It was a great night at Smash Wine Bar and Bistro May 30th.  Sold out crowd yet again and we welcomed some awesome guests in for the 5th edition of Muskegon Tonight Live!  Susan Shaw from WOOD TV 8 was up first and talked about her 25 years at WOOD TV plus the early years of her TV career.  Muskegon's Citizen of The Year Paul Billings came in next to talk about his extensive work with the Muskegon Heights Community and particulary young people there.  Pete and Walt Gawkowski along with Keith Williams came in to talk Muskegon Clippers Baseball and we wrapped up with the music of Chad Flores.  

We'll be back at Smash on June 27th with another show and more fun!  Stany by for the ticket release and guest list coming soon!  Thanks for coming out and if you missed the show, click on the video above and enjoy when you can.  

It's a huge event and it's a great source of family fun minus the beer tents and everything else that seems to be part of a "festival" anymore.  Nothing against a good beer tent, but to know that a town festival can be pulled off without one and that some of the good "old fashioned" fun things are still available to all, well, that's makes ya feel warm and fuzzy all over and to see a festival like that in a community like Fruitport..makes perfect sense for the beginning of Summer.  It's a huge undertaking for the Fruitport Lions Club and a source for them to help fund all the great work they do.

Fruitport, to me is were "Muskegon" begins.  In a lot of ways, it reminds me of my hometown of Sparta.  Trojans, or Spartans, our schools share the same mascot and colors.  Both communities share industry, agriculture and maintain the "small town" feel and since Mrs. O is a teacher at Fruitport High School, I get to see a lot of the people and families..and yes...I always feel right at home in Fruitport.  There are good people who take great pride in their home and they are a great link between all the major city's of the area.  Not to mention, they have Pomona Park which is becoming a site used more and more for incredible events like Dancing into the Sunset on Thursday nights and has been the home of the midway for Old Fashioned Days for years! Click Here for the Full Schedule of Events at Old Fashioned Days in Fruitport

Everything for this years Old Fashioned Days gets underway May 22nd.  You'll find the midway and a list of events daily that will keep anyone entertained, well fed and coming back for more!  It's a 150th celebration in Fruitport too this year so the expanded festival time and events will be keeping everyone busy.  Of course, the save a few bucks on the midway, you can get a wristband in advance at the following locations.  Buy in advance and get your ride wristband for only $20!  Locations are,

Buyers Guide, 1781 5th st (at Laketon), Muskegon, MI Kangaroo Palace, 3524 Green St., Norton Shores Lakeshore Federal CU, 2182 Lakeshore Dr., Muskegon Mr. Quick: All locations Pin Crest Lanes, 6571 Airline Rd., Fruitport 49415 Prenger's Jewelry, 2264 Apple Ave., Muskegon 49442 Spring Lake Orchard Market Community Shores Bank, 5797 Harvey St Community Shores Bank, 1120 S Beacon - G H Community Shores Bank, 1030 Norton - N S Village Pharmacy 10 S 3rd Fruitport, 49415 Waypoint Dock & Spirits, 187 S 3rd Ave Fruitport Whitlow's Forerunner 4610 Airline Rd Fruitport Ye Old Tavern 24 South 3rd Ave (Park St), Fruitport.  

Heidi Tice is the Village of Fruitport Supervisor and we sat down to talk about the fun to come and the events you don't want to miss. Take a listen!

Fun! The old fashioned way!  Don't miss the celebration in Fruitport and be a part of a great annual community event.  Fruitport is truly a treasure in our area, and growing....quickly!  We are all living in a fast forward time in and around these parts...so, grab yourself a sno cone, maybe an elephant ear and a corn dog and do things the Old Fashioned way for a while in Fruitport!  For a completel list of events or the run sign up, click on the photo below.

Click here to see the full schedule and any updated information at Fruitport Lions Website

Let me start off by saying, this was one of the most fun interviews I have done in a while, and it could have easily gotten out of hand...quick as we sat down to reminisce about the photography gallery that's going to be on display beginning May 23rd at the Muskegon Museum of Art.  Tough as it might have been, the artist and myself managed to keep it together....for the most part and talk about the display and the work that went in to the gallery...30 years in the making.  Let's rewind to begin.

