From post-game fireworks shows to meet and greet and autograph events with the Detroit Tigers, the West Michigan Whitecaps have lined up a year filled with promotions to celebrate their 20 seasons of success.

The West Michigan Whitecaps are co-owned by local businessmen Lew Chamberlin of Grand Rapids and Dennis Baxter of Muskegon.  After 10 years of planning, the opening season was in 1994. The Whitecaps are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Eastern Division of the Midwest League.  They are a Class A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Whitecaps play 70 home games and 70 road games each season. This year they are playing under a new manager, Larry Parrish, who is a former manager of the Detroit Tigers and Toledo Mud Hens.

The Whitecaps have made it to the playoffs 13 times in 19 seasons. They’ve won Division Titles and League Championships in 1996, 1998, 2004, 2006, and 2007.

The 2013 schedule has just been released.  Opening day is April 4 with a double header game on April 5 which coincides with the Detroit Tigers opening day.  Whitecaps fans are invited to stay after the game to watch the Tigers play on the big screen.

The 2013 anniversary season includes weekly promotions.

• Sundays are Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Family Day. The first 1,000 kids eat free! There will be special activities for kids as well as opportunities for autographs.
• Mondays are JQ99 All Faiths Night. All Whitecap fans will receive half off admission by showing a worship newsletter.
• Tuesdays are Silver Slugger Night.  All Whitecap fans over 50 years young will receive half-off admission
• Thursdays are Altogas Thrifty Thursdays. Come and enjoy various $2 food and drink specials. Also, every Thursday is College Night. All Whitecap fans that show a college or military ID will get a reserved seat for only $5.
• Fridays are Tiger Fridays. Starting June 14, former Detroit Tigers come to Fifth Third Ballpark to meet fans and sign autographs. Every Tiger Friday includes a free giveaway to the first 1,000 fans in attendance.

The team’s 20th anniversary will be celebrated throughout the season with 20 post-game fireworks shows.  Fireworks will be on Wednesdays starting on June 5^th and Saturdays starting May 18th.

Happy 20^th Anniversary to the West Michigan Whitecaps!

HopCat was born in 2008 and created entirely around one vision- to bring you great beer. Owners Mark and Michele Sellers have done just that. HopCat specializes in Michigan brews, but they also offer a wide range of regional craft brew, global beer, and a large Belgian election. Don’t forget to try the seasonal selections while you can.

HopCat’s owners, staff, and patrons certainly have reason to celebrate. During these first 5 years, HopCat Brewery has earned some pretty amazing accolades. These include being named the 2nd best beer bar in America by CraftBeer.com and being rated the 3rd best beer bar in the world by BeerAdvocate magazine. Locally, readers of the Grand Rapids Magazine have consistently selected HopCat as the city’s best bar.

HopCat celebrated its anniversary last month with the release of a limited edition 22-ounce bottle of Oil Rigger Russian Imperial Stout. Other festivities included food and drink specials, and a crack fries eating contest which is HopCat’s house blend seasoned beer battered fries.

Check out HopCat Brewery in downtown Grand Rapids located at 25 Ionia, opening soon in East Lansing, or catch them participating in the Winter Beer Festival on February 23, 2013 at Fifth Third Ballpark.

A 30^th Anniversary Dinner and Silent Auction marked the 30th birthday of Little Mary’s Hospitality House, held at the Norman Township Community Center in Wellston, Michigan on July 28, 2012. According to Maureen Fischer, co-founder and Secretary of the charity, “We had a great fundraiser.  Full house.  Off-the-charts prime rib dinner. Great silent auction.”

While for-profit businesses often celebrate anniversaries to bring in extra business, it is important to realize that not-for-profit businesses also can take advantage of an anniversary by promoting it at an event such as the dinner by Little Mary’s.  This year they used a variety of fund raising efforts for their celebration:

• Announcement in their newsletter, with a Save the Date blurb
• Mailing to donor list announcing the event; included tickets to purchase and to sell to others
• Sold tickets for the event at the door
• Held a Grand Raffle for numerous large prizes, with advance and on-site ticket sales
• Held a Silent Auction with numerous items, both large and small, for attendees to bid on, hopefully taking home a few
• Advertised the event through media blitzes in area newspapers and via radio. This provided  expanded visibility and name recognition as well as more attendees to the event

Christian-based Little Mary’s Hospitality House provides a free, year round vacation retreat for families who have children with catastrophic, debilitating, life threatening or terminal illnesses.  The 501c3 non-profit organization was established in memory of three year old Mary Catherine Fischer who died of a terminal brain tumor in 1982. Although it is shady along the near-private lake and 6-apartment vacation retreat, the sun never ceases to shine there; new families are welcomed weekly with love, compassion, and determination to give them a relaxing respite from their daily life.

A business that has survived 100 years is pretty special. The owners of  Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have a family history of determination and perseverance.  They also know how to celebrate as evidenced by the hoopla surrounding their 100th anniversary in business, reached in 2011:

• Unveil a Centennial sign in a ribbon cutting ceremony, with sponsorship from the Chamber of Commerce
• Offer discounts on gift barn purchases
• Provide free souvenir wine glass and wine tasting on select days
• Offer a glass of cider and a donut for 100 pennies
• Celebrate each fruit “season” in anniversary year with varied offerings and events: Peach Festival, Apple Time, etc.
• Host special weekend events including:
  • “Blessing of the Blossoms” – blessing from a pastor, bluegrass band, speakers from US Apple and the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council, free wagon rides, and door prizes
  • “Giving Thanks” – serve limited edition Centennial Hard Cider, discounts on wine tasting, donate a percent of proceeds to a local charity
  • “Picnic Under the Maples” – hayrides, kids games and prizes, free wine tasting, special cherry or pumpkin spice flavored donuts, and live music by an opry house band
• Create video about history of farm
• News media blitz around each celebratory event

Join us in congratulating Robinette’s Apple Haus and Winery on their 100th anniversary!

If you are looking of ways to celebrate your own business anniversary, check out their celebration list to borrow or spark ideas. In celebrating your anniversary, and especially getting the media’s attention, you’ll gain free publicity, branding awareness, and attract more interest from your target market.