They say April showers bring May flowers and we've definitely had our fair share of cold rain and snow, so bring on those flowers! Activities and events abound so use May as a springboard to fun in the Great Lakes State! We have by no means listed all the events happening around the state, so add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

diesels and purple durple by artsy_T

"Spring - an experience in immortality." - Henry D. Thoreau

"An optimist is the human personification of spring." - Susan J. Bissonette

"Never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom." - Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

"If we were flowers, We would worship the sun" - Jon Anderson

Fast Facts - from Wikipedia

• May's birthstone is the emerald which means love or success. Its birth flower is the Lily of the Valley and the Crataegus monogyna.
• May is the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. It is also a month within the northern season of spring.
• The month may have been named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May.
• In both common and leap years, no other month begins on the same day of the week as May. This month and June are the only two months that have this.

Things to do, Places to go!

May 1 - 3
Green Street Fair - Plymouth
Green Street Fair was founded to help educate and inform people of all ages about the benefits of green, organic, and eco-friendly products and services. To promote global interest and personal well-being, the Green Street Fair blends companies, artisans, entertainers, workshops and speakers together in a friendly and family-oriented outdoor environment. Consumers who attend the Green Street Fair will be encouraged to learn the advantages of taking strides, large or small, towards living a healthier and greener life.

May 1 - 3
Penguicon 7.0 - Romulus
More than 1,000 geeks who gather annually in southeast Michigan to celebrate - science fiction and fantasy, free and open source software and other geek interests. A party in a hotel all weekend bursting with creativity and intelligence and free beer. Packed with scheduled content, crossing disciplines, full of celebrities and experts, opening the source of everything by teaching you HOWTO and encouraging you, the attendees, to teach us what you know. A half-dozen conventions combined - Mix and match a weekend that's just for you!

May 1 - 3
Jackson Storyfest - Jackson
Organized by volunteers and supported by generous foundations, businesses and individuals, Jackson Storyfest has offered a free weekend of storytelling for more than twenty years. Annually, over 5,000 students visit downtown Jackson to hear stories by national, regional and local tellers as they weave their magic at various downtown locations.

May 2
Victorian Days - Grand Ledge
In recent years, the residents and shop owners of the Grand Ledge area have begun to celebrate the town's rich heritage by presenting the Victorian Days event to one and all. The wearing of Victorian costume is encouraged by all who visit and are so inclined, and a a costume show takes place during the High Tea on Saturday afternoon. Artisans and craftspeople representing the era display their wares and demonstrate their nearly lost talents to one and all.

May 2 - 3
Spring Sip & Savor - Leelanau Peninsula
Join them on May 2nd & 3rd 2009, for the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association's annual Spring Sip & Savor wine trail event. Spring Sip & Savor has been designed to provide seasoned wine trail guests or first time visitors with a truly memorable experience that will allow them to celebrate spring, indulge their senses and learn more about Leelanau Peninsula wines. Tickets are are available through lpwines.com and include wine and food pairings at each winery, a limited edition LPVA glass coffee cup and a $10 gift certificate, that can be used at any LPVA winery! For added fun, event participants are encouraged to keep their pajamas on when they set out in the morning and try to win one of the prizes that many of the wineries will be offering.

May 2 - 9
Tulip Time Festival - Holland
Head to Holland for a unique festival with a radiant display of over 6 million tulips. This celebration of Dutch heritage and culture is a multi-generational event that has a little bit of something for everyone. Kicking off on Friday, May 1 with fireworks this week long celebration hosts 3 amazing parades, multiple Dutch Dance performances, big name entertainment, outdoor concerts, music and variety shows, Dutch market, trolley tours, children’s events, and so much more! Named “Best Small Town Festival” by Readers Digest, “Top 100 Events in North America” by ABA and featured in the book Amazing Places to Go in North America. Make this year's 80th anniversary a memory you can cherish.

May 8 - 10
Mushroom Festival - Mesick
Mesick MI is the mushroom capital in the United States. Head over and enjoy their adventurous fun filled days, for people of all ages. Carnival rides for the thrill seekers, crafts and hobbies or flea market for treasure hunters, ball games for the players. Several contests for mushroom hunters, lucky duck race, horseshoe toss, horse pull.

