice Jazz Festival

year in a row. » Rosa Parks Circle, Grand Rapids / grandjazzfest.org

June 21-22. Enjoy two days of local, regional and national jazz talent. The event is family friendly and features activities for kids in addition to the food and high-caliber jazz artists. » Downtown Lansing / Free! / eljazzfest.com

Rock the Rapids Aug. 20-22. After making downtown Grand Rapids its home, Rock the Rapids moves back to Fifth Third Ballpark for days-straight entertainment featuring local and national acts. » Fifth Third Ballpark, Comstock Park / rocktherapids.org

Electric Forest June 27-30. One of Michigan’s biggest music festivals, Electric Forest brings in some of the nation’s biggest names for three days of music, dancing and camping. This year’s lineup includes Pretty Lights, Passion Pit, Above & Beyond, Grimes, and more. » Rothbury/electricforestfestival.com

JuneGrass Festival June 28-29. Instrumental bluegrass band The Boxcars, along with local favorites Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys and several other top regional bluegrass bands take over the Kent County Fairgrounds for the 18th annual festival. » Kent County Youth Fairgrounds, Lowell / $26

Wheatland Music Festival

Ramona Luettke —

G. Love & Special Sauce — Founders Fest, June 22

advance/$31.5 weekend or Friday $13.75, Saturday $23

Blissfest is family friendly and features music from all over the world, including bluegrass, zydeco, blues, Celtic, Latin and more. » Festival Farm, Harbor Springs / $19.50$116.50 / blissfest.org

Summer Solstice, June 21–22

Coast West Music Festival July 1-6. The legendary Gregg Allman, soul crooner Allen Stone and Grammy winner LeAnn Rimes are just a few of the headliners, as well Here Come the Mummies and Polyphonic Spree. » Heritage Landing, Muskegon / $35-$45 / coastwestfestival.com

Schedule | Dining | sights | Sounds Scene

Common Ground Music Festival July 8-14. Alternative pop, rock and country acts take the spotlight along the Grand River. Nineties favorites Barenaked Ladies rub shoulders with current folk sensation The Avett Brothers and country quartet Little Big Town. Northern Michigan’s Frontier Ruckus will also perform. » Adado Riverfront Park, Lansing / $89.50 for festival pass or $24.50-$32.50 for day passes / commongroundfest.com, (517) 267-1502

Kalamazoo Blues Fest July 11-13. This festival has been going strong for 20 years, bringing in local and national blues acts to entertain over a three-day period.

Performers in 2013 include Crossroads, Janiva Magness, JP Soars & The Red Hots and more. » Arcadia Festival Site / kvba.org

The Avett Brothers—

Common Ground Music Festival, July 18–14

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Blissfest Traditional Music Festival July 12-14. Celebrate a combination of community, culture and roots music during this festival weekend.

City Lights Music Festival July 19-20. Experience the world of local electronica and art in the shadows of “La Grande Vitesse.”

Performers include Kill Paris, George Acosta, StarKillers and more. » Calder Plaza, Grand Rapids / Two-day pass $25; day pass $20; V.I.P.: $35, $55 / new.citylightsmusicfestival.com

R&B/Funk Festival July 19-20. In its second year, this festival features national, regional and local R&B and funk acts, along with food and spirits. This year’s lineup features headliners The Dazz Band and The Floaters. » Arcadia Creek Festival Site, Kalamazoo / $20 / vicspremierentertainment. com

Cowpie Music Festival Aug. 9-10. This superlocal festival celebrates home-grown music, food and beer. » Shagbark Farm, Alaska / cowpiemusicfestival.com

GRandJazzFest Aug. 17-18. This free festival celebrates jazz music with local and national performers. This year, Chicago guitarist Nick Colionne headlines and Phil Denny returns for a second

Sept. 6-9. This year, Wheatland celebrates its 40th anniversary with legendary banjo player Bela Fleck headlining with Abigail Washburn, as well as Big Sandy and His FlyRite Boys and more. » Wheatland Festival Grounds, Remus / wheatlandmusic.org

