September is just around the corner, which means it’s time for another installment of family fun around Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint and Lansing! I don’t know about you all, but I am really looking forward to this month…Back-to-school {a.k.a. back to a routine – yay!}, apple picking, cider, donuts and a few of the fabulous events outlined below. Enjoy the month, friends!
FAMILY FUN IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN IN SEPTEMBER 2014
Finishing up Labor Day weekend…The Michigan State Fair, Romeo Peach Festival and Arts, Beats and Eats. Check my August calendar for details!
Weekends, through September 28 – Michigan Renaissance Festival – Come to Holly Grove where music, sword-swallowing, comedy, fire-juggling and of course, the costumes of a bygone era all wonderfully on display. Open 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., rain or shine! Dress in costume for added fun and be sure to check out how the Festival celebrates with themed weekends. Free parking. Adult general admission: $21.95; child general admission: $12.95. 
August 29 – October 30 – Celebration Cinema’s Flick’s Family Festival {Various Locations around Lansing} – Visit one of the Celebration Cinemas locations for FREE kid’s movies {12 and under}, or just $5 for adults. The movies/dates are as follows: Aug. 29-Sept. 4: The Nut Job, Sept. 5 -11: The Muppets Most Wanted, Sept. 12-18: The LEGO Movie, Sept. 19-25 Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Sept. 26-Oct.2: Rio 2, Oct 3-9: Legends of Oz, Oct. 10-16: How to Train Your Dragon 2, Oct. 17-23: Earth to Echo, and Oct. 24-30: Maleficent.
September 1 – FREE Entry To The Henry Ford Museum {Dearborn} – Getting into Michigan’s best museum for FREE on Labor Day thanks to Target!
September 1 – Labor Day Sale at all Metro Detroit Salvation Army Thrift Stores – Stop in for 50% off all clothing! This is the perfect sale to stock up! View participating stores here.
September 3-7 – Frontier Days {Charlotte} – Pioneer-spirited guests will enjoy this annual event featuring one of Mid-Michigan’s largest parades, a championship rodeo, flea market, more than 250 arts and crafts exhibits, an old-fashioned saloon, and more. FREE.
September 4-7 – Richmond Good Old Days Festival {Richmond} – The Annual Richmond Area Good Old Days Festival is one of Michigan’s best small town festivals and boasts the largest marching musical parade in Michigan, as well as a carnival, antique fire muster, a children’s candy scramble and much more. FREE.
September 5-6 – Brighton’s Smokin’ Jazz and Barbecue Blues Festival {Brighton} – Visit downtown Brighton for talented musicians and food vendors from all over the country smokin’ up the streets. Experience the tastiest of barbecue, the smoothest of jazz and the bluest of blues, and be sure to wash it down with ice-cold beverages from the beer and wine garden. Admission is $5, but FREE before 6 p.m. Ages 18 and under are FREE with accompanying adult admission.
September 5-7 – Plymouth Fall Festival {Plymouth} – This fest features carnival rides, a car show, craft show, pancake breakfast, rotary BBQ, spaghetti dinner, and live entertainment, food and more. FREE.
September 5-7 – Arts and Apples Festival {Rochester} – For 49 years, the Art & Apples Festival has transformed the 30-acre Rochester Park into one of the nation’s top fine art fairs with over 290 artists from across the country. Other attractions include non-stop entertainment, food vendors, and a Meijer Kids Art Zone. FREE.
September 6 – Close Encounters with the Creature Conservancy {Ann Arbor} – Come meet, feed, pet, and learn about animals! Enjoy an afternoon of fun and activities, including inflatable bounce houses, face-painting, food vendors, a beer tent, a silent auction, and much more! Limited admission. Tickets start at $20 for ages 14 and up, $12.50 for ages 2-13, and free for ages under two. Check website for ticket availability. 
September 6 – Breakfast On The Farm {Manchester} – Visit Uphaus Farms, a real working farm in Manchester for family fun, including breakfast and a tour of the farm. Visit one of these locations for FREE tickets to the event. {I’ll be attending, reporting back, and sharing a yummy breakfast recipe, so stay tuned!}
September 6 – The Super Run {Ann Arbor} – Get the scoop on The Super Run, a super hero-themed run happening at Gallup Park at this post!
September 6 – Kids Workshop at The Home Depot {Various locations} – Build a Wizard of Oz birdhouse to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the movie. This hands-on workshop is designed for children ages 5 – 12. All kids get to keep their craft, receive a certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron, and a commemorative pin while supplies last. Register online in advance. FREE.
September 6-7 – Selfridge Open House and Air Show {Harrison Township} – The Selfridge Open House & Air Show is intended to be a wholesome family oriented event. The show offers activities and events to capture the imagination of kids of ALL ages. Come out and see the world’s most popular jet team, The Blue Angels, amaze fans with daring combinations of speed, skill and precision. Admission and parking is FREE.
September 8 – Macy’s 2nd Mondays at The Henry Ford Museum {Dearborn} – Introduce your preschool children to the wonders of The Henry Ford — all before nap time {10 a.m. – noon}. Storytelling, live entertainment and dozens of hands-on activities related to some of the museum’s most memorable artifacts. September’s theme is Back-to-School and will take place in Greenfield Village. FREE for kids, adults can get 25 percent off their tickets with this coupon!
September 9 – $2 Tuesdays at Flint Children’s Museum {Flint} – General admission to the museum is just $2!
