September is such a lovely month, right? Cool mornings followed by warm days, the leaves starting to change, apple picking, and perhaps every parent’s favorite reason: Back to school and back to routine!
While adventures may be changing in the months ahead with calendars filling with school events, there is still plenty of fun out there for the weekends. Here are some ideas for fall fun and some things to check out this month around SE Michigan and beyond:
Family Fun in Southeast Michigan in September 2018
Make sure to check out Page’s Pages for a BIG list of free Fire Department open houses — there are too many to list here!
Weekends, through September 28 — Michigan Renaissance Festival — Visit Holly Grove for music, sword-swallowing, comedy, fire-juggling and of course, the costumes of a bygone era. Dress in costume for added fun and be sure to check out how the Festival celebrates with themed weekends. Free parking. Adult general admission: $20.95; child general admission: $12.50.
Through September 3 — Saline Community Fair {Saline} — Join Saline for their annual community fair full of rides, activities, parades and family fun! All other days, admission is $7 for ages 11 and up.
Through September 3 — Fifth Third Bank Michigan State Fair {Novi} — This year’s State Fair includes a 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. Adults are $8 and children are $6. Children 2 and under are free.
Through September 3 — Arts, Beats and Eats {Royal Oak} — Oakland County’s premier entertainment festival featuring art, restaurants and 200 performances on 10 stages downtown Royal Oak. Festival admission is $3 until 3pm, $5 after 3pm, and $7 after 5pm on Saturday, Sunday & Monday. Ford Arts, Beats & Eats is free to enter until 5pm on Friday only. Admission on Friday after 5pm is $7. This is admission fee supports the festival as well as 13 non-profit partners.
Through September 8 — 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 1 — Kids Workshop at The Home Depot {Nationwide} — Build a field goal game at this month’s 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. Learn what to expect at this post.
September 1 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Drop into a Michael’s Craft Store and take home a completed project for $2-$5! 30 minutes of creative craft fun, including supplies. 10 a.m. – noon. Ages 3 and up. This day’s project is hedgehog themed. Learn what to expect at these events at this post.
September 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.
September 1 — Families at The Broad {East Lansing} — Visit this East Lansing modern art museum from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. for hands-on activities surrounding this month’s theme, Invention. FREE.
September 3 — Labor Day Sale at all Metro Detroit Salvation Army Thrift Stores — Stop in for 50% off all clothing, all day long. This is the perfect sale to stock up on back-to-school clothes! Stores open at 7 a.m.
September 6-9 — 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 7 – October 14 — NCG Cinemas Free Family Film Festival {Various Mid-Michigan Locations} — Visit the NCG locations in September and October on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for a FREE family movie. Visit link for details {also available in a sensory-friendly format}.
September 7-8 — 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. Admission is $5.
September 7-9 — 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 7-9 — Arts and Apples Festival {Rochester} — Art & Apples Festival transforms Rochester Park into one of the nation’s top fine art fairs with over 290 artists from across the country. Other attractions include live entertainment, food vendors, and a Kids Art Zone. FREE.
September 8 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Drop into a Michael’s Craft Store and take home a completed project for $2-$5! 30 minutes of creative craft fun, including supplies. 10 a.m. – noon. Ages 3 and up. This day’s project is leaf themed. Learn what to expect at these events at this post.
September 8 — Big Wheels Keep on Rollin’ {Waterford} — Visit Hess-Hathaway Park for this fun event featuring trucks. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. $5/family.
September 8-9 — Fisk Farm Festival {White Lake} — Visit the farm for crafts, entertainment in the barn and pavilion, storytellers, antique equipment, tractors, encampment, activities for the children, pony rides, a pie eating contest and more. FREE entry.
September 9 – FREE Family Sunday at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History {Detroit} — Thanks to the DTE Energy Foundation, enjoy FREE admission to the museum to check out exhibits and special programs. 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
September 11 & 12 — FREE LEGO® Mini Model Build {Nationwide} — Visit your local LEGO Store to learn how to build a cool mini model, and take it home – for free! September’s project is a LEGO airplane model. Quantities are limited. Event is open to children ages 6-14 only. FREE.
September 15 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Drop into a Michael’s Craft Store and take home a completed project for $2-$5! 30 minutes of creative craft fun, including supplies. 10 a.m. – noon. Ages 3 and up. This day’s project is animal puppets and props. Learn what to expect at these events at this post.
September 15 — Hearse Fest at Screams Ice Cream {Hell} — Visit Hell, Michigan for pinewood derby races, vendors, costume contest, the parade/cruise to Terrorified Forest. FREE.
September 15 — Fowlerville Fall Festival {Fowlerville} — Join Livingston Centre Historical Society from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Fowlerville Fair Grounds for crafts, village tours, food vendors, wagon rides, kid’s games, train rides, live entertainment and more. $5 for adults, $3 for seniors over 62 and teens 13-17, $1 for kids ages 4-12 and free for 4 and under.
September 16 — Summer Sundays at Upland Hills Farm {Oxford} — Enjoy all of the farm animals, watch a farmer milk a cow, take a hayride and bring a picnic lunch or purchase food at the concession. Pony rides available. 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. $9/person.
September 21-22 — Michigan BluesFest {Lansing} — This two-day music festival brings national, regional, and local acts to the streets of Old Town Lansing. The Kidzbeats area offers plenty of activities for kids. FREE.
September 21-23 — Romulus Pumpkin Festival {Romulus} — This 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, Tractor Show, live entertainment and more. FREE.
September 21-23 — 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. FREE entry.
September 22 — Michaels Kid Club {Nationwide} — Drop into a Michael’s Craft Store and take home a completed project for $2-$5! 30 minutes of creative craft fun, including supplies. 10 a.m. – noon. Ages 3 and up. This day’s project is with clay. Learn what to expect at these events at this post.
September 22 — 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 28-30 — 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 29 — Fall Harvest Festival {Flint} — Visit Applewood Estate for family fun including live music, cider and apple tasting in the heirloom orchard, horses and calves in the historic barn, mini pumpkin decorating, educational presentations by local organizations, children’s outdoor games and more! FREE.
September 29-30 — 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 30 — Comerica Park Season Finale {Detroit} — Visit CoPa for tours, carousel rides, enjoy a Paws meet and greet and more. $20/adults; $10/children ages 12 and under.
I often add fun to my Facebook page and share about our adventures on Instagram, so make sure to check there, too. A big collaborative list of Halloween fun is coming soon too!
What are you most looking forward to this month?
Leave a Reply