Earthwork Harvest Gathering Sept. 20-22. This family friendly festival celebrates music, sustainability and artisan culture with vendors that serve food from more than 40 local farms and local artists. » Earthwork Farm, Lake City / earthworkharvestgathering.com

Food Cereal Festival June 7-8. Guests can grab a seat at the world’s longest breakfast table and watch the parade. Celebrate your favorite cereals and take photos with Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam. » Downtown Battle Creek / bcfestivals.com

National Cherry Festival June 29-July 6. This Traverse City festival has grown to massive proportions and includes every possible form of festival entertainment. The Meijer Festival of Races hosts 15K and 5K runs, food sponsors ensure neverending concessions.

In addition to all that, Styx, Montgomery Gentry and Foreigner take the stage. » Traverse City Festival Open Space Park / cherryfestival.org

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Kill Paris to perform at City Lights Festival.

A-Trak performs at Electric Forest.

Electronic Music Fests

Bass Drops All Over Michigan This Summer / By Nick Manes

T

hop music and we put out dance music and kind of everything in between. I think that musically, this sort of DJ perspective unites all these things.”

One thing that appears to set Fool’s Gold apart in a still beleaguered music industry is that it has diversified itself to be more than just a record label. Fool’s Gold has made itself more of a go-to brand for the alt-hipster lifestyle, having an extensive clothing line and throwing block parties around New York and Los Angeles.

“One of the unique things about having a record label in 2013 is that you can’t just release music,” Catchdubs said.

“On a purely practical sense it’s not just what makes the most money. (Fool’s Gold) is something that stands for things that are cool and interesting, and come from the world of music, but aren’t necessarily only based around music.”

This appears to be the focus that is driving Fool’s Gold’s growth as it goes beyond the borders of hipster meccas like Brooklyn and West Hollywood, and pushes it’s way into the forests of northwestern Michigan.

“It’s just a passion to put out cool, creative content, whether it’s music or merchandise or throwing big parties,” said Ben Jacobs, general manager of Fool’s Gold Records.

Jacobs and Catchdubs are both proud of the fact that the majority of the Fool’s Gold family will be at their Clubhouse stage for Electric Forest. Catchdubs himself will be there, along with A-Trak, Danny Brown, Ryan Hemsworth, Just Blaze, Tommy Trash, and a list that goes on.

Joining Fool’s Gold in curating a stage this June is Movement, the world-renowned electronic festival held each Memorial Day weekend at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit

(often considered the birthplace of techno music). Movement’s production team hopes to bring artists from many spectrums of electronic music to create their own unique party.

Dana Boyette, special projects manager with Paxahau (the organizers of Movement) hopes that having a stage at Electric Forest will lend some credibility to the music for new listeners. “(Movement’s stage) will showcase some historical aspects of the genre we are a part,” Boyette said. “(Last year) we brought some Detroit flavor to the Wagon Wheel (one of Electric Forest’s stages).

If you’re unable to make the trip to Electric Forest or pay for the four-day camping festival, there is a pretty solid option in the middle of downtown Grand Rapids. On July 19 and 20, City Lights Music Festival will hold its annual electronic music event at Calder Plaza. What started as a one-night, free event has evolved into a large-scale, multi-day festival.

“The free nights saw great response and we switched to two nights (in 2012),” said Tim Sinen, public relations director with City Lights.

Sinen told REVUE that this year’s event will feature increased collaboration with the city, as well as with Kendall College of Art and Design in an effort to make art more of a focus. The festival also features some familiar names like Super Dre, DJ Kenneth Thomas and Detroit Techno Militia. Sinen said he is particularly excited for acts StarKillers and Kill Paris.

“It’s just going to be an awesome time ... without the price of a huge festival,” Sinen said. n

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he days of having to drive ridiculous distances to camp, party and hear your favorite music are largely over. Now there appears to be a killer music festival somewhere in the country every weekend in the summer. One genre that has experienced the most significant growth amongst the festival circuit is electronic music.