Way back when, I was just a lad getting started in radio.  There was the internship where I got my start, then the next step was to be hired on as a "board op".  The board op had to stick around the radio station and run the music, commercials and everything else when the actual air personality went out to broadcast live somewhere.  It was the second step to being "on the air" and it was a chance to get used to the mechanics before you drove yourself into the wall actually talking on the radio for the first time.  Which I did....and how.  Amazing the humiliation you'll put yourself though for $6 bucks an hour if you want something bad enough.  Anyway, Paul Jendrasiak was also a board op and if memory serves me right, he did some air work too back when.  Part time, weekend stuff and it was always good to work with Paul. Lights Camera Rock and Roll Opening Event on Facebook

Paul on the other hand was a lot more eclectic in his focus when it came to all things media and music.  Ya, we were both a couple of "mullets" (his was WAY better than mine) but we loved the heavy and hard stuff and while I was out mingling with fans and bands, Paul was writing about them for the Music Review and gathering up photo passes to really capture some amazing moments from behind the lens.  Paul's photography and journalistic approach led him to a world of surreal experiences, much like I had, but just from a different angle and the amount of shared experiences we had over the years....the amazing events, the incredible people...it's truly the stuff dreams are made of.  Paul did have one distinct advantage though.

Paul's memories are all preserved.  Photos...1000's of them, the best of which will be on display beginning may 23rd at the Muskegon Museum of Art.  It's a comprehensive gallery covering the three decades Paul has been on stage, or side stage with the biggest names in the business.  Moments just before a lot of bands really hit the big time, or some moments of when established icons came to West Michigan for a visit.  

Paul and I sat down for a chat in front of Metallica front man James Hetfield, a photo Paul took at the LC Walker Arena on November 1st 1991.  Paul was behind the camera, and I was in the center of the stage in the "Snake Pit" for the show that barely left the LC Walker Arena standing.  Take a listen.

His memories are in print...mine...all in my head.  I think in the long term, I had to give the win to Paul for his amazing work and his terrific approach to an industry we both grew up loving...and both found ways to dig in deeper than most anyone could.  It's been a great 30 years of friendship...and even the few minutes of getting together brought back so many memories.  Please join Paul for his gallery opening and photo discussion on May 23rd.  I will see you there to hear Paul's side of the story.  For more about the Muskegon Museum of Art, click on their logo below.

It first got underway in 1972.  Motorcycle riders from all over Michigan converge on the small town of Baldwin and head to the airport grounds for their annual blessing on their bikes to keep them safe during the riding season.  It's a fun pastime for some, a lifestyle for others but there is a risk factor to the ride so what can any good luck or blessing hurt if offered to a rider, right? Follow Camp 37 on Facebook

Flash forward to 2019 and the Blessing of the Bikes draws thousands and thousands and yes....thousands more bikers from all over the Midwest.  Every race color creed, ever club, gang and loner all coming together for some fellowship, to see what everyone else is riding and of course to welcome in the riding season.  The Blessing now brings vendors, bands, food trucks, camp sites and more.  Baldwin doubles or triples in size for the weekend and a good time is had by all.

Of course, bikers are known to be incredibly giving and amazingly charitable, so..it's only a matter of time until someone has the idea to put on an event really raise some money for important things.  In the case of Camp 37, it started 10 years ago and now, has grown to a two day party and camping opportunity that will be hard to beat anywhere.  The best part of Camp 37....the funds go to help benefit Veterans.

The funds raised go to the Ruby Creek Disabled Veterans Hunt Club which gives our veterans a chance to break free of what might hold them back and get them out in the woods to enjoy some R&R and the excitement of a hunt.  Camp 37 is a completely volunteer run organization and the passion put in by those who make the event happen is a way of saying thank you to those who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. 

I caught up with Marcella Henry and Shannon Mullaney at Hot Rod Harley to learn a little more about the event.  The camping is sold out, but there are plenty of day passes to be hand for a great time.  Take a listen! 

If you're heading up, ride safe.  If you're heading up and looking for a party with a little purpose behind it, make it a visit to Camp 37 and help them give a Vet or two a great experience and a thank you for what they did for all of us.  Below, you'll find the complete schedule of events and if you click on it, you'll be able to visit the Camp 37 website!  Ride safe this season, and if you don't ride....look twice and safe a life!!

