The Pine Mountain ski slide was at one time was the highest artificial ski jump in the world and is still known throughout the world as one of the best jumping hills. At the first Pine Mountain Tournament, Bob Roecker, riding for the Duluth Ski Club, shattered the American jumping record with a leap of 257 feet.

For questions regarding tickets, please contact the Kiwanis Ski Club (906) 779-1110 or (800) 236-2447.  This video from Pine Mountain 2008 is a little bright, but it gives you a good sense of this exciting event. Here's another video with lots more jumps from the Continental Cup, but we have to give you this great newsreel from the 1950s voiced by Mel Allen. It was shot in Iron Mountain, and features several local jumpers including then 9-year-old Willie Erickson, a two-time Olympian and FIS World Championship competitor. Also don't miss the jumping videos from the Kiwanis club!

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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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January is Ski Month on Absolute Michigan, and all month long we are celebrating skiing in Michigan with original articles and features on downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding along with photos and videos that take you up close and personal with the Michigan ski experience. We'll also have features on Michigan ski pioneers and the rich history of skiing in the Great Lakes State, and from our friends at Seeking Michigan and the Archives of Michigan we'll have a feature on the Suicide Hill ski jump in Ishpeming.

At the center of it all is a giveaway of 4 pairs of lift tickets to 4 great Michigan ski resorts:

• Crystal Mountain (click for giveaway details)
• Shanty Creek (giveaway coming next week!)
• The Homestead (giveaway posted Jan 17)
• Boyne Mountain (giveaway Jan 24)

All you need to do to enter is be on our email list - sign up at the bottom of the article! We're not alone in celebrating skiing this month. Governor Rick Snyder has proclaimed January as Discover Michigan Snow Sports Month, citing the fact that we are home to more downhill ski areas than any other state and encouraging Michigan residents and visitors to use this month to take advantage of it.

Black Diamonds Will Have
to Wait... by ( Jennifer )

The Michigan Snowsports Industries Association has jumped on board, offering a program called Discover Michigan Skiing that will give you a beginner lesson, ski or snowboard rental equipment and a beginner-area ski lift pass or cross-country trail pass at 23 Michigan ski facilities! It's available through January 31 and costs just $20 for cross-country skiing; $30 downhill skiing and $40 snowboarding. The program is open to everyone 7 years and older and you can get all the details at their website goskimichigan.com. While you're there, don't miss Cold Is Cool - a promotion that gives every Michigan 4th Grader FREE skiing at participating Michigan resorts.

All in all, it's a great month to be skiing in Michigan. We'll take you out to the slopes right now with the masters of ski videos, the good people at Warren Miller Entertainment and their feature on Boyne Mountain, one of the early and present leaders of the Michigan ski industry.

Absolute Michigan is committed to helping our readers get more out of Michigan. To that end, we are adding an exciting new program featuring regular giveaways of products and services from all kinds of Michigan businesses. 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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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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Collectively Falling - Bond Falls by Aaron C. Jors

The Department of Natural Resources announced today that Michigan state parks and recreation areas have won the 2011 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Gold Medal for the top state park system in the nation. The DNR was notified today by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and NRPA.

Michigan was named one of four finalists in May, and beat North Carolina, Florida and Missouri for the top honor.

"This award is a credit to the people of Michigan," said Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who recently appointed a blue-ribbon panel to guide the parks system into the future. "For more than 90 years, Michiganders have realized that these unique areas are an integral part of the cultural enhancement, economic enrichment and overall quality of life that we value. Our parks are what we make of them and the people of this state clearly prize these treasures. I commend the DNR for its outstanding stewardship of these resources and look forward to working with all stakeholders so that we have a parks system that serves our state and its visitors for generations to come."

The Gold Medal Award honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, and agency recognition. Each agency is judged on its ability to address the needs of those it serves through the collective energies of citizens, staff, and elected officials.

"We are very proud to receive this award, and I want to recognize the employees of the Parks and Recreation Division who have worked hard to make sure our 99 state parks and recreation areas remain excellent places for our citizens and visitors to experience Michigan's abundant and amazing natural resources," said DNR Director Rodney Stokes. "This is the result of teamwork, talent and vision that is aimed at protecting our special places, and also making sure that visitors have an enjoyable, high quality experience."

In its winning application, the DNR focused on innovation, such as the Recreation Passport, which is the new funding model for state parks and outdoor recreation in Michigan. The $10 optional fee that Michigan residents can pay when renewing their vehicle registration at the Secretary of State gives them annual access to all Michigan state parks and boating access sites and also supports state forest recreation programs. A portion of the funding also supports a grant program for local parks.

"This achievement is indicative of the tremendous staff who works in the Parks and Recreation Division, who strive for excellent customer service every day to provide a positive experience for our customers," said DNR Parks and Recreation Chief Ron Olson.

Michigan is home to 99 state parks and recreation areas, offering visitors more than 13,000 campsites, trails, access to inland lakes, rivers and the Great Lakes.

For more information on state parks in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/stateparks.

And for even more, check out the Absolute Michigan Parks section!

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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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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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Untitled by DavidGuthrie

As I took a little drive yesterday in Leelanau & Benzie counties in Northern Michigan I realized that almost overnight, Autumn and fall color had arrived.