Right in West Michigan’s backyard is the acclaimed Electric Forest Music Festival. Originally started as the Rothbury Festival in 2008 and having a second year in 2009, the event and campground (the Double JJ Ranch, north of Muskegon) went into bankruptcy, forcing the festival to take 2010 off. Thus, Electric Forest rose from the ashes like a mighty phoenix (not the French electropop band).

In 2011 the festival came back to the Double JJ with a split emphasis on jam bands and electronic. In the last two years DJs and producers such as Skrillex, Bassnectar and Girl Talk have all played sets.

For 2013 it appears that Electric Forest is taking the electro scene to a new level. Beyond headliners that include acts like Pretty Lights, Grimes and Benny Bennassi — all major names in electro music — the festival is also bringing back its curated stages.

Fool’s Gold Records, the Brooklyn indie label home to artists like Danny Brown, A-Trak and Party Supplies brings its signature Clubhouse stage to the Forest.

“Fool’s Gold will always be a DJ-centric label,” said Nick Catchdubs, a noted DJ/producer and co-founder of the label.

“Even when we’re releasing a weird Japanese girl garage band there’s a funkiness to it and a soulfulness to it ... We put out hip

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Festivals

Three Chords and the Truth:

The Enduring Spirit of Michigan Folk Festivals / By Kyle Austin

Schedule | Dining | sights | Sounds Scene

S

eth Bernard attended his first folk festival at four years old, which explains his why he’s a leading figure of the booming Michigan roots music scene. Coming from a musical family, Bernard spent a large part of his youth soaking up the spirit of traditional arts.

“The music and the community we have now was very much inspired by the collaborative and cooperative principles that those festivals were founded on,” he said.

Artists like Bernard, May Erlewine, Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys, Fauxgrass Quartet and Greensky Bluegrass are among the popular acts in West Michigan’s live music scene, and their success stems in part from the way both established and emerging Michigan folk festivals work to preserve of roots music community culture.

Folk festivals are typically smaller in size and feature primarily acoustic instruments, creating an intimate atmosphere. Wheatland, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this fall, began humbly in the early ‘70s as a way for music enthusiasts to connect and raise money for the Mount Pleasant Food Co-Op. The inaugural Wheatland, held in 1974, was orchestrated by a group of less than a dozen people and drew a crowd of 700 that watched as musicians performed on flatbed trailers. Now, the festival draws more than 10,000 attendees to a much larger festival site.

“We don’t spend a lot of time making sure everybody’s doing what they’re supposed to do,” said Marilyn Hummel, secretary of Wheatland Music Organization’s Board of Directors since 1976. “It just happens because we believe so strongly in the benefit of what we do.”

Blissfest, the state’s other premier roots music festival, has a strikingly similar backstory. Beginning in 1981, it was a simple gathering of folk musicians and traditional arts enthusiasts. It soon grew to a multi-stage weekend event that mirrors Wheatland’s dedication to community, variety and quality. Over the years, both festivals have expanded their lineups to include a more diverse array of folk music from around the world.

“We go from blues to Cajun to folk to everything,” Hummel said. “If [people] don’t like a particular kind of music, they can always go to a different stage and find something they do like.”

For older festivals, the key to sustainability lies in communal organization and dedication to preserving the legacy of traditional arts. They rely heavily on volunteers, as well as lean on and support local farmers, businesses, artists, arts instructors and community organizations to bring more to the festival experience than just music.

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In addition to the ‘big two,’ the state is a veritable gold mine of folk festivals. Some, like the Nor’East’r Music and Art Festival in Oscoda County, are relatively new on the scene, but are building on the model of community set forth by their predecessors, showing growth every year. Other festivals, like Farmfest in Johannesberg and Spirit of the Woods Folk Fest in Brethren, have been around for a while, but chose to remain smaller.

Bernard sees the issue of growth as a potentially tricky one for folk festivals, but recognizes its necessity in keeping traditional arts alive. His own Earthwork Harvest Gathering is nearing 12 years old, but has grown in that time from a group of friends jamming on a front porch to a gathering of more than 2,000 people and 90 musicians.

