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As crimson banners wave and festival-goers gather for the 86th Red Flannel Festival, the Red Flannel Factory stands as a living testament to Cedar Springs’ history, resilience, and community spirit. From its humble beginnings in 1936 to its current revival under the leadership of Courtney Haynes, the factory embodies the town’s enduring identity; stitched together with tradition and innovation.

RED HAWK STADIUM - The Cedar Springs Red Hawks defended their home turf Friday night with a hard-fought 31-21 victory over the Greenville Yellow Jackets in a heated rivalry matchup. The win pushes the Red Hawks to 3-0 on the season, but the game wasn’t without its challenges.

Kenowa Hills — In a clash of undefeated teams, the Cedar Springs Red Hawks (3-0) took to the road to face the Kenowa Hills Knights (3-0) for the Knights’ homecoming game. What followed was a thrilling and physical showdown that ended with a 49-35 victory for Kenowa Hills, handing Cedar Springs their first loss of the season.

After taking a few summer months off, the Cedar Springs Women’s Club met for their fall meeting on September 4 at the Cedar Fields Community Building. The Executive Board as Hostess Committee provided a light luncheon of salads, fruit, veggies, crackers and cheese, and desserts. Tables were decorated with school supplies brought by Club members and were donated to the Cedar Springs Elementary Schools.

CEDAR SPRINGS — The Cedar Springs City Council voted unanimously on Thursday, September 11, to approve a seven-year lease extension for the Teams of Skinner Field. This decision extends the group’s lease until 2032, providing the volunteer organization with greater stability as they continue their mission to improve and maintain the field for the community.

The Cedar Springs Public Library is developing a new Strategic Plan to shape its services, programs, and resources for the coming years. This plan will be designed to reflect the community’s needs and priorities, ensuring the library remains a welcoming space for learning, connection, and growth. Library staff are asking for feedback from residents to help identify what matters most and how the library can better serve Cedar Springs. A short survey is now available for community members to share their ideas. The survey can be taken online here or by printing a copy of the CSPL Strategic Plan Survey. Paper copies are also available at the library, Cedar Springs City Hall, and Solon Township Hall. Completed surveys should be returned to the library by Friday, October 10. This is a great opportunity for your voice to be heard for such an important community resource.

CEDAR SPRINGS - Creative Technologies Academy (CTA) hosted a heartfelt 9/11 memorial tribute on Monday morning, bringing them together with first responders and military personnel in remembrance of the lives lost 24 years ago and in gratitude to the first responders and military personnel who serve daily. The event began with a moving speech by CTA Superintendent Autumn Mattson. Flanked by students and local heroes, Mattson spoke to the crowd about the significance of the day, emphasizing the importance of teaching younger generations, many of whom were not yet born in 2001, about the impact 9/11 had on the country.

RED HAWK STADIUM - The Cedar Springs Red Hawks Varsity Football team earned a gritty 30-20 victory over the Harper Creek Beavers on Friday night. In a game filled with physicality, key plays, and high-energy moments, the Red Hawks proved they could rise to the occasion against a tough opponent.

The Cedar Springs Rotary Club would like to thank everyone that played, supported, and sponsored the outing. Cedar Springs Manufacturing fielded the winning team. From a financial standpoint, it was one of the most successful. We earned $4,400, which will be used to support other community activities such as the Cedar Springs Library’s summer reading program, Feeding America’s mobile food pantry, and leadership training for youth. If you’d like to learn more about Rotary and what it does, check out our website at cedarspringsrotary.org or our Facebook page at Cedar Springs Rotary Club.

In late July, the Cedar Springs United Methodist Church celebrated their 20th mission trip to Habitat for Humanity HiawathaLand in Manistique as it was celebrating its 30th year. This year nine volunteers packed up for a week of installing and finishing drywall in two Habitat houses that will be put up for sale in the fall. On Thursday afternoon, we had off to explore. This year as our first stop, we chose to check out a new attraction in Germfask, which is located north and east of Manistique. Northland Outfitters commissioned Danish artist Thomas Dambo to construct one of his unique “scrap wood” trolls. Located right on the Manistique River in their campground, Dambo created the 14-foot tall “Benny the Beard Fisher” from about five tons of scrap wood. Benny’s beard of twigs and branches dips right into the Manistique River as he reclines on the banks. Dambo has constructed over 100 trolls worldwide with the largest 60-feet tall! He uses these installations to highlight the waste of wood products. According to Dambo, in the US 12 million tons of wood are sent to the landfill each year. Much of this wood could be repurposed or reused and not wasted. The Tahquamenon Logging Museum in Newberry was our next stop. The museum commemorates the Upper Peninsula’s logging heritage and the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The museum is spread out in a series of buildings that include a log cabin and number of preserved CCC buildings and outside exhibits. Two looped videos tell the logging and CCC stories. We could have used more time here. Our last stop was at Tahquamenon Falls State Park. The parking lot was almost empty. On our previous visits, it was difficult to even find a parking place. We’d tried to eat at the Tahquamenon Brewery on earlier trips, but it would have closed before our number was called. With the parking lot baren, we thought we’d try again. This time we walked right in and sat down! After an enjoyable supper we walked to the upper falls. We couldn’t go down to the overlook as it is under construction, but the view is still beautiful. It was a great afternoon; we all learned some new things and had fun doing it!

Things are falling into place for fall at the Kent District Library Nelson Township Branch in Sand Lake! Come visit us for books, movies, video games and more, and check out some of our programs while you’re here!

CEDAR SPRINGS, MI — This September, Nikki Twichell and her staff at Nikki & Company Hair Design, celebrates a decade of serving the Cedar Springs community at her 171 Muskegon St. location. Over the past ten years, Nikki and her talented team of seven stylists have become a cornerstone of the community, known not only for their expert hair services but also for their commitment to local events and causes. With a history of participating in beloved traditions like the Red Flannel Festival, and contributing to fundraisers in support of Cedar Springs Public Schools, Nikki & Company has left a lasting mark on the town. If you’re going to be in town on September 6, come celebrate the salon’s milestone with a special “Buy a Bag, Fill a Bag Boutique Sale” on Saturday, September 6, from 11 AM to 1 PM. For just $45, shoppers can purchase a reusable bag and fill it with as many boutique items as they can, offering looks and accessories for every season. For more details, visit the salon’s Facebook page, or stop on in. But the fun doesn’t stop there! It wouldn’t be the “Red Flannel Town” without some red in town, so let Nikki and her talent help you get your hair ready for the big day: Stop in and get your Red Tinsel! In honor of the Red Flannel Festival, Nikki & Company Hair Design is helping the community get into the festive spirit with $5 red hair tinsel! This offer is available the week before the festival and spots will be filling fast, so call 616-696-3192 to schedule your appointment and show your Red Flannel pride.