A good place to start your fall color touring is with the Fall Color section at puremichigan.org. In addition to color updates, you can get some really nice ideas for Fall Color tours all across the state along with an idea of when color is at its best in each location.

A few more good sites for fall color are the All Things Autumn for West Michigan, the M-22 Color Tour, Exploring the North UP Fall Color and Up North Color Tours for northern Lower Michigan and the UP.

Upper Tahquamenon Falls by James Marvin Phelps

A great place to go for pics of current fall color is the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr. Just dive right in, click for the latest fall color shots or check out the all-time most popular fall color shots.

You also don't want to miss fall from Michigan in Pictures, which includes The Science of Fall Color and our popular Michigan fall wallpaper series!

Check the photo above out bigger and in David's Fallscapes slideshow.

Have a link or a Michigan fall photo to share? Post the link below or on the Michigan in Pictures Facebook!

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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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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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Mackinaw bridge walk by KatSwinehart

On Labor Day (Monday, September 5th) the 54th annual Mackinac Bridge Walk takes place. The walk is free to all and starts at 7 AM and you can leave any time up to 11 AM. They have a blog with information for and about the 400 runners who won the lottery for an opportunity to take part in the early morning Mackinac Bridge Labor Day Run. It includes information for how to enter next year.

The first walk took place in the early morning hours of Labor Day, 1958. Just 68 people took that first 5 mile walk across the Mighty Mac. In the early years, it seems that the walk was sparsely attended and viewed as an annoyance until the Governor was brought in to lead the walk. The walk averages 50,000 to 65,000 attendees and the record is estimated to be 85,000 when George H. W. Bush led the walk in 1992.

In 2007, the Mackinac Bridge marked its 50th anniversary and Absolute Michigan & Michigan in Pictures posted a TON of information about the Mighty Mac that you can see on our Michigan's Mackinac Bridge page.

Here's a cool video from the Michigan Department of Transportation about last year's walk that features Lawrence Rubin, one of the primary people behind the construction of the Mackinac Bridge. Another nice video is the one we featured last year that you can watch on YouTube!

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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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Tannery Falls by trumansnare

One of the regular guests on the Michigan in Pictures photo blog are waterfalls. Go Waterfalling is the go-to site for Michigan waterfall information, and they say that Michigan has over 200 named waterfalls.

The Michigan waterfalls category on Michigan in Pictures has over 60 posts from the big ones like Spray Falls, Bond Falls and Tahquamenon Falls to small and less well-known cascades like Gabbro Falls, Rock River Falls, Black River Falls and one that has (in my opinion) the coolest story associated with it, O Kun De Kun Falls. There's also a writeup (today) of this waterfall, Tannery Falls.

Speaking of waterfalls, here's a cool little video of some waterfalls around Marquette that you might enjoy...

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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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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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Superman by sullivan06

OK, so jumping out of your chair at work and dancing? That's not gonna help.

1. The office does offer a strategy though. With highs today in most of Michigan into the upper 90s and a chance of topping 100 on Thursday, air conditioners are one of your best friends. FOX-17 offers some tips for maximizing their effectiveness including drawing the blinds so they don't have to work as hard. If your workplace has A/C, today is probably a good day to work late.

2. Fortunately, Michigan has its own A/C in the form of 300+ named rivers, over 11,000 lakes (take THAT Minnesota) and the big ones: Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and the best lake for a day like today, mighty (cold) Lake Superior. The water temperature in Superior by Marquette today is in the 60s - maybe it's time for a trip to the U.P.! Even if you can't make it, Michigan boasts tons of parks with water access, so cut out to the beach or float down a river today. Sunscreen is of course, a must.

Smile + Flow by Ralph Krawczyk Jr

3. Speaking of water, the Freep reminds us to drink lots of water in a cool feature that includes photos of how some Metro Detroiters are beating the heat. Water can get a little old after the 10th glass, so try one of my favorites - make a batch of lemonade and add some Michigan tart cherry concentrate for a tart & refreshing drink!

4. Have you felt guilty for not taking advantage of Michigan's incredible variety of museums & libraries? This week is a perfect time to take some time to explore with family & friends. Pure Michigan has a nice list of Michigan museums and you can get lots more art museums and historical museums & libraries from Absolute Michigan!

5. At the end of the day, it's almost impossible to avoid the heat on a day like today. A good piece of advice is remember February and revel in it!

Let us know other ideas to beat the heat in Michigan in the comments, and if anyone out there has a heat-beating product, tell us about it below.  If you want, email me and we'll give it away to our email list!

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Expanse by g. s. george

You don't have to travel far when you live in Michigan to find a whole lot of fun. We encourage you to support the festivals, events, cities and businesses that are making all the cool things happen around the state. So get out this summer and have some fun and create some great memories in the process. Carpe diem!!

As usual we by no means have listed all the events happening around Michigan. Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

July Quotes

"Many public-school children seem to know only two dates: 1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don't know what happened on either occasion. - Mark Twain

"Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." - Mark Twain

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." Henry David Thoreau

"You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook's year. I get more excited by that than anything else." - Mario Batali

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard

Fast Facts - via Wikipedia's July entry

• The second half of the year commences in July
• The birthstone for July is a red ruby
• July was renamed for Julius Caesar... Previously, it was called Quintilis...

Also be sure to check out Pure Michigan's July Event Round-up and our Absolute Michigan Event Calendar for more great Michigan events!

