Village Radio Launches at 99.7 on the FM dial in Elk Rapids with Community Celebration
Date/Time
Date(s) - Sun, Jun 1, 2025 - Tue, Jul 1, 2025
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location
Chalfonte Theatre (Elk Rapids Cinema)
Categories
Website
997fm.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Aaron Timlin |
aaron@chalfonte.org | (313) 444-4588
Village Radio Launches at 99.7 on the FM dial in Elk Rapids with Community Celebration
Elk Rapids, MI., May 26, 2025 – Village Radio, a new FCC-licensed community station, will officially launch at 99.7 on the FM dial in the Elk Rapids area on Saturday, June 1, 2025, with a family-friendly celebration at the Elk Rapids Cinema & Chalfonte Theatre from 11 AM to 2 PM. The free public event will feature the station’s first live broadcast, studio tours, refreshments, music, and an opportunity to meet the DJs, youth interns, and advisory board members.
Village Radio is housed inside the Chalfonte Theatre, home of the Elk Rapids Cinema, and has plans to be streaming worldwide at www.997fm.org. The station’s mission is to bridge communities through music, literature, and conversation by offering inclusive, independent programming that celebrates arts, culture, and diverse voices.
Listeners can expect a vibrant mix of shows, including music programs like Eclectica with Marianne Burrows, The Morning Show with Jon Christy, and The Shake Out with Detroit DJ Dave Lawson; as well as interview-based and youth-led content such as Sunday Night Spotlight with Hayden Carpenter and Classical Hour hosted by 13-year-old DJ Leo. Village Radio also features a Youth DJ Internship Program supported by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, empowering local kids and teens to learn radio production and host their own shows.
The station is led by Chalfonte Foundation’s President Aaron Timlin and Village Radio Station Manager Stephen McDonald and supported by an advisory board made up of respected DJs, artists, community leaders, and educators from both Elk Rapids and Detroit.
To support Village Radio’s mission, the public is invited to help match a $10,000 grant by making a donation at www.997fm.org/support. Donors receive perks including t-shirts, on-air mentions, and sponsorship opportunities.
“We’re excited to launch Village Radio and bring together voices from across generations and geographies,” said Aaron Timlin. “This is more than a radio station—it’s a platform for community creativity and collaboration. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who helped bring this dream to life.”
###