Tulip Festival in Holland Michigan, May 1 - May 8

Tulip Festival begins May 1st, and the flowers are in fabulous shape according to sneak peeks. This is one of the largest flower festivals in the United States, and local residents line the streets with tulips for a truly spectacular welcome to downtown. A trip to Veldheer's tulip farm will get you fired up about planning your own garden.

Holland's Tulip Festival is a celebration of Dutch heritage and culture, so you can expect wooden shoe dances, parades and charming traditions like the street-scrubbing. Holland's marching bands wear wooden shoes for this special event, and you might spot Govenor Jennifer Granholm there as well.

Our best suggestion: Find a spot to park, then buy tickets for the Tulip Time Trolley for a narrated tour of the town, Dutch heritage and of course the tulips! Access the complete festival schedule at TulipTime.com.

Drive time from South Haven - 30 to 45 minutes. Rooms are available for the kick off weekend on May 1st, or plan a group trip and reserve a guest house at the Victoria Resort.

Songwriters Bill & Kate Isles perform in South Haven

Foundry Hall brings contemporary singer/songwriters Bill and Kate Isles to the stage on Thursday, April 29th.  Bill Isles' love of life and command of language has strong roots in his childhood, but his urgency to tell these stories came in 1993 when, with just enough warning to drive himself to the hospital, his heart stopped beating. He arrived with 10 minutes to spare. After being defibrillated - before the doctors had time to detect and open a blocked artery in his heart - he promised himself that if he survived, he would begin to write again. He is now one of Minnesota's most popular songwriters

Lesson learned?  Make the most of the time you have in this world!  Get out of work a little early for an extended weekend in Michigan at the Victoria Resort - check availability here.

American roots music performance in South Haven at Foundry Hall

A traveling troupe of Wepecket Island Records recording artists (Andru Bemis, Sherman Lee Dillon, Dale Robin Goodman, "Ragtime" Jack Radcliffe) performing a hot mix of old-timey, blues, ragtime and gospel music! Artists perform solo and in combination, and invite members of the audience to bring their instruments and voices and join the artists on stage for an ending jam. Audiences come away with a sense of not only having attended a joyous and moving show, but having participated as well.
Tickets are available on the Foundry Hall website in advance, or pick up a pair at the door.  Musicians and audience members are invited to stay at the Victoria Resort Bed & Breakfast in South Haven for the weekend.  Check availability online or call the Victoria directly.

Fenn Valley Winery "Wine Maker's Dinner"

Saturday, April 24th

Join other wine aficianados as Fenn Valley Winery hosts another spectacular Winemaker's Dinner with Chef Christine Ferris.  This time it's a taste of Africa, featuring select wines from Fenn Valley's cellar.  Begin with a cellar tour and champagne, followed by a wonderful five course meal.  Expect specialities such as Piri Piri shrimp (inspiration from Mozambique) to Sosaties grilled lamb kabobs (inspiration from South Africa).  Each course is paired with wine, and previous guests at the Victoria rave about this dining experience.

Reservations are required for this special event, so visit the Fenn Valley Winery website for details.  Reserve a room in the bed & breakfast or consider a guest cottage for a group of friends for a fantastic getaway.

An Evening with Heywood Banks on April 17

On Saturday, April 17th our very own Foundry Hall brings Heywood Banks to South Haven.  Heywood Banks is simply one-of-a-kind, almost impossible to describe, with a style his very own. Equal parts genius and buffoon, this songwriter-comic-singer-poet-musician has become a cult hero and a pop icon, with a show that appeals to college students, stoners, businessmen, yuppies, rednecks, punks, kids or your grandmother. Featured in Rolling Stone and People Magazines, Heywood has appeared on MTV, A&E, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, and the Bob & Tom in the Morning syndicated radio show.

Limited seating is available for this special show, so please plan ahead and purchase advance tickets on the Foundry Hall website.

"Will Sing for Food" at Foundry Hall April 16

A benefit concert for the local We Care, I.N.C. charity group will be hosted at Foundry Hall in downtown South Haven this Friday, April 16th.  Featuring the music of Thirty Steps to Forward, Mending the Chaos, Indacoda Blue, and Foundry Hall's tireless leader Andru Bemis, the goal is to raise funds to help stock the We Care food pantry.  The doors open just prior to the 7:30 pm show, with a $5 minimum donation suggested to enjoy the show and support those in need.  A high spirited, fun-loving group, the folks at Foundry Hall will give a great performance and you'll enjoy knowing you helped a few people in need.  Details are on the Foundry Hall website, as well as music samples from the groups performing that evening.

The Elders - live music 4/14 at Foundry Hall South Haven

Wednesday, April 14th the "arse-kicking' Celtic group from the heartland" The Elders take the stage at Foundry Hall in downtown South Haven.  Known for amped-up roots rock, augmented with powerful vocals, blazing instrumentals and top-notch songwriting, The Elders typically play to sold-out shows at home and abroad.  Plan a last minute getaway to South Haven this week to take advantage of great weather during the day and a great performance this evening at Foundry Hall.