SN 8.28.2021 DONE

Page 10/The Sun and News, Saturday, August 28, 2021

30th Heritage Days celebration dubbed a success

Old-fashioned games, live

music, a downtown parade, a

car show honoring a commu-

nity icon, and so much more.

Organizers of

Middleville’s Heritage Days

celebration last weekend are

thrilled with how everything

turned out.

While no official atten-

dance figure is available,

Downtown Development

Authority Director Katherine

Schmidt said the attendance

“was certainly in the thou-

sands.”

“The community support

was phenomenal, the com-

munity turnout was phenom-

enal. I can’t say enough

about the support,” Schmidt

said.

This year marked the 30th

annual event, and after last

year’s festival was truncated

by the pandemic, residents

and visitors flocked in droves

to take part in the various

events. Friday’s activities

included a special version of

the Middleville Market, a

cornhole tournament to raise

money for the Thornapple

Kellogg High School foot-

ball program, and live music

from the Kari Holmes Band

at the DDA amphitheater.

A parade down Main

Street, featuring the

Thornapple Kellogg High

School marching band, high-

lighted Saturday’s festivities.

The Thornapple Area Parks

and Recreation Commission

got a large turnout of runners

for the 5-kilometer and

10-kilometer races. A car

show on Main Street honored

the late Village President,

Charlie Pullen.

Schmidt pointed out one

favorite activity where kids

got to meet a draft horse used

for pulling the stagecoach

during the parade. Kids

would climb on the large

chair in the Sesquicentennial

Pavilion, next to the horse.

“They could look the horse

in the eye and pet his nose.

Where else do you find this?”

Schmidt said.

A Village Council member

praised the efforts of both

6450 100th Street SE

Caledonia

616.891.

Mug Club Members

Appetizer Bar 4pm - 6pm

August 31st

Celebrating 10 years

ANNIVERSARY DAY

DRIVE-THRU SPECIAL

Brann’s 1/4 Pounder

Fries & Drink

2 for

$

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00

Thank you FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Youngsters wait for a shot to drop on the courts at
McFall Elementary School in Middleville Saturday during
the Heritage Days at the Cage 3-on-3 Basketball
Tournament. (Photo by Brett Bremer)

Members of the Battle Creek Shrine Club drive their

mini-cars along the edge of the parade route during

Middleville’s Heritage Days celebration Saturday. (Photo

by Brett Bremer)

The trumpet section and the rest of the Thornapple

Kellogg High School marching band makes its way down

Main Street in Middleville during the Heritage Days

Parade Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer)

Tom and Jeri Otto wave from the truck hauling the

Otto’s Turkey Farm float in the Middleville Heritage Days

Parade Saturday on Main Street. The farm, celebrating

175 years, won second place in the parade judging com-

petition. (Photo by Brett Bremer)

Runners take off from Stagecoach Park along the Thornapple/Paul Henry Trail at
the start of the River Run 5K/10K, one of the opening events Saturday morning during
Heritage Days in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer)

Continued next page