  Mona Shores Middle School Band held their 2019 Spring Concert featuring their 6th, 7th, and 8th grade bands at the high school auditorium, with special guest featuring the High School Jazz Band. Each grade performed three songs to a full auditorium with standing audience all the way at the back on both levels, the High School Jazz Band gave a strong finish with the theme from Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini. We have condensed the performance into a 7 minute video featuring one song for each grade / band, enjoy.

Index

0:00 6th Grade
1:28 7th Grade
3:30 8th Grade
5:21 HS Jazz band

What a night at Smash Wine Bar and Bistro!  It was the 4th installment of Muskegon Tonight Live on a very busy Thursday night in Downtown Muskegon.  We had a full house enjoying the great food, sampling the fine wines and other tasty beverages and as the cameras rolled, we had some pretty awesome guests drop by as well.

Our very own "Reporter Emeritus" Lauren Stanton came by to talk about life post retirement from WZZM 13 in Grand Rapids and how she and her husband John are building and growing their Retro Boat Rental business in Saugatuck and a few other locations this Summer.  Up next, the Muskegon County Central Dispatch Director Shawn Grabinski brought Sheriff Michael Poulin and Muskegon Heights Fire Chief Christopher Dean over to discuss the urgent need for a hand from all of Muskegon County to replace our antiquated 9-11 system with the vote coming up May 7th.  Up next, we shift gears a little and talk about Dancing into the Sunset in Pomona Park in Fruitport, then we talk to our show announcer Luke Lewis for a few minutes and we finish up the show with singer song writer Bri Baron and some of her soulful and amazingly good songs.

Lot's to talk about and lot's to follow up on!!  If any of the guests tonight sparked your interest, by all means, click on the images below to head over to their pages and learn more about what they are up to!

Our next show will be May 30th!  Guests include Susan Shaw from WOOD TV, Pete Gawkowski of the Muskegon Clippers Baseball Team and Country Music Artist Chad Flores!!  Keep your eye open for the free tickets coming soon!

Retro Boat Rentals in Saugatuck

911 Central Dispatch

Follow Dancing Into The Sunset on Facebook

Bri Baron Music

It's a long standing tradition.  I look back and there wasn't a fancy name like "Link Up" or anything, but I remember very distinctly the opportunity to head to DeVos Hall as a 5th grader and see the Symphony.  It was a huge treat for a bunch of kids from a small one hall school in Belmont.  It was exposure to a level of music that not many of us had even been a part of and it was an introduction to something other than the bubble gum pop and a few of us who had made the jump to Kiss records and were fans of the early beginnings of the disco era thanks to ultra hip parents who were out buying Bee Gees records after seeing Saturday Night Fever.  Follow the West Michigan Symphony on Facebook

Today, "Link Up" is a nationally embraced brand that brings kids and schools together, 54 schools in Muskegon today to be exact, to see just what happens when music is created without "autotune", and sampling of every other note ever written by someone else.  Actually, it goes even deeper than that.  The Link Up curriculum program comes directly from Carnegie Hall and the West Michigan Symphony was the first remote location to adopt the program as well as the only symphony to keep it going for the entire 16 years it's been around. There is actually more classroom based learning in the program than the one day concert experience, but there is also hands on application of what's been learned.  Students all brought recorders and were able to play along at points, it's all about music education and giving students a chance to dip their toe in the water a little as they get set to head to the 5th grade where they will have the opportunity to take some music classes for real for the first time.  It's the beginning of curiosity and like any interest sparked could lead to a life time of appreciation and enrichment.  

The West Michigan Symphony is a tremendous asset to have at the Frauenthal Center and they are still "in season" for a couple more shows until the Summer break.  To see the face of a young person light up when all of the different elements of a symphony combine, it's still priceless.  Music is a uniquely human endeavor, and from one violin doing a pizzicato to the entire ensemble combining for thunderous sweeping sounds like you'll hear, it's part of arts and culture that every kid should get a little piece of once in a while.

Andy Buelow is the Executive Director of the West Michigan Symphony and he invited me down to see first hand the Link Up program and talk a little about why it's so very important for young people to get a taste.  Take a listen.   

