Horse Shows by the Bay, a three-week equestrian festival held in beautiful Traverse City, MI, will feature many social events for exhibitors and their families at the show. The horse show, which has three weeks of hunter/jumper competition and two dressage events, runs from July 16-August 3 at the Flintfields Horse Park.

The social event of the horse show will be the Third Annual Celebration Dinner held on Sunday, July 20, at the stunning Bowers Harbor Inn on the Old Mission Peninsula. The Bowers Harbor Inn overlooks the Bowers Harbor and West Grand Traverse Bay. The Celebration Dinner is co-sponsored by Tom Wright of UpHill Farm Investments and the Ziegler Family of Artisan Farms. The fabulous event also serves as a fundraiser for the Equestrian Aid Foundation.

Every week there are dinners, breakfasts, socials, and lunches for people associated with the horse show. On Saturday, July 19, there is an exhibitor dinner featuring Arizona Steak House Catering. It is sponsored by Top Call Farm and Greg Crolick. The dinner will coincide with the second rounds of the $5,000 Adult Hunter Classic and $5,000 Children's Hunter Classic.

The exhibitor dinner on Saturday, July 26, will feature Outback Steak House Catering and is co-sponsored by Hillside Farm and Brookwood Farm. The dinner will run during the $10,000 ASG/USHJA International Hunter Derby Classic. The dinner will also feature a special performance by Dr. Kim & the Saucecats Zydeco band.

During the $25,000 D-BRAIDER Cherry Capital Classic Grand Prix on Saturday, August 2, the third exhibitor dinner will be held. The dinner is also a fundraiser for CANTER, a non-profit organization that helps find homes for retired racehorses. The dinner will be catered by Arizona Steak House Catering and is sponsored by Meijer.

On each Thursday during the 2008 Horse Shows by the Bay, there will be a Wine & Cheese Social at the horse show. The social will feature Old Mission Peninsula vintner Spencer Stegenga from Bowers Harbor Vineyards and showcase his award-winning wine. The food will be provided by Vinnie's West Side Eats. On July 17, the party is sponsored by Generations Realty from Traverse City. July 24th's get-together is sponsored by Jenny Sutton from Wrenwood Farm, and the social on July 30 is sponsored by The Rehmann Group, a Traverse City accounting and financial planning firm.

Coinciding with the grand prix classes, there is a VIP sponsor luncheon with catering from Vinnie's West Side Eats. On July 20, the luncheon is sponsored by Plante Moran Financial Advisors of Traverse City and on July 27, the sponsor is Jenny Sutton of Wrenwood Farm.

Horse Shows by the Bay tries to make their horse show experience comfortable and fun for every rider and the people who are at the show with them. On every single morning of competition during the three weeks of Horse Shows by the Bay, there will be a Donut Drop in the barn area. The Donut Drops are co-sponsored by David Beisel Stables and Nerice Gulino and family. On every Wednesday and Saturday morning during the horse show, there will be a bagel breakfast at each show ring in-gate.

In addition to fabulous competition for every type of rider, Horse Shows by the Bay caters to the needs of its exhibitors. Come and see what Horse Shows by the Bay is all about! For more information, please visit www.horsesportsbythebay.com.