September 12-14 – DIY Street Fair {Ferndale} – Visit downtown Ferndale for more than 100 artists, food tents, activities and musical entertainment. The event showcases a cottage industry of artists and craftsmen and tries to offer something for everyone.
September 12-14 – Victorian Festival {Northville} – Northville’s Victorian architecture provides a stunning backdrop for a festival that aims to transport you back to the 1800s. Costumed characters, a parade, vintage baseball, a Great Lakes Timber Show, music, carnival rides, crafts, food, and more are featured. FREE.
September 13 – Blue Gill Fundraiser benefiting Ryan Rocks Outdoor Adventures {Rochester} – This one-on-one fishing event’s purpose is to help get kids into fly fishing by teaching them how to cast and catch fish with a fly rod. All gear and tackle will be provided. A minimum donation of $10 to Ryan Rocks Outdoor Adventures is suggested.
September 13 – Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic {Nationwide} – Bring your child to Lowe’s to make binoculars! Register online in advance. FREE. 
September 13 – Alpaca Day Expo {Howell} – From 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., visit Triple Diamonds Alpaca Ranch in Howell for Alpaca kisses, Alpaca products, crafters, vendor booths, food, music, face painting, drawings and much more! FREE.
September 11-14 – Shrek the Musical at Ann Arbor Civic Theatre {Ann Arbor} – When a green ogre named Shrek discovers his swamp has been swamped with fairytale creatures by the scheming Lord Farquaad, Shrek sets out—with a very loud donkey in tow—to confront Farquaad. Along the way, Shrek discovers that true love is blind, in one of the most popular musicals to hit the Broadway stage in years. Tickets range from $13-$25.
September 12 – The Great West Bloomfield Camp Out {West Bloomfield} – Pitch your tent down by the lakeshore and enjoy Marshbank Park as you have never been able to before. Enjoy a traditional camp out dinner of hot dogs and baked beans. After dinner, enjoy a variety of activities to keep you busy: hayrides, fishing, archery, volleyball and glow in the dark crafts and games. When night falls, star gazing, live music and s’mores by the camp fire will round out your evening. In the morning, grab breakfast from 8 – 9 a.m., courtesy of Zoe’s House of Pancakes Restaurant. Pre-registration is mandatory. Spaces are limited. Fee: $9 per resident and $11 per nonresident, ages 2+.
September 18-20 – Harvest Moon Celebration {Farmington} – A celebration of fall, the Harvest Moon Celebration includes music, craft beer and wine tasting, and food pairings.
September 18-21 – Down Home Days {Mason} – Check out fall colors and visit Mason for an outdoor concert Thursday, family walk Friday, Saturday’s 150-vendor craft show on the historic Ingham County Courthouse Square and more. FREE.
September 19 – Superhero Party at Play. {Lansing} – Embrace your inner superhero for a night of super-powered fun! During the events, Tim The Music Man will be playing and a face painter will be helping children complete their transformations into the superheroes of their choosing! Other activities will include an obstacle course and a martial arts lesson. Food and light refreshments will be served. 6-8 p.m. $25/child.
September 19-20 – Old Town BluesFest {Lansing} – The Old Town BluesFest is a two-day FREE music festival that brings national, regional, and local acts to the streets of Old Town Lansing. The Kidzbeats area offers plenty of activities and Lansing Metro Marinas will be giving half-hour tours of the Grand River on Friday from 5-8 p.m. {Tours are $4 per person and free to children 6 and under.}
September 19-21 – Romulus Pumpkin Festival {Romulus} – This 3-day event begins with a night parade where everything is lighted from bicycles to cement trucks. Join in on the fun, including music, food, crafts and games like a pumpkin rolling, pumpkin pie eating or a pumpkin seed-spitting contest. There’s a Classic Car Show, classic Tractor Show, live entertainment and more. FREE.
September 19-20, 26-27 – Peter Pan Jr. with Southgate Community Players {Southgate} – Disney’s Peter Pan Jr. is a modern version of the timeless tale about a boy who wouldn’t grow up. The score includes new arrangements of classic Disney songs, such as “Following the Leader,” “You Can Fly,” “The Second Star to the Right” and “Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life for Me.” Tickets are $13.
September 20-21 – Wine & Harvest Festival at Spicer Orchards {Fenton} – Waiting for details, stay tuned!
September 26-28 – South Lyon Area Pumpkinfest {South Lyon} – Enjoy a weekend-long celebration of crafts, music, community, and of course, everyone’s favorite fall product; the pumpkin. Parade, photo ops and live entertainment, too! FREE. 
September 27 – Great Lakes Bat Festival {Ann Arbor} – This annual festival celebrates the unique role of bats in the Great Lakes ecosystem as insect eaters, while dispelling myths and misinformation that generate needless fears and threaten bats and their habitats around the world. The goal of the festival is to teach people about the fascinating world of bats and inspire people to protect the environment. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Washtenaw Community College. FREE.
September 27 – Metamora’s Harvest Horses and Hounds {Metamora} – A community festival featuring free horse drawn trolley rides, pony rides, unique gifts from diverse vendors, fresh food, live music a parade, a children’s activities area, horse and dog demonstrations and more. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. FREE.
September 27-28 – Diehl’s Ciderfest and Craft Show {Holly} – Visit Diehl’s for hot donuts, cider, hayrides, pony rides, a craft show, pig roast, live entertainment, corn maze and more! FREE parking and entry.
What plans do you have this month? Let me know what I’ve missed and I will add it! 
Troy Family Daze is coming up this weekend (September 11-14th): http://www.troyfamilydaze.com