This year's Cooper's Glen Music Festival offers up a variety of acoustic performers, including heavy-hitters like Beppe Gambetta, Peter Ostroushko and the Gibson Brothers, as well as plenty of Michigan-based acts.

The Great Lakes Acoustic Music Association (GLAMA), founded in 1998 and dedicated to helping promote acoustic music in West Michigan, is an advocate for musicians and hosts the yearly festival. It regularly hold sessions around Kalamazoo for musicians of all levels to enjoy jamming with fellow instrumentalists in a fun, helpful environment. GLAMA is also working to promote more earplug-free live music.

"Acoustic is inherently social, and when you feel like you have to wear earplugs, it inhibits that engagement," says Michael Beauchamp, GLAMA board member and chair of the programming committee for this year's festival. "It's all about the music, and that connection between the audience and the musician."

Having seen an increase in popularity the past few years, Beauchamp says acoustic music provides enthusiasts with an "activity that doesn't rely on technology."

Cooper's Glen Music Festival Radisson Plaza Hotel, Kalamazoo Feb.10, 7 p.m. Feb.11, noon $20 to $50 + $10 per workshop coopersglen.com, (269) 343-333

Held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in Kalamazoo, the festival strives to bring together acoustic lovers from all genres -- whether it's folk, bluegrass, Celtic or gypsy swing. The decade-long event spent its first five years outdoors before moving indoors to the Radisson's ballroom.

Why the move inside?

"There aren't too many winter music festivals, and winter is a good time for getting together and jamming," Beauchamp said. "The Radisson has been very accommodating and encouraging of us, especially with the late night jams."

There's also a restaurant right on location, and attendees receive a discount on rooms.

Concertgoers to Cooper's Glen can expect not only nightly music, but also afternoon workshops with the artists, jam sessions and a barn dance Saturday afternoon -- a first at Cooper's Glen.

From 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., join performer White Mule and learn to square dance, circle dance, waltz and contra-dance. There will be a variety of kids' activities throughout the festival, including crayons and coloring books that feature various acoustic instruments, all-ages jams and building a can-jo -- a banjo-like instrument out of an aluminum can that has become a fan favorite. Kids under 16 also get in free, making it the ultimate family event.

Want the experience for free? Volunteer four hours of your time at some point during the festival and receive a weekend pass.

A full list of performers, schedule, and ticket information can be found at coopersglen.com.

Substance use abuse remains a taboo subject for a large swath of the American public. One local Grand Rapids event aims to give people struggling with addiction and recovery the celebration that their achievement deserves.

Recovery Palooza 2011 hits Grand Rapids' John Ball Park on Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Activities for the family oriented event includes live music from Mid-Life Crisis, inflatables, free food, face painting and fellowship amongst the recovering and their loved ones.

"The event is a celebration of recovery and tied to recovery month," Bill Ryan, event director, said. "It gives the community some visibility and really shows people the many, many people that are affected by substance use abuse."

One of the main goals of Recovery Palooza is to remove the stigma from substance use abuse and people in recovery. By bringing the issue out into the light, it makes recovery a point of pride instead of a shameful secret. Issues with addiction affect many people and Ryan says events like Recovery Palooza help people in recovery and their families feel that they're not alone in their struggle.

"It's important for people to see that there are a tremendous amount of people in recovery living normal lives," he said.

6th annual Recovery Palooza 2011 John Ball Park, Grand Rapids Sept. 17, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free recoverypalooza.org

In addition to the family event on Saturday, Recovery Palooza also features a Dry Run/Walk at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 15. The run/walk will be held at Riverside Park. The event marks one of the major highlights of Recovery Palooza for Ryan.

"The run/walk gives everybody a chance to run or walk in memory or in celebration of somebody recovering," Ryan said. "It's the number one event."

There's still time to register for the race. Registration for the race is $25. Runners can register at recoverypalooza.com. Ryan said the Thursday race date gives runners the opportunity to participate without missing out on a Saturday event. Six participants from Guiding Light Mission's S.T.A.R.T program will participate to celebrate their sobriety. The program allows the men to chase a "runner's high" instead of a potentially more destructive one, according to a press release from Guiding Light.

Ultimately, Recovery Palooza represents a chance for the community to come together in support and celebration of the recovery process, Ryan said. With the support of their families, their community and others, Recovery Palooza stands to remind those in recovery that though their path is difficult, they're certainly not walking it alone.

Fes2val 2011 Hosts Two-Man Bands in Grand Rapids

Being a band is easy. Being a band that stands out, especially in an era inundated with new bands at every corner of the Internet, is not. That's why Derek Lancioni, drummer of Charles the Osprey, brings Fes2val to Grand Rapids.

