Michigan summers are jam-packed with locally grown food festivals. It can be hard to keep track of which festivals are to come, so we compiled a list of 10 food festivals you don’t want to overlook.
Marquette’s Blueberry Festival, last Friday in July: This daylong event runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in downtown Marquette. Local restaurants will be serving up everything from blueberry pizza to blueberry beer, and downtown shops are offering “blue” specials. Local farmers will be selling fresh produce, including lots of blueberries, and festival goers can enjoy live music throughout the day.
Coloma’s Glad-Peach Festival, first weekend in August: This annual fest celebrates gladiolus flowers and peaches, both grown locally. Three days of family fun includes live music on two stages, a classic car and motorcycle show, two parades, and fireworks.
Frankenmuth’s Michigan Honey Festival, first Saturday in August: Check out a live bee hive, watch honey being extracted, and learn how mead is made at this one-day celebration of the sweet stuff and the bees who make it happen.
South Haven’s National Blueberry Festival, second weekend in August: One of the country’s oldest continuously-running fruit festivals celebrates the important role blueberries play in Van Buren County, the nation’s most prolific producer of highbush blueberries.
Montrose’s Blueberry Festival, third weekend in August: Two parades, a blueberry mud bog, and blueberry pancake breakfast are just a few of the events that will help visitors have a great time at the annual volunteer-driven community celebration.
St. Johns’ Mint Festival, Aug. 9-11: Celebrate over 100 years of mint farming in Clinton County with arts and crafts, a flea market, food concessions, a parade, five sports tournaments, mint farm tours, free entertainment, and lots of activities for kids.
Howell’s Melon Festival, third weekend in August: Held in downtown Howell since 1960, this family-friendly tradition celebrates a variety of famed, delicious cantaloupe said to only be grown there. The Howell Melon Run, classic train rides, and melon ice cream are just a few reasons to check out the fun.
Paradise’s Wild Blueberry Festival, Aug. 16-18: Paradise’s tribute to the blueberry walks on the wild side, celebrating the naturally occurring variety that was a booming industry in the area in the 1920s and 1930s. Wild blueberries still thrive in the area, and some commercial picking continues south and west of Paradise.
Romeo’s Michigan Peach Festival, Labor Day Weekend: The second oldest festival in the state pays homage to Romeo’s prized crop, the peach. Every Labor Day weekend, festival goers can enjoy parades, bed races, craft shows, and much more.
Fairgrove’s Michigan Bean Festival, Labor Day Weekend: Celebrate the state’s dry bean industry at the annual Michigan Bean Festival. