GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — There’s no argument that the the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival is among the top events in West Michigan: among the biggest and longest, with 10 days of activities.
There’s also no argument that traffic and parking can be a challenge. Festival officials are very open about that.
“I truly believe that traffic is a huge issue in Grand Haven just because it's a condensed area,” says the festival’s marketing director Annie Lengkeek. “There's just not a lot of parking.”
The process of trying out solutions in recent years, partnering with Harbor Transit, has resulted in the decision to provide free shuttle service daily for the first nine days of the Coast Guard Festival, and low-cost shuttle service from multiple locations on the final day.
The daily shuttle service will run between a free parking area at the Harbor Island soccer field and a single drop-off location: Columbus Avenue at Third Street.
“That's going to be the main hub where people can get dropped off and then dispersed to go to the different festival activities,” says Annelise Walker, marketing specialist for Harbor Transit. “And then when they return to that spot, we'll bring them back to their vehicle.”
All this at no charge.
The schedule for the daily shuttle will be different each day, given the festival’s schedule of events is different each day. (See below)
PLAN YOUR VISIT: Your guide to the 2024 Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival
Festival organizers have been working with Harbor Transit for several years in providing shuttle service on the festival’s busiest day with the biggest events, the final Saturday, which climaxes with one of the area’s biggest fireworks shows. On that day, says Walker, “it's almost impossible for people to get to the downtown area to find parking, even just driving around. It's almost complete gridlock. Without the shuttle, it would be almost impossible to get down to the festival and enjoy the activities.”
This year, it’s August 3.
Instead of just one park-and-ride site, the city and Harbor Transit will use seven locations, with round trips costing $3, but half price for under 18, over 65, and anyone with a disability or a Medicare card. Children under 4 with an adult are free.
The shuttle has proven to be the best way to avoid the post-fireworks gridlock, says Lengkeek. “Harbor Transit honestly has done a great job with getting people out of town, but they pull in all their resources to do it, so long as you can get on one of those shuttles.”
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Daily free shuttle run times to and from Harbor Island:
Friday, July 26th, 5:30pm-10:30pm
Saturday, July 27th, 10:00am-10:30pm
Sunday, July 28th, 9:00am-5:00pm
Monday, July 29th, 11:00am-10:30pm
Tuesday, July 30th, 4:00pm-11:30pm
Wednesday, July 31st, 11:00am-11:30pm
Thursday, August 1st, 11:00am-11:30pm
Friday, August 2nd, 9:00am-11:30pm
SaturdayAug 3,parking locations (run times 9am - 11pm):
Grand Haven:
Ferry Elementary School, 1050 Pennoyer Ave
Griffin Elementary School, 1700 S Griffin St
Trinity Reformed Church, 1330 S Ferry St
First Christian Reformed Church, 516 S Ferry St
Spring Lake/Ferrysburg:
First Baptist Church, 118 E Exchange St
All Shores Wesleyan Church, 15550 Cleveland St
Ferrysburg City Hall, 17520 Ridge Ave
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