Did you go too when you were a kid?  There is so much placed on STEM education and of course college prep, skilled trades...on and on...but it's so important to remember what the arts add to the over all educational experience to balance out all of it.  Not everyone is going to be Beethoven, that's a given, but a level of appreciation for things other than what's on YouTube or on the soundtrack of Fortnite is essential to young minds....old ones too.  If you'd like to know more about the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra, click on their logo below to visit their website.

Friday night it's time to get your party on Friday with the Pegboard Nerds!  As the LC Walker Arena has reset it's layout as well as it's attitude, we're seeing more and more starting to happen at the historic venue.  New restaurants inside the place like Rad Dad's Taco and Tequila Bar.  Some new suites to add to the amenities as well as some innovative choices for club seating and group outings.  The modernization of the "old barn" has been a terrific evolution to watch unfold and quite honestly a breath of fresh air.  Click Here For Pegboard Nerds Tickets

With the new energy, comes some who are willing to invest in bringing some new entertainment to town to go along with the anchor offerings of hockey, arena football, indoor soccer and more!  One of those is ELQ Entertainment headed by Eric Quintero is doing just that.  We have seen concerts brought in by him that range from country to rock and diving into Electronic Dance Music (EDM) seems like a really good fit with not only the popularity of the genre for fans, but...the close proximity of Muskegon to one of the biggest EDM events in the world every year... Electric Forest. 

The average attendee is a 20 something that loves to be immersed in music and visuals.  Where the "older crowd" might have been out moshing it up, this generation is pretty happy dancing to their own thing and letting themselves get lost a while in their minds as the beats drop and the buzz of the music takes over.  Don't be shy about trying it out tho if you are a little on the older side.  I can tell you from a few years of Electric Forest under my belt....events like this don't draw a world wide audience because they are boring.  

Eric and I met up at the LC Walker Arena to talk about the show this Friday and share some thoughts about our re-emerging "scene" in Downtown Muskegon.  Take a listen! 

It's going to be a great time.  It's about supporting what's going on and trying something new!  EDM is nothing to be afraid of and if you've become that old codger sitting there saying "Those damn kids these days...." imagine what your parents thought when you came home and said you were going to the "Ratt Poison" concert at the LC Walker Arena.  Don't become that!  Check out some of the music of The Pegboard Nerds below and check out the show Friday night Downtown Muskegon.  Bet you end up diggin it!

It was another awesome time at Smash! Wine Bar and Bistro in Downtown Muskegon as Muskegon Tonight Live rolled on it's 3rd installment!  The idea is simple.  We at the Muskegon Channel and Positively Muskegon believe that Muskegon deserves it's own locally produced media and that we just don't have enough.  We have worked since 2015 when it all began with a free blog program and a GoPro camera to change the way we see ourselves in Muskegon and the way we are portrayed in the West Michigan Area as a whole.

Flash forward to 2019, and we're now able to bring you live 1080 hd broadcasts that are produced by people who all believe in the same mission of our story and our people in Muskegon.  So, as we've grown, so have our programming offerings and we'll continue to do just that.  You can now watch on your computer, you can cast to your favorite TV in your house and you can even get the Muskegon Channel Radio App in the Itunes App Store or Google Play and take all of our platforms with you!

On our third show, We welcomed community leader and activist Eddie Sanders Jr. to talk about Muskegon Heights Tiger Pride.  He also treated us to his latest single "If You Can Read" which inspires young people to pick up some books!  Jeremy DeWitt added a new Freak Your Geek out visiting Guy DeBoer from Guy's Ultimate Kayak Service and his amazingly huge watch collection.  Joel Selby from West Michigan Student Showcase came by to talk about this years event at the Frauentahal and Christoper Cordle played some pretty awesome acoustic songs to wrap things up.

It's all right here on demand if you missed it live....so enjoy episode 3 of Muskegon Tonight Live from Smash! Wine Bar and Bistro!

A fun show with great guests!!  Our many thanks too to our audience who came for the live show and Smash! for being such great hosts!  The good news is, we're already booked for April, May and June....so stay tuned for our upcoming guests and ticket availability.

For links to any of our guests from the March show, so you can get more information about them follow the links in the photos below!  Thanks for watching!