“It’s a compromise you want to make to bring a really nice experience to a larger group of people,” he said. “As these festivals grow there are other, smaller festivals and

gatherings that come up, so folks that are interested in a more intimate experience are given options to find those types of things as the years go on.”

Being family friendly is also a top priority for these events, as is providing exposure and business to local food vendors and artists and giving festival patrons a wide variety of activities to enjoy outside of the music such as craft-making, instrument workshops, jam sessions and group dances. All of these efforts combine to make your festival experience akin to a family reunion. At the heart of it all is the roots music that preserves cultural and community heritage and moves people with its powerful simplicity.

“Some of the aspects of living in these modern times just don’t feel natural to us,” Bernard said. “Everything’s sped up and we feel anxious. Folk and roots music get us back in touch with some of the more comfortable elements of being human, and people like that.” n Red Sea Pedestrians: Performing at Buttermilk Jamboree and Spirit of the Woods Folk Fest.

Beer + Wine

« Festival Guide, continued from page 30 Taste of Kalamazoo July 25-27. Not your average festival food, Taste offers food from around the world, wine bars and a huge variety of beers. » Arcadia Creek Festival Place / tasteofkalamazoo.com

National Blueberry Festival

Yassou Greek Cultural Festival

The Market presented by Avenue for the Arts

Aug. 23-25. Celebrate Greek Orthodox culture and traditions with authentic Greek food, dance and music. » Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Grand Rapids / grgreekfest.com

June 8 and July 13, 12-8 p.m. The Market will take place twice with longer hours, more entertainment, more vendors and sidewalk sales.

Browse the local vendors’ unique handmade goods and pick up gifts or maybe even something for yourself. » Between Weston and Williams on S. Division Ave., Grand Rapids / avenueforthearts. com

Aug. 8-11. Get a taste of everything blueberry, from pies to pancakes and plants. Plus music, a parade and cook off. » South Haven / blueberryfestival.com

Grand Haven Art Festival

Restaurant Week GR Aug. 14-24. Focusing on the “farmto-fork” concept, restaurants in Eastown and downtown Grand Rapids offer complete meals at $25 per person. » experiencegr.com/ events

Grand Haven Salmon Festival Sept. 13-15. Celebrate the annual salmon migration and enjoy live jazz, wine tasting and fall harvest beer. » Downtown Grand Haven / visitgrandhaven.com

Cultural Greek Festival

Sept. 13-15. Experience all things Irish with a Celtic kitchen, market and, of course, music, which includes performers such as Slide, Damien Dempsey, Scythian and more. » Heritage Landing, Muskegon / $10-$40 / michiganirish.org

Art Festival of the Arts June 7-9. Hopefully weather will surprise Grand Rapidians and cooperate for three days in early June to allow for full enjoyment of art, food booths and kids activities downtown. » Downtown Grand Rapids / festivalgr.org

June 28-29. Celebrating all things Celtic, this festival allows for full immersion in Irish culture.

Sample food from Kalamazoo pubs, visit the Irish Tea room in the Heritage Village, and bask in Irish music

by Ladies of Longford and Steel City Rovers, among others. » $8 adults; $4 students; free 13 and under / kalamazooirish.org

Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival

June 15. Taste local wines from Lake Michigan’s shore. » Weko Beach, Bridgman / $10-$15 / lakemichiganshorewinetrail.com

Founders Fest Bizarre Bazaar June 23. The Eastown Community Association and the Eastown Business Association host the largest Bizarre Bazaar yet. Local artisans will sell their work street-side, where visitors also listen to live music. » Wealthy Street, Eastown / eastowngr.com

Krasl Art Fair

ArtPrize Sept. 18-Oct. 6. The world’s biggest art prize fills the city with art for the fifth year in a row. » Downtown Grand Rapids / artprize.org

Film Waterfront Film Festival Greek food! — Kzoo Greek Festival, June 6–8; Yassou Greek Festival, Aug. 23–25

Hatter Day Street Party June 8. New Holland’s annual party that features live music, Daredevil Circus, food specials and of course, beer. » New Holland Brewing Company, Holland / newhollandbrew.com