July 2 - 9
National Cherry Festival Traverse City
The National Cherry Festival features over 150 events including free air shows over the Bay, colorful parades & marching bands, music shows, sporting events, rides & carnival games on the midway, pie-eating contests, clean blue skies, warm sunshine, crowds of smiling faces, and loads of luscious cherries prepared every way you can imagine!

July 8 - 9
Michigan Elvisfest Ypsilanti
The world-renowned Michigan Elvisfest began in 2000 in Ypsilanti, Michigan's Historic Depot Town. Beautiful Riverside Park is the place where Elvis fans flock by the thousands every July to pay homage to the King of Rock & Roll and to hear the most award-winning professional Elvis Tribute Artists in North America, as well as other talented Legend Tribute Artists.

July 8 - 10
Blissfest Cross Village
The 30th Blissfest Music Festival will be a celebration of music, culture, art and community featuring a world of diverse and innovative folk and roots music and dance at the Festival Farm in picturesque rural northern Michigan. It is truly a blissful musical weekend to be shared with families, friends and music-lovers of all ages. The annual event is a showcase of the many musical styles that define American roots and world music. Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Celtic, Folk, Jazz, Latin, Ethnic, World music and dance all share the stage.

July 9 - Aug 7
Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire Battle Creek
Neither heat, rain nor scary beast will shut their gates that hold jousting and performances and all manner of medieval fun. The Faire is also West Michigan's premier Artisan Marketplace with over 100 vendors selling their wares and crafts, you will find everything from turkey legs to wood-carving, leather to silks, and blacksmiths to fairy wings.

July 14 - Aug 7
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival Jackson
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival has been presenting the timeless themes and glorious language of William Shakespeare since 1995, growing each year into a premier regional event that draws respected actors from across the nation, and satisfied audiences from throughout the Midwest.

July 14 - 17
Venetian Festival St. Joseph
The name implies gracious glides on a glowing river and the gentle sounds of water rippling as gondoliers pole their slender boats and sing soft love songs to couples snuggled in the bows. Such were the hot days and long nights in Venice, Italy, where Venetian Festivals started so many years ago. In St. Joseph, they still celebrate hot July days and long summer nights with boat rides and love songs and couples holding hands. The Venetian Festival on the St. Joseph River is all of that plus music, fine food and fun for all ages!

July 14 - 17
Concert of Colors Detroit
The Concert of Colors is metro Detroit's free annual diversity music festival. It is presented by ACCESS/Arab American National Museum, New Detroit Inc. and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) with the goal of bringing together metro Detroit's diverse communities and ethnic groups by presenting musical acts from around the world. Over its 17-year history, the festival has become a beloved highlight of metro Detroit's summer festival season.

July 15 - 16
Michigan Storytellers Festival Flint
It’s free fun for all INSIDE the Flint Public Library. Don’t miss our master storytellers who bring the oral tradition to life. As always there will be several workshops and storytelling concerts during the day on Saturday with storytellers in concert beginning at 7PM on Friday and Saturday.

July 16 - 17
Quake on the Lake Waterford
Over the past 10 years, the "Quake" has become on of Oakland County's must-attend events and is the North American Inboard Hydroplane Championship. The event is the proud holder of 17 American Power Boat Association (APBA) world speed records being set in 5 different racing classes making Pontiac Lake one of the fastest one-mile race courses in the country! There's also music from Rare Earth, the Verve Pipe and others.

July 16 - 17
Ragtime Street Fair Dearborn
Savor an American original -Ragtime music. You'll hear Scott Joplin rags like "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer" along with  much, much more as scores of other musicians travel from all over the country to perform on nearly a dozen stages throughout Greenfield Village. It's syncopated, jazzy, hot and live. Fresh summer food, too, and dancing in the streets!

July 20 - 23
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair Ann Arbor
Established in 1960, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is the Original of the now four award-winning Ann Arbor Art Fairs: The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original, The State Street Area Art Fair, The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and the Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair. Together, the fairs attract over a half a million attendees from across the nation. The Original Fair was named the Number One Art Fair in the country by AmericanStyle magazine readers survey (October 2004) and has made the Top Ten Fairs and Festivals list every year since.

July 22 - 23
Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival Ypsilanti
The Summer Beer Festival is the Michigan Brewers Guild's oldest and largest of our four annual festivals. The festival takes place outside in a lovely riverside setting and will feature more than 300 different beers from more than 50 different Michigan breweries. A variety of tasty food items are available for purchase from independent food vendors inside the festival and there will be a diverse selection live music from a variety of local bands.

July 26 - 31
Traverse City Film Festival Traverse City
The Traverse City Film Festival has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, and one of the most respected in the country. Last year, there were over 80,000 admissions to nearly 100 screenings, a number of them U.S. or world premieres. A special emphasis is given to foreign films, American independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of a public starved to see a good movie.

July 29 - 31
Yale Bologna Festival Yale
Every July Yale plays host to the Yale Bologna Festival, a 3 day weekend event that closes the streets and transforms this small community of just under 2,000 to a gathering of over 20,000 Bologna starved party-goers! A tradition in Yale since 1989, this festival has grown considerably since its humble beginnings. The festival draws people from all around Michigan as well as other states, eager to see who will be the next King and Queen of Bologna. The Bologna Festival includes such events as the famed outhouses races, a street dance, fireworks and a parade down Main Street that continues to grow each year.

