Kentwood Holiday Parade (Courtesy, City of Kentwood)
By WKTV Staff
deborah@wktv.org
The City of Kentwood invited community members to celebrate the holiday season with an annual tree lighting ceremony and holiday light parade on Dec. 7.
The event kicked off with a parade, followed by outdoor activities for all ages, including take-home children’s crafts and caroling karaoke. A visit from Santa and his reindeer, Dune Buggy food truck, and complimentary coffee and hot chocolate were also available throughout the evening.
Last year’s essay winner and grand marshal, Clara Wells, accompanied Mayor Kepley on a parade float and later helped him light the Christmas tree in front of the library.
“These festivities mark the beginning of one of the most wonderful times of the year as our remarkable community gathers to bring good tidings of peace and joy to all,” said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley.
Memorial Day is a national holiday that honors fallen soldiers. (pxhere.com)
While for many it is the “official start of summer,” Memorial Day is designed to honor those who have fallen while serving during a war.
It originally was designated for those who had fallen during the Civil War and was observed only on May 30. However the custom grew and by the 19th Century, many communities across the country had Memorial Day celebrations. In 1971, the federal government declared “Memorial Day” a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday of the month of May. There was a splitting of ceremonies, with some municipalities choosing to celebrate on the last Monday of May while others deciding to keep with the traditional May 30 for Memorial Day activities.
Due to leap years and calendar configurations, every once in awhile, Memorial Day lands on May 30, which is what has happened for 2022. So there will be several Memorial Day events honoring fallen heroes throughout West Michigan.
Since it is a national holiday, government offices such as Kent County, the City of Kentwood, and the City of Wyoming, will be closed.
Kentwood Memorial Day Parade
Wreaths are laid during the Kentwood Memorial Day ceremony.
The D.W. Cassard Post, along with the Amvets Post, will host a parade in Kentwood at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30. The parade kicks off from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), near the corner of 48th Street and Eastern Avenue. From there, it will head west down 48th Street to Kentwood’s Veteran’s Memorial Park, located in front of the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. At the park, there will be a ceremony including the laying of the five wreaths, one for each of the branches of military service: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
WKTV will be taping the Kentwood parade and service which is scheduled to air at 12:30 and 8 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25 and on wktv.org.
Wyoming Memorial Day Program
The City of Wyoming will be hosting its annual Memorial Day program Monday, May 30, from 7 – 8 p.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Garden, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW. (This is located in front of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety building.)
The City of Wyoming will host its Memorial Day program at Veteran’s Memorial Garden. (Photo by Harriet Sturim)
Mayor Jack Poll will emcee and the Lee High School band is scheduled to perform. This year’s guest speaker will be Sean Moriarty. Moriarty is currently a student at Grand Valley State University pursing a degree in Applied Food and Nutrition from the College of Health Professions.
Moriarty enrolled at GVSU after serving eight years of active duty with the United States Coast Guard, where he was a medical corpsman. He sailed onboard the CGC Campbell in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, performing anti-terrorism duties with the Naval Support Activity in Manama, Bahrain, and providing clinical and emergency services at U.S. Coast Guard Base Boston in Massachusetts.
After coming to Michigan, Moriarty enlisted with the Air National Guard as a public affairs specialist where he currently serves in Battle Creek. He is accompanied by his wife, Justine, who is also currently enlisted with the U.S. Coast Guard in Grand Haven.
WKTV will be taping the Memorial Day program, which will air at 8:30 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25 and on wktv.org.
Other Memorial Day programs
The United States Air Force Band from Washington, D.C. has produced two solemn videos to honor the nation’s fallen heroes this Memorial Day. The first video features the Ceremonial Brass, one of the Band’s six ensembles, performing “Goin’ Home,” with narration by General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., Chief of Staff of the Air Force. WKTV will air the “Goin’ Home” video at several times on Memorial Day. Those times are 9:28 a.m., 10:30 a.m, 12:27 p.m., 3:57 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., and 10:28 p.m.
The second video features stunning aerial visuals of the bugler, Technical Sgt. Jason Covey, as he solemnly performs “Taps” at Culpeper National Cemetery in Culpeper, Virginia. The unique perspective provided by the drone reveals the scope of sacrifice made by our military members over countless generations. The “Taps” video will air 9:55 a.m., 11:03 a.m., 1 p.m., 7:43 p.m., 9:11 p.m., and 12:08 a.m.
Both programs may be seen on the Comcast Channel 25 or on wktv.org.
The theme of this year’s Pulaski Days. (Pulaski Days Facebook)
By John D. Gonzalez WKTV Contributing Writer
After taking 2020 off because of Covid-19 restrictions, the annual Pulaski Days celebration on the west side of Grand Rapids returns this weekend, Oct. 1-3.
The theme of Pulaski Days 2021 sums it up best:
“Keep Calm and Polka On!”
“We have all experienced some sort of challenge over the past year and a half,” said longtime resident Eddie Sypniewski, a local event promoter and advocate for the west side.
Pulaski Days is the celebration of Polish/Lithuanian culture held every fall in Grand Rapids since 1973 . (Supplied)
“It’s time to step back, take a deep breath and ‘stay calm and polka on!’”
