Summer Fest to Raise Funds for the Lowell Area Historical Museum

In its third year, Summer Fest will once again raise funds to support the Lowell Area Historical Museum.  Partnering with local businesses to provide food and drink during the event, it’s sure to be an evening filled with good food and conversation in a great location.

Signature Annual Event
Summer Fest has become the one of the main fundraisers for the museum.  Each year it has grown in size.  Those who have attended in the past look forward to the evening while those who have not been are eager to see what it’s all about.  

Lisa Plank, the Museum’s Director, has been in her current position for two and a half years.  “The vision behind this event to create a fun event that helps to raise funding for the museum. We wanted to invite people in to enjoy the beautiful building and grounds that are home to the Museum.” she says of Summer Fest.  Thanks to sponsors Addorio and PFCU the majority of ticket prices will go toward museum programs.  

New this year, New Union Brewery, Painted Turtle Hard Cider, Big Boiler Brewing, and Sweet Season will be joining the lineup offering food and drink.  Other favorites such as Main St. BBQ, Flat River Grill, BC Pizza, Heidi’s Farmstand, Miss P’s Catering, and Gravel Bottom Brewery will return.  Guests will be able to tour the museum and garden.  The Fur Trade in Lowell exhibit, which Plank says “highlights an exciting chapter in Lowell’s past” can be seen as well.  The two-year exhibit will remain at the museum until fall 2018.  Each gallery, the porch, and garden will have a food and drink station.  In the garden the Easy Idle String Band will provide entertainment for a second year.

Learn Through Programs and Exhibits
As summer winds down and with school starting next week, one of the museum’s busiest times of the year is near.  Students come on field trips to tour the facility.  In a partnership with Heidi’s Farmstand programs on Pioneer Farming, Native American Life, and Fur Trading provide fun and educational experiences for students.  The museum has also put on presentations for adults such as estimating a year in which a photo was taken.  In the spring second grade students learn about pioneer life through Grandma’s Trunk.  

Throughout the year approximately 25,000 people come through the museum or participate in programs in the building or through outreach activities.  A new website, launched within the last year, has given people in the community and beyond the opportunity to learn about artifacts and learn about Lowell’s history.  

After recently completing a strategic plan where goals and objectives for the coming years were identified, the museum is looking to expand their audience.  Through new public and education programs the goal is to encourage the community to learn about Lowell’s past.  History can be fun and interesting for all ages.

Collaboration with Lowell Area Schools, Lowell and Vergennes Township, the City of Lowell, and the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce gives the museum opportunities to share the past with current generations.  “Going forward the Museum hopes to engage a growing number of residents and visitors to share the interesting history of this community in a wide variety of ways.” says Plank.  Currently working with Lowell Township, the museum is putting together a fur trade interpretation in North Grand River Riverfront Park.  They are also involved with the city and chamber on rebuilding the Showboat.  

Show Your Support and Enjoy an Evening at the Museum
The community is invited to attend Summer Fest this Friday from 6pm – 9pm at the Lowell Area Historical Museum.  Tickets are $40 each with proceeds going to museum programming.  Tickets can be purchased online or at the museum.  Plank ends with, “It [the museum] is a wonderful organization with a lot of great and dedicated people. If you haven’t had a chance to visit, I encourage everyone to come to see the exhibits and attend a program.”  Keep up to date on exhibits and events as well as explore some of the community’s history by visiting the Lowell Area Historical Museum website or Facebook page.  Take a look back and what Lowell was like in the past and wonder what will be represented from the present decades from now.

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