Experience Jackson

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Emily Thomas, Facilities and Business Manager at Jackson County Parks. Not only are there 18 parks county-wide, but three large venues, two campgrounds, beaches, Falling Waters Trail, and Jackson’s Cascades. Not only is Sparks Park home tothis man-made Illuminated waterfall, but you can experien...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Linda Hass, City Historian of Jackson, author, and trustee of the Jackson County Michigan Historical Society. Linda shares some of the fascinating history surrounding freedom seekers and Jackson County’s role in the Underground Railroad. Learn about both self-guided and group tour options for yo...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Aaron Dimick, the president of People for the Parks and Trails of Jackson. This non-profit group is dedicated to enhancing Jackson's quality of life by improving the City's public parks and trails through volunteer projects, fundraising, advocacy, and equity. This is one great option to...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Chrissy Norris, President and Curator of Tompkins Historical Society: Stewart Farm Museum in Jackson County. The rural 175-acre Centennial Farm is the largest acreage ever donated to any Township in the State of Michigan, by Sheridan J. Stewart, born there in 1917. The grounds feature the farm,...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Briston Bamm, co-owner (along with his wife, Amanda) of Nevermore Décor Store in downtown Jackson. Learn about the fanciful and playful way they’ve turned their love of hospitality and home décor into a retail shop to drool over. You’ll also get insight into how they blend their love of communit...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Shane Pitmon and Ryan Hudson (both with Hudson Entertainment) with the Summer 2024 Music Festivals at Apex Sports & Entertainment. These festivals include Aces & Eights (country, 6-15-24), Rockin’ the Tee Box (rock, 7-27-24), and Havoc Fest (heavy metal, 8-24-24). Apex Sports & Enter...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Clay McAndrews, one of the founders of Bright Walls Jackson as part of the Jackson Young Professionals group. Learn about the local love story that brought the inspiration of one mural, turning it into a 5-year festival resulting in 75 murals from international artists that cover downtown Jackso...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Robert Wilke, co-owner (along with his wife, Yvette) of RJ’s Metropolitan Ice Cream Co. in downtown Jackson. This thriving, vibrant, Black owned business offers much more than ice cream; it’s always an experience at RJ’s! Get the story behind the business, along with some of the scrumptious deli...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Jon Hart, Executive Director of the nonprofit disability Connections, offering resources to advance the independence, productivity and full inclusion of children and adults with disabilities into our communities of Jackson, Hillsdale and Lenawee Counties. With the help of some of these tools and...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Kate Manville-Schwartz, with Crockery Painted Pottery to share about this new, creative opportunity nestled in the vibrant village of Brooklyn in Jackson County. Both drop-in and scheduled pottery painting sessions are available, offering a great activity for crafters age 6 to 99! Once the paint...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Jason Heinrich, co-organizer of the Steampunk on the Bricks Festival. The new event, on May 25, 2024, brings steampunk vendors, music, activities and more to Jackson’s art collective, Art 634 – an historic venue and brick lined setting for the festivities. Learn about steampunk and Victorian cul...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Hannah Schauer, Executive Director of the Dahlem Environmental Education Center. The Dahlem Conservancy is a non-profit organization that manages and funds the John and Mary Dahlem Environmental Education Center, bridging the gap between people and the natural environment, and function as an out...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Denise Owens, Jackson County Fair Manager & Coordinator of Southern Michigan Winter Beer Festival. The event will celebrate 12 years on March 9, 2024, at American 1 Credit Union Event Center celebrating a wide variety of specialty craft beers, ciders, meads and more! It also features live ic...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Chris Cummings, owner of Arbor Hills Golf Club, who is celebrating 100 years in Jackson County in 2025. Learn about this legacy public course that began as a private club, and some of the famous footprints that have left their mark in the past on their tree-lined fairway. It’s not only a course,...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Andrea Ericksen, current steward of Art 634, an artist community and venue in Jackson. Learn some of the history of this nearly 200-year-old building, along with the significance of the brick road leading to its front doors. From the Carriage Factory venue on site, to the artist galleries and bu...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Beth Kuiper, Executive Director of a new event: Jackson’s Blizzard Bazaar, hosted by the Jackson Downtown Development Authority. On February 22, 2024, experience three separate pockets of Jackson’s retail and restaurant area with activities in between. From a professional ice sculpture display,...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Yvette Wilke, who along with her husband Robert, are the founders and hosts of Jackson’s Black Excellence Awards. They are also owners of RJ’s Metropolitan Ice Cream Co in downtown Jackson, which we’ll feature on an upcoming episode. Jackson’s Black Excellence Awards are in their fourth year of...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Holly Peterson, Owner and Winemaker at Sandhill Crane Vineyards. From a wooded, tree-lined entry to log cabin building with wrap around porch, magical lights and fire tables, you’ll be ready to relax and connect the moment you step inside. From wines, to beer, cider and charcuterie, you’ll learn...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Kim Conant, Executive Director of Lost Railway Museum in Grass Lake. This museum highlights the interurban railway and its significance, along with the rise and fall of railway transportation. Inside, you can see two restored historic train cars, one transformed into a virtual train ride called...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Stu Kail, one of the partners at Crossroads Pickleball at the American 1 Community Recreation Center at Keeley Park. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned pro, their dedicated indoor facility is exclusively designed to foster the love of the game - just minutes from Downtown Jackson and only...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Justin Dalenberg, CEO at Grand River Brewery and Doll n Burgers, about Grand River Brewery in Jackson. From the moment you walk in, to the crafting of great beers and wines, Justin shares some of the secrets of how Grand River Brewery came to be, and the variety of care they put into what goes o...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Steve Tucker, the Executive Director of the historic The Michigan Theatre of Jackson. Opened in 1930, the Michigan Theatre has seen generations of national and international performers and presentations, starting with a vaudeville show, and mixing in movies on the big screen. Extravagant gold li...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Toneka Smith, one of the partners with Southside Festival Series. In 2019 Southside Festival Series began providing an annual festival event for small businesses and local organizations to engage customers and clients simultaneously. Since then, this Festival has grown each year and now consists...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Steve Trosin, Executive Director of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra. From their community music school, to their formal orchestrated performances, you’ll hear professional musicians bring the music to life in many forms on the stage. Learn about Weatherwax Hall and the building’s history, along w...

In this episode, host Rachel Buchanan, Experience Jackson Marketing & Development Manager, welcomes Scott Gerych, Board Chair of Michigan’s Military Heritage Museum. Sitting on the site of the former Camp Blair, this museum not only shares the story of Michigan’s military history, but it does so in a perfectly matched location. From uniforms to cannons, military vehicles to artillery, you’ll c...