Friday's the pick of the week, sunny with a high near 84 and barely a rain chance. Saturday cools slightly into the low 80s but clouds move in fast, with a real shot at showers most of the afternoon. Sunday keeps that same unsettled pattern, more clouds and scattered rain, highs in the high 70s.

Water's running warm but the exact number depends who you ask, anywhere from the high 60s off the open beach to near 80 in the shallow, sun-warmed pockets, so plan on low-to-mid 70s and you'll be close either way. Waves stay under 3 feet Friday before building a bit Saturday as southeast wind picks up, and both days get breezier by afternoon.

The verdict: Friday is your window. Get to the beach, get on the water, get it in before the weekend clouds show up.

7 Day Glance: Monday clears out nicely, high near 77 and low near 60, close to a preview of fall. Tuesday holds steady and dry. Wednesday brings the clouds back with a good chance of rain. Thursday drops off hard, highs only in the mid 60s and lows near 49.

Saturday is the one to circle on the Muskegon side. The one-mile fun run kicks off at 9 AM from Grand Trunk, tied to Muskegon Lake's official delisting from the EPA's Areas of Concern list, and a bigger community celebration follows aboard the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper the same day. If you missed why that milestone matters, catch up in Tuesday's issue.

Grand City Show Skiers close out the evening with their special "Arts & Drafts Festival" home show at Ross Park Beach, 6 PM, a step up from their usual Thursday performance.

And if you're spending the day in Grand Haven instead, the full slate of sidewalk sales, Jeep Fest, and the pig roast is above.

Parties in the Park closes out another Friday at Hackley Park, 5 to 9, food trucks and a kids zone included, completely free. Grand Haven answers with Roosevelt Diggs at Grand Haven Free Fridays, Lynne Sherwood Waterfront Stadium. The Deck keeps the beach loud all weekend: emo and pop-punk covers Friday at 7, Post Fontaine's singer-songwriter sets Saturday at 2 and 7. And downtown Grand Haven after dark, the Musical Fountain runs a New Wave theme Friday and goes full Elvis Saturday, both shows around 9:30.

Friday's the day, calm through the morning with a building breeze into the afternoon and enough sun to make the lake worth the trip. Water's running low-to-mid 70s depending where you check, and waves stay manageable Friday before Saturday's southeast wind and rain chances make it a rougher day to be out. Kayaks and paddleboards are still the move Friday, and BoDocks at Harbor Town Marina is a good bet if you'd rather watch the boats than pilot one.

For the anglers: Salmon are showing up strong off the breakwalls out to about 90 feet, best action in the top 60 feet of the water column, green or orange spoons doing the work. Grand Haven anglers are finding fish out to 80 feet off the pierheads on glow spoons and alewives.

JW's Food & Spirits in Grand Haven runs happy hour Monday through Friday, 2 to 5, with $3.25 domestic bottles and $5 house wines. Pitchers run $2 off, and the French dip slider at $2.50 is worth the trip on its own. Over in Muskegon, Muskegon Brewing Company's patio at Adelaide Pointe is still the move for a pint with a marina view. And mark the calendar: Burning Foot Beer Festival moves to Heritage Landing this year for its August 29 return, with more than a dozen Michigan breweries already confirmed and tickets on sale now.

Tuesday's issue covered the headline camp storylines with the Big Reds and Buccaneers. Two more worth watching as camps roll on: Reeths-Puffer is looking to rebound after a rough 2-7 season, and their 2026 schedule opens August 27 against Greenville before hosting Grand Haven September 3. Oakridge, meanwhile, is coming off a steadier 6-4 finish and a second-place league run before a playoff loss to West Catholic, and quietly builds toward being a contender again this fall.

Port City Dry Goods is one of the new chalets at Western Market this season, tucked into the row along West Western Ave downtown. The shop leans into Muskegon pride itself, apparel and everyday goods built around the city's own identity rather than generic lakeshore souvenirs. It's a small operation testing itself out in a chalet before deciding what comes next, which is exactly what Western Market was built for. Worth a stop next time you're downtown for the farmers market or just wandering.

Next time you're at the Grand Trunk dock, take a second look at the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper. Her hull went into the water in 1904, eight years before the Titanic, and after a career hauling passengers and cars between Muskegon and Milwaukee, she got claimed by Chicago for a stint as a floating restaurant at Navy Pier. Muskegon brought her home in 1997, and volunteers have been restoring her art deco ballroom and staterooms ever since. She's hosting Saturday's lake celebration, which feels right: the oldest passenger steamship left on the Great Lakes, still showing up for her city.

Grand Haven's got the weekend energy, Muskegon's got the milestone, and Friday's got the sunshine to enjoy either one. Get outside while it lasts, and we'll see you back here Tuesday.