Steve and Lisa Corbett, of Courtland Township, and kids Mike, 10, and Shannon, 13, are ready and rarin’ to go to the next Red Flannel Day. According to Lisa, Steve likes to wear his Red Flannels that day. Perhaps he’ll be part of the new Red Flannel flash mob, one of the new events taking place this year.

The Red Flannel Festival will provide some fresh new events for its 73rd annual festival, titled “Deeply rooted in tradition.”

New this year is the Michigan Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall. “The addition of the Memorial Wall enhances the tradition the Festival has in honoring Veterans,” said Red Flannel Festival President Michele Tracy-Andres. Annually, the Flap Jack Breakfast profits are donated from the Brown Family to the City for the Veteran’s Memorial Park via the Festival Community Share Program.

The Red Flannel Flash Mob is another new event this year. Organized by Social Media (Twitter, You Tube, Facebook) and mobile phone texting, a flash mob is a group of people who assemble in a public place for a brief time to perform a song then disperse.

Andres said that the new Firefighter Parade that debuted last year was a phenomenal hit and will be back again this year as an annual tradition.

The American Lumberjack Show is back this year with an entertaining display of old-fashioned lumberjack skills, replacing the Fireworks Show. A new Euchre tournament will be held at the Grand Lodge, along with last year’s Cornhole tournament.

“Of course, all of the traditional events are still in place,” said Andres. “The Queen Scholarship Pageant, Car & Tractor Shows, Museum Open House, Chili Cook Off, Bed Races and Grand Parade are wonderful “deeply rooted” traditions!” For a full schedule of events, or to download event applications, visit www.redflannelfestival.org. The Festival takes place each year the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October, with the grand parade and main events taking place on Red Flannel Day, the first Saturday in October.