Take a step back in time during the 37^th annual three-day Montcalm Heritage Festival, Aug. 1-3, on Montcalm Community College’s Sidney campus.

“There really is something for most everyone,” Shannon Kilduff, president of the Heritage Village Committee, said.

“Montcalm Heritage Village is a unique walk through our local history. Most of the buildings are original to the county and have been relocated to the village,” Kilduff said.

Several activities and displays are available all three days, including historical displays in Heritage Village buildings, live music, an antique tractor display, children’s activities, ironwork demonstrations in the Blacksmith Shop, a display of a railroad speeder and equipment, demonstrations by the American Mountain Men, a Civil War Encampment, craft demonstrations, an ice cream parlor and dairy equipment display, antique small engine displays, steam engine display and demonstrations, cake walks and more.

Thursday, Aug. 1, is Honoring Seniors Day with a free lunch for senior citizens sponsored by the Montcalm County Commission on Aging. Tickets may be picked up at the entrance to Heritage Festival the day of the event. An opening ceremony kicks of the festival at 10 a.m. and the buildings in Heritage Village will be open immediately following the opening festivities. Self-guided tours will begin at this time, as well. The buildings will be open each day of the festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday is Children’s Day with pony rides, crafts, hands-on activities and more.

Saturday is Salute to Veterans Day, during which Stanton American Legion will honor local veteran Larry Engle during a special presentation at the Gazebo.

Saturday’s festivities begin with the Montcalm Community College Foundation’s annual Pancake Breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. outside MCC’s Activities Building, sponsored by Leppinks Food Centers. The cost is $5 per person in advance or $6 at the door. Proceeds from the breakfast support the MCC Foundation Festival Scholarship, which supports MCC students. Advance tickets may be purchased from MCC Board of Trustees members, MCC Foundation Board members or by contacting MCC Foundation Executive Director Lisa Lund at 989-328-1284 or lisal@montcalm.edu. Tickets also may be purchased at the reception desk in the Stanley and Blanche Ash Technology and Learning Center on MCC’s Greenville campus and at the Donald C. Burns Administration/Library Building on the college’s Sidney campus.

“This festival is put together with a love for our heritage that shows throughout the village,” Kilduff said.

The buildings are continuously maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers from all around the area. Most of the artifacts have been donated by volunteers and community members. The Stanton Rotary Club recently added a fresh coat of paint to the Thorland Ice House.

Music and entertainment are available all three days, with Vintage Base Ball games on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

During all three days, Stanton Women’s Club offers lunch to purchase under the pavilion including sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, apple pie from Anderson and Girls Orchard, cookies from Leppink’s Food Center and drinks.

The festival is offered by the Montcalm Heritage Village Volunteers; MCC; and the MCC Foundation. Montcalm Heritage Village was established in 1986 on MCC’s Sidney campus and has grown to include 28 buildings and hundreds of artifacts from local areas depicting life in Michigan in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. All events are free unless otherwise noted.

For a complete schedule of events or more information about Montcalm Heritage Festival, visit montcalm.edu/heritage-festival.

All Three Days

• Arts and Crafts – Craft Lane
• Bandstand/Gazebo – Music and entertainment
• Belle’s Hat Shoppe – Historic displays
• Blacksmith Shop – Open for display and blacksmith demonstrations
• Musical Cakes – At the Children’s Playhouse
• Children’s Scavenger Hunt – Village-wide
• Children’s Playhouse – Open for display and activities
• Civil War Encampment – Demonstrations and exhibits on the north lawn
• Demo Tents - Crochet, wood carving, weaving and more between general store and jail
• Doctor’s House – Open for display
• Edmore Jail – Open for display
• Ehle Barn – Antique farm equipment and small engines
• Gaffield Schoolhouse – Country school reenactments 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Golf Cart Rides
• Maintenance of Way – Display of a Railroad Speeder and equipment
• Montcalm Area Master Gardeners - Garden tours
• McBrides Depot - Open for display
• Mountain Men Encampment - Demonstrations and exhibits on south lawn
• Old Iron Tractor Club – Display of antique tractors on the east lawn
• Pavilion – Village Country Kitchen sells sandwiches, chips, pie, cookies and beverages provided by the Stanton Women’s Club
• Print Shop – Open for display with White Pine District Library displays
• Rush Dairy – Ice cream parlor with ice cream for sale and dairy equipment
• Shoen Log Cabin – Historic displays and spinning demonstrations
• Sidney General Store – Bake sale, candy and pickles for sale and historic displays
• Sidney Town Hall – County and township historic displays
• Tent on the Green – Quilt Show
• Tool Shed – Farm tool displays and antique sleigh
• Village Church – Open for display

Thursday, August 1 - Honoring Seniors Day

• 10 a.m. - Festival opening at the bandstand/gazebo. All buildings will open after the opening ceremony. 
• 10:30 a.m. - Garden tours starting at the Master Gardeners table by the front gate.
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Montcalm County Commission on Aging Senior Fest. Special Events for the senior citizens include lunch, drawings, door prizes, free blood pressure checks (sponsored by Metron of Greenville) and a scavenger hunt.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Children’s activities, crafts, and hand-on activities at the children's playhouse.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Quilt show in the tent on the green.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Self-guided tours of all Heritage Village buildings with docents available to provide information and answer questions.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Silent auction in the tent on the north side of the general store featuring 20 paintings of the village by Gary Hauck. Proceeds benefit the MCC Foundation for student scholarships.
• 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Entertainment all day at the bandstand/gazebo.

Friday, August 2 – Children’s Day

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Children's activities, crafts, and hands-on activities at the children's playhouse.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Pony rides
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Quilt show in the tent on the green.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Self-guided tours of all Heritage Village buildings with docents available to provide information and answer questions.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Silent auction in the tent on the north side of the general store featuring 20 paintings of the village by Gary Hauck. Proceeds benefit the MCC Foundation for student scholarships.
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Entertainment all day at the bandstand/gazebo.
• 10:30 a.m. - Garden tours starting at the Master Gardeners table by the front gate.

Saturday, August 3 – “Salute to Veterans” Day

• 8 to 11 a.m. - Montcalm Community College Foundation Pancake Breakfast at the Activities Building.
• 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Vintage Base Ball
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Children's activities, crafts, and hands-on activities at the children's playhouse.
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Entertainment all day at the bandstand/gazebo.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Petting Zoo
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Quilt show in the tent on the green.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Self-guided tours of all Heritage Village buildings with docents available to provide information and answer questions.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Silent auction in the tent on the north side of the general store featuring 20 paintings of the village by Gary Hauck. Proceeds benefit the MCC Foundation for student scholarships.
• 10:30 a.m. - Garden tours starting at the Master Gardeners table by the front gate.
• 11:30 to 1 p.m. - Salute to Veterans at the bandstand/gazebo
• 2 p.m. - Old-fashioned church service at the Heritage Village church.