Family Fun in September 2015 in Southeast Michigan {Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint and Lansing Areas}

September is here, 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 for us {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 SEPTEMBER 2015 IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN 

Weekends, through October 4 – 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 on day-of: $21.95; child general admission: $12.95.

September 2-6 – Saline Community Fair {Saline} – Join Saline for their annual community fair full of rides, activities, parades and family fun! Sept. 3 is kiddie day. All other days, admission is $7 for ages 11 and up.

September 4 — FREE Admission to Cranbrook Institute of Science After 5 p.m. {Bloomfield Hills} — Thanks to the MASCO Corporation Foundation.

September 4-7 – Fifth Third Bank Michigan State Fair {Novi} – This year’s State Fair will include an expanded Midway, live entertainment, racing pigs, livestock and home arts exhibits, the state of Michigan Butter Cow, special performances by the Detroit Shrine Circus, Made in Michigan Pavilion, tasty carnival treats, and more. There is customized pricing, depending on what you want to do — prices range from $4-$30. Children 2 and under are free.

September 4-7 – Arts, Beats and Eats {Royal Oak} – Oakland County’s premier entertainment festival which draws nearly 400,000 people to experience more than 200 juried art exhibitors, 50 restaurants and 200 performances on 10 stages downtown Royal Oak. The festival is $3 before 3 p.m., $5 after 3 p.m. and free on Friday before 5 p.m.

September 4 – October 23 – 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: Sept. 4: Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, Sept. 11: Paddington, Sept. 18: Hotel Translyvania, Sept. 25 Home, Oct.2: Max, Oct. 9: Shaun the Sheep, Oct. 16: SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, Oct. 23: Minions.

September 5, 12, 19, 26 — FREE Day at the Flint Institute of Art {Flint} — This museum is free to visit every Saturday thanks to First Merit Bank.

September 5 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Drop into a Michael’s Craft Store and take home a completed project! Just $2 per child for 30 minutes of creative craft fun, including supplies. 10 a.m. – noon. Ages 3 and up. This day’s project is a football windsock.

September 5 – Kids Workshop at The Home Depot {Nationwide} – Build a football toss game at this event. This hands-on workshop is 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 5 – Families at The Broad {East Lansing} – Visit this East Lansing modern art museum from 12-4 p.m. for hands-on activities and a family guided tour at 1 p.m. FREE thanks to Farm Bureau.

September 6 – 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!

September 7 – FREE Entry To The Henry Ford Museum {Dearborn} – Getting into Michigan’s best museum for FREE on Labor Day thanks to Target!

September 10-13 – 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 10-13 – 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 10-13 – The Addams Family at Ann Arbor Civic Theatre {Ann Arbor} – This darkly comic musical, based on the classic New Yorker cartoon-turned-60’s TV series, is every father’s nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. Everything will change for the Addams family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. Tickets range from $13 {students} to $25 {adults}.

September 11 – 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. Pre-registration is mandatory. $9 per resident and $11 per nonresident, ages 2+.

September 11-12 – 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 11-13 – 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 11-13 – Arts and Apples Festival {Rochester} – For 50 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 12-13 – Fisk Farm Festival {White Lake} – Visit the farm for a craft show, bake sale, entertainment in the barn and pavilion, storytellers, antique equipment, tractors, encampment, games/activities for the children, pony rides, pie eating contest, Howell Nature Center presentation, door prizes and more.

September 12 – FREE Day at Sloan Museum {Flint} – Visit the Sloan Museum and Buick Gallery for FREE thanks to Brown & Brown Insurance. Learn more about what you can expect at this post.

September 12 – Holly’s 150th Birthday Celebration {Holly} – Celebrate the 150th year of being established as a village with a parade {Saturday at 11 a.m.}, food, fun, kids games, entertainment, music, contests, family fun, fireworks at dusk and more. FREE.

September 12 – Big Wheels Keep on Rollin’ {Waterford} – Get the scoop at this event listing from Metro Detroit Mommy!

September 12 – Homegrown Festival {Ann Arbor} – The HomeGrown Festival is a grassroots community event showcasing the best of our region’s locally grown food, drink, music and fun. FREE.

September 12 – Green Oak Township Fire Department Open House {Green Oak} – Visit the station from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Visit Page’s Pages for the scoop!

September 12 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Drop into a Michael’s Craft Store and take home a completed project! Just $2 per child for 30 minutes of creative craft fun, including supplies. 10 a.m. – noon. Ages 3 and up. This day’s project is a bird feeder.

September 12 – 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 13 – Kerrytown Bookfest {Ann Arbor} – The 13th Annual Kerrytown BookFest is chock full of authors, activities, and hundreds of the best books. Activities include breakfast with Michigan authors, comic Books, an edible book contest, used and rare books for sale, storytellers, and more. FREE.

September 13 – Grandparents Day at Longway Planetarium {Flint} – Ship the kids off and have them celebrate Grandparents Day at Longway Planetarium! Grandparents get in free with paid child ticket*. It’s the perfect chance to catch Longway Planetarium’s newest show Accidental Astronauts. {Valid 9/13/15 only. One Senior admission with one Youth admission to Longway Planetarium. Not valid on Combo tickets.}

September 14 – 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 15 – Stories for Sprouts and Seedlings at MSU Children’s Gardens {East Lansing} – This program is for young children, ages 2-4, to experience the wonders of gardening through stories and hands-on projects. Each month a different book is featured with an accompanying gardening activity. This month is The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall. FREE. Parking is metered and runs $1.80/hour.

