Wheresoever you go,
go with all your heart. - Confucius
by Church of One

Next Tuesday, February 14th is Valentine's Day - a day for lovers, sweethearts, paramours ... and chocoholics. Like it, love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is an annual tradition that will see over one billion valentines will be given out worldwide, 85% of those by women. However you choose to celebrate the holiday, consider making it a little more special with something from Michigan.

There's plenty of delicious Valentine's Day recipes from Pure Michigan at Michigan.org. The Food Network also offers up some culinary advice for Valentine's Day complete with a full Valentine's menu. Lansing's WLNS CBS channel 6 website has a complete Valentine Day section on their website where you can learn all kinds of useful information including (who knew?) that chocolate is an aphrodisiac. The folks at the Grand Rapids Press and mlive.com have some tips for Valentine's Day cooking with kids.

We have to remind you that February is National Cherry Month and cherries make a great and healthy way to bring the distinctive Valentine red into your celebrations. An affordable and tasty non-alcoholic beverage are cherry sparklers made with Michigan cherry juice and sparkling water.

On the adult beverage front, a whopping 95% of wine drinkers agree that wine makes a perfect gift, and you can't go wrong with a  Michigan wine or  Michigan beer! The folks at MyNorth offer a listing of Northern Michigan sparkling wines to set the tone for your celebration. While bubbles are big, beers can also be appreciated. Dianna at Promote Michigan has let us in on her Love Affair with Michigan Beer, which features all kinds of special and regular brews from Michigan's brewmasters. You can stay awake Ann Arbor Brewing's Espresso Love featuring coffee, cozy up to the Decadent Dark Chocolate Ale from Atwater Brewing or go a little lighter with Dragonmead's Redwing Raspberry Wheat. This is a great feature so definitely check it out!

Ginny, You Are My Shining Star by docksidepress

If you're left scratching your head over what to buy him or her, check out the 'Valentine's Day Gift Giving Guide' from WLNS.com.  Don't forget the furry friends in your life either! You can be a homeless pets Valentine when WXYZ-TV 7 in Detroit hosts their Annual Valentine's Day Telethon to support the Michigan Humane Society. Tune in or donate online with the Michigan Humane Society!

If that's not enough and you really want to get your Valentine on, check out Absolute Michigan keyword Valentine for food & gift ideas.

For a little eye candy, you should check out the Valentine slideshow from the Absolute Michigan flickr pool!

We also have a large number of Michigan web sites to check out (though if we're missing one, be sure to add a link to it).

Flowers & Florists - say it with flowers

Chocolate - there's also candy companies

Candles - lighting the way for romance for thousands of years

Jewelry -silver & gold, platinum and bronze, pick your favorite.

Wow, you actually made it to the end of this post - don't forget to buy yourself a little something for Valentines Day!

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Sooo... the person we selected to win 2 tickets to the Traverse City Winter Microbrew and Music Festivalhasn't contacted us. The festival is this Saturday, February 11th - just days away. That means we have to give these away and give them away quickly to someone who wants to make the trip to Traverse City!If this is you and if you are 21 years of age, all you have to do is either:

1. Go to the Absolute Michigan facebook and find the comment that says If you want to go to the Traverse City Winter Microbrew and Music Festival Read This! and post a comment saying you want to go - feel free to add your favorite Michigan beer or something you're looking forward to.

2. Post a comment below! Include the part where you say nice things about a craft brew, musician or polkas!

3. If you're shy or not a Facebooker, no problem - just reply to this email - and please feel free to share your thoughts about what excites you about the festival or Absolute Michigan!

We will put them all into a list, head over to random.org at 6 PM tomorrow and find out who wins. Share it with friends who might be interested too - maybe they'll take you along if they win!!

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Today's offering in The Daily Michigan is a pair of tickets to the 3rd Annual Winter Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival (must be 21 to win). The festival has so much to offer that probably the best thing we can do is give you the poster above to click on!

Click here to sign up

Shadows on Ice by farlane

This annual festival is produced by Porterhouse Productions and features over 40 breweries, wineries, cideries, and meaderies - most from Michigan - along with local food vendors and beer and cuisine pairings. A highlight of the festival is a wide range of entertainment featuring Funktion, Heatbox, The Crane Wives, Whitney Morgan and the 78s, Dragon Wagon and Rootstand.  There's also fire dancers, live polka music and a silent disco.

It all benefits Bay Area Recycling for Charities, a non-profit company providing comprehensive recycling services to residents and businesses in the Grand Traverse Bay area. BARC allows customers to get top-quality recycling services and give back to the local community through the charity of their choice.

Click the button for their Facebook and some photos and info, order tickets and get more details from Porterhouse Productions. There's some great music for us to choose from. While we're tempted to link over to our friends in Dragon Wagon or Minnesota-based Heatbox, we have to present The Crane Wives performing one of their hits!

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Michigan Cherries by jdurchen

Did you know that Michigan is the largest producer of Montmorency tart cherries, growing 70-75% of the crop? February is National Cherry Month, and the Cherry Marketing Institute (link below) has bushels of info about the history and present state of the cherry industry including growing research showing that antioxidants in tart cherries may relieve the pain of arthritis and gout & help fight cancer and heart disease.

Cherry Facts

• Tart cherries are loaded with antioxidants that are believed to relieve the pain of arthritis and gout and help fight cancer and heart disease. They're also especially high in the antioxidant melatonin, which may help prevent or reduce brain deterioration associated with aging. And to top it off, they're high in vitamin A and beta-carotene.
• Cherries were brought to America by early settlers in the 1600s. Cherry trees, in fact, were part of the gardens of French settlers when they established Detroit.
• Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary on Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City, started modern-day cherry production in Michigan in 1852. Now, Michigan grows about 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries and Traverse City calls itself the cherry capital of the world.
• It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie; enough cherries grow on the average cherry tree to make 28 pies, industry officials say.
• Tart cherries ripen two or three weeks after sweet cherries. Look for them in mid to late July.
• Cherries are a truly ancient delicacy - explorers have found cherry pits from the Stone Age in European caves.
• Tart cherries have fewer calories and more beta-carotene than sweet cherries.
• Michigan grows 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries.

For more tasty cherry info, be sure to check these out!

Cherry Marketing Institute is the best place to go for information about this delicious and healthy fruit!

Absolute Michigan's Cherry Links has all kinds of info about the cherry!

Michigan Cherries from Taste the Local Difference is PACKED with all kinds of information and delicious cherry recipes.

Michigan Cherries from the Department of Agriculture

MSU's Michigan Cherry Information features more cherry information than you can shake a whole tree at!

For all things edible, drinkable and wearable, check out Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor. They are one of the featured supporters of The Daily Michigan and are giving away 5# of cherries today!

The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a celebration of cherries and the cherry industry held every year at the beginning of July.

Video & Photos

Definitely check out the Cherry slideshow from the Absolute Michigan photo group on Flickr. On the video front, we hope you will enjoy 'Cherry Cherry' (circa 1967) by Neil Diamond and also this video of the harvest at an organic cherry farm in Northern Michigan!

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Iron Works #2 - Cranbrook by MikeRyu

Our Michigan February Event Calendar shows that the more the weather tries to keep us holed up, the more ways we find to get out and have fun!! Of course, there's still many, many more and we invite you to fill us in on other February events in the comments.

February Fast Facts - Wikipedia

• Having only 28 days in common years, it is the only month of the year that can pass without a single full moon. 2012 is a Leap Year!
• It has 29 days in leap years, when the year number is divisible by four (except for years that are divisible by 100 and not by 400 in the Gregorian calendar)
• It is the only month of the calendar that once every six years and twice every 11 years, will have only four full 7-day weeks.
• Its birth flower is the Viola (plant) and the Primrose.
• Its birthstone is the amethyst.

February Quotes

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." - Edith Sitwell

"Surely as cometh the Winter, I know
There are Spring violets under the snow." - R. H. Newell

"February is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March." - Dr. J. R. Stockton

"Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour." - John Boswell

"February makes a bridge and March breaks it." - George Hebert

Notable February Dates from Michigan History Magazine

• February 13, 1855 The Michigan legislature protects escaped slaves.
• February 24, 1863 Michigan supports the Emancipation Proclamation.
• February 17, 1864 The First Michigan Colored Infantry is mustered into federal service.
• February 21, 1905 The National Ski Association is organized in Ishpeming.
• February 20, 1909 The Hudson Motor Car Company is organized.
• February 2, 1936 Ty Cobb becomes one of the first players selected to enter the newly formed Baseball Hall of Fame.
• February 8, 1985 The Stroh Brewery announces it is closing its Detroit plant.

Michigan Events for February

Also see the Pure Michigan Blog and the UP Travel Calendar for more events!

Ice Climbing - Tannery Falls
by James Marvin Phelps

February 2 - 5
Michigan Ice Fest, Munising
Ice Fest is an annual tradition that features climbing for sure, but it gives attendees a chance to learn and develop skills, hear from some of the masters if the art and to connect with friends and fellow climbers from around the Midwest! Games, winter gear demos, bonfire, sledding hill, raffles, drinks and food are all part of this event. (check out some of the incredible climbs!)

February 2-5
North American Snow Festival, Cadillac
Featuring snowmobiling, downhill skiing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, snow softball, polar dip, ice fishing, antique sleds, fun run, food, beverages and much more, the annual Snow Festival is a four-day celebration of winter in northern Michigan.

February 4 - 5
Taste the Passion, Leelanau Peninsula
Get a head start on Valentines Day and join the wineries of the Leelanau Wine Trail for an annual weekend celebrating wine, chocolate and love. The event features food & wine pairings at each winery along with special, winter-themed events.

The Swimmers of 2009 Perchville
by sunrisepenny

February 3 - 5
Perchville USA, East Tawas & Tawas City
The 62nd Annual Perchville USA features fishing contests, polar bear dip, a parade and more perch than you can shake a fishing pole at!

February 4
International 500 Snowmobile Race, Sault Ste. Marie
First run in 1969, the annual International 500 Snowmobile Race offers all the thrills of NASCAR on a one-mile ice oval, with drivers reaching speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. Includes all kinds of snowmobile exhibits and vendors and was proclaimed by Gov. Snyder as Michigan's premier winter sporting event!

February 9 - 12
Michigan Tech University Winter Carnival, Houghton
Events include the famous snow statues, sporting events including skating, curling, broomball, ice bowling, human sled dog racing, the queen contest, a torch light parade, fireworks, the Sno-Ball and much more.

February 10 -12
Midwest Telefest, Porcupine Mountain, Ontonagon
Telefest is the largest gathering of free heelers in the Midwest! Now in its 22nd season, Telefest has evolved into a tradition and is a hallmark celebration of the telemark turn. During Telefest there will be opportunities to try out the latest tele gear, take an instructional course or clinic, compete in races, cut turns in the backcountry, watch a movie, and dance with friends at the party!

Ski Jumping in Michigan by gkretovic

February 11 - 12
Pine Mountain Continental Cup Ski Jumping Tournament, Iron Mountain
For the 73rd year ski jumpers from around the globe will gather in Iron Mountain to try and claim king of the mountain at the 120 meter Pine Mountain Ski Jump. Known around the world as one of the more challenging ski jumping venues, Pine Mountain over time has attracted some of the world’s best. Countries expected to compete in the 2012 competition include Austria, Czech Republic, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Slovenia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Finland, Germany, Turkey and of course the United States.

February 11 - 19
Detroit Boat Show - Detroit
The Detroit Boat Show has been staged every year for 51 years, and is known as the premier boating event in the State of Michigan. The Detroit Boat Show is known as one of the top boat shows in the country in regards to size, sales and attendance.

Dog sled races, UP200, 2007 by e.rabior

February 16 - 20
UP 200, Midnight Run Sled-Dog Championships and The Jack Pine 30 - Marquette
Three UP sled dog races provide a variety of challenges for mushers. The UP 200 is actually 240 miles in length and is a qualifying race for the Iditarod. Over 15,000 visitors come to Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P.) to see the U.P. 200! It is a favorite winter event for local residents and out of town guests. The U.P. 200 has a dedicated group of over 500 volunteers from the U.P. and the mid-west region that come together to stage this great event each year.

February 17 - 19
Cherry Capital Winter WOW Fest - Traverse City
Winter WOW Fest is a three-day wintertime celebration chock-full of fun for all ages in the Cherry Capital of the World, President's Day Weekend featuring food, wine, music, ice & snow sculptures, a snowboard rail jam and much more.

February 16 - 19
Frost Bite Winter Festival - Harrison
The 2012 theme is "Vegas!" featuring a Casino Party, Fake Vegas-style "Speed Weddings", night out with the Vegas Showgirls and golf and ice fishing tournaments. The golf tournament takes place on 5 groomed nine-hole courses, where novice and veteran golfers hit brightly colored tennis balls over the snow.

February 17 - 19
U.P. Pond Hockey Championship - St. Ignace
The Labatt Blue UP Pond Hockey Championship features over 150 teams competing for prizes is played on the wild ice of Moran Bay in St. Ignace, part of Lake Huron. The tournament is the only one in Michigan where the 'pond' is actually one of the Great Lakes! Includes and appearance of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni team for an exhibition game on Friday.