Follow Eddie Sanders Jr on Facebook

Christopher Cordle Music

It's a rivalry that's 17 years and running in Muskegon and somewhere along the way, the wins and losses between area police and firefighters got lost.  No one really remembers who won what game in what year anymore.  So much for the "competition" between the teams I suppose.  Not that it really matters anyway, because Muskegon Guns and Hoses is about so much more than the hockey game played between the cops and firefighters, it's about camaraderie, coming together for a purpose and bringing community and families together for some awareness and a purpose! Follow Muskegon Guns and Hoses on Facebook

April 13th is the date and the game is to be played at 6PM at Lakeshore Sports Center at 4470 Airline Road in Muskegon.  Our local first responders come together to battle it out on the ice, but the real battle goes on with the people they are out to raise money for.  Usually, it's for families with kids who have some pretty big needs.  One was a service dog in the past.  Others have some illness or disorder that people can barely pronounce let alone live with and the best part of all of this, and I'm not sure if you're aware of this...but once a family is adopted by this group...they don't let go.  They truly stick with the family like they are part of the team for as long as it takes.  It's a special bond that is extended from the police and fire people to the people they serve and it's truly amazing. 

This year, they are working to help 4 families out who have a range of needs from heart conditions to tumors and the stories of the people fighting the battles are simply put, amazing.  The work done by the Guns and Hoses group is simply to say, "We want to do our part" to try and make their situation a little easier.  You can meet the beneficiaries all on the Muskegon Guns and Hoses website which you'll find linked at the bottom of the page.

Of course, being a fundraising event, you'll find plenty of things at Lakeshore on the 13th.  Raffles, silent auctions, donation opportunities and even a chance to drop off food items to benefit Kids Food Basket.  It's turned into a HUGE community get together for a great cause and you don't want to miss it if you're a fan of hockey or helping out remarkable people! 

I met up with Lacey Koens and Chris Wilks who are the chairs of the event.  Take a listen to what to expect at Guns and Hoses 2019. 

It's going to be a great night!  The event has grown by leaps and bounds and as Lacey and Chris talked, it's because of a good and caring community backing the first responders who put this together.  Click on the image below to visit the Guns and Hoses website and learn a little more about the families who they are playing for as well as the event itself, then, plan on a great night April 13th for a great cause!

It's been 11 years that Muskegon Rockstock has been delighting fans with their ever growing festival.  Since the early days of their humble beginnings at Hackley Park with a few local bands and a small core of people trying to keep some live music happening in Muskegon their mission has been to bring some entertainment, keep costs in check so anyone can come out and be a part of the scene and to incrementally grow as opportunity presents itself and budgets allow for it.  It's been organic growth from day one, no steps were ever taken for the group to bite off more than it could chew and as their ability to manage bigger and bigger festivals came to them the stage got bigger, the acts got bigger, but the small core of people who pull it off stayed basically the same.  Yes, it's really the same small group of people that started off on day 1 at Hackley Park now managing every aspect of the show at Heritage Landing. Follow Rockstock on Facebook

This year, along with the three nights of headlining acts of Puddle of Mudd, Trapt, Saliva and Tantirc, Rockstock is bringing back the midway fun to Heritage Landing over the 4th of July Holiday Weekend.  There will also be a gigantic display of fireworks for the entire community to enjoy and of course, they work to keep the food, beverage and merchandise all under a decent price so everyone can feel like they are splurging when the reality is that they are getting a great night out for a very small price and hanging with friends and family at one of the greatest spots anywhere for a live show, the shore of Muskegon Lake.

Tickets will remain $10 a night for the shows and a multi day pass is your best value!  Brandon Baskin is the promoter of the event and we caught up over at the Norton Shores Branch of the Muskegon Area District Library to talk about the line up, the tickets and what we're all in for this Summer.  Take a listen.

It's going to be a BIG few nights of fun and the work that's gone in.  It's also been a great pleasure to have watched a local group work so hard to grow a festival from a garage to the Main Stage at Heritage Landing.  It sticks to the Muskegon mantra of us doing things for ourselves.  Tickets are on sale for Rockstock and we're excited to see you at Heritage Landing in July!!  Let's all rock out and support the locals at Rockstock!!  Click below to visit the Muskegon Rockstock website.

