Great Tunes & Good Times: Saugatuck’s Vibrant Live Music and Entertainment Scene
Live music has been a part of Saugatuck’s cultural scene for generations, dating back to when musical luminaries like Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, and Dizzy Gillespie played at our downtown jazz festival in the late 1950s. In later years, the Saugatuck Pop Fest brought acts like Bob Seger and Muddy Waters to our town in the 1960s, putting Saugatuck on the map for its lively, open-minded arts and music community. That tradition continues today, with live music filling the calendar throughout the year, especially during the busy summer months. A step above other Saugatuck Michigan hotels, stay in luxury at our bed and breakfast, with a can’t-beat, convenient location – we’re just a short stroll, bike ride, or drive from excellent live music and entertainment nearly any night of the week!
Piano at the Dunes, Music All Summer Along the Kalamazoo,
and World-Class Musicals at the SCA
The legacy of jazz and art in Saugatuck coincide, with jazz musicians driving up from Chicago to play in the summertime when the OxBow School of Art hosted artists for their monthslong residencies. Today, you can catch upbeat jazz and lounge piano during the weekly “Bobbi on the Piano” show at the Dunes every Friday night from 5-7 pm, when the LGBTQ+ hotspot’s multiple bars become packed heading into every weekend. Drink one of their signature margaritas and relax in the indoor show bar, or enjoy the sunset on their outdoor deck bar, which turns into a party atmosphere during the warmer months. If you visit during the Saugatuck Pride Month festivities in June, the Dunes is one of the centers of action, with special Pride events every weekend.
Starting in mid-June, downtown Saugatuck transforms into a mini music festival every Wednesday evening when local bands take the stage at the gazebo in Wicks Park, less than a mile from our doorstep. To reach the venue, you can easily walk or ride one of our complimentary bikes along the picturesque Kalamazoo River. The annual live music series is one of Saugatuck’s most beloved summertime traditions, offering a unique experience of enjoying tunes while boats float down the river behind the stage. The 2024 season begins on June 19th with the Cheap Dates, a popular local band that plays around western Michigan often and gets people up and dancing to their repertoire of hits from the 80s, 90s, and modern-day tunes. Other bands like the Sea Cruisers play later in the summer, so whenever you’re in town, you’ll find great music every Wednesday evening throughout June, July, and August. Pick up some cheeses and snacks beforehand, spread out a blanket for a picnic, and grab to-go cocktails from downtown establishments like the Butler and Wicks Park Bar and Grille. Even better, show up early before the music starts to shop at downtown Saugatuck boutiques like Lucia’s World Emporium and ride across the Kalamazoo on the historic chain ferry, a living piece of Saugatuck history dating back nearly 200 years.
Saugatuck Center of the Arts (SCA) also kicks off its summer season in June 2024 with a three-week run of Beautiful, an award-winning musical about the fascinating life story of Carole King told through rousing live performances of her many hits. Opening night is June 22nd, with shows running through July 14th. From August 10th through September 1st, Million Dollar Quartet will transport you back to the formative days of rock and roll, when legends like Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis all converged in the hallowed halls of Sun Studio in Memphis to record songs that defined a generation. For over 20 years, SCA has been a cultural hub for live music and theater in Saugatuck, attracting the best stage performers from New York, Chicago, and LA – with our location just a half-mile away, we’re closer than any other Saugatuck Michigan hotels to where the magic happens on their stage.
Sampling the Best of Local Beers, Wines, and Spirits
While Local Bands Play and Checking Out Music in Fennville
Saugatuck has developed a stellar reputation for its breweries, wineries, and distilleries, garnering Western Michigan acclaim for its unique brews, vintages, and spirits. Combine live music with wine-tasting on July 18th and September 5th at the Ivy House, a gorgeous wedding and banquet venue that will host several of the best local wineries for hors-d'oeuvres while bands provide entertainment outside on their scenic 7-acre property and wineries pouring their best bottles.
Several wineries are just outside town and comprise the Fennville AVA, a viticultural area recognized for the rich soil and microclimate just off Lake Michigan, making fantastic grape-growing conditions. Although its population is less than 2,000, Fennville punches above its weight regarding live music and fun summertime events. Waypost Brewing hosts their massive Summer Sounds party on June 22nd, with tasty brews flowing from their taps and local bands playing all day while the Fennville City Music Hall series happens every Thursday evening from 6:30-8 pm throughout July and August on the shaded lawn in front of city hall in downtown Fennville. Salt of the Earth – one of the most popular eateries in Fennville and one of our favorite local farm-to-table restaurants – hosts a monthly live music series in their rustic dinner theater bar setting. Enjoy one of their delicious wood-fired pizzas and catch acts like Joshua Davis, who performs on April 28, 2024, and was a finalist on the Voice and teaches at MSU, a legend within local music circles.
If you’re into spirits, sip some of Michigan’s best small-batch bourbon, vodka, and gin at the New Holland Spirits tasting room along the shores of Kalamazoo Lake in downtown Saugatuck while catching live music in their intimate space. Serita’s Black Rose Duo, a group from Grand Rapids who play a mix of blues, soul, and funk, will perform at New Holland on the evenings of May 17 and July 3, 2024, playing original hip-shaking tunes plus covers of classics from the 60s and 70s. Starting as just a tiny brewpub in 1997, New Holland expanded into spirits in 2005 and has since become the largest independent brewery in all of Michigan. The worlds of beer and bourbon combine flavorfully in their beer barrel bourbon series, the whisky aged in barrels used to produce their stouts, while their grapefruit gin is refreshing on a warm summer day. You can also see Serita’s Black Rose perform next door at the Butler – one of the oldest restaurants in town, dating back over six decades, with unbeatable waterfront views – on June 6th, 16th, and 30th, 2024.
Music at a Historic Mansion Along the Dunes
It’s hard to imagine a more picturesque setting for live music than the scenic and sprawling property of the Felt Estate in Holland, just 5 miles north of downtown Saugatuck. Perhaps best known as a wedding venue nowadays, the mansion has a fascinating backstory, serving as a seminary and correctional facility at various times throughout its nearly-century-old history. Restored to its original beauty 20 years ago, now the property feels like an Italian chateau, its stately architecture surrounded by ornate gardens and sloping lawns, where they host live music and food vendors every Thursday night during July and into early August. Their 2024 summer schedule features a diverse lineup, like reggae/Afro fusion from Zion Lion on July 11th, Americana and blues by the Schlock Bros on July 18th, and honky-tonk via Detroit and Nashville from Bernadette Kathryn on July 25th.
Plan to explore the stunning landscapes at Saugatuck Dunes State Park a couple of hours before the show. Trails lead right from the Felt Mansion property into the protected dunes and nature preserve, extending hundreds of acres along the shoreline. Head out on the 1.5-mile-long Beach Trail, where you’ll have far fewer crowds than Oval Beach during the busy summer season and unobstructed views of Lake Michigan from the towering dunes, showing off our area’s pristine natural beauty.
Stay with us, a class beyond other Saugatuck Michigan hotels, where the options for live music are endless!