July 13-14. More than 200 artists from around the country gather to showcase their work and celebrate the 52nd anniversary of this nationally recognized fair. » St. Joseph / krasl.org

Kalamazoo Irish Festival

Founders fest, June 22

June 13-16. Although this beloved film fest is moving away from Saugatuck, where it has been hosted since its inception in 1999, high quality films, seminars and

June 22, 3 p.m. Thousands will pack the streets outside Founders Brewery on June 22 from 3-11 p.m. to drink beer and listen to a variety of tunes ranging from hip-hop, blues, rock to funk. » Grand Rapids / foundersbrewing.com

Wine & Art Festival June 22. Wines from the Grand Traverse region mingle with local art and music. » Grand Traverse Commons, Traverse City / $35 / traversecitywinefestival.com

Suds on the Shore Beer and Wine Festival Aug. 17. Sample a fine assortment of Michigan craft beverages in a souvenir glass, which is included in the ticket price. » Ludington / $25 advance; $30 at the gate / sudsontheshore.com

Lemon Creek Winery Harvest Fest Sept. 7. Celebrate Michigan-made wine with Lemon Creek Winery’s annual festival, with wine tastings, food and live music. » Berrien Springs / lemoncreekwinery.com

Hoptoberfest Sept. 15-16. HopCat is hosting its annual celebration of local beer to the back-beat of local funk and soul bands. A beer brunch is free to the first 2000 attendees. » Downtown Grand Rapids / $10–$15 / hoptoberfestgr.com

Q&A sessions with cast and crew remain intact. » South Haven / waterfrontfilm.org, (269) 767-8765

Traverse City Film Festival July 30-Aug. 4. One of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, TC

Film Festival emphasizes documentaries, foreign and independent films and quality films that haven’t gotten enough attention. Free panels are offered daily with writers, directors and actors. » traversecityfilmfest.org n

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June 6-8. Every year, Theo and Stacy’s Restaurant offers up a unique opportunity to take in traditional Greek cuisine and entertainment in a family friendly atmosphere. All food is made from scratch by Stacy. » Arcadia Creek Festival Place, Kalamazoo / 11 a.m.-4 p.m. free; $5-10 4 p.m.-1 a.m. / kalamazoogreekfest. com

Michigan Irish Music Festival

June 29-30. Stroll the streets of the lakeshore while admiring art in studios and outdoors. » Downtown Grand Haven / grandhavenchamber.org

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Festivals

Festival Fashion

By Lindsay Patton-Carson / Illustrations by Anthony Carpenter

Lollapalooza

Grant Park, Chicago / Aug. 2-4 / lollapalooza.com This festival-goer tries hard to make it look like they put minimal effort into their outfit. But we know your secret, and it’s buried in your mom-jeans-filled closet.

Hair: Hitler Youth haircut.

Accessories: Neon Wayfarers. Fake acceptable, bonus points for real Ray Bans. Also, ironic facial hair.

Shirt: Tank top or deep V-neck. Color spectrum: neon or Earth tones.

Pants: Cut-off shorts. No other option.

Schedule | Dining | sights | Sounds Scene

Shoes: See: Women. Classic Vans also acceptable.

Women: Shirt: Cropped top. Extra points if bra is exposed and is colorful.

Pants: Must not be worn below belly button. Vintage Levi’s cut-off mom jeans a must, but printed shorts are also OK. Accessories*: Across-the-shoulder purse, at least three necklaces, cat-eye sunglasses. The more dramatic, the better.

Shoes: TOMS. Only TOMS. No fakes, please.

Hair: A bun you spent an hour to make look the perfect amount of messy.

Feathers optional but not necessary. *You will be tempted to dress in Native American appropriation. Don’t. Just please, for all humanity’s sake, don’t do it.

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Festivals

Festival Fashion

Buttermilk Jamboree Circle Pines Center, Delton / June 14-16 / buttermilkjamboree.org At this community-centric, family friendly festival, fashion takes a backseat to the music. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t be fabulous.*

Hair: Wrangle it all with a pretty hat or headband.

Shirt: Printed sundress or peasant blouse.