May 9 - 10
Birmingham Fine Art Festival - Birmingham
The 2009 National City Birmingham Fine Art Festival takes place in Shain Park in downtown Birmingham. Admission is free and open to the public. The festival opens each day at 10:00 a.m. and closes on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center produces the festival with support from community partner, the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber.

May 14 - 17
Kalamazoo Animation Festival International - Kalamazoo
If you’re into animation for any reason, you won’t want to miss the fifth biennial Kalamazoo Animation Festival International! KAFI 2009 will be filled with film screenings, speakers, workshops, events, and activities for the animation professional, student, enthusiast or family entertainment - for people like you! In addition, the campus of Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Center for New Media will be the home of educational forums, recruiting and networking events, and panel presentations for the animation instructor and student. Special child-friendly family events are also scheduled throughout the weekend, as is the famous Network Picnic.

May 14 - 17
Morel Mushroom Festival - Boyne City
Each May, Boyne City fills with hundreds of mushroom lovers from around the country who come seeking that elusive delicacy-the marvelous morel. Found in nearby woods and clearings, morels are favored by those who know their 'shrooms.

May 15 - 16
World Expo of Beer - Frankenmuth
The World Expo of Beer is a beer sampling extravaganza! If you love beer, you will love the World Expo of Beer, with over 250 brews to choose from. If you don’t love beer, but you love a good time, you will still love the World Expo of Beer. With live entertainment both nights, an expanded area to accommodate more beer enthusiasts, great local food, and best of all…this year we are going green and throwing in the sampling mug for FREE (with paid admission) to eliminate disposable cups! Prost!

May 15 - 17
Downtown Hoedown - Detroit
The Downtown Hoedown was established in 1983 and is widely recognized as the largest Country Music Festival of its kind in the world. Hosted by 99.5 WYCD, Detroit's Best Country, and produced by Wasserman Media Group, the Hoedown is regarded by the Country Music Industry as a premier showcase opportunity for new and established artists. Located at Hart Plaza in the heart of downtown Detroit, the event attracts hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic country music fans from the Midwest and beyond.

May 15 - 17
Ann Arbor Book Festival - Ann Arbor
The Ann Arbor Book Festival’s mission is to promote reading, heighten awareness of literacy challenges, and showcase the rich culture of the written word in Michigan and beyond. A diverse group of community leaders committed to literature, language and the arts in Michigan are hard at work planning the Festival. The following people make up the Board of Directors and Planning Committee for the Festival.

May 15 - 17
Motor City Comic Con - Novi
Annual "multi-media event with over 1 million comics and collectables for sale and trade. "Comic books, writers, artists, anime, gaming, special guests, and more. Convention held at the Rock Financial Showplace.

May 16
Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Festival - Roscommon
Guided bus field trips to the Kirtland's warbler viewing sites, Off-Campus Birding Field Trips, Tour of Camp Eldorado, a former Civilian Conservation Corps site, Nature Presentations, Pancake Breakfast, Barbecued-Chicken Lunch, Music by Blue Water Ramblers, Kids' Activity Tent, Horse-drawn Nature Tours, Campus Nature Walk and more!

May 16
Lansing 150 Parade of the Decades - Lansing
The “Lansing 150 Parade of the Decades" will celebrate 150 years of Lansing History. The parade will feature approximately 150-200 entries drawn from the Lansing area. Additionally, the Capitol Bancorp 5K Race will be coordinated with this day’s activities to draw more people downtown.

May 16 - 17
East Lansing Art Festival - East Lansing
Hundreds of artists from Michigan and beyond come to Downtown East Lansing to exhibit art of all kinds. Painting, Ceramics, Sculpture, Blown Glass, Wood, Metal, Photography and more fill the booths that line the downtown streets. The East Lansing Art Festival features a variety of activities, performances, and demonstrations for your enjoyment. The international food court features dozens of vendors with tastes from around the world! Don't miss out on all the delicious foods this year.