The return of the 49th annual event means a lot to the Polish community, and those who frequent the halls throughout the year. Pulaski Days is a great opportunity to spend the weekend in food, drink and entertainment when 14 halls are open to the public.
What does Sypniewski love most about Pulaski Days?
“I love it all!” he said. “Family, food, music, tradition. The parade and Polka Mass are there for all to participate.”
“The turnout has been amazing, more than even in year’s past,” she said. “I feel like people are anxious to get back out and back into Pulaski Days. The buzz is good. We’re going to have a big turnout this weekend.
Pulaski Days on the west side of Grand Rapids dates back to 1973, and honors Revolutionary War Hero Gen. Casimir Pulaski. Fourteen private halls will be open to the public this weekend featuring Polish food, music, and dancing.
Each hall will have a variety of events. The parade is at 11 a.m. Saturday and runs down Michigan Street starting at College Avenue and ends at Diamond Avenue.
The polka Mass is at 10 a.m. Sunday at Holy Spirit Church.
Polish Halls open to the public Oct. 1-3:
American Legion Post 459 (658 Michigan Ave NE)
Knights of Columbus (1104 Muskegon NW)
Polish Falcons (957 W Fulton)
Polish National Aid Society – Jackson Street Hall (921 Jackson St NW)
Sacred Heart Benevolent Society Eastern Avenue Hall (506 Eastern Ave NE)
Sacred Heart Club – Kosciuszko Hall (935 Park St SW)
Saint Adalberts Aid Society – 5th Street Hall (701 5th Street NW)
Saint Casimir’s – 6th Street Hall (649 6th St NW)
Saint Isidores Aid Society – Diamond Hall, home of the Pulaski Days Monument and Pulaski Square (435 Diamond NE)
Saint Ladislaus Aid Society “Laddies Hall” (58 Lane Ave SW)
Saint Stanislaus – Little Hall (823 Michigan Ave NE)
Saints Peter & Paul Aid Society – Saint Georges (1513 Quarry NW)
Sons & Daughters Club (1057 Hamilton NW)
Vytautas Aid Society (1300 Hamilton Ave NW)
For more information, including a list of events, go to pulaskidays.org.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He’s an early adopter of Social Media and SEO expert. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
Area high school bands performing at a previous year’s Santa Parade. (WKTV)
The Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce made the announcement today that the 2020 Santa Parade has been cancelled.
Chamber President and CEO Bob O’Callaghan said that after checking with the new COVID-19 infection numbers and the future projects, the chamber organizers decided to cancel its Reverse Santa Parade scheduled for Dec. 12. The parade would have had participants set up in spot with visitors driving through.
O’Callaghan said he would like to thank the community, local businesses and the community for its support.
The announcement came on the heels of the Grand Rapids Junior Chamber of Commerce or GR Jaycees announcing the cancelation of its Nov. 21 parade.
“Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the safety of the participants and spectators, and the event restrictions put in place by the State of Michigan and its Department of Health and Human Services, the Grand Rapids Junior Chamber made the difficult decision to cancel the traditional Grand Rapids Santa Parade that was set to take place on Saturday, November 21st, 2020.” the Jaycees Parade Committee posted to the event’s Facebook page.
A pancake breakfast, 5K run, carnival games and of course, fireworks, all adds up to one event — the City of Kentwood’s annual July 4th Celebration.
Taking place on Tuesday, July 4, the celebration kicks off with a pancake breakfast from 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. at a new location, the Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Library, 4950 Breton Rd. SE. For $5, its pancakes and sausage to start off the day.
From there, participants can head next door to City Hall, 4900 Breton Rd. SE, watch the start of the Autocam 5K Race and Fun Walk, which starts at 8:30 a.m. Cheer the runners on as they follow a new course this year that will start and end at City Hall along with allowing race participants to travel through the East West Trail and the neighborhoods west of City Hall.
From City Hall, visitors have an excellent opportunity to snag a viewing spot for this year’s parade which will step off at 9:30 a.m. from Crestwood Middle School, 2674 44th St. SE, exiting out of the south drive on to Walma Avenue. The parade will travel south down Walma to Breton, going right past the Kentwood City Hall. From Breton, the route will go west on 52nd Street, ending at Challenger Elementary School, 2475 52nd St. SE. The annual parade is covered live by WKTV on Channel 25.
The celebration takes a break for the afternoon with evening activities set to start at 6 p.m. at Crestwood Middle School. There will be carnival rides, giant inflatables, food vendors and food trucks along with music by Great Scott, games and of course, the entire evening wrapping up with fireworks. Additional parking and viewing will be available at the City Center, 4900 Breton St. SE. Note, no personal fireworks, sparklers or Chinese lanterns allowed at the public event.
Volunteers for the annual event are still needed. To volunteer or for more information about the July 4th Celebration, visit www.yourkprd.org or call 616-656-5270.
The Kentwood July 4th Celebration is part of the city’s 50th Anniversary celebration. The 50th Anniversary community-wide celebration is set for Aug. 11 and 12. For more information on the Kentwood 50th Anniversary, visit www.kentwood50.com.
