Grand Haven treasures its relationship with the United States Coast Guard, and the annual Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival is a celebrated tradition. What started in 1924 as a picnic and rowing competition among Coast Guard personnel has become a midsummer city-wide gathering of over 350,000 people for food and family-friendly fun. The events are given deeper meaning by the National Coast Guard Memorial Service at Escanaba Park, remembering not only those lost crew members of the Escanaba but also honoring all men and women of the United States Coast Guard who have lost their lives while serving our country.