event

Looking for a Preschool? Check out Art in the Park

Art in the Park is coming to Grieg Park in St. Clair on August 10th from 6:00-7:00 p.m. The event is for young children and their families to both relax with some crafts in the fresh air and learn about preschool options.

Art in the Park is sponsored by St. Clair County RESA and is planning to have activities for children along with free books. The activities are targeted at kids aged zero to five.

Shannon Baker, the Help Me Grow Care Coordinator and Early Childhood Specialist with St. Clair County RESA said that the event is a simple, fun, and low-key way to reach more families in the community.

Baker said, with the start of school quickly approaching, RESA is seeking out four-year-olds who could benefit from the free preschool programs like Great Start Readiness Program and Headstart, or tuition programs in local school districts.

To find out more about Art in the Park on August 10th, or about the preschool programs available in the area, see the link and contact information below.

greatstart@sccresa.org

810-455-4009

https://www.sccresa.org/services-a-z/early-childhood-services/free-preschool-gsrp

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Cheap Trick to Play McMorran Arena November 4th

Cheap Trick is coming to Port Huron’s McMorran Arena on August 4th. The rock band is best known for its 1970s and 80s hits “I Want You to Want Me” and “The Flame”.

Cheap Trick was formed in 1973 in Rockford, Illinois, and has sold more than 20 million albums. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

Last November brought the rock band Styx to McMorran. The packed house showed organizers that Port Huron is ready for arena concerts.

Cheap Trick concert tickets are already selling fast. Prices range from $55-75.

While Cheap Trick is the big arena show, other musical productions are also planned at McMorran this season. A Tom Petty cover band, The Wildflowers, is playing at McMorran Place on October 8th. A 1950s and 1960s-styled cover band, American Graffiti and Jersey Seasons, will be playing on November 5th, and AC/DC and Queen cover bands are playing later in the season.

Tickets for all the shows are on sale now at mcmorran.com and at the McMorran Box Office.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Magical Moments Formalwear Giveaway at Birchwood Mall September 3-4

The Magical Moments Formalwear Giveaway on September 3rd and 4th at Birchwood Mall is both a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the mall store, Mostly Michigan, and a way for owner, Michele Matthews to give back to the community.

Matthews started asking for donations of gently used or new men’s and women’s formalwear and within hours had already run out of space. She reached out to Lois Potts, the General Manager at Birchwood Mall, who gave her a temporary space in the mall for the growing collection of formal wear.

Dress and formalwear donations can be brought to Mostly Michigan until August 21st. They are also accepting donations of other things that can take the financial stress off of teenagers and their families as they plan for the traditional night of making memories at Homecoming and other upcoming formal events.

Restaurant gift cards, donations of hair, nail, and other services, as well as cash, are being accepted.

Magical Moments wish list:

Dresses: New dresses, used and washed or dry-cleaned dresses. If you can’t wash them, let organizers know and they will clean them. Think a dress is too far out of style to donate? Maybe not. Some teenagers know how to sew and would love to reconstruct their dream dresses and use their imaginations.

Women’s Dress Shoes, Purses, Capes, Shawls, Accessories

Menswear: Suits, Tuxedos, Shirts, Ties, Suspenders, Cummerbunds, Vests, Dress Shoes

Money: For teens who might not find anything in their size, Michele Matthews has offered to shop specifically for them.

Gift Cards: Restaurants that would be appropriate for a pre-homecoming dinner

Service donations: Photography, Dry Cleaning, Hair and Nail Services for both boys and girls

The Formalwear Giveaway will be on September 3rd from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and September 4th from noon to 6:00 p.m. at Birchwood Mall in Fort Gratiot. Check the Mostly Michigan Facebook page for the exact location in the mall. Guests will register to be eligible for raffle prizes such as restaurant gift cards. No proof of income is required. It is open to everyone.

If neither of the giveaway days works, accommodations can be made with Michele Matthews.

mostlymichigan@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/MostlyMichiganFortGratiotMI

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Downtown Port Huron First Friday: Dog Days of Summer

Ever wish your dog could experience the fun and entertainment of a Friday night in Downtown Port Huron? It’s Fido or Max or Buster’s lucky week, since it’s First Friday, and this week’s theme is “Dog Days of Summer”.

Each “First Friday” of the month has a different theme and this month it’s dedicated to man’s best friend, dogs. Dogs are welcome to stroll around downtown with their owners and see what kinds of treats and surprises the downtown businesses have for the canine customers.

There is a Pet Parade and Costume Contest planned for 6:00 p.m. at A Little Something on Quay. Community members such as Mike Kinyon, Kathy Swantek, Patti Samar, and Carolyn Crowe will be judging the pets for Best Costume, Funniest, Most Creative, Prettiest, and Cutest.

If your dog likes rock and roll, The Fabulous Henhouse Boys will be playing on McMorran Plaza from 8:00-10:00 p.m. To get the full schedule of events in Downtown Port Huron, visit the links below.

https://www.mcmorran.com/plaza

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Rockin’ the Rivers Starts This Week with Air Margaritaville

There’s still quite a bit of summer left with several weeks of warm evenings that are perfect for outdoor music. This year’s Rockin’ the Rivers Thursday concert series in Port Huron’s Kiefer Park kicks off on Thursday.

The four-concert series starts off this Thursday, August 4th with Air Margaritaville as the headliner and Dave Frendt as the opener.

The Rockin’ the Rivers concerts are traditionally well attended by music lovers of all ages. You just need to bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Food trucks are on-site and there is a kids’ zone full of entertainment for children.

The location is right on the St. Clair River in Kiefer Park, next to the Port Huron Municipal Office Center. Parking is free.

Thursday, August 12th brings Your Generation in Concert, a tribute band that covers five generations of hits.

August 18th features Elton Rohn and The Fabulous Henhouse Boys and August 25th features The Gobies, a local favorite, along with Paul Shonk Music.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Port Huron DDA Wants to Know What You Thought of This Year’s Boat Weekend

Did you go to downtown Port Huron during this year’s Boat Weekend? Planners want to hear from you with a short survey about your experience.

The yearly celebration that serves as a kickoff to the Port Huron to Mackinac sailboat race had to improvise a bit this year as major construction closed down the usual venue.

City of Port Huron Downtown Development Authority Director Natacha Hayden said that she thought the event went extremely well. Hayden said that the new layout due to the ongoing construction at the Zebra Bar parking lot “caused some last-minute changes, but it still allowed festival goers to enjoy festival favorites”.

Hayden said that there is always something that can be improved, and feedback is essential to do that. She is looking forward to gaining insight into the participants’ experiences.

The survey asks for a rating for various experiences and also asks some open-ended questions for general comments.

A link to the survey can be found below.

Boat Weekend Survey

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland