About Muskegon Summer Celebration
The Muskegon Summer Celebration began in 1993 as a ten day music festival with a budget of $170,000 and has since grown into an 11-day all star music extravaganza complete with family fun for all ages. Located on the beautiful shores of Muskegon Lake in downtown Muskegon, the Muskegon Summer Celebration is a tradition among locals and out of town guests alike.
In the beginning crowds were mainly from the Muskegon area. Summer Celebration now attracts fans from all over Michigan and surrounding states. Early crowd estimates were approximately 350,000. Summer Celebration now boasts anywhere from 600,000-625,000 people each year!
Musically, Summer Celebration started with one National act, the Marshall Tucker Band at a cost of $7,000. With a music budget well over $600,000, Summer Celebration now plays host to some of the world's best entertainers. There are very few musical genres that have not been featured at Summer Celebration. Past performers have included Aretha Franklin, Santana, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, James Brown, Bonnie Raitt, Earth, Wind & Fire, Hootie and the Blowfish, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Joe Walsh, Chicago, and the Temptations. All time crowd favorites include the Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wallflowers, Third Eye Blind, Collective Soul, Huey Lewis & The News, and Creedence Clearwater Revisited.
As they have all along, Summer Celebration organizers round out the long list of awesome entertainment with many local and regional bands as well.Countless hours are put into making the festival one of Michigan's best. With the help of well over 1500 volunteers, a number that has grown from 300-400 the first year…the Summer Celebration future looks bright and bigger than ever. Keeping with the tradition, the festival has grown to include something for fun-lovers of every age group.
1993
The Muskegon Summer Celebration debuts as a ten-day music festival with a total budget of $170,000! In its inaugural year, Summer Celebration hosts a concert every evening with one national recording artist. The other nine concerts feature local and regional musicians. Other activities that are part of the Muskegon Summer Celebration include an Art Fair, a Craft Market, a parade, fireworks, and a midway! New this year is the Plumbs Community Picnic, Muskegon's largest family picnic!
Entertainers
| | | |
Out of Control
| Gary Brennan
| Endless Summer
| Marshall Tucker Band
|
Rick Hicks
| Tropical Connection
| Invisible Lisa
| Cimmarron
|
Beach Bashers
| Grooveyard
| | |
1994
Fresh off a successful inaugural year, the Muskegon Summer Celebration in 1994 features 4 national recording artist on the Main Stage. Performances by artists such as Three Dog Night, Spinners, John Berry, and Lonnie Brooks are the result of an increased festival budget of about $300,000. Overall festival attendance also increases from 350,000 visitors in 1993 to 390,000 in 1994.
Entertainers
| | | |
Out of Control
| Classic Rock All Stars
| Chenille Sisters
| Three Dog Night
|
The Spinners
| John Bery
| Jan James
| Lonnie Brooks
|
REO Speedwagon
| Rick Hicks
| 1964 - The Tribute
| |
1995
Legendary Diva Aretha Franklin and Classic Rockers REO Speedwagon headline the Main Stage lineup in 1995 and are partly responsible for a festival attendance that has surged to just over 500,000 visitors! All 10 Main Stage concerts feature national recording artists for the first time in festival history. The festival budget also sees significant growth in 1995 reaching over the half-million dollar mark!
Entertainers
| | | |
Aretha Franklin
| Four Tops
| Spyro Gyra
| Mavericks/Holly Dunn
|
Fabulous Thunderbirds
| Mitch Ryder
| Larry Mc Cray
| Guess Who
|
Grass Roots
| REO Speedwagon
| | |
1996
The Muskegon Summer Celebration gets a new Main Stage! A new, permanent, stage and canopy is constructed on the east side of Heritage Landing. The new stage allows the festival to increase seating capacity while opening up the west side of Heritage Landing for an expanded midway. Artists such as Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, Grand Funk Railroad, Gladys Knight, Aaron Tippin, Kansas, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, and Kool & The Gang featuring JT Taylor are among the first to perform on the new stage!
Entertainers
| | | |
Starship
| Up With People
| Aaron Tippin
| Kansas
|
Grand Funk RR
| Blood, Sweat & Tears
| CCR
| Gladys Knight
|
Bodeans/Snider
| Kool & the Gang
| | |
1997
The Summer Celebration reaches a new milestone with a first ever sell out concert! Not just one concert sells out, but a record setting 3 sellout concerts propel festival attendance to an all time high of 541,000 visitors! A festival budget of $900,000 is responsible for netting some all-time favorite artists such as Collin Raye, Daryl Hall & John Oates, America, Little Texas, Isley Brothers, .38 Special, The Wallflowers, Rusted Root, Santana, and Huey Lewis & The News.
