August Last Blast Events 2023
School bells will be ringing soon and the last vestiges of summer are beginning to fade. It’s time to take those last few trips to squeeze out every drop of summer getaway fun both near and far. Water fun is top of the list – splash pads, beaches and lakes still await every Michigander.
It’s all things blueberry in South Haven, Michigan from August 10 to the 13th. The National Blueberry Festival celebrates this homegrown delicious and nutritious fruit. There will be a Blueberry Princess, the Blueberry Funk Parade, plenty of fun for the kids and adults with the Vertical Edge Carnival Rides, Riverfront Beer Tent, Blueberry Central Market, a 5K Run/Walk on Saturday along with the Kiwanis Club Blueberry Pancake Breakfast. The event also includes a craft fair, a Blueberry Pie Eating Contest, a Steelheaders Fish Boil and even a Sad Sculpture Contest. Get your blueberry hankering on and head to South Haven.
But if you’re looking for something a little closer to home, try one of several splash pads and water fun sites scattered across southeast Michigan. Splash and Play sites include West Bloomfield’s Lily Pad Springs with more than 5,500 square feet of 50 play features, four water slides and a 55-gallon giant splash bucket to cool down the family and friends. There’s also a park area, vending machines, public lockers and a changing area. The cost is family friendly at $4 for resident and $6 for non-resident. Open seven days a week through Labor day and located at 6200 Farmington Road.
No matter where you live in and around southeast Michigan, there’s a splash pad nearby. In Oakland County you’ll find:
· Riverside Park Splash Pad (Auburn Hills)
The DIA is always a great get-away before the constraints of fall and school responsibilities fall on families. Drop in workshops and more, check out their schedule.
Enjoy all the outside activities the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has to offer. Located on Detroit’s riverfront in the historic Globe Building, the Outdoor Adventure Center offers a taste of Michigan’s great outdoors. There are hands-on activities, exhibits, simulators and more. Located at 1801 Atwater Street in Detroit, they are open Wednesday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 3:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved by groups and they are closed Sunday and Monday. Admission as low as $3 for children and seniors and $5 for adults.
One of the most fun activities – fishing – is a staple in Michigan. Check out the top locations that are kid friendly. From Bass to trout to walleye, there’s tasty fun to be had on Michigan lakes both Great and small. Adults 16 and older need a license.
Baseball is still on the menu for outdoor fun as the Detroit Tigers have a slate of games through September. Check out their schedule here.
The Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak is always a day full of family fun. Lions and Tigers and Bears and more abound as well as aardvarks, swamp monkeys, flamingos and penguins.
And the grandaddy of summer events – the Michigan State Fair takes place Labor Day weekend. Elephant ears, carnival games, rides and much, much more await each and every attendee. The Shrine Circus will be performing daily and there’s also an Entertainment Pavilion and Beer Tent. There’s plenty of fun to be had in the waning days of Michigan summer. Get out and enjoy all the state has to offer – all at a great price that won’t break your family budget.
If the weather isn’t conducive to getting outside, check out Michigan bowling alleys where many have offers for kids to bowl free.