Summer Festivals on Michigan's Sunrise Side

Summer means fun and festivities. All along the shores of Lake Huron, visitors will find summer happenings from late May to early September.
Entertainment, food, games, and more are there to be found by dedicated festival enthusiasts.

Each year, in late May, visitors to the little town of Frankenmuth can enjoy fun, food, and beer tasting at the World Expo of Beer. This is an event that draws travelers age 21 and over, from all around the state and even the country. Live music and entertainment make this weekend long event extra fun and festive. While the World Beer Expo is only one of many summer festivals in Frankenmuth, travelers in search of fun and excitement will appreciate this adults only festival.

Deer Acres Storybook Amusement Park, located in Pinconning, hosts a "Premier Animal Attraction" in late May. This exciting Festival is a must attend event for animal lovers, and children of all ages. Have you ever been five feet from a 600 pound tiger? According to organizers this is just one of the cool things that can happen at the Premier Animal Attractions festival. Featuring rare and exotic animals including kangaroos, baboons, tigers and cougars, the festival runs for 2 days, and draws visitors from all around the state.

Always an exhilarating and eclectic array of entertainment, the MATRIX:MIDLAND Festival kicks off in early June. Breathtaking acrobatic performance art; an entertaining spin on kitchen science; top-selling authors; one of the hottest comedians on the circuit, all topped off with soulful blues, jazz and boogie with most events taking place at Midland Center for the Arts. A special live concert "under the stars" at the Dow Diamond features the pioneers of "rock 'n' soul," Daryl Hall & John Oates, at this years 3 week long festival. Throughout the year Midland also hosts many other great festivals and offers free summer activities for adults and children alike.

Oscoda hosts the Red, White and Blue Collar Festival, a fun family event that festival goers will not want to miss. Music, featuring the band Grounded, as well as other popular area bands, magic shows, a petting zoo, canoe race, and of course lots of food, are just some of the features of this annual festival. Fireworks light up at the sky at dusk on Saturday evening. Art on the Beach, another popular Oscoda area event, is run simultaneously with the Red, White and Blue Collar Festival. Original art work, craft displays, and a wide range of musical performances span the sandy shores of the beautiful Lake Huron, during this weekend long event.

June is also the month to visit the St. Stanislaus A. C. Polish Festival, in Bay City. This festival features live Jazz music from many artists, poker, black jack, Bingo, amusement rides and games, and Polish and American foods. A four day long festival, the St. Stanislaus A. C. Polish Festival is one of the best in the state for entertainment, fun and feasting.

For thirty years and counting Alpena, Michigan has been hosting the annual "Brown Trout Festival every July." Voted the best small festival in the state of Michigan, this is a festival goers dream come true. This festival includes the longest continuous fishing tournament in the Great Lakes, and offers a $50,000 cash prize for "Big Brownie." Other events include everything from a Texas Hold-em Poker Tournament to a Mechanical Bull Riding Competition. In addition, pizza sampling, face painting, petting zoo and pony rides all appear on "Family Day" at this exciting 4 day long festival.

The Arenac Northern Bay County Fair is held during the end of July and early August., in Standish, Michigan. Amusement rides, children's activities, exhibits, animal displays and much more are all a part of this annual Sunrise Side event. Music and live entertainment spotlighting different performers and musicians every evening throughout the week long event, are another feature of this summer time festival.

August also brings the annual "Blues By the Bay" festival to Tawas City, Michigan. Jazz music is the featured entertainment throughout the weekend, while food and drinks are available at various locations around the festival area. This musical extravaganza is known throughout the state, for the wide range of musical entertainment spotlighted over the 3 day period. In the past, "Blues By the Bay" has hosted many famous performers, always giving audiences a "show to remember."

Harmony Weekend comes to Harrisville in September, to finish out the summer festival season. Each year, on the Saturday & Sunday preceding Labor Day, the annual Harrisville Arts & Crafts show is held. Over 500 exhibitors display their wears on the grounds of the courthouse at US23 and M72. Artists hail from the surrounding area and Michigan, aw well as Arizona, Florida, New York, Texas, Georgia, Maryland, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Louisiana, South Carolina, and California. Barbershop Quartets and Sweet Adelines perform from the "hill" at various times during the show-allowing their four part harmony to drift over the crowd. Food is available on the grounds from local public service organizations. The show is open dawn to dusk on Saturday, and dawn to 6:00PM on Sunday.

All around Michigan fairs, festivals and fun abound, throughout the summer months. For more information about Michigan festivals, on the Sunrise Side and elsewhere, see Summer Festivals in Michigan, by Associated Content producer 'Mertz'.