Entertainers
| | | |
Collin Raye
| Hall & Oates
| America
| Little Texas
|
Isley Brothers
| Lonnie Brooks
| .38 Special
| Wallflowers
|
Santana
| Huey Lewis
| | |
1998
The number of volunteers required to staff the Muskegon Summer Celebration stands at 1200, double the number of volunteers needed the first year of the festival in 1993! An 11th evening concert is added to the Main Stage! Traditionally kicking off on a Friday evening, the Summer Celebration now begins on Thursday evening with a Main Stage concert. Once again the Main Stage experiences multiple sell out concerts and total festival attendance rises to 580,000 visitors.
Entertainers
| | | |
Survivor
| Travis Tritt
| James Brown
| Gap Band
|
Diamond Rio
| Pat Benatar
| Third Eye Blind
| Foreigner
|
Chumbawamba
| Bonnie Raitt
| Eddie Money
| |
1999
The Street Fair is added to the list of Summer Celebration activities! Featuring four music stages and a wide variety of other activities such as a rock climbing wall and bouncy boxing, the Street Fair is best described as a stationary parade! Former cast members from MTV's Real World are also on hand to meet fans at the Street Fair. The festival hosts three more sell-out concerts featuring Hootie & The Blowfish with Shawn Mullins, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Collective Soul, which help push attendance to an all time high of just over 626,000 visitors. Also by 1999, the festival budget has increased to an amazing $1.6 million!
Entertainers
|
| | |
The Rascals
| Spin Doctors
| Earth, Wind & Fire
| ELO w/West Shore Symphony
|
Deana Carter
| Pattie LaBelle
| Lynyrd Skynrd
| Hootie & The Blowfish
|
Collective Soul
| Doobie Brothers
| Loverboy
| |
2000
Another new event, the Depot Expo, is added to the list of Summer Celebration activities! Featuring something for everyone, the Depot Expo host events such as a teen dance, a senior social, family interactive art, stunt shows, and much more. The 2000 edition of the Muskegon Summer Celebration sets a new record in terms of the festival budget by spending $1.9 million! Festival volunteer needs now require approximately 1500 people.
Entertainers
| | | |
Night Ranger
| Chicago
| Verve Pipe
| Fred Hammond & Radical for Christ Choir
|
Plus One
| Jennifer Knapp
| Rare Earth
| John Michael Montgomery
|
Stroke 9
| Vertical Horizon
| The Romantics
| O' Jays
|
Chaka Kahn
| Michael McDonald
| Paula Cole
| Joe Walsh
|
Buddy Guy
| Peter Frampton
| | |
2001
Continuing the tradition of new activities and events, Gourmet Avenue, featuring three days of cooking demonstrations by area chefs, debuts! An ever-growing festival budget reaches $2.3 million and the Main Stage hosts artists such as Blues Traveler, Cheap Trick, Pointer Sisters, Poison, Styx, Bad Company, Billy Squier, Ray Charles, and the Temptations!
Entertainers
| | | |
Blues Traveler
| Cheap Trick
| Pointer Sisters
| John Kay & Steppenwolf
|
Poison
| Joe Stark
| Billy Squier
| Bad Company
|
Styx
| Arturo Sandavol
| Ray Charles
| Montgomery Gentry
|
Bliss 66
| Fuel
| REO Speedwagon
| The Temptations
|
2002
Improvements to the Heritage Landing site continue, the new Pointe provides more space in the Main Stage for our ever-growing selection of food vendors. The Community Stage becomes the Regional Showcase and attracts a wider range of quality regional entertainment. Children's' activities are improved and now include the first community art project. The festival's 10 year anniversary is celebrated with the 4th of July Party.
Entertainers
| | | |
War
| Heart
| Sinbad
| The Ohio Players
|
The Beach Boys
| Mark Chestnutt
| Joe Diffie
| Tracy Lawrence
|
Epidemic
| Jerry Cantrell
| Nickelback
| George Thorogood & The Destroyers
|
.38 Special
| Earth, Wind & Fire
| Gin Blossoms
| Spin Doctors
|
Sponge
| Journey
| Richard Marx
| Seven Mary Three
|
2003
The Southern Comfort Tiki Bar is a huge success on the Pointe. The Country Fresh Senior Social moves to Hackley Park and generates record crowds. The Depot Expo moves to Seventh and Western and enjoys huge crowds. The midway continues to add new and exciting rides, and the skybox makes it's first appearance to the festival.
Entertainers
| | | |
LL Cool J
| Kakaty
| Commodores
| Huey Lewis and the News
|
Pinmonkey
| Aaron Tippin
| Blues Traveler
| Pat Benatar
|
Moody Blues
| Joe Cocker
| Michelle Branch
| Karl Denson's Tiny Universe
|
Shinedown
| Seether
| Our Lady Peace
| The Allman Brothers Band
|
3 Doors Down
| Boston
| | |
2004
The Tiki Stage is expanded and enjoyed by many. The Exotic Tanning Beach Party celebrates its inaugural year at Pere Marquette Beach. The midway continues to add new and exciting rides, and great entertainment at the Children's Activity Stage.