July 29 - Aug 7
Coast Guard Festival Grand Haven
The United States Coast Guard has a long and prestigious history in Grand Haven and around the world. Celebrate the Coasties with activities, events, and attractions for all ages. Many are free, and you will find plenty of fun and choices from Kid's Day to the Street Dance and Cruise-In Car Show, to carnival rides, picnics, parades, fireworks and ship tours.

July 30 - 31
Art On The Rocks Marquette
Located in a beautiful wooded area on the shore of Lake Superior in north Marquette, the annual Art On The Rocks at Presque Isle Park features a huge variety of artwork in all media for show & sale.

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Surfing Michigan by farlane

We've pulled together a great collection of Great Lakes & Michigan surfing videos with a few links:

• The photo was taken on Lake Michigan at Leland. You can see more surfing photos on Michigan in Pictures and also on Northern Michigan Surf on Facebook and in the Surfing slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool!
• The best of the bunch is below, a TV special on Grand Haven filmmaker Vince Deur's movie Unsalted. the 7 minute short introduces you to the history and present day of Great Lakes surfing. There's also a couple of outtakes that take you to surfing hot spots like Michigan's Lake Superior shore in winter! Last December we ran Michigan Film: Unsalted: A Great Lakes Experience that has all the details (including where to get it!) and tons of clips from the definitive work on riding the freshwater wave.
• The Roxy Get Outside Tour recently visited Grand Haven, Michigan with a couple pro female surfers. They also answered the "Michigan question" and visited the Great Lakes Surf Association (more Michigan footage including waterskiing at the Roxy blog)
• Surfing isn't just for lakes any more, there's also the Grand River Surf (featuring some cool Police tunes...)
• If surfing isn't fast enough (or the waves aren't big enough) there's always kiteboarding. Boarding Lake Michigan Waves from South Beach in South Haven shows you highlights of surfers, kiteboarders and windsurfers. Every September, the King of the Great Lakes Kiteboarding Competition is held in Grand Haven. You can visit Mackinac Kites for information on the event.
• Pure Michigan gets in the act with the Fresh Water Surfing page.
• Check out Absolute Michigan keyword surf for surfing articles and surfing-related businesses! Might as well try Absolute Michigan keyword kiteboard too!

Did we miss something? Of course we did!! Tell us and/or add a link in the comments.

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As a winner of the Festival Summer, I would chronicle the events on both my personal and company Facebook pages and blog. As the owner of a design firm (Tandem) and one-time music publication creator, I have an eye (and the camera) for good photography and can create well-written and compelling copy.

Would be stoked to win and would do the contest justice in quality coverage!

OK Eric, bring it!! And thanks everyone for your entries!

Absolute Michigan wants you!

In addition to rocking the giveaways all summer long through Festival Summer, a number of our event partners are going the extra mile to provide one lucky winner with 2 FREE passes to every one of the 11 fantastic Michigan festivals listed below!

Michigan's many festivals and events continue to be a bright light, celebrating what makes Michigan a place we all love.

Because these events are going the extra mile, we sought someone (or a group of someones) who would go the extra mile to share the fun of Festival Summer.

Our team of reviewers will look the emails we've received over and choose a winner, so be creative! If you want, feel free to post your entry or your thoughts on the Absolute Michigan Facebook page.

In addition to sending us an email (or two) telling us what you're going to do, you need to be on our email list. This will also enter you in every giveaway we do.

Here are the events included in the package!

• Thunder Over Michigan - July 23 & 24
• Maker Faire Detroit - July 30 & 31
• Paella In The Park - August 5
• Dunegrass Music Festival - August 5-7
• Farmfest - August 11-14
• Traverse City Wine & Art Festival - August 20
• Hoxeyville Music Festival - August 19 & 20
• Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival - August 26 & 27
• Porcupine Mountain Music Festival - August 26-28
• Crystal Mountain's Taste of Michigan - September 3
• Midwest Fest 2011 - September 28-October 1
• ...and Absolute Michigan reserves the right to add prizes.

Check Festival Summer for information and all these and many more great events.  As you can see, some of the events are over the same weekend, so you better share it with your friends so you have someone to take any extra tickets! And remember, even if you don't win the big prize, you're still eligible for every one of our giveaways. And because we want to stay connected, you are eligible to win more than once.

Questions? Post them or email them and we'll post answers below.

Q&A

Do I have to go to all the festivals?

No. Some of them are on the same day, and while our team of Michigan experts assures us that someone could attend and enjoy all events, that's a lot to expect. Share your good fortune with someone who will report for you.

Can more than one person enter?

You may enlist and propose the support of a team, company, nonprofit, friends, family and robots. We will give the tickets to a single person though.

What are you looking for?

Absolute Michigan is all about getting the most out of Michigan. We're hoping you'll get out there and enjoy these great events, and that you'll share them with our readers and the world at large. These events are cool because Michigan is cool.

What we're asking for is that you share your experience. Be it photos, video, observations, tweets, updates, artwork or whatever you think tells it best. It doesn't have to be wall to wall coverage and it doesn't have to be flashy.

In addition to sending us an email (or two) telling us what you're going to do, you need to be on our email list. This will also enter you in every giveaway we do.

