Party in the Park is back after a couple weeks making room for the Lakeshore Art Festival as well as the DMF event. We're really getting the hang of opening things up to others who might want to drop in and say hi and see what's going on, but keeping up the traditions the locals like is important too and there's no place better than Hackley Park to gather up, put one down and enjoy the comradery of friends and neighbors while enjoying the serene setting of our "Central Park". Party in the Park is free to get in, it's an all ages event and the fun gets underway at 5p on Friday!
Every week, Parties in the Park welcomes another host organization to the event to help raise some money, and awareness about their cause and work they do in Muskegon. On July 8th the group coming to help pull off the party is none other than the Muskegon Motorcycle Club and if you find yourself somewhat new to the area, sit on down a spell and let's get you up to speed on a little history.
The Muskegon Motorcycle Club recently celebrated it's 100th Anniversary and due to the fact that the celebrating of it was on Zoom thanks to a pandemic, well.....we're extending the celebration for a little while and rightly so. In 1919 the MMC leased the sand dune which is today known as Mount Garfield for it's first event. The club founder Dan Raymond was home from WW1 and the excitement of motorcycles combined with the fellowship of others that served were some of the somewhat unspoken founding principles. After all, things back then were not talked about like they are today when it comes to what you need to settle your mind. With the group together and some purpose, came what you see now. Service. From helping Veterans causes, to kids needs with toys around holidays and helping bolster the food pantries around town, the Muskegon Motorcycle Club is working year round to fill gaps in our community. Add in too their advocacy for motorcyclists rights and safety. They have members who strive to help others learn to responsibly ride and share the road and they work to help other motorists understand the importance of "looking twice to save a life".
Now, don't get confused. While truly a service organization, there's a pretty good understanding on how to draw in new members....which is one of the things they hope to accomplish. What's easier to draw people in than knowing how to put on a damn good time? From the legendary Spring Run that thunders through the Lakeshore every year to the events out in Bridgeton at Dan Raymond Park and the Grand Daddy of them all the Mount Garfield Hill Climb.....you're going to find a party. Incredibly fun people who like it loud, fast and late. You will not soon forget a weekend hanging with the MMC. Promise.
Rick Perrault is one of the Board Members of the club and we crept back in to the base of Mount Garfield to talk a little MMC history and get you up to speed before Friday. Take a listen!
Let's party! If you are into it for Parties in the Park, or maybe what you've heard and seen here have offered you an epiphany and you have "found your people" know that you are in good hands with the Muskegon Motorcycle Club. There century plus dedication to motorcycles, the motorcycle community as well as Muskegon speaks volumes and it shows in just how many motorcyclists we have here. There are a LOT. We look forward to seeing YOU at the Party in the park July 8th and that first weekend in August, the sacred grounds of Mount Garfield will be filled with thousands as nitro fueled two wheel rockets shoot up that hill in 4 seconds! Don't miss any of it with the MMC.