Winter Microbrew Fest by farlane

February 18
Traverse City Winter Microbrew & Music Festival, Traverse City
The 3rd annual TC Winter Microbrew fest brings over 40 breweries, wineries, cideries, and meaderies to the Grand Traverse Commons along with local food, beer pairings, heated tents, and a wide range of musical entertainment including fire dancers and silent disco to celebrate winter & brewing and benefit Bay Area Recycling for Charities.

February 18
Romancing the Riesling, Traverse City
Northern Michigan is known for producing top notch Riesling grapes, and this annual event celebrates by sharing some of the best Rieslings the Old Mission Peninsula has to offer. Participating wineries will showcase a Riesling, served in your very own souvenir wine glass and perfectly paired with a food offering. As an extra bonus, guests will enjoy at least 10% off all Riesling wine purchases at the participating wineries throughout the event.

Upper Tahquamenon Falls-Winter
by James Marvin Phelps

February 18
Tahquamenon Snowshoe Race, Tahquamenon Falls State Park
Starting at Upper Tahquamenon Falls, this annual event offers 5K, 10K, 20K and 800 meter Kids Snowshoe races. Many age groups with awards to the top three in each age group for each race.

February 20 - 25
Grand Rapids Beer Week, Grand Rapids
With seven established breweries within the city limits, Grand Rapids is quickly becoming a destination for craft beer culture. GR Beer Week is a celebration of that and will feature beer dinners, rare beer tastings, tap takeovers and other unique events.

February 24
The Great Wine & Food Symposium, Grand Rapids
Escape the snow with an evening of indulgence at The Great Wine & Food Symposium, west Michigan's premier wine tasting event. You'll enjoy gourmet food selections, and your single ticket price includes unlimited sampling of over 300 wines and beers from around the world as classical music drifts through the halls. Order your favorite wine and beer with up to a 40% discount.

February 25
The Outhouse 500 - Coopersville
Join in with the hilarious and wacky fun of the 6th Annual Outhouse 500 on Main Street in Historic Downtown Coopersville! Hosted by the Main Street Merchants Association. Teams parade, then race their uniquely decorated outhouses down Main Street!

February 25
Winter Beer Festival - Grand Rapids
NOTE - this event is (already) sold out!! The Annual Winter Beer Festival takes place at the Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, just north of Grand Rapids. The Winter Festival is a unique opportunity to sample some of the best beers in the world, all brewed in Michigan. The event includes more than 35 Michigan microbreweries and brewpubs with more than 200 different beers available to sample.

Trenary Outhouse Suessical by CreateWithKim

February 25
Trenary Outhouse Classic - The Outhouse Races - Trenary
The Outhouse Classic is an annual race in Trenary where outhouses are built and raced down the main street. There are categories: speed, presentation, best use of theme, most humorous, best workmanship, and most miles traveled. Families come to the event to watch and to compete, there are two different age brackets making competitions fair. A few years ago nuns came to compete and built the Vati-Can. Make sure to head on up to Trenary for the annual Outhouse Classic. Read Absolute Michigan's Sports that ARE Silly: Outhouse Racing or watch Outhouse Classic Outhouse Race in Trenary, Michigan.

February 29
Leap Year!, all over Michigan
February 29th only comes once every 4 years, so do something special to mark it!

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Michigan’s wine industry is booming, and the impressive skills of Michigan’s winemakers are proven repeatedly at national and international wine competitions. Wines throughout Michigan are earning medals and stomping the competition. Under icy, windy, cloudy, steamy hot, and, rarely perfect conditions, Michigan winemakers harvest and then craft delicious wines reflective of our unique region.

As we are celebrating Michigan's 175th birthday all week, the state of Michigan will celebrate nearly 90 wineries in 2012! One of the best ways to discover Michigan wines is to attend a wine tasting tour. Lucky for you, two regional events are just around the corner AND Absolute Michigan has a pair of tickets to give away for each!

February 4-5 / Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association’s Taste the Passion

2010 Taste the Passion by KatSwinehart

Warm up with a two-mile snowshoe or cross-country trek in Silver Leaf’s vineyard, orchard and woodsy trail. Afterward, dive into Silver Leaf’s featured chocolate almond and cherry clusters paired with gold medal Chafia Cherry. With 14 wineries participating, there is a lot of territory to explore. We suggest touring the northern peninsula wineries on one day and the southern peninsula wineries on another day. Get all the details on the Taste the Passion page at lpwines.com. A few more delicious wine and food pairings follow to whet your appetite:

• Chateau Fontaine of Lake Leelanau: Greek-inspired chocolate chili dogs, topped with cheddar cheese paired with Big Paw Red.
• Gills Pier, just north of Leland: Mini chocolate/honey mousse cups with sea salt and cocoa nibs paired with Whitewater, a semi-sweet white wine made with Vignoles grapes.
• Verterra Winery of Leland: The Bluebird’s Vol au Vent baked French brie with Verterra jam (preserves made from wine grapes), plus Granny Smith matchstick apples paired with Verterra’s Pinot Gris.

February 18 / Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula’s Romancing the Riesling

Enjoy a showcased Riesling and food pairing at each winery. Enjoy ten percent off all Riesling purchases during the event. Order tickets by calling (231) 223-7355. More details at wineriesofoldmission.com. A delicious sampling to tempt you from Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery is a peach tart in a mini phyllo shell topped with whipped cream paired with 2010 Riesling!

Two Great Michigan Wine Books!

Food and wine events are a wonderful way to explore Michigan’s food-friendly wines, but another great way is through yet another offering in our Birthday Bash - a pair of books about the history of the wine industry in Michigan by Lorri & Sharon. Both books are available through their Delicious Michigan website.

• The History of Michigan Wines documents Michigan's dynamic 150-year wine history! Meet passionate winemakers starting with Joseph M. Sterling who ignites the state's first viable wine industry in the 1800s along Lake Erie and follow the growth and challenges of the wine industry up to the present day!
• From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries is a 192 page, hard-cover book that celebrates Michigan wine country, wines and winemakers with intriguing behind-the-scene stories, beautiful photographs and interesting side features.

You still have time to wine through our Birthday Bash by joining our email list below (which also enters you for our regular giveaways of Michigan products, services and event tickets!

Absolute Michigan is committed to helping our readers get more out of Michigan. Sign up for regular giveaways. It's free, fun and all you have to do to be eligible is to be on our email list - sign up using the form below. We guarantee that we will not share your email address with anyone!

If your business is interested in participating, you can get all the information right here.

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Kenny Svenson of Traprock Valley as Heikki Lunta, Heikinpäivä Festival, Hancock, MI, ca. 2001 (www.csumc.wisc.edu)

Now I’ll sing my song
, to make the snow come down
And I’ll do my snow dance
. Whoops! I almost lost my pants
I’ll holler and yell,
 And really give it ----
It’s Heikki’s snow dance song, 
Heikki’s snow dance song

~from the original Heikki Lunta Snowdance Song

This weekend (January 20-21), the annual Heikki Lunta Winterfest (Hey-Key Loon-ta) takes place on and around Negaunee's Teal Lake. The festival celebrates the legendary (and pretty much made up) Finnish show god who is said to have the ability to perform a dance causing snowfall. I came across the original version of the Heikki Lunta Snowdance Song on a cool blog called Letters for George. In his Heikki Lunta letter, he explains:

There's a little town called Atlantic Mine about five miles away from Houghton where they hold an annual snowmobile race every winter. In 1970 the race was at risk of being cancelled because there wasn’t any snow. The race was sponsored by radio station WMPL in nearby Hancock. With no snow in sight, one of the station’s salesmen, David Riutta, composed a song called the "Heikki Lunta Snowdance Song." It took him about twenty minutes to invent the lyrics. "Heikki Lunta," it turns out, means “Henry Snow” in Finnish, and Riutta chose the name because his favorite musician was country western singer Hank Snow.

Heikki Lunta was said to live in the back woods of a Finnish farming community south of Houghton, and he reportedly had the ability to do a dance which would cause snow to fall from the skies. Riutta’s song asked "Heikki Lunta" to do his dance to make it snow in time for the snowmobile race. They started playing the song on WMLP, it immediately became a local hit, and, lo and behold, it soon began snowing. According to local lore, it snowed and snowed for days. So much so that they had to cancel the snowmobile race.

Click through for lots more including some photos. Now here's Heikki Lunta by  Da Yoopers.

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2013 Dodge Dart by ChriKett Photography

The first Detroit Area Dealer Association (DADA)-managed Detroit Auto Show was held in December 1907 at Riverview Park. In 1987, the show was re-focused as an international event, and 2012 is their 24th annual under the new format. The center of the event are concept cars and exhibitions by car companies from Acura to Volvo and of course Detroit standards like Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC and Lincoln.

Blogs & Social Media from the Detroit Auto Show

Our favorite for coverage this year is mLive's Detroit Auto Show coverage. They have a look at Energy Secretary Steven Chu's visit to the show, some concept car highlights from the 2012 floor and the back and forth between Governor Snyder and a Wayne State student. After Snyder issued a call for grads to stay in Michigan, biomed engineering student Ramkumar Annamalai  asked him why if eduction was so important has Michigan seen cuts that remove a lot of what attracts top students.  It's an interesting exchange that highlights one of the real challenges manufacturing and research in Michigan are facing. You can also get comprehensive reporting from the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News.

As usual, you can find unabashed car love with a healthy dose of humor from the  2012 Detroit Auto Show on Jalopnik.  Over at Autoblog they feature podcasts and articles including their Editor's top 5 picks from the show (spoiler: #1 is the 2013 Ford Fusion which also captured Autoweek Magazine's coveted Best of Show award). Another source that's getting more and more relevant is  Autoblog Green who has features on the frighteningly cute Tata, a sub-$19k Prius and the Smart-for-Us urban concept mini-truck pictured right. Pretty much everyone with a blog is covering it of course, from Motor Trend to Popular Mechanics.

The North American International Auto Show has gotten into the social media swing in 2012 with a Facebook page their NAIAS official Twitter. You can also of course dive right in to #NAIAS on Twitter.

Attending the North American International Auto Show

The NAIAS web site has everything you need to know about attending the public show and tomorrow night's black tie charity preview. If you do attend and take pictures or video, we'd love it if you'd share them with us in the Absolute Michigan Flickr group or shoot us the link to YouTube vids!

Detroit Auto Show Photos

The NAIAS has a nifty virtual show floor.  Christian Kettenbell took the photo at the top and he has a really nice slideshow from 2012. You can see a whole lot more by checking Detroit Auto Show and/or NAIAS on Flickr. The blogs & papers above are another great source of photos of production cars and concepts as well.    If you'd like to step back in time, check out this Detroit News Rearview Mirror feature The Detroit Auto Show: from beer gardens to tabernacles to Cobo Center.

Anything else to add or ask? Post it in the comments!

Detroit Auto Show Videos

You can watch the snarky, kind of slow and frankly down on the auto show 2012 North American International Auto Show Preview from Drive and the un-snarky and faster paced preview from Autoweek TV. Our favorite, however, is this selection of highlights from the Media Preview on the 2012 show floor by Global News ENG Cameraman Ben Jonah. Got other ones you like? Add them in the comments below!

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Frankfort, Michigan Lighthouse and Beach by forestlady

Here's a few highlights of the many events being held around Michigan for the month of January (be sure to click Read More to see them!). A lot of them are out in the snow for snowmobiles, skates, skis and sled dogs, but there's also a chance to heat up with the Ann Arbor Folk Fest, Ferndale Blues and the Detroit Auto Show. The weatherman says there's a 100% chance we didn't get them all so please add links and information for those we missed along with reviews of ones we list in the comments below!

Fast Facts - Wikipedia

• January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door (ianua) - January is the door to the year.
• January's birthstone is the garnet which represents constancy.
• Its birth flower is the Dianthus caryophyllus or Galanthus.

Quotes

"New Year's Day is everyman's birthday." - Charles Lamb

"January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow." - Sara Coleridge

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." - Edith Sitwell

Things to Do, Places to Go

Also see the Pure Michigan Blog and the UP Travel Calendar for more events!

All Month
Ice Skate Campus Martius Park - Detroit
Skating among the skyscrapers at Campus Martius Park. At 64 feet by 120 feet, it's a bit larger than the Rink at Rockefeller Center and showcases surround-sound music and color-changing lighting. Skaters and visitors can enjoy a warming pavilion for renting and changing skates, as well as outdoor seating. The rink is open daily until March.

January 7
Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race - Newberry
An annual race on pristine trails over beautiful terrain.  Experience the excitement of Sled Dog Racing from professional teams to amateur enthusiasts competing in long distance & sprint events.

January 7 & January 21
Guided Snowshoe Hike at Hartwick Pines, Grayling
Enjoy guided snowshoe hikes through the Lower Peninsula’s largest stand of old-growth white pines. Guided by a park interpreter or historian, participants will learn about the forest in the winter and discover the importance of winter to Michigan’s logging industry in the 1800s, all while getting great exercise.

January 12 - 15
Ultimate Fishing Show, Novi
Michigan's largest fishing show. This show is all about fishing tackle, fishing trips, fishing boats and features: Lake Ultimate, Trout Pond, Seminar Stages, Fish Fry and more. Detroit is the largest freshwater fishing market in the U.S.!

January 14 - January 22
The North American International Auto Show - Detroit
Experience the next generation of transportation at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. See more than 500 vehicles on display, representing the most innovative designs in the world and experience North America's largest and most prestigious automotive showcase.

