Coast Guard Festival Cruises and Sails into Grand Haven

In Grand Haven, Mich., at the mouth of the Grand River on Lake Michigan, the first week of August means one thing: Coast Guard Festival. 2011 marks 221 years of Coast Guard protection and the 87th festival. Sunday was the Cruise-In Classic Car Show and today the mighty Coast Guard fleet steamed into our harbor.

Ask any visitor or local about her favorite part of the festival and you'll get a different answer. I've enjoyed 35 festivals and for me, it changes. This year, I added a new happy memory: our youngest son entered his 1989 fully stocked, bought from original owner, "unmolested engine" Crown Vic in the classic car show. It didn't matter that he didn't win; it mattered that he had the courage to show it off (complete with period-correct Ronnie James Dio cranked up and a few good revs of the engine).

My favorites were the 1937 Harley-Davidson, a 1950-something Porsche Speedster, a 1960s Datsun 280Z and an early seventies Volvo (I almost bought one just like it 30 years ago). The mayor's choice was a candy-apple red Pontiac station wagon (I had a Pontiac Grand Safari a few years newer). The powder-blue Caddy, old Good Humor Truck and some raw forties-era car with baby moon hubcaps stole my heart, too. It was neat to see models like the cars my parents had and even one with suicide doors. With all the bygone splendor, I was a little disappointed that 2000 and newer vehicles were given awards.

The Parade of Ships, decked out in semaphore and signal regalia and spit-shine paint always chokes me up. This year's festival features four cutters: the Mackinaw, Biscayne Bay, the Alder and the Katmai Bay. We usually get some buoy tenders, too. We're looking forward to the security and first responder teams, too: Atlantic Strike Team (Fort Dix, N.J.), CG Regional Dive Locker East (Virginia) Maritime Safety and Security Team of San Diego, Calif. and MSST of New York, and Port Security 309 (Ohio). These highly specialized crisis and dive teams will be giving demonstrations of underwater robotics, K-9 units and diving maneuvers.

There are gobs of fun to be had at the Grand Haven's Coast Guard Festival. Our musical fountain (world's largest) plays every night at dusk. There's a clean, family friendly-carnival downtown. Our Grand Parade rocks the house. Don't forget to say hello to our vintage 1223 Pere Marquette Locomotive, tender and caboose at Connector Park. Have a hand-dipped corn dog at Pronto Pups. Stroll the boardwalk out to the south pier and lighthouse under our fully restored and lighted cat walk. A visit to Grand Haven will be the highlight of your summer.

A life-long resident of West Michigan, Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben in unashamedly proud of her home town of Grand Haven and the lovely lake it rests on.