Pure Michigan Connect - Michigan's Travel and Tourism Blog

Pure Michigan Connect - Michigan's Travel and Tourism Blog

Summer

June means the official start of summer in Pure Michigan! And with school out for the year and warm weather here to stay, it’s the perfect time to experience some of the great things going on around the state.

Below is a roundup of a few of the many events going on around Michigan in June. Please visit michigan.org for a complete listing of things to do across the state.

 

Week of June 2

Art & Orchard Festival
June 6-June 8, 2013, Washington
Washington’s Art & Orchard Festival will be the second weekend in June, June 6-9, 2013. The event will feature a carnival on Friday, live music, an arts & crafts show, fireworks Saturday night, petting zoo, beer tent and food station.

Cereal City Festival
June 7-8, 2013, Battle Creek
The Cereal City Festival is an event celebrating the Battle Creek community and its rich and varied past. A parade kicks off the festival on Friday, June 8th and the fun continues with the Cereal City Classic 5k/10k run and the World’s Longest Breakfast Table on Saturday morning. Throughout the day enjoy exciting events, bands and activities! Click here for more information.

National Asparagus Festival – Hart
June 7-8, 2013, Hart
Salute the shoots with a parade, 5K run, rodeo and crafts fair in downtown Hart. The National Asparagus Festival is held every year during the second weekend of June. For more information, visit the National Asparagus Festival website or call (800) 874-3982 or (231) 861-8110.

Mackinac Island Lilac Festival
June 7-16, 2013, Mackinac Island
The idea of the festival was to bring people to the island to enjoy a great horse drawn parade amidst the lovely lilacs that fragrance the island in June. Now this ten day festival includes a comedy show, afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel, music, walking tours, hayrides, arts and crafts, 10K run, Lilac Festival Queen, dancing, wine tasting, bingo, lilac strolls and much more. Visit the website for more information.

Leland Wine & Food Festival
June 8, 2013, Leland
Michigan’s oldest wine festival takes place at the Leland Harbor. Everyone has a chance to go see 17 wineries of the Leelanau & Old Mission Peninsulas on Saturday, enjoy great food and music and kick off the summer festival season in style! No need to purchase advance tickets – just show up rain or shine at the big tent in Leland’s picturesque Fishtown district. Admission is $15 and includes an etched wine glass and two tickets for wine tasting. For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at (877) LELAND1 or (231) 256-0079.

Orion Music + More
June 8-9, 2013, Detroit
Make your way to Detroit June 8-9, 2013, for the Orion Music + More concert event. The lineup includes Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Deftones, Rise Against, The Dillinger Escape Plan. The event includes thirty-plus acts over five stages, a custom car and automotive show, Metallica Museum, and more. Two day passes are $150. For tickets, complete lineup details, and more, visit the website link.

Week of June 9

Ann Arbor Restaurant Week
June 9-14, 2013, Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor Restaurant Week offers one price dining, one week, several options. Extraordinary three course dinner menus and fixed price fare lunch menus from Ann Arbor’s best restaurants. Experience cuisine that delights your palate and defines the art of dining in Ann Arbor. Now is your chance to discover new restaurants and enjoy favorites at a discounted price. Make reservations early at participating restaurants as tables fill fast during this gastronomically great event. For more information, visit the website link or call (734) 668-7112 ext 22.

Hamburg Family Fun Fest
June 12-15, 2013, Hamburg
The Hamburg Family Fun Fest brings family fun to the park like never before, attracting more than 50,000 attendees. Feature attractions include amusement rides, circus, petting zoo, talent competition, classic car show and arts & crafts just to name a few. A variety of concerts will also be held throughout the weekend on two stages. Click here for more information.

Heritage Coast Grand Prix
June 13-26, 2013, Tawas
Head to the Heritage Coast Grand Prix in Tawas for beautiful beaches, family fun and revved up racing. The event includes four fun-filled and family-oriented days of activities. Check out the boats, meet the drivers and experience the thrill of the races. Visit the website for more information.

Jazzin on Jefferson
June 14-15, 2013, Detroit
Jazzin’ on Jefferson is a free street music festival organized by the Jefferson East Business Association. For a schedule of main stage performances, visit the website link.

