It's officially summer on the lakeshore. Michigan's Adventure swings open its gates today for the first time in 2026, and tonight Trinity Health Arena is going to be loud. The Muskegon Lumberjacks host Game 3 of the Clark Cup Finals and they need the building rocking. Grand Haven has ribs. The lake is warming up. Memorial Day weekend is here, and we are fully locked in.

The Muskegon Lumberjacks have been chasing back-to-back Clark Cups all season long. They swept Cedar Rapids, survived a five-game war with Dubuque, and then stormed back from a 2-0 deficit to knock off Madison in the Eastern Conference Finals. Six unanswered goals, four on the power play. Now they're here. Back home at Trinity Health Arena. Clark Cup Finals. Game 3. Tonight at 7 p.m.

The series opened in Sioux Falls. Game 1 went to the Stampede 3-1. Game 2 results were not yet final as this issue went out Friday morning. Either way, this weekend is everything. The Lumberjacks host Games 3 and 4 (Saturday at 6:10 p.m. if necessary), and the building needs to match the energy that carried them through this playoff run.

Drew Stewart has been a postseason monster, putting up seven goals and six assists through the playoffs. Rudolfs Berzkalns is a future NHL Draft pick and he has been lighting it up. These guys are not just playing for the championship. They are playing for Muskegon.

Get your tickets. Get loud. Make Trinity Health Arena the reason this series comes home.

Friday looks like the best day of the weekend. Sunny skies, highs near 68°F, and only a 10% chance of rain. Basically a gift from the lake gods on opening day at Michigan's Adventure. Saturday cools to about 60°F with a 40% chance of showers, so plan accordingly if you're heading to the beach. Sunday climbs back to 68°F before Memorial Day Monday delivers the best of the bunch: 77°F and sunny.

On the lake: Lake Michigan is sitting around 50°F near Muskegon right now. Still cold for a swim, but wade-worthy for the brave. Waves are manageable this weekend. Check the beach flags at Pere Marquette before you go in.

Michigan's Adventure opens today. Doors at 10 a.m. The Wildwater park does not open until June 13, but the coasters are running. Shivering Timbers is calling. First day crowds tend to be light, so if you have been waiting all year to ride without a line, today is your shot.

Grand Haven VFW Ribfest runs Friday and Saturday at VFW Post 2326 on 1st Street. It is the full Battle of the Bones, with eleven competing BBQ teams, live music all weekend, and no cover for the beer tent. Bring tokens for food or you will be standing there looking sad.

Memorial Day Tribute at USS Silversides Museum is Saturday, May 23. The show is called "Lights of Honor: Remembering Our Heroes" and it is one of the best Memorial Day events on the lakeshore. There is nothing quite like standing next to that submarine.

Grand Haven Memorial Day Parade rolls Monday, May 25 down S. Harbor Drive to Escanaba Park, closing with a wreath-laying ceremony. Classic lakeshore Memorial Day energy. Show up.

Project 90 plays the Grand Haven Ribfest tonight at 9:30 p.m. at VFW Post 2326. If you are already there for ribs, you are already there for the show. Saturday night brings Rick Deez starting at 3 p.m. and another band from 6 to 9 p.m. Full evening of live music with the smell of smoke and the sound of the harbor in the background.

The Reverend Jesse Ray plays The Deck at 1601 Beach Street in Muskegon on Sunday at noon. Daytime, beachside, and free to get in. That is about as good as Sunday plans get in May.

The Grand Haven Musical Fountain kicks off its 2026 season this weekend. Shows run at dark on Fridays and Saturdays in May, featuring new music and new choreography. It has been running since 1962 and it somehow gets better every year.

Lake Michigan near Muskegon is sitting around 50°F. Too cold for a real swim but totally fine for a kayak or SUP session if you dress for it. Muskegon Lake is running warmer at around 56°F, which makes for better conditions closer to shore. Wave heights are relatively calm for the holiday weekend, but conditions can shift fast. Check before you head out.

Aquastar Cruises just launched its 2026 season with scenic tours through the Muskegon Channel and out onto the lake. Good option if someone in your group wants the lake experience without getting wet. The Lake Express ferry to Milwaukee is also running. Day trip to Wisconsin is a real and valid life choice.

Fishing report: Muskegon Lake at 56°F is prime walleye and bass territory right now. Go early morning before the holiday boat traffic picks up and you will have the good spots to yourself.

Lee-Lee's Crosswinds Café West is the fresh news in Muskegon dining. The scratch-made café opened at Muskegon County Airport in early May and it is open to everyone, not just travelers. Free parking, breakfast through dinner, seven days a week. It fills a nine-year vacancy at that terminal and early word is very good. Worth the drive just to say you ate at the airport on purpose.

Pigeon Hill, Rake Beer Project, and Unruly Brewing all have outdoor seating ready for the holiday weekend. Pigeon Hill's 4th Street patio is one of the best spots in the city when the weather cooperates, and Friday is cooperating. Unruly has food from the kitchen to back it up.

Grand Haven Ribfest means eleven BBQ teams competing for judges and people's choice. Two Bones BBQ and Smoking Guns BBQ are names that keep showing up. Go hungry.

Muskegon Lumberjacks. Clark Cup Finals. Game 3. Tonight at 7:10 p.m. at Trinity Health Arena. The Jacks are down 1-0 in the series after dropping Game 1 to Sioux Falls 3-1. They need a home win to get this series back even. This is a back-to-back Clark Cup bid. They won it in 2025 and are chasing history. Game 4 is Saturday at 6:10 p.m. if necessary. Be there.

High school baseball heads to districts. The Big Reds play at Reeths-Puffer on Tuesday, May 26 at 4 p.m. in the Division 1 bracket. Mona Shores faces Rockford at Reeths-Puffer on May 30. Grand Haven hosts their own district at home. MCC baseball has been on a tear, dropping Muskegon 21-0 and 17-0 in a doubleheader on May 11 before taking Shelby 9-3 earlier this week.

Unruly Brewing Company has been one of downtown Muskegon's anchors for years now, and it keeps earning the attention. Located in the heart of downtown, Unruly runs craft beer and solid kitchen food under the same roof. They have built a reputation for pulling live music acts from both the local scene and the touring circuit, with weekly events and national acts on weekends.

They are not just a bar. They are a reason people end up staying downtown longer than planned. If you have out-of-town guests this weekend, Unruly is the easy call. It explains Muskegon better than almost anywhere else can. Grab your drink and step into the Social District while you're at it.

Today marks the first day Michigan's Adventure opens for 2026, and while the park sits in Muskegon County, it has been part of the local identity since 1956 when it started as Deer Park Funland with a petting zoo and a handful of kiddie rides. It became Michigan's Adventure in 1988. Shivering Timbers opened in 1998 and immediately earned a reputation as one of the best wooden coasters in the world. Nearly a mile long, 57 miles per hour, built on the edge of a Great Lakes dune landscape. People drive hours from all over the Midwest to ride it. Muskegon people are like "yeah, that's just over by the highway." That is kind of our whole thing.

Enjoy the weekend. Cheer loud tonight. Eat the ribs. If the lake temp surprises you, that is on you. We told you it was 50 degrees.

-The Lakeshore Lowdown

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