Good morning, lakeshore. The Fourth of July weekend is finally here, and both cities are going all out for it. Highs sit in the low 80s through Sunday, fireworks light up the sky over both Muskegon and Grand Haven Saturday night, and there's a Muskegon world champion you need to hear about.

In this week’s Lowdown:

Let’s get into it.

- Sam Johnson, The Lakeshore Lowdown

A World Champion grew up running our shoreline!

Alyssa McElheny didn't grow up in Muskegon. But some of her earliest miles happened right here, running Scenic Drive and camping trails at Muskegon State Park during summer visits to her grandparents' place on the lake. As a kid, she'd been diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, a diagnosis that once put her sports future in question. None of that mattered the day she ran her first local 5k around age 12 and got beat by exactly one older boy. She was hooked instantly.

That love turned into a marathoning career, qualifying her for the Olympic Trials with a 2:34 last November, before a training partner talked her into trying HYROX. Her solo debut in Las Vegas was the second-fastest in HYROX history. Months later in Stockholm, racing on an ankle she'd twisted days earlier, she took the lead at the sled pull and never gave it back. She smiled through the whole race, right up to becoming a World Champion in her very first World Championships appearance.

She's feeling the West Michigan love hard right now, and she's not slowing down. Next up is likely a trip to Beijing, plus a summer full of local road races, including a shot at the Coast Guard Festival 5k/10k double if the schedule lines up. Her advice for any young runner who feels boxed into one sport, "take a risk and try something new!" Marathoning will always be there. Come try a HYROX class at 8th Day Gym. It's an incredibly welcoming place.

She may call Grand Rapids home, but this shoreline raised a little bit of her too.

Friday's the pick of the week. Highs push to 83°F under mostly sunny skies before storm chances tick up toward evening, sitting around 1 in 4. Overnight lows settle into the mid-60s, so mornings stay comfortable before the warmth builds back in. Winds run out of the south and carry some strength off the water.

Lake Michigan is sitting right around 70°F. Warm enough that it barely feels like a lake anymore. Waves are running 2 to 3 feet, and wind at the piers stays manageable, so Pere Marquette and the Grand Haven piers should feel good all day.

The verdict: Get out there Friday and Sunday. Saturday's the one to watch, with rain odds climbing for the Fourth itself, so keep a backup plan in your pocket if your holiday plans are outdoors.

7 Day Glance: The holiday stretch runs hot before it eases. Thursday tops out near 86°F with a real shot at afternoon storms, Friday settles to 83°F, and Saturday, the Fourth, slides to 81°F with the best rain chances of the run. Sunday cools into the upper 70s and reads as the calmest day of the week, a strong pick for lake time without the storm dodging.

Weather sourced from the National Weather Service the day prior to this issue.

Grand Haven kicks off its Free Fridays series tonight at Bolt Park, and this one's a good one to catch. The Insiders, a Tom Petty tribute band, headline with Elvy Mobley opening, all free, all outdoors, starting once the sun dips a little.

Saturday morning, swing through the Muskegon Farmers Market before the holiday crowds take over. Local produce, baked goods, and a good excuse to get downtown early before the heat sets in.

Come Saturday night, both cities light up the sky. Muskegon's throwing its Fourth of July celebration at Heritage Landing, with DJ Prim on stage starting at 7 and fireworks around 10:20. Shoreline Drive is the move if you want the best view without fighting for a spot downtown.

Grand Haven answers with its own show, pairing the Musical Fountain with fireworks starting at 10:10. Get there early if you're claiming a spot on the boardwalk, since half the lakeshore has the same idea.

Grand Haven's Free Fridays series kicks off its holiday-weekend show tonight at the Waterfront Stadium, and this one's worth showing up early for. The Insiders take the stage with a full set of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the kind of tribute act that gets grandparents and teenagers singing the same words. Reverend Jesse Ray opens things up, so plan to get there before the crowd fills in the good lawn spots. It's free, it's outdoors, and it's the easiest way to kick off the long weekend without spending a dime.

Muskegon answers right back. The Deck has Project 90 on the sand tonight at 7, running through a set built entirely on 90s hits, so expect a crowd that skews a little older and a lot louder on the chorus of anything Third Eye Blind. Grab a spot on the upper balcony if you want the sunset with your soundtrack, since the beach level fills fast on a Friday like this one.

If you'd rather trade the crowd for a quieter view, BoDocks has the Scott Pellegrom Trio playing 7 to 10 out on the Harbor Town Marina deck. Fewer people, same Muskegon Lake sunset, and a setlist that leans acoustic and easy to talk over.

