Family Fun in Southeast Michigan in October 2016

October truly is one of the best months of the year, right? I am so pumped to get outside and take photos of my kids playing in the leaves and witness my back yard transform into nature’s most beautiful colors.

Here are some ideas for family fun in southeast Michigan in October 2016. Please note if you are looking for Halloween-specific events, check out this BIG LIST. Additionally, make sure to check out Page’s Pages for TONS of local and FREE Fire Department Open Houses. There are so many, I could only list a handful!

Family Fun in Southeast Michigan in October 2016

Through October 2 — Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream {Auburn Hills} — Celebrate Disney magic live on ice at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Tickets range from $15-$55.

October 1 — Kids Workshop at The Home Depot {Nationwide} — Build a firetruck 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.

October 1 — Fun & Fitness Fest {Macomb} — Visit this fest at Macomb Corner’s Park for dog jumping, dancing & tricks’ show, a classic car show, vintage baseball, a scavenger hunt, inflatables and more. FREE.

October 1 — Fall Fest {West Bloomfield} — Visit Marshbank Park for the 5th annual Fall Fest. Activities include games, crafts, live music, hay rides, face painting, a petting farm and more. FREE.

October 1 — 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.

October 1 — Energy Day at Impression 5 Science Center {Lansing} — Energy Day is an annual event of interactive activities exploring energy and the ways it is generated. Participants can make their own solar-powered pumpkin lights, create a delicious treat with solar ovens, and even turn poop to power with a take-home methane experiment. Standard admission for the public; $8.50 for others. {Visit the new Hot Wheels exhibit while there!}

October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 — FREE Day at the Flint Institute of Art {Flint} — This museum is free to visit every Saturday thanks to Huntington.

October 1 & 2 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Visit Michael’s for the Great Pumpkin event! Buy a 9″ craft pumpkin by Ashland® and the supplies are FREE! 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Ages 3 and up. October 2 — Mosaic Youth Theatre at Michigan Theater {Ann Arbor} — Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is one of Southeast Michigan’s most highly regarded cultural treasures, empowering and mentoring young performers. With their collective voices raised in song, the Mosaic Singers shift effortlessly from Motown to Mozart and Broadway to Bach, with a unique style that’s all their own. Show is at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.

October 2 — Destination 4-H {Waterford} — Visit the Oakland County Market for a FREE interactive display to learn about 4-H youth development. There will be live animals, activities, take-home projects and more. From 12-4 p.m. FREE.

October 6 — Ladies Night Out in Downtown Milford — Mothers, daughters, sisters and girlfriends are invited to Milford to shop, eat, and join in as the fun-filled night takes over Milford’s downtown shopping district from 5-9 p.m. Visitors can collect stamps at more than 30 participating businesses. Attendees who collect 10 stamps and drop off their completed postcard at any participating location will be eligible to win one of 40 gift certificates.

October 7 — FREE Admission to Cranbrook Institute of Science After 5 p.m. {Bloomfield Hills} — Thanks to the MASCO Corporation Foundation.

October 7 — Friday Night at The Museum {Ann Arbor} — Visit the Natural History museum for some fun until 8 p.m. There will be a story time, cow’s eye dissection demo, dinosaur tours and $3 Planetarium shows. Museum entry is FREE.

October 8 — Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic {Nationwide} — Bring your child to Lowe’s to make a project. Register online in advance. FREE.

October 8 — 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 clothespin bat.

October 8 — 9th Annual Fall Harvest Festival {Burton} — Visit For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum to celebrate the fall season with hayrides, contests, crafts, cider making, music and much more! 10 a.m. – 3p.m. For families, all ages and abilities. FREE.

Weekends, October 8-30 — Children’s Fall Festival at MJR Digital Cinemas {Various locations throughout SE Michigan} — FREE movies for children, ages 12 and under, and just $1 for adults! Keep an eye on Facebook for the exact showtimes, to be announced throughout the month.

Weekends starting October 8 {Saturdays and Sundays} — Annabella Broom at the Marquis Theatre {Northville} – See Halloween brought to life on stage! Annabella Broom is a little witch with a big heart who would much rather wear pink than black. $9/ticket. {No children under age 3}

October 8-9 — Apple Butter Festival at Fenner Nature Center {Lansing} — Visit Fenner and travel back in time to the days of the pioneers and help stir the apple butter, cooked the old-fashioned way in a copper kettle over the fire, or try your hand at the cider press. There will be a pumpkin patch, pumpkin carving contest, pioneer games, blacksmithing demonstrations, cross-cut sawing, wagon rides and more. This festival is FREE to the public. Parking is a $5 suggested donation at the gate.

October 9 — Fire Open Houses {Various Locations} — Visit fire stations in Allen Park, Grand Blanc, Fenton, Troy, West Bloomfield, Chesterfield Township, Utica, Mt. Clemens and more. These events are free and great for learning about fire safety! See link above from Page’s Pages.

