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

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.

The 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 Sizzlin’ BBQ Contest is a State Sanctioned Championship Barbecue Location for the State of Michigan on Friday & Saturday, September 25 & 26 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 Sizzlin’ Barbecue Cook-Off is coordinated by the Harvest on the Ridge volunteers, Sparta Chamber of Commerce, and by staff members from Unity Security.

Click below for complete event information.  Can’t find something you need?  Contact Roger Gren at Unity Security at (616) 887-7767.

BBQ Entry Form

Judge Request Form

Kids Cook-off Registration (Postponed for 2010)

Kansas City Barbecue Rules & Regulations

Food Vendor Application Form

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

As a gateway to “the Ridge“, a geographically prime and pristine area for growing fruits and vegetables, Sparta is a perfect place to find fresh picked and u-pick grown crops each Fall, follow color tours bursting with brilliant reds and yellows, and create a memory picking out your very own pumpkin to carve.  In addition to the world class farmers markets and farm tours, the Harvest on the Ridge BBQ Contest held in downtown Sparta is an attraction for locals and visitors alike to smell and experience the professionals at work.  In addition, downtown Sparta will be the host of the Art in the Park Show hosted by the Regional Arts Guild of Sparta, live music, kids games, and much more.

FULL HARVEST EVENT PROGRAM (PDF)

Directions to Sparta Harvest on the Ridge (coming soon!)

Balyeat Field: 190 Olmstead, Sparta, MI 49345

Rogers Park: 75 N Union Street, Sparta, MI 49345

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

Scarecrow Contest: register by September 22!

Harvest Bouncers & kids games (Village Parking Lot) 6-9 pm

Tickets: $2 each, 3 for $5, or Unlimited Day Long Pass $7.00!

Live Band: Decades! 7-10 pm (Balyeat Field)

Michigan Beer & Wine Tasting Tent 5 – 11 pm (Balyeat Field)

Thunder 94.5 On Site!  Win Prizes from the popular Country Music Radio Station!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

Art in the Park Show (Rogers Park) 9-5 pm

Sparta Area Farmers Markets Tour (Schedule coming soon!)

Apple Packing Shed Tour (Schedule coming soon!)

See how apples are picked from trees, shipped to packing sheds, weighed, measured, and washed before being packed up for sale in local grocery stores!

Daffodil Hill Bulb Planting Free Family Activity

BBQ Contest (Balyeat Field) 10-4 pm

BBQ Chicken, Ribs, & more available at BBQ Booths.

Harvest BBQ Stuffed Pork Loin Recipe

Apple Pie Baking Contest (Balyeat Field) Winner announced at 2 pm.

Scarecrow Contest: register by September 22!

Harvest Bouncers & Kids Games (Village Parking Lot) 11-3 pm

Downtown Pumpkin Painting Kids Activity (Village Parking Lots) 11 – 3 pm

Live Concert & Entertainment Line Up:

Guinness Brothers Band 11 – 3 pm

Harvest Sponsorship Form now available here!

The Regional Arts Guild in Sparta welcomes your participation in the  annual Art in the Park during the new Harvest on the Ridge Festival. 

Our show will be held from 9am-5pm in Rogers Park on Saturday, September 26^th.   A circular drive throughout the park encourages easy set-ups and teardowns.

Trash and clean restroom facilities will be available.

Please join us in making this long-awaited event a reality in Sparta.

2010 Art in the Park Poster Application 

2010 Art in the Park Vendor Booth Application

Questions for Art in the Park please contact Toni Payne at Creative One Gallery at (616) 887-2190. 

Art in the Park is sponosred by www.creativeonegallery.com.

(616) 887-2190

The Sparta Farmers Market is Wednesday evenings from 5:00 – Dusk beginning July 1 through October 28, 2009.  The Market will be set up Under the Arches Parking Lot (201 E. Division, Sparta, MI 49345)

Special October Events:

Wednesday, October 7: Music playing in the Parking Lot, stop by the Market for a FREE Sparta grown Apple!  First 100 kids receive a free washable apple tattoo! 

 Wednesday, October 14: Kids Safety Event with Sparta Police & Sparta Fire Department!  Meet the officers and check out the fire trucks!  Turn in the Halloween Coloring Contest Picture & receive a free yummy treat! *

 Wednesday, October 21: Big Band Music! Turn in the Halloween Coloring Contest Picture & receive a free yummy treat! *

 Wednesday. October 28: Meet Freddie the Clown and listen to saxophone music and take home a balloon animal!  Turn in the Halloween Coloring Contest Picture & receive a free yummy treat! *

 *The Coloring Contest Picture can be found at HERE or can be picked up at the farmers market.  Must turn in picture at the Farmers Market to be eligible to receive the prize!

Prize Drawing!

 Enter each week into the “Farmers Market Drawing” to be one of 5 winners to win a canvas Sparta Shop Local bag filled with Sparta Grown Apples!  Registration is free, you just need to register at the Farmers Markets.

During October enjoy Sparta’s Sidewalk Sales on Wednesday evenings, too!  Visit Downtown Sparta to find sales and specials on Wednesday evenings!   

Interested in becoming a vendor at the market?

Download the Downtown Sparta Farmers Market Vendor Information for more information about setting up a stand at the Farmers Market.

  Who will benefit from the Market?