 A FIRST in Michigan (FIM) robotic competition district final was held on 16th March, 2019 at Orchard View High School in Muskegon, Michigan. The Muskegon Channel had partnered with FIM to simulcast the 8 hours long competition. Now that's over we have compiled a feature length program of the competition highlighting our local area high schools plus other enhancements and bonus materials.

Local Area Teams

Full List

Further Reading

First In Michigan
First (International)
M.A.R.S. Rover 4004

Muskecon got started a couple years ago by Pete McCarthy who's an avid collector and admitted "geek" celebrating all things "geek" with his fellow "geeks" and to the surprise of everyone....there were a LOT of geeks in Muskegon!  The show was an incredible hit Downtown Muskegon and came back for year two, and now on to year 3 March 23rd 2019!

A lot goes into the show to put it on.  If you've ever put on an expo, or even been to one, it's widely known that they are a huge undertaking.  But for all that goes into a show like Muskecon on the surface, behind the scenes the networking is widespread and with the age of social media being what it is, it's not long until some major players in the collectibles game, or any other endeavor begin to find each other and connect.  This is kind of the case with Muskecon and the guy behind the film "Plastic Crack" you can find on Amazon. Visit Muskecon Online

Guillermo Olivo is the creator of "Plastic Crack".  It's a documentary about collectors and the lengths they go to fuel their love for nostalgia, unique additions to their collections and what drives them to accumulate such massive collections.  Some of which, admittedly go far beyond obsession for the love of their stuff.  Locally, we have some of our collectors featured in the film.  Steve Biesiada is a local collector who's got a pretty good role in the film and will also be at the Muskecon.  Steve is also tied in to some local Podcasts, "The Podcasters of the Universe" and "My Wife is Going Kill Me" both of which are centered around collectibles and toys...and if it's not all falling in to place for you by now...the magic if the internet is what's brought all these guys together and will be bringing Guillermo to Muskegon later this month to discuss his film.

I'll tell you this, "Plastic Crack" is WAY more than a guy going around with a camera showing off toy collections.  Guillermo takes a very deep and human approach to collectors and collections and just how much of an impact, good or bad, they can have on peoples lives.  Some of the collectors in the series take some very high risks to protect what they have and some trade one addiction for another.  It's a pretty intense viewing experience and delves deep into the human psyche.  It's very much worth watching.  

I had a chance to talk to Guillermo in advance of his visit to Muskegon on March 23rd.  We talk about "Plastic Crack" and how he came to have such deep connections in Muskegon.  We also talk about this wave of collectors we're seeing in today's age and the growing need for nostalgia.  Take a listen.

A fun conversation and a fun event coming up.  Make sure you check out Muskecon March 23rd at The Holiday Inn Downtown Muskegon and jump on Amazon to see "Plastic Crack" before you come so you can see the docuseries in advance of the panel Guillermo will be hosting at the event!  It's a great event coming to Muskegon and growing.  Take a look at the "Plastic Crack" trailer in the link below!  We'll see you at Muskecon March 23rd.

It was a great night!!  Our first show at Smash Wine Bar and Bistro at the end of January was in the "Polar Vortex" and we had a great time and all, but it was a little rough being the debut and all.  The weather kept some people home understandably, everything and everyone was new to the production and like any opening night, we wondered "what if"?

Well, it all seemed to be seamless on the second go around.  We welcomed County Commissioner Bob Scolnick, dropped a new Freak Your Geek Out, Magician Bill Blagg came in advance of his show at the Frauenthal Theater on Friday March 1st and we had visits from Pete McCarthy from Muskecon and Cindy Larsen from the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce to talk about the Home Garden and DIY show!

It was quite a time!  If you missed it, here it is again, on demand for ya!  It's episode 2 of Muskegon Tonight Live! from Smash Wine Bar and Bistro on The Muskegon Channel.  You'll find links to everything below!

Thanks to all who came out and to all of our guests!  Click on the images below to visit the respective web sites.  Don't forget too, Smash Wine Bar and Bistro is debuting a brand new menu, so head down and try it soon!

Follow Bob Scolnick on Facebook

Visit Bill Blagg's Website

Muskecon on Facebook

Lakeshore Home Garden and DIY Show