January 13
Winter Warm-Up Weekend - Traverse City
The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP) have teamed up with peninsula area businesses for the 2011 Winter Warm Up. Guests can visit the Old Mission wineries between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to purchase a souvenir mug for $10. This mug is your ticket into each participating winery and business on Old Mission Peninsula, allowing you to enjoy warm comfort food and drinks. Some peninsula area restaurants are offering special promotions when you present your mug. Stay at one of the Peninsula's Bed & Breakfast. For information on the B&Bs check out www.oldmission.com.

January 13 - 14 and January 21
Winternational Hillclimb - South Range
The Winternationals Hillclimb at Whealkate Bluff in South Range features snowmobile pro-stock and pro-mod king of the hill, semi-pro/sport, concessions, and awards. On the 21st there are Vintage, Semi-Pro Division, Pro Stock and Pro Mod Division and King of the Hill Runs as well.

January 13 – 15
Hunter Ice Festival, Niles
World Class Master Carvers will transform more than 25 tons of Ice into art in a showcase of 50+ ice sculptures situated all over the downtown area and created on site by well-known ice carvers from near and far. Also enjoy a Murder Mystery Dinner, Frigid 5k Run, History of Ice Carving/Harvesting Exhibit, Warming Center, kids’ crafts, Chillin’ Ice Bar at Riverfront Café, Chili Crawl, Hunter Ice Cream and more!

January 19 - 21
Michigan Winter Dog Classic, Novi
Michigan's largest dog show features seminars, demonstrations and competition with over 7,000 dogs and 150+ breeds throughout the 4-day show, including several breeds getting ready for the country’s premier Westminster Kennel Club Dog show in February, 2012. Dogs will be judged on standards set by the American Kennel Club.

January 20 - 22
Caro 150 Winter Fest & Snowmobile Races, Caro
In addition to pro and amateur snowmobile races, enjoy a special downtown open house, live entertainment, restaurant specials, contests, fireworks and more in a classic Michigan winter festival.

January 20 - 22
Plymouth Ice Festival, Plymouth
Michigan’s largest ice sculpture display is the backdrop for a winter celebration with outdoor sports demonstrations, ice carving displays, food, fun activities for all ages, live music and more! It is the largest free winter festival in Michigan and is celebrating 30 years in 2012.

January 21 - 22
Heikki Lunta Festival, Teal Lake, Negaunee
The annual Heikki Lunta (Hey-Key Loon-ta) Winterfest is a festival of winter fun held on and around Negaunee's Teal Lake celebrating Heikki Lunta, the legendary (and pretty much made up) Finnish show god who is said to have the ability to perform a dance causing snowfall.

January 22 - 24 and 29 - 31
Tip Up Town USA - Houghton Lake
It's hard to put into words how Tip Up Town USA has come to be the very description of winter fun and enjoyment for the whole family at Houghton Lake. Thousands of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and neighboring residents return each year to see this largest Winter Festival in Michigan, held annually the last two weekends in January. Whatever the weather, TUT will be fun, fun, fun all the way. There will be all the usual popular attractions - the carnival, parade, Polar Bear Dip, Family Fun Tent, Beverage Tent, crazy games and more! Plus, the Ice Fishing contests will be bigger and better than ever and we're adding Broomball this year!

January 25 - 30
Zehnder's Snowfest - Frankenmuth
Zehnder's Snowfest has been host to one of the top snow sculpting events in North America for the past 20 years. Visitors have enjoyed larger-than-life snow sculptures and beautifully detailed ice carvings each year. Once again they will dazzle and excite you with snow and ice sculptures created by professional ice and snow carvers from around the world. Zehnder's Snowfest is also host to the National Collegiate Ice Carving Championship and the High School Snow Sculpting Competition. In addition, Zehnder's Snowfest will have entertainment for the entire family in the warming tent, a fireworks display, petting zoo and children's activities.

January 26 - 29
Michigan International Auto Show, Grand Rapids
West Michigan’s largest consumer show returns to DeVos Place, with manufacturers from around the world and some 300 new sedans, vans, SUVs, trucks, hybrids and sports cars on display. Attendees will once again have the opportunity to get an up close look at a handful of exclusive luxury automobiles in the twelve vehicle Million Dollar Motorway. An impressive s, each sporting an individual price tag of more than $100,000 – with a cumulative value of more than $2.5 million.

January 27 - 28
Ann Arbor Folk Festival - Ann Arbor
In keeping with the Festival's longstanding reputation, each night will feature a blend of renowned and up-and-coming performers, providing audiences with the opportunity to hear popular artists working at the top of their field while discovering terrific new talent. All funds raised through the Festival benefit The Ark, Ann Arbor's non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music.

January 27 - February 4
Ferndale Blues Festival - Ferndale
Get your Blues on! The Ferndale Metro Blues Festival has been a hugely popular and wildly successful event. In fact, it was an official sanctioned event of Super Bowl XL in 2006. The Ferndale Metro Blues Festival averages more than 60 concerts held over nine days at two dozen locations in the region.

January 27 - 29
International 500 Puck-A-Palooza Hockey Tournament, Sault Ste Marie
The Original Hockey Town USA invitesyou to enjoy the first Puck-A-Palooza 4 on 4 track hockey tournament. Hockey played on the world’s fastest, longest and oldest endurance racing straight-away surface.

January 28
Subaru Noquemanon Ski Marathon and mBank Half Noque - Marquette
The MGH Noquemanon Ski Marathon and mBank Half Noque, both in their eleventh year, continue to attract cross country skiers from around the nation and around the world. Thousands of skiers have taken the 51K or 25K trek from Ishpeming, the birthplace of organized skiing and home to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame to Marquette's Superior Dome, the world's largest wooden domed stadium along the shores of Lake Superior.

January 28
Heikinpaiva - Hancock
Heikinpäivä is set for January 29, 2011, with events throughout the week leading up to the primary festival day, as well as the days immediately following. Organizers keep a watchful eye on the celebration's uniquely ethnic flavor and it features Finnish crafts, music, food, films and games. Although a Hancock City event, the Heikinpaiva spirit has spilled into neighboring communities from Calumet to South Range.

January 28
Winter Beer Fest, Royal Oak
Winter Beer Fest, presented by Westborn Market, returns to the Royal Oak Music Theatre for its third year. Beer lovers will be able to sample over 80 craft beers from around the globe - including at least fifteen brand-new beers making their Michigan debut - while enjoying beer-inspired cuisine and live music by Detroit folk favorites Petal Shop. The event runs from 8 pm – Midnight, and ages 21+ are welcome to attend. Tickets are just $35 in advance ($40 at the door) and include 25 beer samplings. Proceeds will benefit Michigan-based nonprofit Camp Casey, a horseback-riding program for children with cancer.

January 28 - 29
Orchid Show at Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids
Enjoy hundreds of exquisite orchids featured in lush displays in the Grand Room. Members from the Grand Valley Orchid Society will answer your questions and point out some of the most unique orchids. Shop early for the best selection and find the perfect orchid for your home. The “orchid pyramid” offers photo opportunities. Kids will have fun on an “orchid hunt” and can express their creativity at the art station

January 28 - 29
Chilly Fest 2012 , Port Huron
What goes better with winter than ICE and CHILI?! In the City of Port Huron you'll find ice carvings, a chili cook-off, snowmobile drag races, Silver Sticks Hockey Tournament, horse & carriage rides, live animals, Knowlton Ice Museum exhibits, kids activities and a special appearance from form Red Wing, Chris Chelios!

January 28 – 29
Winter White-Out, St. Clair
St. Clair is closing the streets for winter fun featuring winter games, live music, entertainment and plenty of celebration as the community of St. Clair competes against four other Michigan cities to make the most snowmen in two hours. Competing cities are Saline, Sault Ste. Marie and Zeeland.

...and don't miss in the first week of February

• I-500 Snowmobile Race (Sault Ste Marie)
• Leelanau Taste the Passion Wine Tour (Traverse City)
• North American Snow Festival (Cadillac)

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Rockin' in the New Year by BigFreaky

Quotes

"New Year ceremonies are designed to get rid of the past and to welcome the future." - New Year's Customs

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in.
A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." - Bill Vaughan

"To leave the old with a burst of song,
To recall the right and forgive the wrong;
To forget the thing that blinds you fast
To the vain regrets of the year that's past." - Robert B. Beattie

The Happenings

Also check out the New Year's Event Roundup from the Pure Michigan blog.

The HOT New Year's Eve - Grand Rapids
Join more than 35,000 people in downtown Grand Rapids to celebrate New Year's Eve in high style: big-name outdoor concerts, restaurant and bar parties, a midnight ball drop, and more. The Romantics, The Ready Set and The Downtown Fiction will headline this year's HotFM party, now moved slightly to Monroe Avenue between Louis and Pearl. Rosa Parks Circle will be open for ice skating.

New Year's Fest - Kalamazoo, MI
New Year's Fest is a performing arts celebration in downtown Kalamazoo. Hosted on December 31, 2011. New Year's Fest provides 26 different entertainers who perform inside 15 buildings surrounding Bronson Park.

Resolution Ball - Detroit, MI
Two of the biggest area promoters come together to put on the single largest New Years Eve celebration in the Detroit area. NYEDetroit.com in partnership with TheSocialConnection.com, presents the Resolution Ball at the Fillmore in downtown Detroit. A black tie optional event featuring an open bar, food and great music all night. THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT!

Downtown New Year's Eve Gala & Fireworks - Mt Clemens, MI
Metro Detroit's Best Family New Year's Eve Party featuring live entertainment and Midnight fireworks! The gala is the perfect way for families to ring in the New Year together. With most New Year’s Eve activities focused on partying, the Macomb County New Year’s Eve Gala is designed for families to spend the night celebrating together. Check out new kids activities running from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM. Award-winning Melrose Pyrotechnics will again be providing the professional pyrotechnics display.

Pistons vs. Pacers - Auburn Hills, MI
Watch the ball drop ... through the net!  Game starts at 6:00pm

Griffins vs. Milwaukee Admirals - Grand Rapids, MI
Team Poster Giveaway: The first 2,000 fans will receive a Griffins team poster. Festivities include West Michigan’s largest indoor fireworks display, a New Year’s Eve buffet from 4:30 p.m. through the first intermission and a chance to bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice after the game!

New Year's Eve at The B.O.B. - Grand Rapids, MI
Ring in the New Year in style at The B.O.B. with a bash that is highly anticipated every year. Live entertainment and a ton of options to choose from.

Craig's Cruisers New Years Eve Parties - Grand Rapids, MI
Two parties to choose from: 4-8pm and 9pm-1am Special countdown for both parties! Includes unlimited indoor go-karts, laser tag, bumper cars, high ropes course and frog hopper! Plus free play on all non-redemption video games. Enjoy Craig's "Special New Year's Feast". Music and Karaoke from 6pm-1am. Party Favors for everyone! $24.99/person OR $125 for six tickets! plus food tax. Limited wristbands available. Sell out expected!

Ring In the New Year at Boyne Highlands or Boyne Mountain
Ring in the New Year at Boyne with choice of several festivities. Join them for holiday excitement and celebration through Sunday, January 1. They offer lots for the whole family to enjoy this year, including teen parties on New Year's Eve, holiday buffets and the favorites such as torchlight parades followed by fireworks at Boyne Highlands and Boyne Mountain! Plus, amazing snow conditions and other winter events to make the time together extra special.

CHERRYT BALL DROP (CHARITY BALL DROP) - Traverse City, MI
The 3rd annual Cherry Ball Drop takes place at the corner of Cass and Front streets in Downtown Traverse City (right in front of the Christmas tree). Downtown Traverse City will be packed with event goers for the 3 annual CherryT Ball Drop. Right before Midnight a large illuminated cherry will be lowered to signify the coming year! It all starts at 9pm with live entertainment, DJ, a visit from the Coast Guard and other surprises! (check out the video from last year by Ken Scott at the bottom of the post!)

Grand Traverse Resort New Year's Celebration - Traverse City, MI
Celebrate the New Year in style at an event filled with fun and dancing with music ranging from Motown, Pop, Blues, Funk, Swing, and Jazz by Ronnie Hernandez & the Ron Getz Sextet. Their New Year's Eve package includes accommodations, the New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball, a 3-Course Plated Dinner and Champagne Toast at Midnight.

New Year's Eve Dinner Train: Murder Mystery Charlotte & Blissfield, MI
Ring in the New Year on the Old Road! Come raise a glass with them and welcome in the New Year, 2012! This holiday special train boards 30 minutes later than usual (at 6:30pm.)

Great Turtle Drop on Mackinac Island
The owners of the Cottage Inn on Mackinac Island will ring in the New Year with a new tradition, the Great Turtle Drop. A giant fiberglass turtle will be lifted in the air Saturday, December 31, before midnight and descend to the ground to commemorate the New Year.

We're sure there's more - add them in the comments and have a very Happy New Year! Now here's that video by Ken Scott!

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Christmas Display by St. Laurent Photography

Below is a list of just a few Michigan festivals & events for the month of December. As usual, there's no way to get them all, so please add links and information for those we missed and reviews of ones we have here in the comments below!