Entertainers
| | | |
Wynonna
| Jeff Bates
| Nickelback
| Alan Parsons Live Project
|
ZZ Top
| Isaac Hayes
| Live
| Creedence Clearwater Revisited
|
Melissa Etheridge
| Lynyrd Skynyrd
| John Wait
| Crosby, Stills & Nash
|
Kool & The Gang
| US Army Field Band
| | |
2005
Art in the Park, Village Craft Market, Michigan Marketplace move to the first weekend. The Bistro is added to the artisan weekend at the corner of Third and Clay. Partnering with Every Women's Place, the Bistro is a success. A total of 24 Miller Headliners on the Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge Mainstage marks a new record.
Entertainers
| | | |
Los Lonely Boys
| Boyz II Men
| 112
| The Salvador Santana Band
|
Dark New Day
| Lit
| Seether
| Smokey Robinson
|
CrossFade
| Michael Tolcher
| Howie Day
| Rick Springfield
|
Gavin Degraw
| Ingram Hill
| Foghat
| Journey
|
Styx
| Bombshell
| Brad Paisley
| Buckwheat Zydeco
|
AlterBridge
| Whitesnake
| Cowboy Mouth
| Collective Soul
|
2006
The Bronold Builders Skydeck is put in place and is well received. The festival hosts the first Community Concert with Raven. Over 9000 patrons enjoyed the afternoon show. AAA becomes the Sand Sculpture Contests first sponsor and over 75 entries vied for the great prizes.
Entertainers
| | | |
Tesla
| Everclear
| Brian McKnight
| Alice Cooper
|
Trapt
| Shinedown
| Smash Mouth
| Sugarland
|
Emerson Drive
| Macy Gray
| Toto
| The Steve Miller Band
|
Eddie Money
| Train
| Raven
| |
2007
Esurance joins the festival as our presenting partner. Daughtry is the first concert to sell out before the festival even begins. Reserved Seating is added to the main concert venue. The Regional Stage hosted their first Muskegon Idol Karaoke competition to large crowds. Rozzi Fireworks joined our Fireworks committee to put on a show to remember.
Entertainers
| | | |
"Weird Al" Yankovic
| Goo Goo Dolls
| Lifehouse
| Cobie Caillat
|
INXS
| Black Stone Cherry
| Phil Vasser
| Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly
|
Rodney Atkins
| Taylor Swift
| Ryan Shaw
| Georg Thorogood & the Destroyers
|
Corbin Bleu
| Drake Bell
| Jordan Pruitt
| Daughtry
|
B. B. King
| Cowboy Mouth
| Day of Fire
| Kenny Wayne Shepherd
|
The New Cars
| The Spinners
| | |
2008
Patrons now have a wide variety of seating options from Premier Seating to the Sky Deck. The Show Me Racing Pigs make their debut to great audiences. The first Battle of the Bands allows us to showcase the winners on the Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge Mainstage.
Entertainers
| | | |
The Steve Miller Band
| Joe Cocker
| Dierks Bentley
| Luke Bryan
|
Kansas
| Jonny Lang
| The Whispers
| Sean Kingston
|
Sister Hazel
| Miranda Lambert
| James Otto
| Julianne Hough
|
REO Speedwagon
| Blue Oyster Cult
| Montgomery Gentry
| Seether
|
Finger Eleven
| Staind
| Hinder
| Switchfoot
|
Sammy Hagar
|
| | |
2009
The Snake Pit makes it’s debut featuring Docker’s signature Perch Sliders and Prime Pitas and the new Venom specialty adult beverages. The Early Entry pass is well received. Patrons enjoyed getting into the concert venue early to pick their prime viewing spot. In an effort to lighten our footprint we will implement several green effort including recycle/reuse cardboard boxes, recycling containers for collection of bottles and cans plus our refillable beer mugs. The Shoreline Stimulus Zone is created at the corner of 7th and Shoreline to provide local businesses an opportunity to reach our patrons.
Entertainers
| | | |
Saving Abel
| Pop Evil
| Burn Halo
| Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
|
Loverboy
| John Legend
| Vaughn Anthony
| Barenaked Ladies
|
Needtobreathe
| Jason Aldean
| Jamey Johnson
| Kellie Pickler
|
Keith Anderson
| Jake Owen
| Counting Crows
| Wild Sweet Orange
|
Billy Squier
| War
| Edgar Winter
| Heart
|
Bettye Lavette
| Shinedown
| Red
| Third Eye Blind
|
Halestorm
| Framing Hanley
| Matt Nathanson
| |