Pinconning CheeseTown Festival
June 14-15, 2013, Pinconning
Highlights of the festival include a mac & cheese dinner contest, the ultimate wine & cheese party, the cheesy CheeseTown parade, a teen concert, arts & crafts, fireworks, a beer tent with lots of live music, and in honor of Father’s Day weekend, a CheeseTown dad contest. The event is held at Doc Letchfield Park on M-13 in Pinconning. The event is in conjunction with the 30th Annual CheeseTown Challenge Race (5 mile race, 2 mile fun run/walk, and Little Meeces Race). For more information on this event, call (989) 879-2816.

Week of June 16

Quicken Loans 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
June 16, 2013, Brooklyn
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to the Irish Hills on Father’s Day with the running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 400. NASCAR stars, such as former MIS winners Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Jimmy Johnson return to MIS for another action-packed day of side-by-side racing. Forty-three drivers, 200 laps. Call (800) 354-1010 or visit the website for ticket and camping information.

East Jordan Freedom Festival
June 19-23, 2013, East Jordan
The East Jordan Freedom Festival is a family friendly festival with something for everyone including live music, parades, kids games, carnival, block party and fireworks over the south arm of Lake Charlevoix. For more information, call (231) 536-7351 or visit the website link here.

FinnFest USA 2013
June 19-23, 2013, Hancock
Hear the music, feel the summer breezes, smell the birch wood of the kokko and be where every Finn needs to be in June of 2013. For five days the Copper Country will host FinnFest USA 2013 – a festival spread across the region, with a variety of programming sure to interest everyone! Tori market, concerts, performances, dances, exhibits and gallery shows, local tours, sports and games, a parade, midsummer bonfires, street theatre, special guests and VIPs and much, much more! For more information, visit the website or call (906) 487-7205.

Kalamazoo Island Fest
June 20-22, 2013, Kalamazoo
Get ready for some good times with three days and nights of reggae music rocking downtown Kalamazoo. A great variety of quality Jamaican and Caribbean-inspired cuisine will be served. Food, drinks, beer and wine will be available. The live reggae music line-up runs all day and ranges from the top local talent to well-known regional and national headliners presented outdoors throughout the day. For more information visit the website or contact (269) 385-6200.

Summer Solstice Jazz Festival
June 21-22, 2013, East Lansing
This free two day jazz festival in the heart of downtown East Lansing features high-caliber local, regional, and national talent presented by the City of East Lansing, Wharton Center for the Performing Arts, and the Michigan State University College of Music. For additional event information, visit the web link or call (517) 319-6927.

Detroit River Days
June 21-23, 2013, Detroit
The 2013 festival will continue to celebrate Detroit’s maritime, ecological and culinary culture while again featuring many proven crowd-favorite, family-friendly activities and programming elements from previous festivals. Interactive exhibits, large-scale sand sculptures, strolling entertainers, eco-friendly kids’ zones, carnival rides, and live concerts with performances featuring more than 50 local, national and international music acts will be back this year. More information is available online.

Week of June 23

Ford Fireworks
June 24, 2013, Detroit
The Parade Company is excited to pump up the City of Detroit, on June 24th as we produce the 55th Ford Fireworks presented by Target, along the Detroit River. This event attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators for one of the most anticipated summer nights in Detroit and one of the nation’s largest fireworks displays. Visit the website here.

St. Ignace Car Show Weekend
June 26-27, 2013, St. Ignace
This annual event is one of the largest all-make, all-model shows in the country. Hundreds of antique, custom, and celebrity automobiles are on display all day Saturday. Car enthusiasts can examine vehicles up close and see them in action during Kewadin Casino Cruise Night on Thursday evening, and the Down Memory Lane Parade on Friday evening. Contests, exhibits, vendor booths and more make this a fun, family event. For more information call (906) 643-8087 or visit the website.

Michigan Challenge Balloonfest 2013
June 28-30, 2013, Howell
Join us for the state championship of hot-air ballooning, June 28-30 in Howell. It’s a weekend full of high-flying fun for the whole family. Enjoy thrilling skydiving jumps, music, carnival, family entertainment, downtown activities and more. Don’t miss the fun including Play 1st Mobile Gaming, SmashZone and five scheduled balloon launches, Annabelle Road and the fabulous balloon glow on Saturday evening and the MediLodge Fireworks on Friday night. For more information on this event, visit the website link or call us at (517) 546-3920.