1. Local growers who participate with fresh foods

 2. Downtown businesses through promotion of the downtown as a designation with the market and through traffic created by the market that would otherwise not have visited the downtown

 3.The community residents and visitors who purchase and consume local foods

  Why is this market being created?

  1. To create a viable market for growers that will help protect local  farmland from future development 

2. To put more fresh local food in the mouths of Michigan people

 3. To enhance the experience of downtown Sparta

  Don’t miss out on finding fresh, locally grown foods in dowtnown Sparta during the concerts in the Park with live musical entertainment in Rogers Park right next to the Farmers Market!

2009 Downloadable Concert in the Park Schedule! 

 Schedule Listed Here:

Wednesday, July 1:

Sparta Praise & Worship Band (with Nick Lewis & Skip Meyer)

Sparta Church Youth Groups & Sparta Lions Pancake Dinner $5

 Wednesday, July 8: Decades

Algoma Christian Schools Fundraiser Hot Dogs $3.00 & Smoothies $2.00

 Wednesday, July 15: Sparta Township Band & Dew South

Bird Feeder Crafts, Apple Dessert Bakeoff Contest & Johnny Appleseed  & Miss Apple Blossom Winners crowned & Trinity CRC of Sparta Pig Roast – $6 adults/ $3 children

Wednesday, July 22: Lazy Blue Tuna’s

Drive In Car Display by the Greenville Area Corvette Club & Great Lakes Rodders & Rotary Chicken Dinner (benefits “Feeding America” Local Food Truck) $ 7.50

 Wednesday, July 29: ChoiceOne Bank Presents – Mane St.

Sparta 4-H Fundraiser

 Wednesday, August 5:  The Williams Family Band

Algoma Christian School: $3.00 BBQ Sandwich & Chips & The Tasty Treat Ice Cream Relay for Life Fundraiser

 Wednesday, August 12: Bottom Line Band

Fishin’ Chicken $5.00 Deli Chicken Wraps & homemade  Chips & The Tasty Treat Ice Cream Relay for Life Fundraiser

 Wednesday, August 19: Sparta Praise & Worship Band (rescheduled!)(with Nick Lewis & Skip Meyer)

Sparta Little League Fundraiser: $8.00 Chicken Dinners

 Wednesday, August 26: Jazz & Funk Band with Nick Lewis

2009  Concerts in the Park sponsored by:

2009 Concerts in the Park Sponsorship Information

** NEW!  Farmers Market in Downtown Sparta! 

Wednesday evenings in July during Concerts in the Park

in the ChoiceOne Parking Lot!  5:30 to 8:00 pm

Are you in a band?  Interested in playing at our free Concerts in the Park?

Please contact the Sparta Chamber of Commerce to find out how to play for the community!

2008 Concerts in the Park Schedule

Photo taken by Tom Scott

“The best event of the year!”  claimed one Pink Dress Run participant at the event on Saturday, May 23 in downtown Sparta. 

Nearly 250 individuals participated in the event with four teams battling it out to raise the most funds through raffles, donations, and games.  “The only item of contention,” says the Eagles Team Leader, Kim Gorski, with a smile and a wink ”was the fact that Trini and Joe won the Mr. Pink Pageant, even though it was obvious that the Eagles Mr. Pink representative Jon Morse was the best dressed.  It was rigged!”   With men strutting their stuff in their pink dresses on Saturday, the goal to raise money and awareness was achieved.

Sparta Chamber President Kelly DeWindt, the creator of the event, was pleased to report that The Pink Dress Run raised over $5,000 to benefit the American Cancer Society. “You can look forward to this event again, in 2010, with more Pink Dress Crawlers and more fun!” says DeWindt. “The crawl really came together because of the great establishments that participated, the participants who gave their time and money to participate, and the volunteers and sponsors who helped make the event possible.”

Check out Photos from the event HERE, courtesy of Tom Scott with t.scott photography and other participants.  Photos may be purchased through trscott88@yahoo.com. 

Like to submit a photo for the album? Please email the photo to Elizabeth Gorski-Morse. 

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Registration begins at Noon!

Join the Sparta Chamber of Commerce as we Run, Walk,errr… Crawl from bar to bar raising money for the Relay for Life event in Sparta. However you do it, do it for the cure with your friends in this bar hop fund raising event. Relay for Life will be held at the Sparta Schools Football Field June 12 and 13, 2009. This is the third year Relay for Life has raised money in the Sparta area for the American Cancer Society.

Here are the steps for a successful Pink Dress Run:

1.  Purchase your Pink Dress Run Ticket for only $10 each at any of the following locations:

• Sparta Pub
• Sparta Lanes
• Downtown Trini’s
• North Kent Eagles Club

2.  Invite friends or family (all above 21 years of age) to join your team and purchase a ticket!

3.  Find a PINK DRESS (men and women, both!!) that you look good in! 

4.  Show up on Saturday, May 23 at your starting location (located on your ticket) and register.  Bring lots of $1 bills for drink specials, raffles, and contests to raise money for the American Cancer Society.    The team with the most raised $$ at the end of the crawl is the Pink Dress Run Champ until the next go round! 

Looking forward to a great PINK run Memorial Day weekend!

Each participant will receive the official 2009 Pink Dress Run Participant T-Shirt! This is an event you and your friends will not want to miss!

Pink Dress Flier 2009

Join the North Kent Eagles Club at Appleview Elementary School for a free Easter Egg Hunt!  Candy filled eggs and prizes sponsored by local businesses in the Sparta area.