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The annual Muskegon Summer Celebration takes place June 30 through July 9. It's an all star music extravaganza with headliners including West Michigan's own Pop Evil and Black Stone Cherry (July 1), Sugar Ray and Night Ranger (July 2), Theory of a Deadman and Skillet (July 3), Hotel California, Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Artie Dean Harris (July 4), Charlie Daniels Band and Aaron Lewis (July 6), The Goo Goo Dolls, Michelle Branch and Parachute (July 7), Cinderella and Jackyl (July and Trey Songz and Hot Chelle Rae (July 9).

The festival draws more than 600,000 people to Muskegon across 11 days with over 30 acts including many local & regional bands. In addition to great music, there's plenty of family fun for all ages including art and other vendors, fireworks and a carnival midway. On the 4th of July, the festival will be offering a special combination package for unlimited carnival rides from open to close AND free admission into the evening's concert that night for only $15 per person.

Because decisions are hard, we have a pair of 8 day passes to the festivalso you don't have to choose! Enter to win below and also check out a video from Pop Evil.

The winner of a pair of passes to the Summer Celebration (midway not included) has been notified! To be entered in every one of our Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

All summer long Absolute Michigan will be partnering with some of Michigan's most amazing festivals & events to give our readers FREE tickets and a chance to enjoy the food, music and celebration that is part of summertime in the Great Lakes State!

Absolute Michigan will not share your email address with anyone. Period. Your inbox is safe with us. What we will share with you is a periodic but usually no more than weekly update, possibly including a special offer, potentially a prize or giveaway and definitely some great news about what is working and fun to do in the Great State called Michigan that we love!

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The Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival takes place on Saturday, June 18th from 1-10 PM at Weko Beach on Lake Michigan in Bridgman.

It's a showcase event that allows you to sample locally grown and produced varietals and wines by the taste or the glass from the wineries of the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail: Tabor Hill, Contessa, Domaine Berrien, Fenn Valley, Karma Vista, Lawton Ridge, Lemon Creek, Round Barn, St. Julian, Free Run, Hickory Creek, Warner and Founder's. Wrap this into a day filled with sun & sand, extraordinary cuisine from local restaurants, jazz, blues, R&B, and a dazzling sunset and you have one fantastic summer festival – ideal not only for wine aficionados but for the entire family! (there's even beach access for kids to play on beach all day!)

Click through for details & ticket information and be sure you're entered below for a pair of free passes to the festival!

All summer long Absolute Michigan is partnering with some of Michigan's most amazing festivals & events to give our readers FREE tickets and a chance to enjoy the food, music and celebration that is part of summertime in the Great Lakes State!

Corrine G. from La Porte, Indiana took home the pair of passes to the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival. She says she's been to Bridgman and Weko Beach many times. Her favorite wineries are St. Julian and Tabor Hill, and while her favorite Michigan wine changes according to the occasion and accompanying food, St. Julian Braganini Reserve Pinot Noir is her current favorite.

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

Absolute Michigan will not share your email address with anyone. Period. Your inbox is safe with us. What we will share with you is a periodic but usually no more than weekly update, possibly including a special offer, potentially a prize or giveaway and definitely some great news about what is working and fun to do in the Great State called Michigan that we love!

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Points of Light by StacyN

Quotes

"Summer is a promissory note signed in June, its long days spent and gone before you know it, and due to be repaid next January." - Hal Borland

"There are moments, above all on June evenings, when the lakes that hold our moons are sucked into the earth, and nothing is left but wine and the touch of a hand."- Charles Morgan

"June is bustin' out all over." - Oscar Hammerstein II, 1945

June Fast Facts - Wikipedia

At the start of June, the sun rises in the constellation of Taurus; at the end of June, the sun rises in the constellation of Gemini.

The traditional June birthstone is the pearl.

The June birth flower is the rose, or the honeysuckle.

June is named after Juno (Hera). Juno was the goddess of marriage and a married couple's household, so some consider it good luck to be married in this month.

The summer solstice occurs on June, 21 at 11:28 am

Things to Do, Places to Go

June 2-4
Greek Festival - Kalamazoo
Thirty plus years ago it all began with a small gathering of friends enjoying the Greek culture in the basement of Dionysos Restaurant. Within a few years the festival grew in size and it could no longer be held in the restaurant. After much consideration it was decided to make the festival a one day outdoor event. The festival eventually grew in size to a three day event where musicians, singers, and dancers would come via Greece and share the authentic Greek experience. When joining us at the festival this year, in memory of Theo, remember him singing and dancing with his glass of Ouzo exclaiming OPA!

June 3-4
KIA Annual Art Fair & Beer Garden - Kalamazoo
The KIA Art Fair, an annual tradition in Kalamazoo since 1951, features more than 200 artist booths, children's activities, food and live entertainment. Held in beautiful Bronson Park on the first weekend of June, it is the second-oldest art fair in the nation. Includes the popular KIA beer garden featuring Bell's Oberon, wine, soft drinks and food along with a special musical guest.

June 3-5
Festival of the Arts - Grand Rapids
2011 marks the 42nd festival of the arts, with is one of the longest-running festivals in the state and the largest all-volunteer arts event in the nation. Always held the first full weekend in June in downtown Grand Rapids, festival of the arts is a community celebration featuring arts, entertainment, food and fun activities for the entire family. All performances, exhibits and activities are free!

