Community Events

Enjoy free, family-friendly live music featuring local and national artists! Join us this summer at Friendship Park for a series of outdoor concerts, brought to you by Cascade Township.

Event Details:

​Time: All shows start at 6:30 pm
Admission: Free
Seating: Bring your own blanket or lawn chair
Food and Drink: Feel free to bring a cooler with snacks, water, or soda. Alcohol is not allowed.

Concert Lineup:

June 12: Electric Flower Co

July 17: Lee Murdock

Lee Murdock has discovered a boundless body of music and stories from the Great Lakes. Noted as a fluent instrumentalist on the six and twelve string guitars, Murdock combines ragtime, Irish, blues, and folk styles with his flair for storytelling in songs. His musical influences span fifteen generations. Murdock began his folk career in the Chicago area in the mid-1970s, expanding his repertoire of blues and popular music as his interest in folk music and the maritime tradition grew.

His focus on Great Lakes music began as a simple interest in finding the folk songs from his own local history. He says, “I sort of ‘fell in’ to the Great Lakes by accident,” says Murdock, “but once I started performing songs about the Great Lakes, my audiences kept asking for more. And the stories and songs just keep coming.”
Murdock's songs create an unforgettable image of commerce and recreation as they coexist on the Great Lakes today, with huge cargo ships traversing vital shipping lanes while pleasure craft of all types and sizes share the waters along America’s fourth coast.
Lee’s songs and stories share the tragedy and the heroics, the isolation and the breathtaking beauty of lighthouse lore and the US Life Saving Service (later known as the Coast Guard).
With a deeper understanding of the folk process, Lee's repertoire combines historical research and contemporary insights. Murdock's work is both documentary and also a contemporary anthem to the people who live, work, and play along the Great Lakes today.
For more information, visit his website. Photo provided by Lee Murdock.

August 7: Chloe Kimes

“It’s the early marks of a great Americana storyteller-in-the-making, cut from a cloth reminiscent of contemporary roots heroes like Lucinda Williams.” (Johnathan Frahm, For Folk’s Sake)
A songwriting troubadour with new music pointing towards a courageous sophomore release, she fronts a spirited alt-country outfit. Kimes and her band offer a striking live show with a timeless sound, her tireless voice leading the way, her sentiments forging their own new space in the country Americana scene.
Visit her website for more information. Photo provided by Chloe Kimes.

_{Presented in conjunction with Kent District Library's Vibes Reference Desk Mini Concert Series.}

Event Schedule

Bike & Community Parade

Parade staging begins at 7:30 am at Thornapple Covenant Church. Registration required.
Bike parade staging begins at 8 am at Cascade Fellowship Christian Reformed Church. No registration required.

Street Fair & Festival

10:30 am – 2 pm
Friendship Park, Jacksmith Avenue, and surrounding properties
Enjoy:

• Inflatables and kids’ rides in the Noto’s parking lot
• Food trucks lining the street
• Live music at the pavilion
• Hands-on activities and entertainment

Book Sale

8 am – 3 pm
Wisner Center & Library Parking Lot
Hosted by Friends of the Library. Proceeds support the Cascade Branch of KDL.

Fireworks Show

6:30 pm: Live music at Legacy Park (Ada)
Fireworks to follow shortly after the band finishes at dark
Amway Headquarters, 7575 Fulton St. E, Ada
Cascade and Ada Townships co-host this evening finale. Bring a blanket and enjoy the show! Best viewed anywhere in downtown Ada.

Parade Participation

Bike Parade (No Registration Required)
Kids and families are encouraged to decorate non-motorized wheels including bikes, scooters, wagons, and strollers.
Meet at 8 am outside Cascade Fellowship Christian Reformed Church (6655 Cascade Rd SE)
Reminder: Riders under 14 must wear a helmet, per Township ordinance.

Community Parade (Registration Required)
All floats and walking groups must pre-register.
Meet at 7:30 am at Thornapple Covenant Church (6595 Cascade Rd SE)
Register Here by Friday, June 26

Additional Information

• From the intersection of Cascade Road and Burton Street proceeding east on Cascade Road to 28th Street, then proceeding west on 28th Street ending at Thornhills Drive will be closed from 8:15 am to 10:45 am for the parade. The route is marked in red on the map above.
• Jacksmith Avenue will be closed to traffic for a safe, walkable festival space from 7:30 am to 3 pm for set up and removal of equipment and the street fair operation from 10:30 am to 2 pm.
• Cascade Township offices will be closed Friday, July 4 in observance of the holiday.

Before registering review the official rules on the registration form. If you have questions, please contact the Township at 616-949-1500, or email reception@cascadetwp.com.