September 17-18 – Harvest Moon Celebration {Farmington} – A celebration of fall, the Harvest Moon Celebration includes music, craft beer and wine tasting, and food pairings. $6 in advance; $8 at the door.

September 18-20 – 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 18-19 – 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 18-19, 25-26 – Disney’s Aladdin Jr. with Southgate Community Players {Southgate} – Classic Disney movie brought to life on stage by children. Tickets are $10.

September 19 — Meridian Fall Heritage Festival {Meridian} — Visitors enjoy early American demonstrations and exhibits in the Village as well as children’s activities and games. Take a look back in history with demos, archery, fishing, long rifle events, pioneer and Native American children’s activities and games, pony rides, a native Powwow demonstration and more. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. FREE.

September 19 – Hamburg Fire Department Open House {Hamburg} – Visit the station from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Visit Page’s Pages for the scoop!

September 19 – Van Buren Township Fire Department Open House {Van Buren} – Visit Walgreens, located at 10276 Belleville Rd. from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. to learn more about the fire station. Visit Page’s Pages for the scoop!

September 19 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Drop into a Michael’s Craft Store and take home a completed project! Just $2 per child for 30 minutes of creative craft fun, including supplies. 10 a.m. – noon. Ages 3 and up. This day’s project is a fall hand print tree.

September 19 — Top Secret: License to Spy opens at Sloan Museum {Flint} — This special exhibit focuses on the science and technology of spying and espionage. Investigate leads, gather intelligence, and uncover clues to solve a double-agent mystery, complete with hands-on activities like cracking the code on the lock of a transparent safe and using an oscilloscope to find a hidden bug. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, youth {2-11} is $6 and infants {1 and under} are free. Learn more about this gem of a museum at this recent post.

September 19-20 – 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 19-20 – 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 – Wine & Harvest Festival at Spicer Orchards {Fenton} – Waiting for details, stay tuned!

September 19-20 – Michigan Apple Festival {Charlotte} – Enjoy all things apple at The Country Mill — kids’ art contest,apple picking, apple wine and hard cider tasting, train rides, apple samples and more. FREE entry.

September 20 – World Rhino Day at Potter Park Zoo {Lansing} – To celebrate the 5th annual World Rhino Day, visit Potter Park for special tours and a behind-the-scenes look at their black rhino exhibit. There will also be rhino informational tables and activities for the kids from 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tickets are available for 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. and will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under, in addition to regular zoo entry and parking. Tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

September 22-27 – Cinderella at Wharton Center {East Lansing} – With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, this hilarious and romantic Rodgers + Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA combines the story’s classic elements – glass slippers, pumpkin, and a beautiful ball along with some surprising twists. Tickets range from $35-$82.50.

September 23 – Yogurtopia Family Fun Grand Opening {East Dearborn} – Yogurtopia invites the community to visit from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. for music, face painting, special discounts and photo opportunities with Miley the Yogurtopia mascot. Proceeds from sales will benefit Hope Now for ALS. Additionally, guests can receive buy one get one free for all frozen yogurt orders during the event. The newest location is at 6901 Schaefer Rd. {More information + a giveaway coming soon!}

September 25-27 – 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 offers something for everyone.

September 25-27 – 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 thanks to Vibe Credit Union.

September 25-27 – Marvel Universe LIVE! at The Palace {Auburn Hills} – Get the scoop on this amazing new show + enter to win tickets at this post.

September 26 – Webster Fall Festival {Dexter} – Old-fashioned country fun for all ages, including hay rides, a petting zoo, historic buildings and displays, vintage cars and farm machinery, artisans and crafters, police K9 demos, live music and more. FREE.

September 26 – Taylor Fire Department Open House {Taylor} – Visit the WCCCD Downriver Campus from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. to learn about fire safety. Visit Page’s Pages for the scoop!

September 26 – Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic {Nationwide} – Bring your child to Lowe’s to make a fire truck with safety cards. Register online in advance. FREE.

September 26 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Drop into a Michael’s Craft Store and take home a completed project! Just $2 per child for 30 minutes of creative craft fun, including supplies. 10 a.m. – noon. Ages 3 and up. This day’s project is a candy corn banner.

September 26 – 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 26 – 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 26 – Belle Isle Summer Saturdays {Detroit} – From 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., visit Belle Isle for TONS of family fun! Visitors can learn the fundamentals of kayaking and water exploration, rent bicycles, participate in outdoor games, brave the giant slide and explore Belle Isle with self-paced island tours. The Detroit City Chess Club will also be at Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and the Belle Isle Aquarium and Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory will be open and, as always, free to visit. FREE.

September 26-27 – 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.

September 27 – FREE Day at Flint Children’s Museum {Flint} – General admission to the museum is FREE thanks to Brown & Brown Insurance.

What plans do you have this month? Let me know what I’ve missed and I will add it!