When Osprey was first coming together, Lancioni and band mate Rafael Ohli (guitar) developed a philosophy for their music writing.

"It became kind of a challenge where it was like, we need to write so that we don't ever need a third member."

Fes2val started in 2008 after Lancioni and Ohli envisioned a festival to celebrate two-man bands with philosophies similar to theirs. Though the groups are small in member count, there will be no lack of showmanship with 15 bands scheduled to play alongside Osprey for Fes2val 2011.

"We get two stages and each band gets a half hour, so we just ping-pong the crowd back and forth."

Spanning genres in the realm of Osprey's instrumental and math rock to comedy pop and hip-hop, the stipulations are pretty low and simple for Fes2val: two-man bands ONLY. Even negotiations with widely known talent They Might Be Giants had to be called off when Lancioni discovered the band no longer performs as a two-piece. It's all about staying true to two.

Fes2val Wealthy Theatre, Grand Rapids Event will be outdoors, weather permitting Aug. 27, 12-9 p.m. $5 ($6 day of event) fes2val.com

Fes2val 2008 was held on the Blue Bridge over the Grand River and the Gilette Bridge immediately north in 2009 — not quite the average places for concerts.

"The two-man band is unconventional, so I didn't want to do it in a conventional setting," Lancioni said.

Lancioni anticipates Fes2val 2011 at Wealthy Theatre; not quite a bridge this time, but with a parking lot planned for the unconventional playing space and a backup roof in case rain imposes like it did for Fes2val 2009.

"It's unfortunately a lot more expensive to move it inside, but we do have that contingency built in just in case."

Fes2val 2011 will be majorly funded by Osprey's finances, and Lancioni hopes to grant the money made back to the community in order to demonstrate how much bands of two can stand out and prove what they can do.

"We've never been about walking away with a bunch of money, so pairing up with Wealthy Theatre is a really nice thing so that way any profits we make can go to them as part of their restoration."

Fes2val promo from Wealthy Theatre on Vimeo.

Photo: Paul Carlson

Saugatuck already has a well-established reputation as home to some colorful characters. Come the kickoff to the 2011 Venetian Festival, the streets will be home to some actual cartoon characters and caped crusaders. This year's "Cartoon Characters and Superheroes" theme promises to bring out some top-notch entries into Friday night's kids and adults costume contest.

The Venetian Festival, as its name suggests, is all about fun and festivities focused on the waterfront, Festival President Don Karaus said. The festival kicks off Friday evening with a concert by '80s cover band Starfarm at Saugatuck's waterfront Coughlin Park. The family friendly event also features balloon animals, face painting, food, wine and spirits.

"Everybody comes together to enjoy the waterfront," Karaus said. "It's a beautiful social event that brings the community together to have fun."

Saturday finds Venetian's event dispersed throughout the town. An art fair, chicken barbecue and boat parade allows Saugatuck's residents to show off their creativity to the tourists that pour into town for the festivities.

"This weekend is the premier time to come here," Karaus said. "It's a vacation town where everyone can do what they want."

2011 Venetian Festival Downtown Saugatuck July 29 - 31 saugatuckvenetianfestival.com

Saturday's main attraction on the water, besides for the oft-epic boat parade, is the dinghy poker run. Participants in boats 17 feet and under travel to destinations along the Kalamazoo River system to pick up playing cards. With eight stations in all, the race is on to create the best poker hand. More than 100 dinghies turned out last year to vie for the crown. Karaus warned that people in the dinghy poker run are fond of water guns and some splashing is to be expected.

"Don't do it if you're afraid of getting wet," he said.

Saturday night's main attraction is a swing band under the stars in Wick's Park. Sunday features a classic boat and car show in addition to the presentation of the coveted Venetian Cup. After all, the Venetian Festival's competitive activities are a friendly contest between Saugatuck's many marinas. Participants win points on behalf of their marinas and the winning marina wins the Venetian Cup and bragging rights for the following year.

Registration forms for all of the activities are available at saugatuckvenetianfestival.com. If water sports aren't necessarily your thing, Karaus says hanging out around town during Venetian is almost as fun as getting wet. The crown jewel of the festival is the Saturday night fireworks display. The fireworks are supported by revenue from Saturday's chicken barbecue, so Karaus encouraged festival-goers to check it out. Under the sparkle of the fireworks, Karaus said the Venetian puts Saugatuck's best assets on display. The town itself is home to plenty to keep even the most fickle tourist entertained, he said.

"The festival has a small, hometown atmosphere in cool, small city."

Saugatuck's reputation as a resort town with a penchant for parties is on full display during Venetian. Although Karaus highlighted the festival's family friendly bonafides, he was careful to point out that the festival also caters to the adult crowd. After all, this is Saugatuck.

"And yes, we do allow drinking."