While the lakeshore hums, the inland heart of Allegan County keeps its own summer rhythm — free riverfront concerts in Allegan, country farmers markets in Otsego, and the quiet back roads of Hamilton and Pullman. It’s a slower, greener kind of summer out here — and a good week to get to know the county seat and its country neighbors. Here’s what’s happening from Thursday, Aug. 6 through Wednesday, Aug. 12, with each stop’s town noted up front.
Thursday, Aug. 6
The week starts in the county’s rural stretches. In Pullman, the sprawling Allegan State Game Area — some 50,000 acres of forest, marsh and river — offers miles of trails, birding and fishing, with the historic Innisfree Estate nearby for a slower kind of getaway. In Allegan, the Allegan Farmers Market runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with local produce, flowers and homemade goods. The Allegan County Historical Society’s museum and John Pahl Historic Village are open for a step back in time, and the Kalamazoo River draws kayakers and even zipliners through the heart of downtown. Rainy day? Allegan Event on River Street packs in the largest indoor ropes course in Michigan, a climbing wall and an arcade — an easy family fallback. The Allegan District Library, 331 Hubbard St., also opens the day with its weekly Preschool Storytime at 10:30 a.m. for ages 3 to 5…