Fast Facts via Wikipedia

• December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days.
• In Latin, decem means "ten". December was also the tenth month in the Roman calendar until a monthless winter period was divided between January and February.
• December's flower is the narcissus or holly. December's birthstones are turquoise, lapis lazuli, zircon, topaz (blue), or tanzanite.[citation needed]
• December is the month with the shortest daylight hours of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest daylight hours of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
• December starts on the same day of the week as September.

Quotes

"Mankind should be our business, Ebenezer, but we seldom attend to it." ~ The Ghost of Jacob Marley, "Scrooge"

"Do you know how long it takes a working man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about... they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath?" ~ George Bailey, "It's a Wonderful Life"

"Look Doris, someday you're going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn't work. And when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile." ~ Fred Gailey, "Miracle on 34th Street"

"It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!" ~ The Grinch

Places to Go and Things to Do

Also check out the December Event Roundup in the Pure Michigan blog.

through January 8
Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World - Grand Rapids
Excitement surrounds us this time of year as Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World brings the glow of 300,000 lights, strolling carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides and more than 40 international trees and displays. A new feature this year is the redesign of the Diwali display honoring the Hindu Festival of Lights, along with the enhancement of Nativity displays including the new-to-the-exhibition Polish szopka. There will also be extended holiday hours December 20-23 and 26-30 - entire facility will be open until 9 pm.

through December 30
Christmas at Crossroads - Flint
Sometimes, it's easy to wonder where the magic of Christmas has gone. Turns out it's at Crossroads Village in Genesee County Parks. Every year, this turn-of-the-last-century town becomes a holiday fantasyland, with thousands (and thousands) of twinkling lights, costumed carolers, craft demonstrations, live entertainment at the Colwell Opera House and visits from a certain Jolly Old Elf. Not to mention rides on Michigan's most spectacular moving light display, the world-famous Huckleberry Railroad.

Weekends through December 18
The Santa Train - Coopersville
Ride with the FUN GUY! Everyone loves Santa and Santa loves kids. Each of our vintage passenger cars has a special seat reserved just for the Big Guy and his friends. Elves will escort the children to sit with Santa. All kids get a present, even the shy ones! Our story-telling Princess will read from the book, "The Polar Express" which was written by Grand Rapids native, Chris Van Allsburg.

December Weekends
Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village - Dearborn
Step into a Christmas card from the past. Don’t miss the most popular holiday event in the area, complete with candle-lit paths, live entertainment, costumed presenters, horse-drawn wagon and Model T rides, delightful holiday shops, Santa and live reindeer, ice skating, a spectacular fireworks display and more. It’s America’s premier holiday celebration!

All December
Dutch Winterfest - Holland
visit with Sinterklaas, the Dutch St. Nicholas, and stroll through the “Kerstmarkt”, a European open-air Christmas market and enjoy all kinds of holiday theatre and musical performances, a greens sale, Victorian Christmas teas, special exhibits, and, of course, Santa himself.

December 1-4
Victorian Sleigh Bell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend - Manistee
Highlights of the festival are the authentic Victorian parade with period costumes and horse-drawn units. Ramsdell Theatre production, tours of historic buildings, concerts, Festival of Trees, special museum and art exhibits.

December 2 - 5
Victorian Sleighbell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend - Manistee
A whole weekend of excitement including the Sleighbell Parade with horse drawn entries, historic building tours, special Christmas production at the historic Ramsdell Theatre, Festival of Trees, concerts, museum and art exhibits, and much more.

December 2 - 3
Brass Band of Battle Creek Holiday Concert - Battle Creek
The 31-member Brass Band of Battle Creek has been described as an All-Star band of the brass and percussion world's elite, attracting great musicians from around the United States and Europe to play two annual concerts in Battle Creek as well as a limited number of other engagements in handpicked locations in the U.S. and abroad. A new holiday CD will be available at the concerts as well.

December 2 - 4
Christmas in Ida Festival and Parade of Lights - Ida
Hosting nearly 40,000 visitors, and known as a family destination of the Midwest, the festival creates a winter wonderland known for its hospitality, entertainment and the Granddaddy of all, the spectacular Christmas in Ida Parade of Lights.

December 2
Jack Frost Festival of Lights Parade - Ironwood
This annual event kicks off the holiday season and visits with Santa, Mrs. Claus and Jack Frost plus Gingerbread House display and Gogebic Range Band Christmas Concert.

December 2-4
Frankenmuth Farmers Market Christkindlmarkt - Frankenmuth
The free, annual Christkindlmarkt is a traditional European-style Christmas market - don't miss the tree lighting on Friday night!

December 3
Annual Noel Night - Detroit
The annual Noel Night will take place on Saturday, December 3rd from 5 9:30 p.m. in Midtown Detroit's Cultural Center Area. Over 60 Midtown venues, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Science Center, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the Detroit Public Library, amongst many others, open their doors to the public free of charge during this Cultural Center-wide holiday "open house." Activities include horse-drawn carriage rides, holiday shopping, family craft activities and performances by over 120 area music, theatre, and dance groups. The evening's festivities culminate with a community sing-along on Woodward Avenue led by the Salvation Army Band - a long-standing Noel Night tradition.

December 9-11
K-9 Fanciers Dog Show and Weight Pull - Kalamazoo
This United Kennel Club regional event features obedience classes, weight pulling, conformation, and junior showmanship. Fri 3pm, Sat & Sun 8am, in Hazel Gray.

December 9-10
Farm By Lantern Light - Grayling
The annual Farm By Lantern Light is an interpretive, historical play presented by local actors depicting life during the holidays on a farm in 1932. The story unfolds as you take a team of horses through the snow-covered trails of Wellington Farm, visiting Blacksmith’s Shop, Carpenter’s Shop, Grist Mill and Summer Kitchen. This event is very popular and requires reservations - call (989) 348-5187.

December 9-11
Annual Dickens Festival - Holly
For over 30 years, the sights, sounds, smells and surprises of the Dickens Festival have been delighting holiday revelers in Historic Downtown Holly. Join in the fun as Charles Dickens' Merry Old England comes alive in the atmosphere of turn of the century buildings, welcoming shopkeepers, and skilled craftspeople.

December 18
Flea Market and Nascar Swap - Lapeer
The holidays are in full gear with Lapeer’s Flea Market and NASCAR Swap. There will be more than 40 plus tables of new and old items. Door prizes will be given every hour and there will be plenty of food.

December 22
Winter Solstice Celebration - Grand Rapids
Celebrate the first day of winter and the longest night of the year at the Blandford Nature Center. Learn about the science behind the winter solstice, make and decorate a paper luminary to take home, and help out the birds on this long night by making a take-home bird feeder.

December 31
Downtown Marquette Ball Drop - Marquette
Celebrate the New Year and watch the annual ball drop from the Savings Bank Building starting at 11:30pm at the corner of Washington and Front Streets, Marquette.

December 31
Cherry Ball Drop - Traverse City
Join thousands on Front Street in downtown Traverse City for music, family fun and the dropping of the Cherry Ball.

December 31
New Year's Fest - Kalamazoo
New Year's Fest is an all ages showcase of performing arts that takes place New Year's Eve in downtown Kalamazoo. There are a variety of activities that take place including music, magic, comedy, exhibitions, fireworks, and great food! New Year's Fest's vision is to be a premier event that introduces the greater Kalamazoo community to the performing arts by providing an array of quality, unique artists and activities. At midnight there will be fireworks.

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Turkey by Vaughan

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and over a million Michiganians will soon be hitting the road to attend family get-togethers and enjoying annual traditions. To help get ready for the upcoming holiday we have compiled a bunch of informative and entertaining Thanksgiving related links for you to enjoy.

Thanksgiving Food & Drink

Thanksgiving starts with turkey, and the folks at Michigan Turkey are getting ready. An article from Whole Foods notes that Michigan Turkey  is not a large conglomerate - they work strictly with farms in west Michigan within 25 miles of the plant. Check out the video below The Traverse City Record-Eagle has a great feature with tips & recipes for making it a local Thanksgiving and mLive's Thanksgiving Page has some excellent info (with more coming) including a recipe for cherry wood smoked turkey that looks absolutely delicious! They note that Thanksgiving is expected to cost about 13% more in 2011, but also offer a few tips for a simpler and lower stress holiday.

You can get lots of great Thanksgiving recipes and dinner ideas on the Food Network's website and go to Michigan-based Kitchen Chick for a ton of Thanksgiving recipes including cranberry pie!

Michigan Master Sommelier Claudia Tyagi told us:

I always like Riesling with turkey, although with poultry Chardonnay would be beautiful. You have a lot of versatility and a lot of possibility with turkey. You could use a white wine or an aromatic wine. Those tend to go well with turkey, too.

Speaking of wine & recipes, there's a post on Leelanau.com today that pairs recipes from Traverse magazine with wines. Last year Claudia sent us Sylvia Rector's article Give Michigan wines a second look on Thanksgiving. She calls out some more Michigan wines that you'll want to put on your wine shop radar! MyNorth.com suggest a few Rieslings on the sweeter side and they also list some great dry Rieslings (which are awesome if you haven't tried them).

The Centennial Cranberry Farm in Paradise was established in 1876 and has online ordering of all kinds of cranberry products. Absolute Michigan has more about Michigan Cranberries, and lots more Turkey Day food ideas & articles at absolutemichigan.com/Thanksgiving and in our Michigan Grown section in Food & Dining!

Parades & Football!

2011 marks the 85th birthday of America's Thanksgiving Parade, and the parade is one of the country's oldest and most celebrated parades. It kicks off at 9:20 AM on Woodward Avenue and Mack and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit on Thursday, November 24, 2011.

If you Motown is off your radar on Thanksgiving, how about a nice set of parade photos from the our Flickr pool, a clickondetroit.com article - "Thousands Cheered As America's Thanksgiving Parade Rolled Down Woodward " (with video), a historical look at Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade and a TV tuned to WDIV-TV Local 4 at 9 AM (also on for an hour nationally). If you're the prudent type, you might consider building up a calorie credit balance at the Annual Detroit Turkey Trot.

Thanksgiving Day by Dave Hogg

The Detroit Lions 72nd Thanksgiving Day Classic pits the Lions against the NFL leading and currently undefeated Green Bay Packers. We'll have details next week on Absolute Michigan.

Amaze your family, friends with what you learn about the origins and history of Thanksgiving on Wikipedia.

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It's been a loooong time since our last Photo Friday on Absolute Michigan, but when I realized I had a photo saved by sharona 315 사론아 (Sharon Lanzetta-Foster) and that she was part of next Saturday's Exposure Detroit November Show, I figured it was an excellent time to dust the feature off!

Check this shot out bigger and see more of her work in sets including Michigan Central Station, Fall Walks and Black & White (slideshow).

Dive into her Flickriver.

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The 2011 Grand Rapids Wine, Beer & Food Festival takes place Thursday, November 17th through Saturday, November 19th at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids. It draws over 10,000 over three days, making it the largest food and wine festival in Michigan and one of the premier events of its kind in the Midwest. Classes, tastings from restaurants & food vendors and pairings are all structured to take the expert or novice deeper into the world of wine, food and other culinary delights.

The festival presents over 1000 beers, wines, ciders and spirits for tasting, and many are crafted in Michigan. While the festival started with a focus on wine, beer gets its due as well, with the Michigan Brewers Guild-sponsored Craft Brew Hall offering a chance to sample dozens of these full flavored brews and to meet the brewmasters.

Show Manager  Cathleen McDonald  explains that this massive variety of food & drink has been a huge asset, saying "The show has grown because the public loves the opportunity to sample wines, beer & spirits without having to purchase the entire bottle.  They can find that great everyday wine that they can purchase at the grocery store or try the products that they would only have dreamed about."

One of the many innovative & engaging features at the festival are the champagne, wine & beer pairings developed by Grand Rapids restaurants - multi-course meals presented by the chef. A number of restaurants are also providing "small plate" samples of their prize cuisine. There's more than just wine to be sampled at the Festival! An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional. There's also seminars from presenters including winemaker John Concannon, wine educator and sommelier Michael Schafer, New Holland Brewing Company Beervangelist and Michigan Brewers Guild Past-President Fred Bueltman, author and Food Network  host Ellie Krieger and "The Fresh Chef" Amanda Leatherman.

Absolute Michigan is excited to offer FOUR free tickets to the Grand Rapids Wine, Beer & Food Festival to one of our readers - just use the email blank at the top to get your name on our list and have a shot at winning. We'll notify the winner next Wednesday!

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November by Karen from Michigan

Here's a bunch Michigan festivals & events for the month of November. As usual, there's no way to get them all, so please add links and information about the one's we've missed (or reviews of ones we have here) in the comments below.

November Fast Facts

• The Leonids meteor shower reaches its peak around November 17
• November's birthstone is the yellow topaz.
• Its birth flower is the chrysanthemum.
• November 10th is the birthday of the United States Marine Corps
• November 11th is Veterans Day
• Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.
• The day after Thanksgiving in the USA, a famous day for shopping, known as "Black Friday."
• Monday immediately following Thanksgiving Day in the USA is know as Cyber Monday

- November, Wikipedia

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a National Day of Thanksgiving(pdf).

