Coast Guard Festival organizers expecting record crowds for 100th anniversary [Video]

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) — The 100th year of the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival kicks off Friday as organizers expect record-breaking crowds.

The initial event was a picnic held back in 1924 exclusively for Coast Guard members and their families. Since then, the event-turned-festival has developed into a 10-day celebration to honor the men and women who have served and continue to serve.

“It is a big anniversary year for us. This year, we’ve added a couple of extra things. We’ve added drone shows,” said Annie Lengkeek, marketing director for the festival. “We’ve added opening acts at the concert the entire week long, and we added a shuttle to get people in here because we are expecting record numbers.”

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