October 9 — The Adventures of Bella and Harry: Let’s Visit London at The Wharton — Adapted from the beloved children’s book, the musical adaptation follows Bella and Harry – Chihuahua siblings – on their adventures through London. Part of the ActOne Family Series. Recommended for ages 3-12. Tickets are $14.

October 9 — FREE admission to the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History {Detroit} – The Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History opens its doors from 1-5 p.m. for FREE, thanks to Ford.

October 9 — Sensory Friendly Sunday at UMMA {Ann Arbor} — University of Michigan Museum of Art will open from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. exclusively for a Autism Spectrum Disorders-friendly program allowing families to enjoy art in a fun and welcoming atmosphere. Families will have access to special hands-on activities. Children will be able to make a Tiffany mosaic, explore the fabrics shown in a painting and more. FREE.

October 9 — Fall Festival at Kensington Metropark {Milford} — Enjoy a fun-filled weekend of activities for the whole family. From 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., tour the farm and view traditional demonstrations, visit with food and craft vendors, and be entertained by “Rosco the Clown” and more. Also take a hayride to and from the pumpkin patch to pick your perfect pumpkin. Standard hayride rates and pumpkin pricing apply. A Metroparks vehicle entry permit is required to enter, otherwise it’s $10 daily.

October 10 — 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. October’s theme is Fall Harvest and will take place in Greenfield Village. FREE for kids, adults must pay entry. 

October 15 — Fire Open Houses {Various Locations} — Visit fire stations in Armada, Fenton, Madison Heights, Milford, Shelby Township, Northville, Brownstown and more. These events are free and great for learning about fire safety! See link above from Page’s Pages.

October 15 — Harvest Fest {Westland} — Visit Westland Historic Village Park for games, a petting farm, vintage bikes, local vendors, and goodies for children as well as a 50/50 Raffle for adults. FREE.

October 15-16 — Enchanted Princess Ball {Fenton} — Dress-up your little one and enjoy a show by Disney-inspired princesses! $22.50/person. Advance tickets required.

October 15-16 & 29-30 — Addams Family Musical with Pinckney Players {Pinckney} — In this musical comedy, 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 whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents. Tickets are $15/adults; $13/students/seniors.

October 16 — Palate’s Family Fun Day {Milford} — Visit Palate in downtown Milford for free Pumpkins for the first 500 kids, kids music, face painting, costume contests, giant German pretzels and more. $5 cash donation per family entry with proceeds going to building the Millford Skatepark.

October 16 — Time Capsule Fun at Sloan Museum {Flint} — Time capsules help us preserve our past and communicate information to future generations. In this activity, children and their families will learn how to make their own time capsules. Learn what containers to use, fun ideas about what to include, where the best places are to hide a time capsule, and when to open it. All participants must register in advance. Ages 7 and up. Visit here to buy tickets. $9/adults, $8/seniors, $6/youth ages 2-11.

October 16 — Fire Open Houses {Various Locations} — Visit fire stations in Brighton, Howell, Clawson, Clinton Township, Centerline, Richmond, Chelsea and more. These events are free and great for learning about fire safety! See link above from Page’s Pages.

October 16-22 — Chemistry Week at Impression 5 {Lansing} — In celebration of National Chemistry Week, which encourages chemists and chemistry enthusiasts to build awareness of chemistry at the local level. Discover chemistry with hands-on experiments presented in partnership with the MSU Department of Chemistry. FREE.

October 22 — Story Time With Cowboy Alex {Royal Oak} — Visit the Royal Oak Senior/Community Center to listen to Cowboy Alex read fun stories about Halloween, joke around with his puppet pals and do silly magic tricks. Plus, kids and parents will make a Halloween candy container using recycled material! Ages 3-7. 11 a.m. – Noon. $5/child.

October 22 — Lansing Gluten Free Fair {Lansing} — Enjoy samples from gluten-free vendors around the state and country. There also will be people on hand to answer questions about the gluten-free lifestyle. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and will be at the Ramada Inn. $5/entry.

October 26 — Witchypoo Revue at The Oakland Mall {Troy} — Visit Witchypoo Revue during a meet and greet as part of The Oakland Mall’s Giggle Gang. Limited tickets available in advance on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last, at the Information Center. Arrive early! FREE for Giggle Gang members; $3 for others.

October 28 — The Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure at the Fox Theatre {Detroit} — Visit the Fox to see the Octonauts! The Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure features brand new and fan favorite songs led by the entire Octonauts eight-member crew including Captain Barnacles, Lieutenant Kwazii and Medic Peso, as they invite audiences aboard an underwater quest through a world full of adventure. The show is at 6 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 and $43.50.

Again, make sure to visit this BIG LIST for all the local Halloween happenings and this link for ideas for fall fun:

What did I miss? Feel free to drop me a note or add in the comments!