May 16 - 17
Annual Flower Fair & Home & Garden Marketplace - Lake Orion
Get ready for warm weather with flats of flowers, buckets of perennials, yard ornaments and expert advice. Look to their Home and Garden Marketplace for the latest trends in updating and remodeling your house. Located in the heart of the downtown district in Lake Orion, special features include: Kids Activities - Entertainment - Easy Eats - Art Fair

May 22 - 24
Traditional Arts Weekend - Remus
Where else can you learn to play the fiddle, go to a day-long bluegrass school, learn songwriting tips, tie a fly for trout season, explore yeast dough baking, practice yogo, learn to Tango, Clog or Swing dance, stargaze with fellow astronomers, weave a black ash basket, make a pine needle rimmed gourd and paint a silk scarf ~ all in one weekend?......At the annual Traditional Arts Weekend held every year in Remus, Michigan over the Memorial Day Weekend. Over 80 workshops, dances, performances and hands-on activities for the entire family taught by over 60 instructors. This very popular Wheatland event is for those seeking more personal instruction in traditional dance, music, song, arts and crafts.

May 23
Annual Mackinaw Memorial Bridge Race - Mackinaw City
GEAR UP for an Active Summer with the Mackinac Bridge Memorial Weekend Race. One of the only times of year that runners are allowed to run the Mackinac Bridge will be on May 23rd, 2009. Must register in advance and be able to run a minimum of 12 minutes per mile pace. NEW THIS YEAR we will be hosting a Runners Appreciation Party Saturday night at Conkling Heritage Park from 6:30 until the start of the Memorial Weekend Grand Fireworks at dusk. There will be live entertainment by "The Dinosaurs" with a cash bar, soft drinks and snacks.

May 23
Petoskey Stone Festival - Eastport
Head to Eastport and help celebrate everything Petoskey, our much treasured state stone, at Antrim County's Barnes Park. Petoskey stones are composed of fossilized skeletons of colony corals which lived their lifespan in the warm sea waters that at one time covered all of what is now the beautiful state of Michigan.

May 23- 24
Dog Bowl 2009 - Frankenmuth
Events include: Great Lakes Dock Dog Competition, Disc Dog Competition, Border Collie Sheep Herding Demonstration, Canine Cruise on the Cass River, Weiner Dog Races, Pet Parade, Silly Pet Tricks, Rockin' Dog Look-Alike Contest, 100 Yard Doggie Dash, Dog Breeds of the World with Pet friendly dining and lodging available!

May 23 - 24
Alma Highland Festival and Games - Alma
The Alma Highland Festival and Games began in 1968. The festival is located on the Alma College campus in Alma, Michigan. Each year the festival brings visitors the very best of Scottish tradition. The festival combines great competition with Scottish hospitality.

May 23 - 25
Ft. Michilimackinac Historical Re-Enactment Pageant - Mackinaw City
The Fort Michilimackinac Pageant Committee along with the re-enactors would like to cordially invite you to join them in their 47th consecutive performance of the Re-enactment at Fort Michilimackinac during Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of Memorial Day weekend 2009. This unique performance of the area’s rich history is the longest running FREE attraction in the State of Michigan.

May 23 - 25
Movement 2009 - Detroit's Electronic Music Festival - Detroit
The Prodigy will get Movement 2009 Weekend started with an electrifying performance on Friday, May 22nd at The Fillmore in Detroit during the official Movement kick-off party, which will also feature performances by Paxahau Resident DJ Chuck Flask and Evan Evolution at the State Bar. Starting at Noon on Saturday, May 23rd Techno heads, House heads and electronic dance music enthusiasts from across the globe will pour through the turnstiles at Detroit's Hart Plaza for the start of Movement 2009. And for the next three days and nights they will have a chance to experience the ultimate outdoor electronic music venue. 36 hours of music; 4 stages and more than 70 electronic music artists and DJs.

May 25
Towel Day - The Galaxy
Towel Day is an annual celebration on the 25th of May, as a tribute to the late author Douglas Adams (1952-2001). On that day, fans around the universe proudly carry a towel in his honour.

A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-boggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: nonhitchhiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker might accidentally have "lost". What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.