April 2026

The saying, “it takes a village to raise a child” certainly rings true in Ludington! When it comes to the Ludington Petunia Parade, it takes an entire “village” to beautify our community. Block Captains, Donors, Gustafson’s Greenhouse, the City of Ludington, the Mason County Sheriff Reserves…the list is endless.

In April’s Digging Deeper, we want to concentrate on the Block Captains (BCs). Who are they? How long have they been volunteering?

BCs are from local businesses, organizations, churches, schools, and of course, individuals! Some of our BCs have volunteered since the beginning of the project in 1988. Some are brand new, arriving at the pre-planting Block Captain Meet and Greet, needing to know all the petunia tips and tricks.

Generations of BCs are continuing the annual event. Stories of years gone by float around as the newer generations dig the holes and plant the petunias. One family has made the Petunia Parade a family tradition and is in their fourth generation of Block Captains and volunteers (see Digging Deeper, February 2026).

Do we have fun? Absolutely!

Are there benefits? Without a doubt!

Is it worth the time and energy to plant then weed and cultivate every two weeks? Yes – every single year.

Benefits:

1. Time spent connecting with others.

2. A free drink at BookMark on benchmark weeding weekends.

3. Pride in knowing that by the Freedom Festival on July 4th, BCs have helped beautify the Avenue, Boulevard, and Marina with red, white, and purple petunias.

We could not do this annual project without you—and Ludington is more beautiful because of your dedication.