Tasting locally crafted wines, beers, hard ciders, cocktails and spirits along Southwest Michigan’s Makers Trail is fun to do all year, but now there is an incentive to do it more often until May 31, 2023. The more participating Berrien County wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries people visit, the more stamps they can collect and the more rewards they can earn.
The Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council is making stamp collecting even easier this year with its new 2022/2023 Makers Trail Flight Crew Passport now available on the Visit Southwest Michigan app. This free app is downloadable from the App Store and Google Play.
“For years, we handed out printed passports,” said Marcy Simpson, Tourist Council executive director. “But people would forget or misplace them. Now that we offer it on our Visit Southwest Michigan app, the Passport can be readily available on their phones, so collecting digital stamps is fast and easy.”
She added that the app includes a Trail map, so it’s easier to choose which Makers to see as visitors tour the area. The app automatically tallies each digital stamp so it’s simpler to claim rewards, too.
For those who want a printed version of the 2022/2023 Makers Trail Passport, paper copies are available at the Southwest Michigan Travel Information Center in Benton Harbor or a printable version can be downloaded from the Makers Trail website, makerstrail.org/passport.
Printed Makers Trail maps are available at the Information Center or at participating hotels and Makers Trail locations. A downloadable version is also available at makerstrail.org/passport.
This year’s rewards are:
Level 1: $15 Makers Trail Gift Certificate when you collect 10 different stamps.
Level 2: Makers Trail Flight Crew Tee when you collect a total of 20 different stamps.
Level 3: Makers Trail Flight Crew Hoodie when you collect a total of 30 different stamps.
Bonus Reward: Makers Trail 24 oz. YETI Rambler Mug when you spend at least one night at a participating hotel. You must email the receipt from your hotel stay to passport@swmichigan.org. The name on the receipt must match the name on your Passport.
Grand Prize: Makers Trail All-Inclusive Layover Package — Two nights (double occupancy) in a participating hotel plus gift certificates that can be used at area restaurants, Makers Trail destinations and shops. You will receive an entry in the drawing for one of five Grand Prizes when you complete Levels 1, 2 and 3 and stay at least one night in a participating hotel.
Here’s how to earn these rewards:
Participants must be at least 21 years old.
Download the free Visit Southwest Michigan app from the App Store or Google Play. On the app, you can access the 2022/2023 Makers Trail Flight Crew Passport. Or pick up a free paper copy of the Passport at the Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council Information Center or by downloading it from the Makers Trail Passport website. Only one Passport will be accepted per person.
Gather the Passport stamp codes at as many of the participating Makers Trail destinations as you can visit by May 31, 2023. A current map and list of makers are on the app or at swmichigan.org/makers. Or pick up a printed map, while supplies last, at the participating Makers Trail sites and hotels.
Make a purchase at each destination. Before you leave, ask the server for either a stamp code to enter into the app or request a physical stamp for the paper Passport. Each location has a unique Passport stamp code or stamp. You may use only one stamp from each Maker toward earning your rewards. Duplicate stamps will not be counted.
Continue collecting stamps. Once you earn 10 different stamps at each level, you’ve earned that reward. You can earn up to four rewards plus an entry into the Grand Prize Drawing on June 23, 2023.
Once you complete all the reward levels you can by May 31, 2023, your app will automatically submit the levels you have completed to the Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council. Paper Passport users must drop off or mail their Flight Crew Passport to the Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council in Benton Harbor. All Passports must be validated by June 9, 2023, to be eligible for earned rewards. Printed Passports will not be returned.
“We have repeat Makers Trail Passport participants every year. Couples tell us they use collecting stamps as fun, stress-relieving dates. The prizes have become collector items, too,” said Simpson. “Whether you’ve done the Passport program for years or it’s your first time, using the new app is definitely the way to go this year!”
The Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council connects visitors and locals alike with activities in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties. View their curated events, blogs, itineraries, trail guides and more online. For more information, call 269-925-6301, or visit https://swmichigan.org/passport or https://www.facebook.com/swmtc/.
