Final Felt Estate concert will offer Interurban return trips

A member of B-BOP — Big Band of Praise performs Thursday, July 17, 2025, at the Felt Estate in Laketown Township.

Concertgoers can get a ride home from the final show of the Felt Summer Concert Series on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Residents can take the Interurban Transit Authority bus to the concerts that start at 7 p.m., but for the previous two events they could not take the bus home because it stopped service at 7 p.m.

For the July 24 concert, that deadline will be extended to get people from the concert site at the Felt Estate to their home. The cost is $3 per rider. The service is available in Laketown Township, Saugatuck Township, and the cities of Saugatuck, Douglas, and Fennville.

Trumpeters from B-BOP — Big Band of Praise join the tunes during Thursdays at the Felt Summer Concert Series on July 17, 2025, at the Felt Estate in Laketown Township.

For more information on the transportation service, visit www.saugatuckinterurban.org.

The singer for B-BOP — Big Band of Praise performs during Thursdays at the Felt Summer Concert Series on July 17, 2025, at the Felt Estate in Laketown Township.

Final show

The third and final show at the Felt Summer Concert Series starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24, at the Carriage House, 6597 138^th Ave., featuring Chicago Mule, a cover band from the north side of the Windy City. Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Matthew Gordon and pianist/vocalist Megan Burback, the duo puts its own spin on favorite songs from oldies and rock classics to current pop hits.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Food and drink service begins at 6 p.m.

B-BOP — Big Band of Praise, performs during Thursdays at the Felt Summer Concert Series on July 17, 2025, at the Felt Estate in Laketown Township.

No outside alcohol is allowed but outside food and sealed beverage containers are permitted. Coolers and bags will be checked. No pets except registered service dogs.

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

A premium paid parking option on the lawn next to the Carriage House is available for $5. Free parking is still available by the Felt Mansion solar array and at Shore Acres Park.

Funds raised at the concerts help with repairs and renovations at the almost century-old mansion.

Sponsors for the concerts are:

TNT Roofing https://857roof.com/
Dickinson Wright Attorneys https://www.dickinson-wright.com/our-firm/locations/grand-rapids-office-united-states-of-america
Haworth Helps https://www.haworth.com/na/en/about/about-haworth/corporate-social-responsibility.html
Saugatuck Brewing Company https://www.saugatuckbrewing.com/
Michigan Wine Company https://www.michiganwineco.com/

The building will be open for free self-guided tours from 5-7 p.m. on concert nights with donations appreciated.

The second concert of the series on July 17 featured B-BOP — Big Band of Praise, an 18-piece band that started at a Holland area church.

The Felt Estate

Construction of the mansion began in 1925 by Dorr E. Felt, inventor of the Comptometer, the first machine that could do all four math functions — add, subtract, multiply and divide. 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 that was attended by Pope Leo XIV, 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 historical and educational site as well as a wedding and event destination. Learn more at www.feltmansion.org

The Friends of the Felt Estate is looking at $1.6 million in repairs to the mansion.