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The Red Flannel Festival, Sep 30th - Oct 2nd; Cedar Springs

Red Flannel Day - Lots to Do!
But you'd better wear redÖ Keystone Kops are everywhereÖ
..."arresting" offenders!

It all began in 1936 in the midst of "the worst winter in years." The whole country
suffered in the grip of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures. A New York
feature writer bemoaned the "fact" that, "Here we are in the midst of an old-
fashioned winter and there are no red flannels in the USA to go with it."

The local newspaper, The Cedar Springs Clipper, owned and edited by "The
Clipper Gals" Nina Babcock and Grace Hamilton answered the writer with a
RED HOT editorial stating: "Just because Sak's Fifth Avenue does not carry
red flannels, it doesn't follow that no one in the country does. CEDAR
SPRINGS' merchants have red flannels!"

The story was picked up by The Associated Press and orders began pouring in
from all over the USA.

Seeing the possibility of at least a few years of publicity because of our famous
"drop seaters" and lumbering history, a "RED FLANNEL DAY" was planned for
the fall of 1939. After the closure of the Red Flannel Factory in 1994, the
citizens became concerned as to the fate of their beloved Red Flannels and of
the Red Flannel Festival. However, due to the love of their community legacy,
volunteers rallied to keep the Red Flannel Festival tradition alive. It has
continued to be an annual event, held the last weekend in September and the
first weekend in October. The production of Red Flannel garments was
reestablished and they are available to purchase in Cedar Springs.

Visit The Red Flannel Festival web site

Posted/updated Sep 26, 2005
by William Stevens (Absolute Michigan Lifestyles Editor)