In close collaboration with Historical Idlewild Tours and Services, Fawns Den Catering, Rev Robert Jones, Southeast Market, and Mr Eat Right (Chef Steve Couch), and Shawn Coffey’s tent service, Tiny World Tours offers this immersive experience of Idlewild, Michigan a legendary black summer resort community located 75 minutes north Grand Rapids. This outdoor tented event includes live music, history/storytelling, lunch, conversation, and a vehicle caravan history tour with live commentary via FM radio. This event echos the popular Idlewild Chautauqua tented outdoor events of a century ago - the TED talks of their day. It can be custom booked for private groups, especially for those interested in Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI).
Idlewild, MI was founded after the Civil War and spectacularly flourished during a large part of the racially segregated Jim Crow era in the 1920s and 30s, and especially between World War II and the 1960s. It first attracted black elite from Midwestern cities, then from across the nation, and then ever-broadening segments of black society, who bought or rented summer properties and attracted followers with their enthusiastic praise for Idlewild’s natural setting perfect for rest, recreation, and social exchange. In time it became one of the most nationally renowned stops for great entertainers following the “Chitlin Circuit” compared to the “Borscht Belt” collection of Jewish summer resorts. Idlewild was considered a utopia and referred to as “Black Eden.” There are many fascinating stories (positive and negative) from its past, present, and potential future, with attending insights, lessons, and opportunities to intrigue, excite, and inspire you.
The experience includes the following:
Masterful storytelling and live music performance by knowledgeable and entertaining speakers in an outdoor Chautauqua setting reminding participants of Idlewild’s illustrious past and hopeful future.
A vehicle-caravan tour of selected Idlewild historic sites with exclusive historical live commentary broadcast over FM radio.
A lunch designed by healthy-food advocate & culinary globetrotter Mr Eat Right, and prepared with West Michigan sourced ingredients featuring Black-owned businesses and farms including Fawns Den Catering (Idlewild), South East Market (Grand Rapids), Groundswell (Zeeland), and Agape Organic Farm (Dansville).
Conversation (facilitated and/or unfacilitated) about Idlewild, Black History, Music, Food, Education, Michigan Tourism and Economic Development, and topics related to Social Justice, Racial Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion.
Wheelchair accessible
Watch Music Historian Reverend Robert Jones engaging the appreciative audience (video clip length: under 2 minutes)
Watch Chef Steve Couch (Mr Eat Right) introducing lunch with informative and entertaining talk (video length: under 5 minutes)
Tiny World Tours recommends the book “Black Eden: The Idlewild Community”.
To inquire about booking a custom private Idlewild tour or to be informed about future ticketed public tours, please contact Mark Holzbach via email (mark@tinyworldtours.com) or phone 512-689-6777