OKEMOS, Mich.-Each year, festivals and events flood the streets of many towns in Michigan, from Mackinaw City's Memorial Weekend Celebration to the Muskegon Summer Celebration and the Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven. Gather up the family and head out in your RV to a MARVAC member campground and discover the small town festivals and big city events Michigan has to offer.
Gear up for a Memorial Weekend celebration like no other as Mackinaw City's Memorial Bridge Race kicks off the weekend starting Saturday, May 26, while runners race along the Mackinac Bridge. Many activities fill the weekend with demonstrations and competitions, including bands, floats, and a pageant. Fireworks will dart from the sky at dusk on Sunday, May 27. A formal Memorial Day service is scheduled for Monday, May 28 at 10 a.m. in Marina Park. For more information, visit www.mackinawcity.com.
June welcomes Belleville's National Strawberry Festival, a city-wide festival held on Father's Day Weekend, June 15 -17. This event is sure to please the dads, with many activities including a Team Extreme BMX stunt show, the Detroit Pistons year-round hoops truck, carnival rides and games, continuous live entertainment and concerts, strawberry treats, car show and swap, plus much more. For details, visit www.nationalstrawberryfest.com or call 734.697.3137.
At the heart of Mt. Pleasant, at beautiful Island Park, an annual five-day June event showcases a variety of events that any member of your family can enjoy. The Mt. Pleasant Summer Festival kicks off with a Kid's Day, starting with a parade, ice cream social and opening of Playworld Carnival. Other popular events include a Timber Show, two nights of fireworks, live entertainment during the week, sporting events such as horseshoes, shuffleboard and soccer tournaments, a children's area with clowns, face-painting, games, a petting farm and much more. For event information, call 989.773.3378.
Round up the family. The Muskegon Summer Celebration, an annual 11-day festival, is coming to town beginning June 28, and will go until July 8, in downtown Muskegon. This event includes national headliners, regional and local artists each day. Other events include the Grand Parade, community picnic, fireworks, a large craft market and art show, plus many other attractions to entertain members of the whole family. For a complete list of events, visit www.summercelebration.com.
From July 27 to August 5, Grand Haven will honor the Coast Guard with its 83rd Annual Coast Guard Festival (www.ghcgfest.org). This 10-day festival features ship tours, a National Memorial Service at Escanaba Park honoring the men and women serving in the Coast Guard, a televised Grand Parade, ship tours, a carnival, kid's parade, craft fairs, 5K and 10K Coast Guard run, and a Grand Finale fireworks display. Enjoy a stay at one of the MARVAC member campgrounds nearby, like Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park (www.ghjellystone.com) in Grand Haven. For more information on the Coast Guard Festival, call 616.846.5940.
The Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds (MARVAC) is a statewide, non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging growth in the recreation vehicle and private campground industries while contributing to the quality of Michigan tourism. For more information, visit MARVAC's Web site, www.marvac.org. MARVAC, 2222 Association Drive, Okemos, Mich. 48864-5978; 517.349.8881.
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