Grayling’s 150th Birthday Bash Scheduled for September 17
The Grayling Heritage 150th Committee and Grayling Main Street have been working in partnership to plan and execute a birthday party for the Grayling community to celebrate the sesquicentennial anniversary for the city. Scheduled for September 17 in downtown Grayling, plans are in place for a live concert downtown along with food vendors and family friendly activities.
The Birthday Bash is intentionally slated to occur during Grayling’s Homecoming weekend, knowing that community members will be returning from afar to enjoy the football game and a weekend back in their hometown. “We are considering making this an annual event, along the lines of a founder’s festival, or a reincarnation of what used to be Milltown Festival,” states Jillian Tremonti, Executive Director of Grayling Main Street and member of the Grayling Heritage 150th Committee. “We know folks come back home around homecoming, and it’s always fun to have an excuse to come downtown and see old friends. Now we have something to celebrate!”
The main event will be a 3 act free concert with local talent performing through the afternoon and evening. Derek Boik will take the stage to start the afternoon at 3 pm, playing his versions of “old school rock and roll” until 5 pm. He’ll be followed by Oh Brother Big Sister, the fantastic brother and sister duo of Penny Podjaske-Pippo and Radel Roisin. OBBS covers the musical spectrum with entrancing harmonies and ingenious musical arrangements. They’ll be taking the stage from 5:45 pm to 7:45 pm. Closing out the evening will be MotorCity Memories Band, performing from 8:30-10:30 pm. MotorCity Memories Band is a group of seasoned musicians whose number one goal is to create a fun and upbeat entertaining atmosphere that brings people together to enjoy music from the 50’s to the 80’s.
The Grayling 150th Heritage Committee is also putting on a costume contest for the event, with awards for the top 3 best costumes that honor Grayling’s history. Starting in 1872, Grayling has historically spanned plenty of different notable fashions and trends through the years, along with notable industries taking a stronghold. Folks in costumes will be judged by a secret committee, with the winners brought up on stage and announced in between Oh Brother Big Sister’s set and MotorCity Memories Band taking the stage.
Also joining in on the fun will be ManBear Meat Company, a locally owned specialty brat, sausage and burger company with delicious homemade sides. They will be catering on site with food available for purchase by party-goers.
A custom built parade float, put together by volunteers on the Grayling Heritage 150th Committee, will be parked downtown for party goers to inspect close up and take pictures. The float, sponsored by Matt LaFontaine Automotive, has been pulled in multiple parades this year, including Grayling’s 4th of July parade and the AuSable River Festival parade.
Other vendors and organizations will also be downtown, including a souvenir booth with specially designed commemorative items.
The event is currently being sponsored by Matt LaFontaine Automotive, the Grayling Promotional Association, the Grayling Rotary Club, and the Grayling Hospital for Animals, and supported by the Grayling Regional Chamber of Commerce. Parties interested in sponsoring the event or private donations can be made by contacting Grayling Main Street at downtowngrayling@gmail.com or by donating at https://square.link/u/YiOZARff. You can also visit Grayling Main Street’s Facebook page to find a donation link. Sponsorship packages are available for donations of $150 or more, and in-kind donations are welcome.