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Sparta Town & Country Days

July 15 – 18, 2010

www.spartafair.com

2010 Theme

[googleMap name="Sparta, Michigan" description="Downtown Sparta just 10 miles north of Grand Rapids. " width="350" height="250"]75 N Union Sparta, MI 49345[/googleMap]

Dinner, Drinks, & Dancing!  Tickets $20 per person (includes dinner) 

Ages 21 + only, please.

Saturday, February 13 2010

Doors Open 7 pm

Dinner Served 7:30 pm

Sparta Civic Center

75 N. Union, Sparta, MI 49345

Tickets can be purchased at:

Independent Bank of Sparta  887-8277

 Majestic Services  887-3320

 Kent Equipment  678-5368

Begin the evening with a train tour at the Railroad Depot Museum (400 N. Union Street) from 3:30 – 5 pm.  At 5 pm, line up at the Railroad Depot Museum for a Kids Costume Parade with police cars and fire trucks marching south on Union Street to the Sparta Civic Center (75 N. Union).

At the Civic Center, the Sparta American Legion will have a treat for the parade participants.  The Sparta Rotary Club will also host a “Pan for Silver” game for kids.  The Sparta Boy Scout Troop 280 will host a free Spook House, continuing a 20 year tradition!  Stop by the Sparta Fire Dept afterwards to Trick-or-Treat at the Fire Station!

Activities throughout the Month:

Oct 24             Pet Costume Contest in Rogers Park (75 N Union)

11:00 am – 12:30 pm Registration, Judging begins at 1 pm

Oct 24            Halloween Carnival at Sparta Fire Department (70 N State)

Noon – 4 pm    Free arts, crafts, games, prizes, tricks & treats!

Oct 28             Farmers Market with Freddie The Clown!  5 pm to Dusk

(201 E. Division in Downtown Sparta)

Oct 31             Halloween!

3:30 – 5 pm      Train Tour @ Railroad Depot Museum (400 N Union)

5 pm                  Kids Parade (Begin at 400 N Union walking south)

5 :15 pm           Cider & Treats with Sparta American Legion (75 N Union)

5:15 pm            Pan for Silver with Sparta Rotary Club (75 N Union)

5:30 pm            Kids Spook House (Sparta Boy Scout Troop 280) (75 N Union)

5:30 – 8 pm      Official Trick or Treat time in the Village of Sparta

5:30 – 8 pm      Trick or Treating at Sparta Fire Dept. (70 N State)

Form a Four-Some!

 All golfers are welcome to join a team, click here for the registration form. 

Network your business with other local busiensses! 

Choose to be a sponsor of a “Hole” and bring your business representatives out to the green giving away coupons, gift certificates, and prizes!  Click here to contact Dr. Jason Detweiler  from DC Chiropractic or Chris Nadeau from Majestic Landscapes to find out more information about getting your business involved or signing up for golf!

Moss Ridge Golf Course

13545 Apple Ave
Ravenna, MI 49451
(231) 853-5665  

View of Hole 9 on Moss Ridge Golf Course.

He will describe the current status of Marquette Rail, its future plans, and answer any questions you may have.  Marquette Rail operates the tracks that travel through Sparta crossing Division next to Elm Street where one can see and hear trains passing through multiple times per day.  The tracks connect from South of Grand Rapids, up to Ludington and Manistee area.

Photos of the Sparta Railroad Site: click HERE.

Coming from a railroading family, Kevin started his career with the Katy Railroad.  After serving a stint as a leader and venture capitalist to middle-market companies, he returned to the railroad industry as a consultant on over 85 short-line transactions over a 20-year span, while also advising in the development of high-performance employee-owned companies.

He has a BBA in Economics from Sam Houston State University and an MBA from the Univeristy of Dallas.

Kevin is involved in leadership roles in both the employee ownership and short line rail road communities.  He started the tradition of the Santa Train through communities which brings Santa Claus into Sparta each year.

This program is hosted by the West Michigan Railway Historical Society, a chapter of the NRHS.

 Downtown Sparta Blueprint 2009 (PDF)

The Blueprint Plan includes input and collaboration from:

Community Organization Leaders

Downtown Business Owners

Retail Trade Area Surveys

Customer Focus Groups

Employee Focus Groups

Sparta Downtown Development Authority

Sparta Chamber of Commerce

Village Council Members

Sparta Township Representatives

Sparta Residents

Community Meeting Attendees

Market Analysis

Lets work together to implement the 5 year action plan and make Downtown Sparta truly “What a Neighborhood Should Be”.

The Downtown Development Authority, Chamber of COmmerce, Village of Sparta is currently in the process of adopting the plan into the Master Plan and as the Guide for Downtown Development.

The 2010 Harvest on the Ridge BBQ Contest held in downtown Sparta is an attraction for locals and visitors alike to experience the sights and delicious smells of a semi-professional BBQ Contest!  The Sparta Smokin’ BBQ Contest is a State Sanctioned Championship Barbecue Location for the State of Michigan on Friday & Saturday, September 24 & 25, 2010 in Balyeat Field in downtown Sparta.  In addition to this mouth watering event, downtown Sparta will be the host of the Art in the Park Show, live music and entertainment, kids games, and more! The Sparta Smokin’ Barbecue Cook-Off is coordinated by the Harvest on the Ridge volunteer Roger Gren.

Click below for complete event information.  Can’t find something you need?  Contact Roger Gren at 616-263-6063.

Official 2010  BBQ Entry Form 

2010 Judge Request Form

Kids Cook-off Registration (Postponed for 2010)

Kansas City Barbecue Rules & Regulations

Food Vendor Application Form (already filled for 2010)

Please check out the Event Sponsors!  The Sparta Sizzlin’ BBQ Contest couldn’t happen without their support!

Event Sponsor’s Info (coming soon!) 

Would you like to be part of an event that will draw from around the Midwest?  Click here for the Sponsor Registration Form. 

Kansas City BBQ Society WEbsite: www.kcbs.us

E-waste Day will be held at the Sparta ChoiceOne Bank parking lot at the corner of Division and Union St. on Saturday, March 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There is no limit on the number of items for disposal, and the only charge is $10 per TV.

Almost anything that has a cord or battery will be accepted such as laptops, monitors (any size at no fee), computer accessories and cables, memory sticks, printers, VCRs, radios, microwaves, dehumidifiers, and electric power tools! A basic data wipe of computer hard drives is included. Large appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners are not accepted.

Call Comprenew at (616) 451-4400, option 1, or e-mail recycle@comprenew.org with questions about accepted electronic items. Please contact the Howard Christensen Nature Center at (616) 675-3158, or hcnc@kentconservation.org to make arrangements for large quantities, or to inquire about other dates for disposal.

Thanks to a matching federal Transportation Enhancement Grant administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation, Downtown Sparta will begin a Streetscape Project in April. This project is an initiative of the Downtown Development Authority in partnership with the Village of Sparta. Sparta is one of only seven municipalities in Michigan to receive the grant in 2009. With $376,500 in Transportation Enhancement Grant funds, the improvements include pedestrian safety measures including brick crosswalks and lighting, benches, trees, shrubs, and landscaping in an effort to slow traffic down. Project limits are on Division Avenue from State Street to the Nash Creek Bridge and along N. Union. Additional funding is through Kent County, Sparta DDA, and the Village of Sparta.

For a few years, the DDA and Village have been budgeting funds in anticipation of this project, which means taxes will not be increased and special assessments will not happen for this project. The DDA captures a percentage of tax dollars from the taxing jurisdictions on specific DDA parcels as passed by State Legislation to work on development projects. The project is anticipated for competition in early July.

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