Grand Haven Art Festival & Fun Day
June 29-30, 2013, Grand Haven
The work of 150 of the finest artists in the country will be on display and for sale during the 51st Annual Grand Haven Art Festival & Family Fun Day, June 29 – 30, 2013. The festival will take place along Washington Avenue in downtown Grand Haven, transforming the area into an outdoor art gallery. Admission and parking are free and open to the public. Presented by The Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg. (616) 842-4910.

National Cherry Festival 2013
June 29–July 6, 2013, Traverse City
Get your planner out and write down the dates for a great week or family fun when you attend the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City on June 29–July 6. There will be colorful parades, marching bands, music shows, sporting events, amusement rides along with carnival games on the midway and food items, pie eating contests and loads of luscious cherries prepared every way you can think of. For more information, visit the website link or call the Cherry Festival office at (800) 968-3380.

Week of June 30

Log Cabin Days & Antique Car Show
June 30, 2013, Michigamme
Tour the museum and the Dompierre House and walk around to see all the antique cars on display from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information contact (906) 323-9016.

Coast West Music Fest
July 1-6, 2013, Muskegon
This event is a multi-day music festival with three stages, fireworks on July 4, food and refreshments. Acts announced so far: O.A.R., Josh Turner, Leann Rimes, Cheap Trick, Buddy Guy, Johnny Lang, Allen Stone, Chicago and Foghat! For more information visit the website link.

Light up the Lake Fireworks & Parade
July 3-4, 2013, South Haven
At the south pier over Lake Michigan, watch a spectacular fireworks display July 3 and listen to the Light Up The Lake soundtrack LIVE on SuperHits 103.7 COSY-FM! The fireworks shoot off synchronized to the music! Parade will be held July 4 at 11am through downtown featuring local marching bands, pageant winners, patriotic floats, fire trucks, & lots of candy! Questions, call (269) 637-5252 or (800) SO-HAVEN.

Fourth of July Celebration
July 4-6, 2013, Cedarville
Enjoy the spectacular view of fireworks over Cedarville Bay from the Cedarville’s downtown waterfront park or the lawn of the Great Lakes Boat Building School on July 4. Earlier that day, our parade, kids games, hot dogs and burgers, Up in Smoke BBQ, races and contests, and more wind down into early evening with music on the bay by Dance Commander DJ and a Jersey Mud eating contest. For more information, call (906) 484-3935

Cedar Polka Fest
July 4-7 2013, Cedar
The Cedar Polka Fest is held yearly in Cedar, Michigan, under the big tent on the tennis courts. Highlights include a parade on Saturday at noon, softball tournament, a polka mass and polka under the big, big tent with the big names of polka. For more information on this event call (231) 228-3378 or visit the website.

These are just a few of the many events happening next month in Pure Michigan. Please visit michigan.org for a complete listing.

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With many parts of the state already experiencing summer-like warm weather, it’s only a matter of time before summer will officially be here! Make sure you have the essentials to keep you feeling and looking cool in the heat.

From outdoor accessories to home goods, the Pure Michigan Store offers a variety of items to help prepare you for warmer months. Here are just a few of our favorites.

Pure Michigan State Shaped Ice Cube Trays

Stay hydrated this summer with Michigan shaped ice cubes. Put the Michigan winter wonderland away in your freezer and turn ordinary ice cubes into reminders of the state.

VAPUR Water Bottle

Conveniently hydrate with a Pure Michigan water bottle that collapses to fit inside your bag! Perfect for trips exploring the Sleeping Bear Dunes or boating on the Great Lakes.

Fire Pit

Bonfires are summer staple in Pure Michigan. Now you can emblazon the Pure Michigan logo and State of Michigan outline on a custom handcrafted fire pit complete with poker, spark screen and BBQ grill.

Neoprene Eyewear Retainer

Ensure that you are never without shades in the sun again with this Pure Michigan eyewear retainer.

Beach Towel

Beaches and lakes are all over Michigan. Bring your Pure Michigan pride to the beach with you this summer with this brand new beach towel.

Iceberg Cooler

Keep your drinks and snacks cool in this Pure Michigan cooler. It’s unique and durable, perfect for camping, picnics, and trips to the beach or cottage.

These are just some of the many Pure Michigan products available online. Visit the Pure Michigan Store at www.puremichiganstore.org to see the full line of clothing and accessories.

