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.

The Red Flannel Festival will be holding a brand new event on September 23—a nighttime firefighter parade—honoring those amazing heroes who put their lives on the line for us each and every day! The parade, consisting of firefighters, police, and other emergency vehicles, will begin about 9:30 p.m., after the Cedar Springs High School Varsity football game.
Staging will take place at the middle school off Northland Drive and 16 Mile. Vehicles will then travel to Red Hawk Elementary (off E. Muskegon) near the tennis courts, proceed north on First St, west on Elm, south on Main Street and west on E. Muskegon, and back to the school driveway by the tennis courts.
The vehicles will travel that route twice, once with sirens and lights flashing, and the second time in silence.
Free, small American flags will be distributed downtown by the Festival Board of Directors.
At least eight departments have confirmed they will be in the parade (including Cedar Springs), and Red Flannel Treasurer Heather Zenker is expecting more to register by the parade date.
“This is an exciting way to honor our local firefighters, the many outstanding volunteers who keep us safe,” said Zenker. “The Red Flannel Festival Board is proud to host the first event in downtown Cedar Springs and hope to make it an annual event.”