Noreast'r Music & Art Festival - Mio, MI

There are a variety of Michigan Festivals you can attend, but my personal favorite is the Noreast'r Music & Art Festival. The annual festival is held in June and promises to be a great time for young and old alike. If you have never attended the Noreast'r Music & Art Festival, you do not know what you are missing. This marks the fifth year for the annual event, and my family has attended the festival every year without fail. We always bring a tent and spend the weekend camping on the grounds so that we don't miss a thing, but there are also several local hotels where you can stay if you prefer, or you can buy a day pass instead of a weekend pass if you don't mind missing out on some of the fun.

The main stage is filled with the incredible talent from around the state of Michigan. You may never have heard of any of these groups, but once you have heard them, you will remember many of them for years to come. There are always a variety of performances including lots of folk songs, ballads, humorous songs, gospel music, step dancing, swing, jazz, blues, Cajun, Creole, and much more. The music is great and the bands keep coming on the main stage. For a list of performers, you can visit the official Noreast'r Music & Art Festival website. I am sure that you will not be disappointed. In addition to the main stage there will also be music going on in the Parlor. On Friday night, they are having an Open Mic Night, and then on Saturday and Sunday, the other groups will be visiting the Parlor to perform.

Some of the paintings and drawings that I have seen on display were truly inspiring. I have enjoyed the beadwork and the leather crafts as well. There has been some interesting artwork of all types on display, and I 'm sure that there is something that everyone will enjoy. In the past, my kids and I have been fascinated with one of the artists who does wood carvings. Not only do these artists have their artwork on display, but many of them also demonstrate their craft by working on more items while you watch. It is captivating to watch, and I found myself absorbed in his work for much longer than I had intended before moving on to the next booth. Some of his carvings were quite lifelike once he had painted them. I have enjoyed watching the artists who made the beadwork and the leather crafts as well, and there was one who did rock paintings last year that was really fascinating to watch. I was amazed at how she transformed an ordinary rock into some fascinating creatures in a matter of minutes.

The Noreast'r Music & Art Festival is not just for adults though. There are many activities available for the children to participate in as well. Many projects and activities are also offered in the children's area. There are craft activities, as well as activities provided by some of the performers and vendors. In addition to the crafts, your kids can do things like juggling, drumming, clogging, sing-a-longs and more. Adults are welcome and all children's activities are supervised.

While you are there, don't forget to have your child apply for a chance to get one of the free guitar packages that Craig Carrick gives away each year. These are the complete package with everything your child needs to get started playing their new guitar if they are one of the lucky ones chosen to receive one. This year it looks like they are even offering a bit of beginning guitar instruction in the children's area for the winners and other beginners.

Every year they have a variety of workshops throughout the weekend, and depending on what you enjoy, there is likely to be something there for you. The workshops cover a variety of musical topics. Many of the workshops cover learning to play various instruments including the autoharp, ukulele, accordion, dulcimer, and more. I thought that I might attend one of the songwriting workshops this year. I had planned to last year, but got caught up in the clogging lessons instead.

The Noreast'r Music & Art Festival is located at the Oscoda County Fairgrounds, just outside of Mio, Michigan. The Noreast'r Festival is a fantastic way to enjoy a fun weekend of great entertainment for the whole family. You can find maps and directions on the Noreast'r Music & Art Festival website.