November Quotes

"All in November's soaking mist
We stand and prune the naked tree,
While all our love and interest
Seem quenched in the blue-nosed misery."
- Ruth Pitter

"November always seemed to me the Norway of the year."
- Emily Dickinson

"So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world."
- John Clare, November

"November's sky is chill and drear,
November's leaf is red and sear."
- Sir Walter Scott

"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they say, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early."
- Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald"

Things to Do, Places to Go

Also see Pure Michigan's November 2011 Event Calendar!

Through November 21
Northern Michigan C. S. Lewis Festival - Traverse City
The Northern Michigan C. S. Lewis Festival welcomes you to our annual month-long celebration. Events take place during late October and November in the Petoskey area on Little Traverse Bay, including music & theater performances, school & library programs, scholarly lectures, community discussion groups, and more.

November 3 -13
Grand Rapids Restaurant Week - Grand Rapids
Over 50 GR restaurants will feature a three-course menu for a fixed price of $25 in addition to their regular menu and some are offering 2 for $25!

November 5
Iceman Cometh Challenge - Traverse City
Nearly 4000 cyclists from the United States and Canada converge on Traverse City for the Iceman Cometh – a 27-mile point-to-point mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Traverse City through the Pere Marquette State Forest.

November 5 & 6 or November 12 & 13
Toast the Season Wine Tour - Leelanau Peninsula
The annual Toast the Season wine trail tour features a special wine & food pairing and a holiday gift bag featuring local food at each of the 19 Leelanau Peninsula member wineries.

November 5 – 6
First Frost Arts and Fine Crafts Festival - Flint
Enjoy a glass blowing demonstration, view & bid on decorated holiday tree or wreath and explore artwork in wood, fiber, clay and more from more than 50 juried artists.

November 9 -17
East Lansing Film Festival - East Lansing
The East Lansing Film Festival (ELFF) is the largest and most diverse film festival in Michigan to screen independent and foreign feature, documentary, short and students films from around the world. The Lake Michigan Film Competition (LMFC) will be held during the festival. This competition gives cash awards to the filmmakers whose film was at least one quarter filmed, produced, or financed in the states that border Lake Michigan.

November 10
Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Service - Whitefish Point
The service includes reflections, music, and the Call to the Last Watch Ceremony in which the ship's bell is run 29 times for each crewman who went down with this famous vessel plus a 30th ring for all who have lost their lives on the Great Lakes.

November 10 – 12
Michigan Festival of Sacred Music - Kalamazoo
The Michigan Festival of Sacred Music offers events which represent diverse religious traditions, promoting mutual respect and understanding through sharing the music treasured by these traditions.

November 12
Wagbo Farm Cider Making Demo - East Jordan
Join the Martha Wagbo Farm and Education Center for their free monthly potluck program! Potluck lunch starts at 12pm. Bring a dish to pass if you want, but it's not mandatory. Wagbo provides drinks and table service. The presentation begins at 1 pm. Homebrewers Keith Kintigh and Jason Stephens will provide an introduction to the art of making "hard" cider. Discussion will include history of cider making, the role of apple varieties, and the importance of yeast choice. Free and open to the public.

November 12 - 20
Christmas Tree Galleria - Caspian
Head to the Iron County Historical Museum Complex in Caspian for a display of over 50 trees with rural, ethnic and international themes.

November 14 - 22
Annual Children's Film Festival - Saugatuck
Artful, educational, funny, thought-provoking films for young audiences (made by both adult and young filmmakers). Public screenings are on November 19.

November 15 - 30
Deer Hunting (Regular Firearm Season)
If you think this isn't a major event, then you probably live south of Clare.

November 17 – 27
Festival of Trees - Muskegon
Designers & artists present beautifully decorated holiday trees and wreaths at the Muskegon Museum of Art. Also included are a holiday movie festival.

November 18
Silver Bells in the City - Lansing
Silver Bells in the City attracts 120,000 attendees annually and features an Electric Light Parade followed by the lighting of Michigan's official Christmas tree and a firework show (weather permitting) over the State Capitol. The evening is also filled with free family entertainment including free admission to Lansing's cultural institutions, horse-drawn wagon rides on Washington Square, and performances by more than 50 local arts and cultural institutions throughout downtown Lansing.

November 18 - 27
Christmas WonderFest - Detroit
Glittering buildings, busy sidewalks, brisk air, dazzling gift displays and decadent treats are highlights of a bustling Christmas season in the city. In November 2011, the city’s central plaza Campus Martius Park will debut Christmas WonderFest, a highly anticipated indoor/outdoor festival and return to the legacy of Detroit Christmas Past. WonderFest, modeled upon traditional European Christmas Markets, will kick off the holiday season in grand style with an International Marketplace, seasonal food & drink, Carousel and Ferris Wheel spins, and Holiday Tree-Lighting.

November 19
Kalamazoo Russian Festival - Kalamazoo
Celebrate the partnership between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Pushkin, Russia at this years Kalamazoo Russian Festival; a unique Russian cultural event in the Midwest.

November 19 - December 31
Battle Creek International Festival of Lights - Battle Creek
The six-week holiday lighting extravaganza in greater Battle Creek, Michigan, features over one million sparkling lights, special events, lighting displays, and entertainment.

November 24 - Thanksgiving Day
Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Detroit
The theme for the 2011 America's Thanksgiving Parade is "So Much To Believe In". The parade down Woodward Avenue is one of the nation's oldest and most celebrated parades. They start at 9:20 a.m. on Woodward Avenue and Mack and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit before hundreds of thousands of parade-goers, in person and on WDIV Local 4.

November 25
Fantasy of Lights - Howell
Parade & Town Activities in Historic Howell, Michigan

November 26 - December 18
Santa's Village - Chesaning
Experience Santa's Village - North Pole USA.Young and old alike will enjoy a visit to the enchanged village. Nestled snugly at the North Pole (aka, Saginaw County Fairgrounds, Chesaning, Michigan), Santa's Village embodies the spirit and excitement of the holiday season. North Pole Express Engine 1225 arrives at Santa's Village at 11 am and 5 pm daily while the Village is open. View the steam engine made famous in the movie Polar Express.

November 25 - December 30
Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic - Flint
This holiday fantasyland features thousands of sparkling lights and Michigan's most spectacular moving light display, the Huckleberry Railroad. The entire village is aglow with colored lights and more lights decorate the railroad's locomotive, coaches and trackside displays. Costumed villagers prepare for the holiday season in the village's homes and shops, the Colwell Opera House presents live entertainment and Santa Claus talks with the children. See model trains, craft demonstrations, holiday music and unique shopping opportunities delight all ages.

November 26
Great Macaroni & Cheese Bake-Off - Old Mission Peninsula
The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula will host local restaurants who have turned the classic comfort food, Macaroni and Cheese, into culinary marvels! This rich and creamy fare is paired with wines from Old Mission - Rieslings, Pinot Grigios, Chardonnays and more. Taste what our local Chefs have come up with this year!

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The MiMFF started off in 2008 with just a few film submissions and even fewer ticket sales. Thanks to growing support from the Michigan Film Industry, the local community and the hard work of a small group of dedicated volunteers, the MiMFF has grown into one of the most respected small-town film festivals in the state. In fact, a second screening room has been added to the schedule this year to accommodate the large number of quality film submissions, essentially doubling the amount films to be shown. "We are very excited about each and every film that was chosen for this years festival", says Made-In-Michigan Film Society President, Juliane Bagley. "We understand the hard work and level of commitment that goes into making these films and it is an honor for us to be able to present them to our community."

The film festival’s growth is perfectly aligned with the Made-In-Michigan Film Society’s goal to showcase and promote the State of Michigan and as many Michigan- made films as possible while providing a low-cost cultural, experience for the local community. With ticket prices at just $6 for a full a day of films or $10 for a weekend pass, the MiMFF is one of the best entertainment values around. "It is extremely important to us to keep ticket prices low. We understand that Michigan and the Lapeer County area especially have been hit hard with economic woes because we live and raise our families here." says Bagley. "We do the best we can with what we have. You may not see the eye-popping glitz, sparkle and shine of Cannes or Sundance here, but you will feel the small-town hospitality and sincerity. We are fortunate to have a few generous sponsors who recognize the value in what we do not only as the MiMFF but as the Lapeer County Film Office, bringing jobs and revenue into the area. We would not be able to do this without these sponsors and we are very grateful for their support."

In addition to the film screenings, the MiMFF has several other events planned for the weekend including an educational free film workshop geared toward local middle and high school students, a Michigan Filmmaker Panel Discussion and the Festival Afterglow Party. Festival times and a full program schedule including film and activity descriptions is available at madeinmichiganfilmfestival.org. If you are interested in volunteering at the festival or would like to register for the MPI Student Film Workshop please call 810-882-1022 or email juliane@madeinmichiganfilmfestival.org.

We have the trailer for one of this year's films, the Bicyclist, which tells the story of Lester Cribs who has just lost his restaurant and his wife. He leaves behind Grosse Pointe, MI on a 300 mile bicycle trip to the Mackinac Bridge.

The Bicyclist - Official Trailer from Cass Corridor Films on Vimeo.

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Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes over $24 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $133 million. In terms of overall number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #5 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.

2nd Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival
by Kc Jacoby Photography LLC

The Motor City is gearing up showcase craft brews & brewing with Detroit Beer Week, an eleven-day celebration of craft beer in and around the City of Detroit. It kicks off Thursday, October 13 and features all kinds of events all around the region.

The finale of the week is the annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival on Saturday, October 22.

It's one of four annual events from the Michigan Brewers Guild. They partner with the Metroit Tines to bring together about 50 Michigan craft breweries who will be presenting over 200 different beers for your sampling pleasure. This year's entertainment line-up includes alternative rockers The Beggars of Ferndale and Detroit's own DMZ along with another Detroit act, alternative country band Doop & The Inside Outlaws and DJ Dante LaSalle. Learn more about the event at

The festival runs from 1-6 PM, with Guild Enthusiast Members being admitted at Noon Admission to the Festival is $35 in advance or $40 at the gate which includes 15 drink tokens. Enthusiast memberships and tickets to the Detroit Fall Beer Festival can be purchased online at www.michiganbrewersguild.org or at select ticket outlets.

This is one of the hottest tickets in town and sold out days in advance last year. You'll want to purchase early, and Absolute Michigan has a shot for you to win a pair of FREE tickets that include Enthusiast access. All you have to do to be eligible to win is to have your address on our email list - sign up below!

To be eligible for a pair of passes to the Detroit Fall Beer Festival and to be entered in every one of our giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Last year we sent photographer Ken Jacoby on the arduous mission of photographing the Detroit Fall Beer Festival - check out his slideshow and have a look at this great video from our friends at Under the Radar Michigan.

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october day by PepOmint

A sampling of Michigan festivals & events for the month of October. As usual, there's no way we'll get them all, so please add links and information about those we've missed (or reviews of ones we have here) in the comments below. Don't forget that one of Michigan's big attractions is fall color touring - click that link for tours and photos from Absolute Michigan!

Quotes

"How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days."
- John Burroughs

"October's poplars are flaming torches
lighting the way to winter."
- Nova Bair

"On the motionless branches of some trees, autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads,
as in those fabled orchards where the fruits were jewels . . ."
- Charles Dickens

"I saw old Autumn in the misty morn
Stand, shadowless like Silence, listening
To Silence."
- Thomas Hood

Fast Facts - Wikipedia

• October's birthstone is the opal. The opal is thought to have the power to predict illness. This is because the opal responds to heat. If you are sick your temperature increases before signs of illness appear. The increased body heat causes the opal to loose its shine, leaving it dull and lacking color. It is also said that the opal will crack if it is worn by someone who was not born in October.
• Its birth flower is the calendula.

Things to Do and Places to Go

Be sure to also check out the Absolute Michigan Calendar for even more Michigan events, October Events from the Pure Michigan blog, and the Upper Peninsula Calendar of Events from the Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association.

through October 9
ArtPrize - Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids' radically open art competition awards the world's largest art prize and transforms the city into an amazing canvas for creation. Part arts festival, part social experiment - this international art contest is decided solely on a public vote. Art is the focus of the competition, but the main event is community. Artists take over the city, visitors explore and new relationships form. This event has Absolute Michigan's highest rating and is not to be missed!

Thru October 30
Chrysanthemums & More - Grand Rapids
This annual celebration of autumn at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park highlights thousands of flowering chrysanthemums in both interior and exterior venues. New this year, a spectacular display in the Seasonal Display Greenhouse features vertical columns four to six feet high. The redesigned and renamed Chrysanthemums and More! exhibition (formerly called ColorFall) is the largest display of its kind in Michigan.

Saturdays and Sundays in October
The Famous Pumpkin Train - Coopersville & Marne Railway
Saturdays and Sundays in October passengers are entertained with music, jokes, songs and dance written especially for the youngest riders and performed by The Great Pumpkin, Scarecrow and Little Crow.

September 30 - October 1
The Red Flannel Festival - Cedar Springs
The Red Flannel Festival is held the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October, attracting between 30 and 40 thousand visitors. The first “RED FLANNEL DAY” was held in the fall of 1939. The love, pride and support of the community has kept the rich tradition alive! It has continued to be an annual event for 71 YEARS, making it the 15th oldest festival in the State of Michigan!

September 30 - October 2
Scarecrow Festival - Trenton
The Trenton Scarecrow Festival is one of the best of its kind in the Southeast Michigan area. It is a family fall festival for all ages featuring a Scarecrow Contest, Dog Costume contest, children's area with games/rides, a carnival, local and national musical acts, a karaoke Scarecrow Idol contest, and many other events.