June 10-19
Lilac Festival - Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island comes alive with the iconic flowers of June and many activities during the annual Lilac Festival. Flowers, games, the Grand Parade and live music are just some of the events during the festival.

June 9-12
Water Front Film Festival - Saugatuck
In what has quickly become a tradition, the idyllic resort village of Saugatuck, Michigan comes alive each June with filmgoers, actors, producers and directors sharing the excitement as outstanding independent films from all over the United States are screened in casual, intimate settings. Entertainment professionals from Los Angeles, New York and Michigan created the Waterfront Film Festival in 1999 to provide a "middle coast" venue for independent filmmakers eager to show their work to sophisticated audiences. The festival has succeeded with growing support and recognition each year, and enthusiastic reviews from attendees.

June 9-12
Bavarian Festival - Frankenmuth
Willkommen to Frankenmuth's 53rd Annual Bavarian Festival. Back in 1959 "Tiny" & Dorothy Zehnder gambled on "Bavarianizing" their restaurant and re-naming it Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn. Visitors of all ages are invited to hear Bavarian music played by authentically dressed German bands, watch two outstanding parades, enjoy an expanded midway with rides and games and enjoy exciting dance music in our Harvey Kern Pavilion. Saturday's Kinder Tag (Kid's Day) is sure to have something for children of all ages. Participate in face painting, or simply take in the hands-on craft area. Taste buds are tempted to their limit with a variety of delicious German foods and desserts. And to top it all off, plenty of refreshing ice-cold beer!

June 10-12
Gizzard Fest - Potterville
Gizzard Fest is an exciting event that overtakes the great city of Potterville, bringing an awesome time to all. There is a Beer tent at the greatest bar around, Joe's Gizzard City. There is a thrilling gizzard eating contest, enter if you think you have what it takes. Dancing, live music, BEER, what's not to like. Come down and have some fun!!!!

June 10-12
Nor-East'r Music & Art Festival - Mio
Featuring 3 days of a variety of original & traditional styles of music & dance presented on 2 stages; so you can shop for the performance you want to see. Dance classes will be available as well as music workshops & various other side shows. Juried art will be available for viewing, buying & demonstrating. Free rustic camping on-site is also available with a weekend ticket and kids activities including instrument making, face painting, crafts, a play, story time, & a flute playing jam session & more are available.

June 11
Ella Sharp Wine and Art Festival - Jackson
The annual Ella Sharp Art & Wine Festival happens from 11AM to 7PM on the grounds of the Ella Sharp Museum. There is no entrance fee to the event itself for guests wishing to peruse artists' booths and take in the live entertainment. Tasting tickets are available (discount in advance) and guests can also purchase wine by the bottle or the case on the day of the event.

June 11
M-22 Challenge - Leelanau County
Designed to test athletes against Lake Michigan's natural terrain and the area's environmental elements, the M-22 Challenge course promises participants an unforgettable experience with a bike race around Big and Little Glen Lake, an exciting paddle vent on crystal clear Little Glen, and a challenging 2 mile run including dune climb overlooking Lake Michigan.

June 17 - July 10
Ann Arbor Summer Festival - Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exhilarating celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit. Each year, this three-and-a-half-week cultural and social event offers dozens of performances, activities, screenings, and more, with eclectic music, dance, comedy, film, visual arts, and family fun.

June 16-18
Lansing Juneteenth Celebration - Lansing
The mission of the Lansing Juneteenth Committee is to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States by celebrating the joys of liberty, educating the community about our heritage and by promoting positive cultural interaction.

June 17-18
Straits Area Car Show - St. Ignace
All Original Vehicles 1984 and OLDER. Featuring All Makes & Models From Chrysler Corporation! Best Of Show Will Win A Two Night Stay At The Grand Hotel On Mackinac Island Michigan.

June 17-19
The Belleville National Strawberry Festival - Belleville
The variety of events taking place over three days of the National Strawberry Festival appeal to the young and young at heart. The Festival's broad audience and safe atmosphere offer sponsors a unique opportunity to reach a strong family oriented market, resulting in measurable advertising benefits and excellent business opportunities.

June 17-19
Dearborn Arab International Festival - Dearborn
This 3-day event is a free, family-centered cultural celebration that will attract over 300,000 people from Michigan, the Midwest, and Canada. This celebration of cultures will feature ethnic performances representing the diverse heritage of the people of Metropolitan Detroit. It boasts a great number of amusements, live musical acts-both local and international, international food booths, coffee cup readings, henna, arts and crafts, a children's tent, artisans, Arab merchandise, and a giant old-fashioned Ferris wheel that overlooks East Dearborn.

June 18 - July 11
Ann Arbor Summer Festival - Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Summer Festival is an exhilarating celebration of performing arts, outdoor entertainment, and community spirit. Each year, this three-and-a-half-week cultural and social event offers dozens of performances, activities, screenings, and more, with eclectic music, dance, comedy, film, visual arts, and family fun.

June 18
LPVA Small Plates - Leelanau Peninsula
LPVA Small Plates features wineries offering a full glass of wine paired with a well-presented and substantial tapas dish from some of the region's fines restaurants. Each of 3 seatings at each winery has limited tickets (advance sales only).