Accessories: Patchwork boho bag, floppy hat, beaded jewelry.

Pants: Colorful shorts are OK, but if you really want to make it work, stick to a long, flowy skirt with tie dye or patterns.

Schedule | Dining | sights | Sounds Scene

Shoes: Gladiator sandals.

Men: Shirt: Light tunic, well-worn Phish shirt or button-up flannel.

Pants: Linen pants or shorts.

Shoes: Chacos sandals.

Accessories: Throw on some hemp bracelets and a necklace. Stick to primarily beads and a Tree of Life charm. Be wary of shells.

Hair: Keep it natural. Bring a bandana just in case you need it controlled. *Bonus points for organic and trade-free clothing.

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Festivals

Festival Fashion

B93 Birthday Bash US 131 Motorsports Park, Martin / June 8-9 / b93.com Life is simple when you have a beer in your hand, some cowboy boots on and Hunter Hayes crooning in the background. The key to this festival’s fashion: don’t try too hard and just go with it.

Accessories: Cowboy hats should come with admission, but since the Birthday Bash is free, you have to bring your own. Extra points if you make it out of empty Bud Light boxes.

Hair: As long as it can fit under your cowboy hat, you’re good.

Shirt: White tank top or a Lynyrd Skynyrd tee.

Pants: Jeans are a cowboy’s staple. If those are too hot (it is summer after all), trade in for the less-authentic camouflage cargo shorts.

Schedule | Dining | sights | Sounds Scene

Shoes: Cowboy boots. Yes, even with camouflage cargos.

Women: Shirt: A “vintage” band t-shirt you bought from Meijer. Kick it up a notch and add your own fringe.

Pants: Daisy Dukes.

Accessories: Find a plain cowgirl hat and bedazzle the s**t out of it.

Shoes: Cowgirl boots. If you have anything left over from bedazzling your hat, use it on the boots.

Hair: See: Men.

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Festivals

Festival Fashion

Electric Forest Double JJ Ranch, Rothbury / June 27-30 / electricforestfestival.com Clothes may be optional for certain attendees, but you dear reader, you know fashion is just as big as the music.

Hair: Braids, feathers, color streaks, headbands, dreadlocks you started last week. Long hair is preferable.

Shirt: Bikini tops are a must. Throw a crocheted shirt over for extra drama.

Accessories: Feathers, hula hoops, glow sticks and body paint. Wear them all at once.

Pants: Pants? Please. Flowy skirts or short shorts only.

Schedule | Dining | sights | Sounds Scene

Shoes: We know; barefoot is beautiful. At least throw on some flip flops.

Men: Shirt: You’re kidding, right?

Pants: If it’s good enough for the beach, it’s good enough for the forest.

Accessories: Bandanas and glow sticks.

Hair: Embrace the just-go-with-it vibe and let your hair run wild.

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Scene Sounds | Sights | Dining | Schedule

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REVUEWM.COM | June 2013 |

Festivals

Festival Fashion

Frederik Meijer Gardens Grand Rapids / Summer Concert Series through August / meijergardens.org The concert series for the sophisticated tastes, Meijer Gardens offers its attendees a relaxing atmosphere with the bonus of packing a picnic dinner to accompany the outdoor concert.

Hair: Keep cool with neatly pinned hair. Classy and casual.

Shirt: Sundress or flowy blouse.

Accessories: Kate Spade purse and sunglasses (Coach is also acceptable), appropriate-height lawn chair, blanket, boxed water, fruit from the farmers market.

Pants: Colorful capri pants.

Schedule | Dining | sights | Sounds Scene

Shoes: Strappy sandals from Naturalizer.

Men: Shirt: Tommy Bahama shows just enough casual-cool while still demanding respect.

Pants: Dockers shorts. We recommend navy. Wear khaki only if you’re prepared for potential grass stains.

Accessories: Appropriate-height lawn chair, blanket, transitions lenses, boxed water, chicken salad with free-range, local chicken.

Shoes: Sperry Top-Siders.

Hair: Clean cut.

42 | REVUEWM.COM | June 2013