October 2
Oktoberfest - Douglas
Beery Field in Douglas, while it's not Germany, it does have a festive atmosphere with beer, brats, prizes galore, parade, 35 piece German Band, Strudel Meisters 12 piece band, Kinderplatz kids games, games for grownups, and Best Dressed Herr & Fraulein Competition and lots more from noon to 8 PM.

October 1-2 & 8-9
Benzie County Fallfest - Benzie
Enjoy a scenic chair lift ride, taste the great soups in the Fall Soup Contest, get your "once a year chance" to get a piece of Cherry Hut's apple cinnamon pie, watch the pumpkin carving of Ed Moody and Pat Harrison the "Lord of Gourd" Carvings, all kinds of kids & family fun, pumpkin launching abd giant pumpkin weigh off and car drop! Enjoy the parade, or canoe or kayak while enjoying the beautiful colors of Fall!

October 2 - 8
Blue Water Film Festival - Port Huron
Each year the Blue Water Film Festival selects films from the State of Michigan and the Sarnia/Lambton area that represent the best in quality and performance, are visually stunning, thought-provoking and compelling to an audience.

October 6
Marquette Art Stroll - Marquette
Downtown Marquette & the Third Street Village offer an evening of art, entertainment, and exploration. Shops, restaurants, and galleries feature local artists, complimentary hors d oeuvres, and beverages.

October 6-9
Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival - Alpena
The four day event provides activities for the young and old including lighthouse tours (aerial, boat or personal vehicle), entertainment, and vendors. The 2011 festival features tours, talks from noted Great Lakes lighthouse experts including noted author & photographer Terry Pepper and boasts over 100 maritime related vendors including lighthouse preservation groups, artists, authors and more.

October 6 - 8
Pumpkinfest - Zeeland
The Zeeland Pumpkinfes is a family festival featuring very cost-effective and FREE activities, games and events to be enjoyed by all ages including a chili cook off, 5k and fun run, pet contest, costume contest, pumpkin hunt and the Pumpkinfest bake-off.

October 7 - 9
Color Cruise & Island Festival - Grand Ledge
See the fall colors and 60 foot sandstone ledges on the Grand River from the Princess Laura riverboat or rent a canoe. You can also take a trip back in time with an old-fashioned covered wagon ride, demonstrations of black kettle caramel corn, apple cider pressing, blacksmithing, weaving, spinning, wood carving and other old time activities. Visit a fur trader encampment, enjoy good food and live entertainment and take a covered wagon or boat ride. Children can visit the petting zoo, paint a pumpkin or dip a candle for a small fee.

October 7 - 9
Sandhill Crane & Art Festival - Baker Sanctuary
More than 6,000 cranes are expected to greet more than 5,000 CraneFest visitors again this year. With autumn color predicted to be near its peak the same weekend, everyone should consider making CraneFest 2010 part of their fall color tour.

October 8
New Buffalo Harvest and Wine Fest - New Buffalo
Join your favorite local wineries and microbrews at New Buffalo's Lions Park for some harvest time fun. Celebrate the season's harvest with a Farmers Market, wine tasting, cuisine, and live music. Bring the kids for hayrides through town and pumpkin painting. $5 suggested donation benefits local charities.

October 8
Leif Erikson Viking Days Fall Festival - Norway
An annual fall festival on Columbus Day weekend featuring a Viking themed parade, crafts, variety of ethnic food booths. Enjoy the Taste of Norway, music, business specials, lots of activities for children and other special events.

October 14 - 16
Applefest - Charlevoix
Experience the magic of Autumn in northern Michigan at Charlevoix's Apple Fesitval. Northern Michigan’s cool temperatures are said to produce tastier and more colorful fruit than those grown in warmer climates, and the festival honors local orchards who bring the fall harvest to you. Enjoy over 30 varieties of apples, hot food, and fresh cider. A fine art & craft show takes place in East Park too, along with a petting zoo and pony rides for the kids!

October 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30
Hallowe'en in Greenfield Village - Dearborn
Step back in time to a turn-of-the-20th century Hallowe'en. Follow an endless path of hand-carved jack-o-lanterns and meet colorful characters along the way. Feel the whoosh as the headless horseman rides by, banter with a clever witch, and make stops at several treat stations spread throughout Greenfield Village. It's frightfully fun for the whole family!

Saturday October 15th
Hoptoberfest - Grand Rapids
An amazing party that you definitely shouldn't miss. From 2PM-11PM Hopcat will be serving up beers from in an around Grand Rapids in two beer tents along with some smokin' hot blues from headliner Lonnie Brooks.

October 16
Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon - Detroit
Get down to Motown for the 2010 Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon! They're celebrating their 33rd anniversary with an exhilarating, world-class, international marathon. With a unique course crossing the U.S./Canadian border twice and great musical entertainment along the way, there's no end to the excitement of running this race!

October 17 - 18
Ann Arbor Art Walk - Ann Arbor
The annual Art Walk gives visitors a chance to walk through galleries, artists' studios, and exhibition spaces in the greater Ann Arbor area including the Ann Arbor Art Center, the U-M Museum of Art, and the U-M School of Art and Design.

October 21 - 22
Made-in-Michigan Film Festival - Lapeer
The 4th annual festival will be held at the Pix Theatre, in historical downtown Lapeer, and MiMFF is accepting films in every category & genre – short, feature, academic, documentary, narrative, comedy, drama, horror, experimental, whatever – just as long as there's a material connection to the State of Michigan.

October 21 - November 21
Northern Michigan C.S. Lewis Festival -
An award-winning, month-long celebration of the man who created the celebrated children?s series, The Chronicles of Narnia. This annual nonprofit collaboration between local arts organizations, area schools, and faith-based groups offers children's programs, theater performances, literary discussion and world-renowned speakers.

October 28
Food, Wine and All That Jazz - Grand Rapids
Join WGVU and D&W for more than 300 domestic wine and beer selections from throughout North America. In addition, tempt your tastes with over 25 tables of select gourmet foods and live jazz.

Also be sure to check out Absolute Michigan keywords "haunted", "maze", "apple" and "harvest"!

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The Eyes Have It by pairadocs

Our favorite Michigan art event, ArtPrize, kicks off its third year in Grand Rapids this Wednesday. ArtPrize runs September 21 - October 9, 2011. It's billed as a radically open art competition that is open to any artist in the world who can find space and it is one of the most dynamic expressions of art in the world.

In their excellent ArtPrize 2011 Guide, mLive reports:

The first ArtPrize drew an estimated 200,000 people to downtown Grand Rapids, more than 37,000 of whom cast more than 334,000 votes in the exhibition with work by 1,262 artists. ArtPrize 2010 drew as many as 400,000 people who voted 465,000 times for 1,713 works of art.

...Some 1,582 works of art go on display in 163 venues downtown plus Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park a few miles away.

ArtPrize 2011 poster by Square One Design

Click through for some cool stories on 2011 such as news that Facebook creative director Ji Lee is entering for 2011 and a feature on 2011 ArtPrize venues.

The heart of ArtPrize is the public vote, and you can pre-register right now at ArtPrize.org. FYI, if voting is the heart, than the lungs of ArtPrize are participation and presence, and to activate your account, you have to go to Grand Rapids (which explains the phenomenal support that GR businesses and organizations provide the event).

Some great places to go for ArtPrize media include the ArtPrize Tumblr, the ArtPrize Facebook, ArtPrize Twitter and #ArtPrize on Twitter,  and the  ArtPrize YouTube.

Speaking of YouTube, a few cool videos we found include a check-in at yesterday's ArtPrize artist reception at the B.O.B., an analysis of the public's vote (and taste in art), a tour of ArtPrize neighborhoods, a look at the new ArtPrize HUB, and the cost of ArtPrize to artists. Below is the featured video from ArtPrize's channel, a look at 2010 from Brian Kelly. Hopefully Brian will be kicking out more great videos this year! we hope all you photographers will post your ArtPrize photos in the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr!

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Joe Hertler + The Rainbow Seekers

Midwest Fest is an annual festival in Mt. Pleasant the weekend of September 28th through October 1st. It features indie, folk, electronic, experimental and pop bands from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Oftentimes, the draw of a music festival is who you've heard of, but one of the best things about Midwest Fest is who you haven't heard of! There's 20+ bands over 4 nights and some great Michigan acts.

Check out this list: W. Michael Freer (Roscommon), Jes Kramer, Ghost Heart, The Crane Wives, Stepdad (Grand Rapids), Morseville Bridge, Empty Orchestra (Flint), Mountains for Clouds, Yoke (Midland), Newday Dreamers, Jetpack On!, Joe Hertler + The Rainbow Seekers, Bloomill (Mt. Pleasant), Chris Bathgate (Pinckney) Lightning Love, Nathan K. (Ypsilanti), Phantasmagoria, The High Strung (Detroit), Elliot Street Lunatic, Frontier Ruckus (Lansing).

Absolute Michigan has a pair of tickets for one lucky winner that we'll give away on Thursday. All you have to do is join our email list using the form below! Get a taste through the Midwest Fest bandcamp and check out the video of The Crane Wives below - many more on their website!

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Mick Road Maple Monster by jimflix

Say hello to September and enjoy the bountiful harvests and beautiful scenery it brings. September is a perfect time to enjoy the outdoors with it's warm days and cool evening temperatures (not to mention the declining mosquito population). As far as things to do in the Great Lakes State September is ripe for the picking. So get out and enjoy the harvest celebrations, color tours, wine trails and the abundant festivals and fairs! As usual we by no means have listed all the events happening around Michigan. Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

Quotes

"September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn. The cricket chirps in the noontide, making the most of what remains of his brief life. The bumblebee is busy among the clover blossoms of the aftermath, and their shrill and dreamy hum hold the outdoor world above the voices of the song birds, now silent or departed."
- September Days By Rowland E. Robinson, Vermont.

"When the goldenrod is yellow,
And leaves are turning brown -
Reluctantly the summer goes
In a cloud of thistledown.

When squirrels are harvesting
And birds in flight appear -
By these autumn signs we know
September days are here."
- Beverly Ashour, September

Wikipedia - Fast Facts

• September's birthstone is the sapphire. The meaning is clear thinking.
• The birthflowers for September are the forget-me-not, and aster.
• The equinox named the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere and the vernal or spring equinox in the southern hemisphere occurs on dates varying from 21 September to 24 September
• September begins on the same day of the week as December every year, because there are 91 days separating September and December, which is a multiple of seven (the amount of days in the week).

Stuff to do and places to go

You can get a big list of September 2011 events via Pure Michigan and also check out the September Events Roundup on the Pure Michigan blog.

August 21 - October 3
Michigan Renaissance Festival Holly
Festival is held on weekends and Labor Day, rain or shine. "visitors may also partake in games of skill or enjoy non-stop entertainment where belly dancers, sword swallowers, musicians, comedians and sword fighters provide merriment for all ages. The Festival is best known for it's awe-inspiring full-contact armored jousting tournaments where gallant knights defend their honor until the last man is standing!"

September 9 - 11
Art & Apples Festival Rochester
Presented by Paint Creek Center for the Arts, the Art & Apples Festival is Michigan's second largest juried fine art festival with an average attendance of over 125,000 festival-goers and 250+ artists from across the country. The festival showcases artists from across the country, local and national entertainment acts, a free Kids Art Zone, Activity Zone, 3 food courts and more.

September 9 - 10
Hopps of Fun Beer & Wine Festival Mackinaw City
On September 10th & 11th, 2010 Mackinaw Crossings will host the Historic Depot Happy Hour Hopps of Fun. This unique event will feature as extensive sampling of 50+ award winning Michigan micro brewed beers and over 40 wines from Michigan's four internationally recognized wine regions. Plenty of food, wine, beer, entertainment and fun! Festival grounds are located at Mackinaw Crossings in Downtown Mackinaw City.

September 9 - 11
Wine and Harvest Festival Paw Paw

• Music - 3 stages of entertainment for all musical tastes
• Sports - Choose from our hole in one contest, 5k walk/run or our bicycle tour.
• Family Activities - Carnival rides, free children's activities in Stompyland, Fireworks on Maple Lake, Parade, and the Grape Stomp.
• Wine Enthusiasts - Wine tours and wine tasting tents abound throughout the festival area.
• Other activities include: Car show, Arts & Crafts show, turtle derby, and much more!!

September 9 - 11
Wheatland Music Festival Remus
Each year thousands of people converge on the 160-acre festival site to enjoy a wide variety of activities, as well as the star-studded lineup on the main stage. There is a juried arts and crafts show, a raffle, children's activities, teen and young adult activities, instrument and dance workshops, music, food, fellowship and fun. Impromptu jam sessions can be found throughout the campgrounds all weekend long.

September 10
Dally in the Alley Official Artist Detroit
"The Greenest Festival in Detroit". What began as an inner city art fair in 1977 evolved into a performing arts festival when it was moved to its present alley and renamed in 1982 to "DALLY IN THE ALLEY", the title of a medieval drinking song. Great musical talent (including an electronic music stage), good beer and a remarkable string of fabulous September weather has indelibly marked the alley at Second and Forest in Detroit 's Cass Corridor as the site one of the top music festivals in the Midwest .