June 19
Annual Father's Day Festival and Corvette Car Show - Berrien Springs
Lemon Creek Winery invites you to take dad to their annual Father's Day Festival and Corvette Show. Doors open at Noon and the music runs from 1:00pm to 6:00pm with the Corvette Coventry of Southwest Michigan will be on the grounds displaying over their classic Corvettes along with wine tasting, great food and and hayrides events for the whole family.

June 23-26
Detroit River Daysl - Detroit
River Days (formerly the International Freedom Festival) is a one-of-a-kind festival taking place along the Detroit Riverfront with tall ships, jet-ski demos and riverboat tours to live music, sand sculptures, bike tours, kids activities, delicious eats and much more! Just $3!

June 24-25
Festival of the Sun and Moon - Lansing
Presented by the Old Town Commercial Association, the Festival of the Moon and Festival of the Sun bring together friends, families, and neighbors from all over Michigan to the heart of Old Town. Celebrate the beginning of the summer season at Mid-Michigan's premier wine, beer, and food sampling event and enjoy live music throughout the weekend.

June 24-25
Alpena Blues Festival - Alpena
Music and more at the Alpena County Fairgrounds! This year they will be donating a portion of the proceeds to the Vietnam Veterans of America and to the Sunrise Food Coalition. Camping reservations are being taken now.

June 24-26
Michigan Challenge Balloonfest - Howell
Check out Howell for the state championship of hot air ballooning, featuring more than 50 gorgeous balloons. Enjoy thrilling skydiving exhibitions, stunt kite shows, kids activities, a 5K run, a medieval village, arts festival and family entertainment and more

June 24-26
Michigan Energy Fair - Onekama
The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association (GLREA) invites you to Ludington and the Annual Michigan Energy Fair. This three-day event will unite people from throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes region to learn about energy issues and sustainable living. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend educational workshops; meet vendors offering valuable goods, services, and information; eat local food; and hear great live music.

June 25
Waterfront Wine Festival - Harbor Springs
In its fifth year, the festival is again being held on the waterfront in Harbor Springs. Over a dozen purveyors of fine wines will be on hand for tastings. The event also boasts samplings by local restaurants and food specialty stores as well as live music by the John Driscoll ensemble.

June 25
Fenn Valley Wine Fest - Fennville
There will be tasting locations outside in the vineyards (weather permitting), providing you with an opportunity to visit the most picturesque spots on the farm while you taste a selection of our wines in the vineyard where they originated. The People Hauler (Wagon) will be continuously transporting participants from the winery to the vineyard tasting sites, or you can enjoy a leisurely 10 minute stroll from the winery to the vineyard.

June 30 - July 9
Muskegon Summer Celebration - Muskegon
The Muskegon Summer Celebration takes place June 30 through July 9. Headliners include Pop Evil, Charlie Daniels Band, Cinderella, Smokin Joe Kubek, Trey Songz, Sugar Ray and Night Ranger and there's more than 30 in all. It's an all star music extravaganza with plenty family fun for all ages including art and other vendors, fireworks and carnival midway.

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Leland Wine Festival by farlane

The Leland Wine & Food Festival is Michigan's oldest wine festival held on the second Saturday in June (June 11, 2011) from noon-6 PM. 2011 is the 26th annual of this fundraiser for the Leland Chamber of Commerce and there's few things better than a day in the Leland Harbor and historic Fishtown tasting wines from local wineries and enjoying delicious food prepared by local restaurants.

There's also live music all day and (of course) the beautiful views of Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands. Absolute Michigan is happy to be offering a pair of passes to the festival - read on for details and also for a listing of wineries & restaurants and a video!

All summer long Absolute Michigan will be partnering with some of Michigan's most amazing festivals & events to give our readers FREE tickets and a chance to enjoy the food, music and celebration that is part of summertime in the Great Lakes State!

The winner of a pair of passes to the Leland Wine Festival is Ed Roth of Kalamazoo. We asked him about his favorite Michigan festivals and he said that while there are so many great ones to choose from, Kalamazoo's Island and Blues festivals, Ann Arbor's Art Fair, and Detroit's Jazz Festival stand out for him! To be entered in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Absolute Michigan will not share your email address with anyone. Period. Your inbox is safe with us. What we will share with you is a periodic but usually no more than weekly update, possibly including a special offer, potentially a prize or giveaway and definitely some great news about what is working and fun to do in the Great state called Michigan that we love!

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Summer is kicked off spectacularly on June 11 and June 18 with two rockin' wine and food festivals perfectly located along the lakeshore in northwest and southwest Michigan.

Just in! Absolute Michigan is giving away a pair of tickets to each of these festivals through our Festival Summer promotion! Click that link for the details!

A whole lot going on by farlane

Attend the 26th annual Leland Wine and Food Festival on June 11 at the Leland Harbor and historic Fishtown and in view of the idyllic Manitou Islands. Live music provides the ambience for tasting artfully crafted wines and enjoying delicious cuisine from a variety of local restaurants from noon until 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $15, which includes a wine glass and two tastings of regional wines from Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. Shop Leland's boutiques for unique gifts and souvenirs before or after the event. Get more details at www.lpwines.com.