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Pure Michigan’s national advertising campaign kicked off last month, and today we’re launching the 2013 campaign in local markets throughout the Great Lakes region.

Here’s a look at a new television spot from Frankenmuth that you’ll soon see on TV. Detroit will also have a new television spot coming out later this season. Both will air in markets including Southern Ontario and Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio.

You might recall that we gave fans on social channels a first look at the Frankenmuth spot this past winter, and today we wanted to share some behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot. Take a look at the gallery below and let us know what you think!

Other new partners for this year’s campaign are Binder Park Zoo/Battle Creek, Manistee, Mount Bohemia and Tecumseh. Get a first listen of the Manistee and Tecumseh radio spots below.

Additional ads running regionally this season include Games on the Grass, Road Trip, First Tee, Catch Up and Mermaid Tails.

In total, the television and radio ads feature 34 private sector partners and will air in key regional markets and statewide through June. Learn more about the campaign on michigan.org.

Pure Michigan billboards – showcasing Grand Sable Dunes, Marquette Harbor, Miners Beach Falls and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – will also be featured in regional and in-state markets. Chicago tour buses will also be branded with Pure Michigan again this summer. Learn more here.

What do you think of the latest Pure Michigan ads? Share with us below!

 

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In August, our Pure Michigan Facebook community shared a number of beautiful photos of summer fun on the Great Lakes, hiking adventures, family time and more. Check out a gallery of some of our favorites that we posted to the Pure Michigan Flickr page.

Which photo from August is your favorite?

 

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We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Travelocity’s Roaming Gnome for a Q&A on all things Michigan.

Check out his answers below, and be sure to visit Travelocity.com to find special deals for your next Pure Michigan vacation.                                                                                                                                              

Q: As we know, you’re quite the world traveler. What would you say makes Michigan a unique destination?

A: You know that feeling you get when you find money in your pocket? That’s how Michigan is. It’s this secret gem of goody goodness just waiting to be found. The lake is quite splendid, the people are marvelous and the activities you could do are endless!

Q: What do you think are some of Michigan’s must-see attractions?

A: Mackinac Island! It’s a perfect little getaway for families. It’s a wonderful place for bike riding, horseback riding or even piggy back riding! OH, and one more thing…carriage riding! It is a very sophisticated city and I like it.

Traverse City! It’s such a charming and quaint town I feel like I fit right in! (Because I’m charming and quaint myself, of course!) There are a bunch of hiking trails and the longest span of shoreline in Michigan. In fact, when are we going?

Finally….Ann Arbor! (Sorry, could I have more than one? I got a bit carried away there.)This is a quaint little town as well but it boasts sidewalk cafes and local artist galleries. I tend to eat a lot when I visit Ann Arbor…after all, there are more than 200 restaurants! Which…leads me to my next point about Ann Arbor…there’s great shopping for when your pants get a bit snug. (Guilty.)

Q: Do you think there’s a particular time of year that’s best for visiting Michigan?

A: Summer is quite nice considering I can do my “Walk like an Egyptian” dance while jumping into the water. Also, bloody mary’s taste better in the summer, or is that just me? Either way…summer, summer, summer!

Q: What are of your general top traveling tips?

A: Shoes are best packed at the bottom of your suitcase, sunglasses are important for airports (VIP status), and always bring your phone charger thingamajig!

Oh, and save money on hotels so there’s more left over for the mini bar!

Q: How do you choose where your next trip will be?

A: Often times I like to listen to my Facebook fans or Twitter followers to see what’s the bustle about each month. Other times it’s just where the dart lands! Why, is this invitation of some sort?

Q: What are some of your packing essentials? In particular, what should someone pack when traveling to Michigan?

A: I like to pack a nice beard conditioner in case I end up dining at a fancy pants restaurant. Speaking of pants, I’d advise bringing some…I can’t in my case since they are plastered on.

I’d also recommend bringing sun block. The Michigan sun can get quite toasty! And I’d rather have my cheeks red from laughter.

Q: If you could pick just one thing you love about Michigan the most, what would it be?

A: The lakes. There’s this special something about Lake Michigan, in particular. No need to worry about the salt in your hair, and you still get to see the little fishes squiggle around. There’s this calmness to the lake which lends itself to floating along in a raft quite easily. Which can be easily disrupted by a…CANNON BALL!!!!!!!!

Who’s ready to go?

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