West Michigan Events We’re Looking Forward to in 2018

With the holiday season—and all of the stress that comes with it—firmly behind us now, it’s time to take a moment and look ahead to everything awaiting us in 2018.

As with young people pretty much anywhere, there are many youths in our communities who think “there’s nothing to do” in West Michigan. Of course, kids are rarely able to see the big picture the way adults can. Those of us who blow out more candles on our birthday cakes know better!

Sure, no one is about to confuse Holland for a Chicago or New York, but local municipalities have a lot to offer, including Holland events like:

• St. Patrick’s Day Parade. As the saying goes, everyone’s a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, so you should give some thought to coming out to check out the annual parade. Of course, if you happen to be in the downtown vicinity—and you use Uber or have a designated driver—you might want to partake in some green beer to celebrate the holiday.
• Tulip Time – Let’s just get the big one out of the way. You cannot live in West Michigan and not know about Holland’s annual celebration of its Dutch heritage. Even if you don’t care to watch the parades or Dutch dancing, this is a great opportunity to eat carnival food (elephant ears, etc.) and go on the rides set up at the Civic Center.
• Fire Truck Parade. This is an especially great event if you have young kids, grandkids, or nieces and nephews. Little ones in particular tend to love seeing the impressive fire trucks roll by, hearing the sirens, and watching the lights.

In Zeeland, events we’re looking forward to include:

• The Plaiderday Chili Crawl. There are few things in life that beat a good chili cook-off, and Zeeland raises the bar with this chili crawl.
• Fire/Rescue Pig Out. A pig roast—done well—can be a tasty treat in and of itself. It’s even better when done as a fundraiser to help support local men and women who respond to the call when alarms are sounding.
• Downtown Trick or Treat. As with Holland’s Fire Truck Parade, this is another fun event if you have any young ones in your family. Trick-or-treating is obviously a national tradition, but this downtown event is probably even better because you know it’s a safe environment and it can bring customers in to local businesses – which is important for our local economy.
• Show and Shine Car Show & Cruise. One of the cool things about living in West Michigan is the abundance of opportunities like this to check out classic cars. Many of the owners and collectors put a lot of work into restoring and maintaining their monuments to the Motor City of old. An especially nice thing about the local car shows and cruises is the fact they are events for the whole family. Your old man will fondly remember his younger days, while you can teach your own kids about how they used to make ‘em.

Up in Grand Haven, the Coast Guard Festival is obviously the huge event of the summer, but you shouldn’t look past other ones like the Great Lakes Kite Festival, Del Shannon Days, the Lubbers Cup Regatta, and Winterfest (which is just around the corner).

Clearly, there are many events and activities for us all to look forward to in 2018. One thing almost all of them have in common is that they either take place on a paved surface or you need to drive on one to get there.

Now, if you are a business owner who will be hosting anything in your parking lot—even if it’s “just” parking for customers—you want to make sure the lot is in tip-top shape this spring. Or if you are a homeowner who plans on having guests over, take some time to see how your driveway is holding up after the harsh winter.

As you evaluate the paved surfaces on your property—residential or commercial—keep Stripe A Lot in mind if the lot or driveway could use some work.

Remember, when you contact Stripe A Lot you are guaranteed to speak with an experienced paving pro who will listen to your needs without selling you on services you don’t need – and then you’ll receive a free estimate for the job. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-BLACKTOP (or 616-772-2559).