Cruise down the coast one week later for the 6th annual Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival in charming Bridgman in southwest Michigan. Weko Beach is the destination on June 18 for a day of savoring tasty cuisine prepared by area restaurants and more artfully crafted wines from the southwest region's wineries. This family friendly festival runs from 1:00 to 10:00 p.m. and combines wine tastings for the adults with breezy beach fun, live music and a breathtaking sunset. Enjoy blues, pop rock and R&B from musical talents Duke Tumatoe, P.S. Dump Your Boyfriend, Midwest Hype and Cadillac Dave & His Chicago Red Hots. Admission is $10 for ages 21 and older. Advance tickets are $8 at www.ticketweb.com. Admission fee includes a wine glass. Tasting tickets are $1 each. Get more details at www.miwinetrail.com.

Here's a great video from the Leland Wine Festival from TVCadillac by Vic McCarty!

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• Mike Devol of Greensky Bluegrass
• Erin Zindle of The Ragbirds
• Grand Rapids DJ SuperDre
• ...and Electric Forest founder Jeremy Stein below!

by Bob Lovik

Music is coming back Rothbury this summer after a two-year hiatus that has left a big hole in the Michigan festival circuit. But, don't call this the Rothbury Festival. This year's event is the Electric Forest Festival and while it is being produced by the same people, it is an entirely new thing. With a mouth- watering lineup of acts from a huge variety of genres, Electric Forest is being held over four days from June 30th to July 3. Absolute Michigan recently caught up with the very busy Jeremy Stein - the man who created the Rothbury Festival and the upcoming Electric Forest Festival.

Why the name change from Rothbury to Electric Forest?

Jeremy Stein: Actually, its not a name change. It is a new event. The Electric Forest Festival is something different from Rothbury which could very well have a future. With the venue, the Double JJ Ranch, we have the possibility of hosting different events of different sizes at different times throughout the year. The Electric Forest Festival is our first foray into doing this and we are really looking forward to trying it out.

The line-up seems to be targeted towards a younger crowd. Tell us a little bit about that.

Jeremy: It's so subjective as to what people like. I would have people say the same thing about Rothbury and then we have Willie Nelson on stage. Others said that because we had Bob Dylan and The Dead, we were trying to attract an older audience but I know tons of kids who are into those two. I'm done trying to figure it out I guess. Like Rothbury, we are going to have a lot of dance acts. There has been a great local response to REO Speedwagon playing Saturday afternoon. We just try and program a good variety throughout the day and night.

The common thread of all the bands is integrity and quality. The cream of the crop rises. The biggest part of an event like this is the sense of discovery. It always happens that someone walks up to musicians they know nothing about and get totally blown away. It is our role to have our ear to the ground and try and know what people like before they do.

Are there any bands that you are excited to see?

Jeremy: Truth is, I've seen everyone on the lineup. If I wasn't a fan, they wouldn't be at the show. Bassnectar has been crazy hot lately. He is a really exciting guy doing really exciting things. He's really unique and we are excited to have him.

Will there be any exciting Michigan bands taking the stage?

Jeremy: Oh yeah. Greensky Bluegrass is playing. I always like seeing them. There's a really exciting DJ called Super Dre. She's really funky. Then there are The Ragbirds. I know that we've gotten a tremendous amount of support from Michigan folk already.

What about the venue? What does the Double JJ offer?

Jeremy: There are great new owners there and we are really excited about it. They had a lot of work to do and it is very exciting for us because now we have friends and professional folks to work with who are really trying to do good things.

You have mentioned that one of your goals for Electric Forest is to seamlessly integrate music with art. How are you planning on doing that?

Jeremy: One of the great things about the venue is that Sherwood Forest creates this incredible platform that allows us to do almost anything. Electric Forest isn't just about the music. People will be able to connect over art installations, performance art and cultural art to name a few. The term art is a pretty big umbrella. The art isn't just in the forest either but the forest creates this social and cultural hang out scene that will be different during the day and night. A lot of festivals are, to an extent, bands and stages, and that's great but this is more than just music. Electric Forest is a cultural event.

How do you go about designing such a large event?

Jeremy: It's a collective really. We provide an open source opportunity for folks who have experience putting on festivals, people who have done public art or people who just have great ideas and want to get involved. There is a common thread between professionals and fans with great ideas.

You have a big focus on sustainability and keeping the festival green. What are your responsibilities as the producer?

Jeremy: Summer festivals are gatherings where you can get a taste of where a culture is at in the moment. They tell us what is important to people, what they are focused on and what kind of events they want to take part in. Electric Forest is extremely participatory and our responsibility is to lead by example in regards to sustainability. To try out new things while adhering to a certain morality of the culture of the times. That is one of the great things about the music industry. It isn't afraid to be a leader. You can look at events like Electric Forest as a barometer and as kind of a testing ground.

What do you hope that Electric Forest will contribute to Michigan?

Jeremy: Naturally, the festival will bring a lot of folks into Michigan. We have emails from people saying they are coming in for the festival but also want to spend the entire week in the state hanging out. Growing up in Chicago, I've always loved west Michigan and we jumped at the opportunity to do an event here!

What is the future of Electric Forest?

Jeremy: I've always had a long term view and there are a lot of options. We took a year off for a lot of healthy reasons. One, the goal is to make this one event as great as it can be. And two, we want to keep it going in annual installments while also having different, individual events. Whenever I come out there, the local community is really welcoming and that's a great feeling. There is a mutual respect and they are hoping for more events. The know our team does things right.

Much more about Electric Forest at electricforestfestival.com.

Photos by Absolute Michigan - view slideshow.

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