Saturday, The Deck goes all in on the holiday. Zion Lion opens the afternoon at 2 with their Kalamazoo-built mix of funk and soul, then Brother Hyde takes the night shift at 7, bouncing between 90s throwbacks and whatever's actually on the radio right now. Between the two sets and the fireworks later that night, it's shaping up to be the longest party on the beach all season.

Conditions are about as good as it gets for the holiday stretch. Lake Michigan's sitting near 70°F with waves running 2 to 3 feet, calm enough for paddleboards and kayaks without much of a fight. Wind stays out of the south and picks up a little strength by afternoon, so morning is still your smoothest window if you're taking a board out.

Boaters have the better half of the deal this weekend. Muskegon Lake stays flat and protected even when the big lake gets choppy, so it's the easier call for a pontoon afternoon with the kids. If you're heading out on Lake Michigan itself, expect a light chop past the breakwater, nothing that'll ruin the day, just enough to remind you you're out there.

Get out early, get out on the water, and save the paperwork for Monday.

For the anglers: Salmon action off Muskegon has cooled slightly but boats are still finding fish scattered in 70 to 140 feet of water, with green and orange spoons doing the work. Grand Haven's seeing a similar slowdown on king salmon, though steelhead are still coming up 30 to 100 feet down over deeper water. Pier fishing has been the slower bet lately, so if you want a real shot, book a charter or get out past the breakwall.

Big news out of Grand Haven: the team behind Muskegon's Lakeside Pizza Co. is expanding across the lake with The Slice Shoppe, a New York-style pizza-by-the-slice spot landing at 38 Washington Ave. later this summer. If their Muskegon location is any indication, expect a cold-fermented crust and toppings that actually taste like something instead of an afterthought.

If the heat's got you needing a patio and a cold one, Pigeon Hill Brewing in downtown Muskegon still does it best. Grab a Shifting Sands IPA and let someone else handle the grill tonight.

Grand Haven's newer sweet spot, Whipped Cafe & Creamery on Beechtree St., is worth the detour if the holiday crowds have you needing a break from the beach. Their cinnamon roll waffle bites with salted caramel sauce photograph well and taste even better, which isn't always the case.

The Clippers had themselves a weekend against the Lima Locos at Marsh Field. Isaiah Domey came up big in extras on Friday, doubling and eventually scoring on a Justin St. Antoine sac fly for a walk-off 3-2 win. Saturday didn't go as well, with the bats going cold in a 14-1 loss, so Sunday's rubber match mattered.

From there, Muskegon rolled into a stretch against Flag City and Southern Ohio to close out June and open July. It's been a mixed bag of a season for the Clips, the kind where the standings tighten up fast in the back half.

Here's the thing about this particular weekend: there's no home date at Marsh Field for the Fourth of July stretch. The Clips are off the schedule for July 3 through 6, so the next chance to catch them in person is Tuesday, July 7, a doubleheader against Southern Ohio. Worth circling if you want a night at the ballpark that doesn't compete with fireworks.

If you've ever watched the boats come and go from Chinook Pier and wondered who's actually catching all those salmon, meet FishGH. They've been running charters out of Grand Haven since 1984, taking families, friends, and the occasional corporate outing out onto Lake Michigan for a shot at King Salmon, Coho, and Steelhead depending on the season. Their motto, "Kids Welcome, Adults Tolerated," pretty much sums up the whole vibe. It's the kind of place where a first-timer and a lifelong angler end up on the same boat, and somehow it works for both of them. If summer's got you itching to get out past the breakwall, this is the crew that knows exactly where the fish are hiding.

Most people driving past Heritage Landing have no idea they're looking at a piece of Great Lakes history that almost didn't survive. The S.S. Milwaukee Clipper spent decades hauling passengers and cars across Lake Michigan before she got mothballed, nearly scrapped, and finally towed home to Muskegon to be saved for good. She's the last of her kind still afloat, a genuine flagship steamer from an era when crossing the lake meant dressing up and dancing in the ballroom, not just merging onto I-96. You can still walk her decks today, and there's something about standing where thousands of families once stood on their way to somewhere else that makes this whole stretch of shoreline feel a little more permanent. Next time you're downtown for the fireworks, take a second and look at her lights on the water. She's earned it.

Get out there this weekend, lakeshore. Watch the fireworks, get some lake water on your skin, and maybe don't overdo it on the pier before the boat ride home.

We’ll see you Tuesday.

-The Lakeshore Lowdown
Email: [email protected]