Felt Mansion concert series starts Thursday

The popular Thursdays at the Felt Summer Concert Series in Laketown Township begins July 11, 2024, with a beat that will get the crowd dancing.

The venue will also be offering more sustainable options including a free bottle-filling site for water and a composting station.

The music

“We are very excited to kick off the series this year with Zion Lion, a band from the Kalamazoo area that is a great mix of reggae, African zouk, mucosa, soukous and some Afro-Latin influences,” said Elizabeth McEwen, executive director of The Felt Estate, 6597 138^th Ave. “We expect that concertgoers won’t be able to help but kick off their shoes and dance the evening away!”

Admission is free. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Food and drink service begins at 6 p.m. The music starts at 7 p.m.

No outside drinks allowed but outside food is permitted. Coolers and bags will be checked. No pets except registered service dogs.

Food will be provided by Pizza Parliament, 1355 Judd Ave. in Wyoming.

Saugatuck Brewing Company, 2948 Blue Star Highway, Douglas, and Michigan Wine Company, 6781 124^th Ave. in Fennville, are onsite as well for drinks.

Other sponsors are TNT Roofing, 1895 Russell Court, Holland, and Dickinson-Wright, 200 Ottawa Ave. in Grand Rapids.

Performers

Other upcoming performers are:

July 18 — The Schrock Bros, a Michigan based Americana/blues ensemble.

July 25 — Bernadette Kathryn and the Lonely Days Band, contemporary young country music drawing on Motown and rock and roll.

Aug. 1 — Lighting Matches, an alternative rock band based in Grand Rapids.

In case of inclement weather, cancellation will be announced by 5 p.m. via email and website www.feltmansion.org/current-events.

The concerts traditionally take place on Thursdays through the entire month of July, but this year, the Fourth of July was on a Thursday, so the concerts start a week later and last into the first week of August.

For more concert information, visit www.feltmansion.org.

Sustainability

New this season is a commitment to increase sustainability through composting and recycling as much as possible, McEwen said. A compost bin provided by Organicycle will be on site for any compostable items such as food scraps and paper products.

“Concertgoers can help support our efforts by bringing their food in recyclable or compostable packaging and using our new bottle-filling station to stay hydrated at no cost and without adding to a landfill,” she said.

The Felt Estate will also have reusable water bottles, wine tumblers and other fun items for sale during the concert, she added.

Tours and volunteers

The Carriage House, built in 1917, and mansion are open for tours during the shows.

Construction of the mansion began in 1925 by Dorr E. Felt, inventor of the Comptometer, an early adding machine. The building was finished in 1928. Felt’s wife Agnes died that year. Dorr died a year-and-a-half later.

After his death, the estate became a seminary for the Augustinian order then a state prison and Michigan State Police post before the property was purchased by Laketown Township.

The mansion has been restored and is a top wedding and event destination.