September 9 - 10
Smokin' Jazz Barbecue Blues Festival Brighton
The Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce's Smokin' Jazz & Barbecue Blues Festival was created approximately four years ago and after its conception quickly became Brighton's hippest event. Not only does this event bring you authentic jazz, blues and zydeco, but is also offers some of the tastiest barbecue this side of the Mason/Dixon line.

September 10
Great Lakes Cider & Perry Festival St. Johns
Enjoy samples of the finest cider and perry (cider made from pears) from the Great Lakes area will be available for tasting. In addition to the cider and perry tastings, food vendors will be selling sweet and savory selections. Attendees will also have an opportunity to stock up on these not-so-easy-to-get beverages, available for purchase during the event.

September 10 - 11
Harvest Stompede Vineyard Run & Walk Leelanau Peninsula
The weekend features a spectacular race through Leelanau's vineyards and a self guided wine tour of LPVA member wineries featuring world class wines and culinary delights that reflect the season's bounty. In 2011 they are highlighting local foods and each winery's food pairing will feature locally sourced items.

September 10 - 11
Historic Home Tour Marshall
For nearly 50 years years the Marshall Historical Society has been showcasing 8 private homes, 1 church and 1 business as part of its Historic Home Tour. It has been called the Granddaddy of Midwest Home Tours and is famous all over the country for its traditions and heritage.

September 16 - 18
Michigan Irish Music Festival Muskegon
Three days of the best in traditional and contemporary Irish music comes to Muskegon each year in mid-Septembe. The festival features four stages of entertainment featuring music, dance, cultural presentations, interactive displays, a Celtic market and Pub Tent with authentic Irish food and beverages.

September 16 - 18
Victorian Festival Northville
Journey back through time to a simpler era with a visit to downtown Northville's annual Victorian Festival. Experience the art, history, and romance of the 1800s. The streets will be closed to automobile traffic as townspeople, artists, and business owners turn back the clock and transform themselves into a Victorian Village complete with period costumes, storytellers, magicians, musical entertainment and demonstrations, rides for kids and the Victorian Saloon.

September 15 - 18
"On the Waterfront" Car Show & "Big Rig" Truck Show St. Ignace
The well known St. Ignace Car Show was formed in 1975 and the first show was held the last Saturday of June 1976. 134 vehicles were on display that year. The show continued to grow each and every year and by 2004, 2500 collector vehicles were on display with 100,000 spectators observing.

September 17 - 18
Living History Encampment Belmont
This is an annual event where visitors can view first hand what life in early America was like. This is a time line event featuring military & civilian living historians demonstrating our country's history from colonial times to the present. This event is supported by local citizens and businesses, and is open to the public at no charge. Historical re-enactors will be wearing authentic period clothing and living in period shelters. Traditional Artisans will demonstrate their historic skills, including blacksmithing and woodworking throughout the weekend. Activities will also include musket and cannon firing and multi-period military tactical Demonstrations.

September 16 - October 30
Chrysanthemums and More! Grand Rapids
Formerly "Colorfall", this annual celebration of the autumn season features an extensive chrysanthemum display with hundreds of flowering plants in both interior and exterior areas. Indoor highlights include varieties on display along the winding Scenic Corridor and the Seasonal Display Greenhouse, while outdoor plantings are featured in the English Perennial Garden, Michigan's Farm Garden and Volunteer Tribute Garden. Color tours, tram rides and seasonal children's activities offer a unique way to experience autumn.

September 15 - 18
Oktoberfest Frankenmuth
In 1990, Frankenmuth, "Michigan's Little Bavaria," celebrated its first Oktoberfest. The Frankenmuth Oktoberfest celebrates German culture, cuisine, heritage and love. The goal is to incorporate as many of the sights, sounds, taste and traditions of the original Munich Oktoberfest as possible, and Frankenmuth boasts the first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the Parliament and the City of Munich.

September 17
Evening at an 1896 Logging Camp Grayling
Journey back to 1896, when Salling, Hanson and Company's Section 9 Camp logged what is now Hartwick Pines State Park. As a "new employee," you will travel the quarter-mile lantern-lit route from the Grayling train depot (the Hartwick Pines visitor center) to the logging camp (Hartwick Pines Logging Museum), where Section 9 Camp is preparing for the upcoming winter logging season. "earn "first-hand" about the logging industry, logging-camp life and some of the dangers of a logging job.

September 16 - 17
Old Town BluesFest Lansing
The Old Town BluesFest is a two-day FREE music festival that brings local, regional, and national acts to an audience of roughly 15,000 people from across Michigan and nearby states. BluesFest's music truly is living music, history in the making. Each artist at the festival is asked to play an original composition, something that hasn't been played at any other festival. It all happens in the streets of Lansing's Old Town, surrounded by the best of the Capital City's art galleries as well as unique retail stores and grand architecture with shops & vendors lining the streets and offering ethnic food, beverages, art, clothing, and crafts!

September 16 - 16
Salmon Festival Grand Haven
The annual Grand Haven Salmon Festival is a three-day festival that marks the passing of summer and celebrates the fall harvest season and salmon migration. The festival theme is arts, education and entertainment and assures the residents and visitors alike a unique opportunity to learn about the region's natural assets, while experiencing the cultural appeal of the area through music, art, entertainment, history and education.

September 18
Southwest Michigan Community Harvest Fest Scotts
You're invited to the 8th Annual Southwest Michigan Community Harvest Fest, a celebration of local food, local farming and sustainable living. A few years ago, some people got together because they all had the same idea: How about hosting a celebration of local food and farming? Tillers International was approached to be the site host; its rural setting and mission of teaching farming techniques worldwide made it the ideal choice.

September 23 - 24
Kalamazoo Irish Fest Kalamazoo
Live Celtic music featuring: Belfast Gin, Blackthorn, Chelsea House Orchestra, Craic Wisely, Dyed in the Wool, Embarr, Erin Quinn School of Irish Dance, Harvest Home, Kalamazoo Pipe Band, Irish Dance Company of Lansing, Kennedy's Kitchen, String Cheese, The Waxies and Whiskey Before Breakfast. Irish Step Dancers from the Erin Quinn School of Irish Dance and the Irish Dance Company of Lansing. Supervised children's area with arts and crafts activities and games and prizes, all with a Celtic theme. Food vendors and Guinness Beer Tent with Irish Cuisine and drink. Over 20 merchandise vendors, selling Irish and Celtic themed clothing, jewelry, arts and crafts and more. Cultural Area where you can learn about your family's genealogy, have your palm read and learn about the art of calligraphy and the craft of weaving.

September 24 - 25
American Heritage Festival Lansing
Join them for a step back in time and experience a piece of our rich Mid-Michigan cultural heritage. A day the whole family will enjoy. Farmers Market, pioneer toys, Apple cider pressing, spinning, live animals, blacksmithing, historic farm tool display, spinning, lace making, good old time music, Grand River pontoon boat rides, good food, WolduMarket and much more.

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Through the Vineyards III by lpwines

The season wineries eagerly await year-round is upon us, and the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association will usher it in in fabulous, footloose fashion with its annual Harvest Stompede. The event features fantastic food and wine pairings at participating LPVA wineries — with unique dishes at every stop — and kicks off with a 7-mile run and 5K run/walk through the grapevines Sept. 10.

The LPVA has kindly supplied MBTB with two tickets to give away to the fall festivities, set for September 10-11. Getting entered to win is easy; we'll tell you more about that in a moment!

If you're not too keen on running for your vino, no worries — participation in that segment of the celebration is strictly voluntary. The only requirement for the self-guided vineyard tour portion of the event is to have your thirst and appetite at the ready.

Here's how the 12-hour shindig works: Attendees purchase tickets to start their weekend at a specific LPVA winery, but can swing through the remainder of the stops in any order they please. Tickets allow the bearer to visit up to eight wineries on Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and eight wineries on Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Each starting point's allotment of tickets is limited to space out guests and ease crowds.

Using a plethora of locally sourced ingredients — from cherries and corn to bratwurst and whitefish — participating LPVA wineries will serve up fare orchestrated to pair well with their designated wine (or wines) of the day. (See below for a full list of the mouth-watering lineup.)

2008 Harvest Stompede157 by lpwines

LPVA spokesman Andy McFarlane said it's only natural to bring together food and drink produced in the immediate area.

"For the second year in a row, all of our tasting rooms are featuring local items in their food pairings," he said. "The wine, of course is local, and I think pairing it with food from our region makes it extra special. There's a ton of interest out there in supporting local food and local farms, and it's important to remember that local wine IS local food."

Tickets for the vineyard tour are $40 apiece. There also are $30 tickets available for designated drivers, who receive food at each site, but no glass for wine, though some locations will may provide non-alcoholic beverage substitutes.

The races and walk begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 10 at Ciccone Vineyard, located at 10343 E. Hilltop in Suttons Bay. Openings are capped at 850, and the event was at capacity last year; as of Aug. 29, the number of slots remaining was down to 80. Chip timing is available, and organizers joke that the reward for the winner is "bragging rights provided at the finish line."

McFarlane said he's not a runner himself, but adores observing the race along with other spectators.

"I know that I'm biased, but I think the Harvest Stompede race is one of the most unique running events in Michigan," said McFarlane. "The runners start to gather before sunrise and it's pretty cool to see them stretching and getting ready as the light breaks over the vineyards. At 9 a.m., the runners take off, and from the vantage at Ciccone, you can see them stream through Ciccone's vineyard and into Larry Mawby's on their way to Black Star Farms."

Entrants don't have to be seasoned runners to enjoy themselves, he noted.

"Everyone really seems to have a lot of fun with it," said McFarlane. "We have people who run barefoot and a lot of folks who walk it, too. It's really cool to me to see all the people in the vineyard with the grapes almost ready for the crush."

At the end, everyone crushes a "symbolic tub of grapes," he added.

Participation in running/walking events entails a separate fee. Advance registration through Sept. 8 is $26 for the 5K walk, $27 for the 5K run and $27 for the 7-mile run. Runners can register in person during packet pick-up on Sept. 9, but the price increases to $30 that day. No day-of registration is available.

For more information on the Harvest Stompede, visit http://lpwines.com/harvest.

Get tickets!

To be entered into the MBTB's Harvest Stompede drawing, find the contest post marked OFFICIAL on the Michigan By the Bottle Facebook page and respond to that post with any ONE of the following:

• An ode to your favorite Leelanau Peninsula winery (whether it be a little poem, a limerick, a song, etc.).
• Your favorite memory of visiting a Leelanau Peninsula winery.
• The name of a Leelanau Peninsula winery you would like to visit in the future, and why you want to go there.
• Please do NOT start a new thread with your entry into the contest; simply post your response as a reply to the OFFICIAL thread.

If you do not use Facebook, please feel free to email MBTBs with your name and answer at cort@michiganbythebottle.com.

While they encourage creativity, and can't wait to read your submissions, the winner will be drawn randomly via a random number generator. So even if you feel like your poetry-penning skills are lacking, you have just as good of a chance to win! The contest runs through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31.

Just in case luck isn't on your side, you can also purchase tickets online at http://lpwines.com/harvest or join the Absolute Michigan email list for a giveaway on Thursday! (form at the bottom of the post!)

To register for the race or walk, visit https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/75458.

Planned pairings include...

• Hardy corn chowder made with local corn, paired with 2009 Pinot Grigio, at Ciccone.
• Toasted puff pastry wrapped with local cherries, local vegetables and feta cheese, paired with Cherry Twist wine at Cherry Republic.
• Barbudos en Salsa de Chile Dulce — a baked omelette made with local green beans, pulled chicken and roasted red pepper sauce — paired with 2010 Riesling at Gill's Pier (a vegetarian option also will be offered).
• Grilled pita, local cherry hummus and naked brats paired with wine — and beer — at Good Neighbor Organic.
• Macaroni and cheese with local squash and a sage cream sauce, paired with Green sparking wine, at L. Mawby.
• Local bratwurst and sauerkraut, paired with 2009 Riesling (and a hearty side of German music, to complete the Oktoberfest theme!), at Silver Leaf.
• Local fall harvest vegetable soup with Italian sausage, paired with Bel Lago Red, at Bel Lago.
• Grilled focaccia with pear poached in Isidor's Choice Pinot Grigio, Leelanau fromage blank and a caramelized wild leek, paired with 2010 Arcturos Riesling, at Black Star Farms.
• Smoked Carlson's whitefish on crostini with chevre, paired with Forty-Five White, at Forty-Five North.
• Philly cheesesteak sandwich made with local beef, peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheese and bread, paired with the Solem Farm Red, at Chateau de Leelanau.
• Carlson's of Leland fish pate with grapes and crackers, paired with Fishtown White, at Good Harbor.
• Cincinnati-style chili with (optional) local onions, paired with Big Paw Red, at Chateau Fontaine.
• Savory buckwheat crepes with Leelanau raclette, Shetler Dairy milk, local eggs and honey-cured ham, paired with Ida Gold hard cider, at Tandem Ciders.
• Smoked whitefish chowder, featuring local whitefish and potatoes, paired with Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir, at Verterra.
• Local apple caramel crisp, paired with Pinot Gris, at Willow.

For another chance at 2 tickets, just join the Absolute Michigan email list using the form below! We give stuff away almost every week and will tell you a thing or two about Michigan as well!

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Sample Michigan-made wines, craft beers, homegrown delicacies and signature products from throughout the state while you enjoy live entertainment by northern Michigan's own Emmy award-winning Bihlman Brothers. The event takes place outdoors on Crystal's slopeside lawn adjacent to the Crystal Clipper chairlift, but if the weather is bad, it will be moved to an on-premise indoor location.

Check below to register for a pair of tickets to the Taste of Michigan and also to see the Bihlman Bros. performing their hit Jubilee.

To be eligible for a pair of passes to the Taste of Michigan and to be entered in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

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Buckwheat Zydeco at the Beer Fest II by farlane,

The annual Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival features over 50 breweries, a cider, mead and wine court, a new silent disco tent and a musical lineup including chart-topping folk rocker Martin Sexton, Grammy-nominated New Orleans brass brand Rebirth Brass Brand and Afro-Cuban funk favorites Euforquestra. It takes place August 26 & 27 at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, and other musical guests include fiddle rockers Barrage, popular Michigan dance outfit Ella Riot (formerly My Dear Disco), musical “mad scientist” That 1 Guy, Celtic marchers Grand Traverse Pipes & Drums, West African drummers and more!

This year, the festival will kick off on Friday, August 26 from 5-10 p.m. with a “Pint Night” themed evening featuring a headlining performance by Martin Sexton as well as $3 pint specials from a variety of renowned craft breweries, the silent disco tent, and food and merchandise vending areas.

The second day of the festival on Saturday, August 27, will feature an expanded festival experience from 4-10 p.m. with over 50 breweries and 200+ flavors of beer, cider, mead and wine, live music from Rebirth Brass Band, Barrage, Euforquestra, Ella Riot, That 1 Guy, Grand Traverse Pipes and Drums and several more acts, plus $1 tasting tokens for 7-oz sample pours (a commemorative festival cup and 5 tokens are included with admission), a variety of local food vendors and brew-friendly pub grub, an MSU Extensions Educational Tent featuring workshops on beer-related topics, the festival’s popular Hop ‘N Brew tasting shack, the silent disco tent and special partner activities and events.

All in all, this is a fantastic celebration of Michigan's microbrew culture that you will certainly enjoy and our Absolute Michigan passes will let you enjoy it to the fullest. Check Porterhouse Productions for ticket information and check below to enter the giveaway and for a video!

To be eligible for a pair of passes for Friday AND Saturday night to the Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival and to be entered in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Here's the Rebirth Brass Band in New Orleans - see them in Michigan next Saturday! Also be sure to check out this cool video of the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars at last year's festival!

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The festival features award-winning wineries throughout the state of Michigan and across the globe showcasing more than 100 varieties of wine including Chardonnay, Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rieslings, Sparkling, dessert wines and many more. A neat feature is that the festival's on-site retail store has select wines available for purchase at the event, by the bottle or discounted by the case. In addition to wine sampling, there are also a number of food vendors along with seminars covering wine, food and other topics of interest. You will also enjoy continuous live music and special exhibits and displays throughout the weekend.

The Wine and Food Festival at Meadow Brook Music Festival is sponsored by Palace Sports & Entertainment, Kroger, The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council and is a part of the Belle Tire Concert Series. Tickets for adults are $18 in advance and $20 at the door and include free wine samples, a complimentary wine glass, wine and food seminars, exhibits and live music. Designated Driver tickets may be purchased for $10 and admission is free for those under 21 years of age. Tickets are on sale now at Palacenet.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or on the day of the event.

Absolute Michigan has a pair of tickets for the Wine and Food Festival. To be entered for this and in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

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The lineup of artists is truly impressive. The festival is headlined by one of the most highly awarded ensembles ever assembled, Mountain Heart, and other national performers include Rita Hosking and Cousin Jack (Rita won winner of Best Country Album in the 2010 Independent Music Awards), Israeli musician Guy Mendilow, The Pines (David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey), blues artist Ray Bonneville and Minneapolis based Alison Scott. The festival also features great Michigan acts like The Ragbirds, Detroit-based Sista Otis, Seth Bernard and May Erlewine, Black River John and the Red Sea Pedestrians.

The festival takes place at the Winter Sports Complex located within Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Temporary, canopy covered, stages are set up at the base of the hill, forming a natural amphitheater perfect for blankets and lawn chairs. Attendance is limited and there's not a bad seat to be found. In addition to great music, workshops take place on the event grounds and also inside the 20,000 square foot ski chalet. The restaurant located inside the ski chalet offers a varied menu and will be open throughout the event.  All in all, it's a beautiful, up-close and intimate setting that's family friendly and perfect for unwinding after a busy summer!

To help you unwind, Absolute Michigan has a pair of weekend passes to the Porcupine Mountains Music Festival . To enter, and to be entered in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

You should definitely check out this slideshow from Porkies Fest 2009, but here's the Ragbirds at the festival with one of my favorite musicians, That 1 Guy, sitting in!

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The dog days of summer are upon us and Michigan is heating up with cool things to do. Summer is zipping by so take some time and support the many great festivals and events that our cities and communities have to offer. As usual we by no means have listed all the events happening around Michigan. Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

Dog_Parade_3 by scherbis

August Quotes:

"Whilst August yet wears her golden crown,
Ripening fields lush- bright with promise;
Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing
Her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn." - Michelle L. Thieme

"August creates as she slumbers, replete and satisfied." - Joseph Wood Krutch

"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability." - Sam Keen

"Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren Buffett

"If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?" - Steven Wright

August Wikipedia Fast Facts (link)

• August was originally named Sextilis in Latin.
• In the United States, August is National Goat Cheese Month.
• The middle week of August is the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
• August's birthstone is the peridot and sardonyx. The meaning is married happiness.
• August's birth flower is the gladiolus and poppy.

Things to Do & Places to Go!

August 11-14
National Blueberry Festival South Haven
Celebrating the blueberry industry in and around South Haven. Featuring fish boil, blueberries, pancake breakfasts, chicken dinner, arts & crafts, live entertainment, pie eating contest, parade, 5k walk/run and more.

August 12-14
Great Lakes Folk Festival East Lansing
The festival includes nearly 100 musicians or dancers in groups, who perform at least twice and sometimes as many as four times over the weekend. Also featured are traditional and other food vendors, craft vendors and many other individual artists/demonstrators. There are four performance stages (including one with a 2,400 sq. ft. dance floor), children's hands-on activities, crafts demonstrations, and Green Arts marketplace. In addition, there are special programs every year, which feature some aspect of traditional culture.

August 12-14
St. Johns Mint Festival St. Johns
Approximately 150 arts & crafts booths, 5 sports tournaments, Free day & evening entertainment, Talent Show, Kids World (crafts & games all weekend), Exotic Animals, Senior Citizens Day, Quilt Show, Tractor Show, Classic Car Show, New Vehicle Show, Horse Show, Inflatables/Carnival Rides, more.

August 13
Northport Wine and Food Festival & Dog Parade Northport
A celebration of wine and local food with great music. $15 per person includes complimentary wine glass and three tasting tickets.

August 15-21
Upper Peninsula State Fair Escanaba
The 2010 Upper Peninsula State Fair opens Monday, August 16 @ 5:00 pm. Plan now to attend to the UP's biggest event. Check their site for fair times, admission prices, and cost of specific events. Escanaba received the honor of being named the location for the Upper Peninsula State Fair in April, 1927. Michigan Gov. Fed Green signed Act 89, which stated, "An annual state fair at the City of Escanaba, which shall have for its main purpose the exploiting, and encouragement of improved methods in agriculture and industrial pursuits I hereby authorize."

August 18 - 20
Woodward Dream Cruise Ferndale
The Woodward Dream Cruise stretches along a nine metro Detroit suburban area, within a sixteen mile radius, of the historical Woodward Avenue, attracting over one million visitors and 30,000+ muscle cars, street rods, custom and collector vehicles with Downtown Ferndale attracting 80,000+ attendees and car enthusiast alone. Enjoy a weekend of cruiz'n memories, exciting activities and live classic rock-n-roll for all to enjoy! Info on ferndaledreamcruise.com as well!

August 18 - 21
Danish Festival Greenville
The first Danish Festival was held on August 18, 1965. Today an 23 member Board of Directors, a staff of one, over 35 committees and hundreds of other volunteers are responsible for developing and presenting the festival, which draws crowds of over 80,000. It is this total community effort that makes it possible for Greenville to host the Danish Festival annually.

August 19-21
Melon Festival Howell
Melon Fest is an annual event in downtown Howell featuring the annual Melon Run, the Melon Ball, movies, a carnival & children's activites, Thompson Lake Boat Cruises and the Festival Tent at the Opera House featuring melon ice cream, Michigan breweries, live music and BBQ.

August 20
Traverse City Wine & Art Festival Traverse City
The Traverse City Wine & Art Festival returns to the Village at Grand Traverse Commons on Saturday, August 20, 2011 from 3-10 PM. The festival is a landmark celebration of the wine, food and culture of Michigan's wine coast, featuring wines from 24 wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula and Traverse City along with a selection of regional restaurants serving food & desserts, music and performance headlined by Shout Sister Shout, Claudia Schmidt and Steppin' in It along with art for show and sale from a variety of artists.

August 20 - October 20
Michigan Renaissance Festival Holly
Festival is held on weekends and Labor Day, rain or shine. "visitors may also partake in games of skill or enjoy non-stop entertainment where belly dancers, sword swallowers, musicians, comedians and sword fighters provide merriment for all ages. The Festival is best known for it's awe-inspiring full-contact armored jousting tournaments where gallant knights defend their honor until the last man is standing!"

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This summer Absolute Michigan interviewed Ragbirds front woman Erin Zindel about Electric Forest. She told us, "The heart of Hoxeyville is a community of musicians who are there every year. Many are from Michigan, and it's wonderful to have so many talented people in one place. I love the bands they choose and the size of the festival. It's well managed and a has a great vibe!"

Erin is dead on and you can see some of the best and brightest talent from around our beautiful state including The Ragbirds, Breathe Owl Breathe, The Macpodz, Ella Riot, Airborne or Aquatic, Seth & May, The Crane Wives and many more!

It's more than just music - Hoxeyville is held on 85 acres of northern Michigan farmland and hardwood forest that gets you feeling like you're away from it all. So you don't feel too far out there, they have a swimming pool, showers, plug-ins, dump station and wireless Internet. The festival also features a disc golf course with a glow course, VIP and quiet camping options, a vendor village and a beer tent featuring some of the finest brews from the region. To ensure you can enjoy the intimate vibe, attendance is capped at 5000!

Hoxeyville is also a leader among green festivals and offers incentives for "green acts" and was able to compost more than 70% of the waste produced, use biodegradable cups & plates and even to reduce its carbon footprint by powering its stages and productions using biodiesel generators!

All this can be yours with a pair of free weekend passes that include camping - enter below and read on for a highlight from Hoxeyville 2010!

Susan K won the pair of passes to Hoxeyville. She says that a few of her favorite Michigan festivals are Rothbury, Electric Forest Festival, the Buckley Steam Show and very appropriately the Hoxeyville Music Fest! Some of her favorite bands are The Red Sea Pedestrians and three acts who will be at Hoxeyville: Greensky Bluegrass, Seth & May, and Steppin' In It!

To be entered in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

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Traverse City Wine & Art Festival, 2010 by KatSwinehart

The 2011 Traverse City Wine & Art Festival takes place Saturday, August 20th from 3-10 PM on the beautiful front lawn at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, rain or shine. It's Michigan’s premier celebration of wine, art, food and music, offering an incredible opportunity to taste wines from 24 wineries as you dance, dine, and see extraordinary performers, art and artists.

The wines & wineries are the heart of the festival and the large wine tent is dedicated to featuring well over 100 wines from the Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula and - for the first time - Benzie County. Attendees can choose a tasting or full-glass pour and have a chance to talk with the winemakers and winery reps to learn more about the wines. The 2010 vintage is spectacular, and this is a fantastic opportunity to try the riesling, pinot gris, chardonnay, pinot blanc, cabernet franc and a host of other varieties that are making a lot of noise at wine competitions around the country!

The festival also features a great lineup with some of Michigan's finest musicians. Michigan jazz/folk great Claudia Schmidt kicks things off  and then joins Rachel Davis and Shout Sister Shout. It will be the first time Claudia and Shout Sister Shout have taken the stage together, an event that promises to be one of those "better not miss it" nights. Steppin' In It goes electric and will keep you dancing into the evening. There's also a wide range of performances including dancers, performance artists and the Sweet Adelines.

In addition to a wide selection of art for show & sale and gourmet food from many of the region's finest restaurants for purchase, there's even a chance for YOU to get into the act with "Fashion Is Art". This new feature that invites you to don your most innovative attire for a chance to win the Grand Prize, a spa weekend for two at Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa. Get tickets & lodging package information at traversecitywinefestival.com and check their Facebook for a ticket deal that ends TODAY.

To enter to win a pair of tickets to the Traverse City Wine & Art Festival and to be entered in every one of our Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Here's Shout Sister Shout for your listening pleasure!

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Super Dre @ Electric Forest Festival 2011 for Absolute Michigan from andrea claire maio on Vimeo.

Director: Andrea Maio
Camera: Sarah Kuschells and Andrea Maio
Production Assistant: Erik Peterson
Editor: Andrea Maio

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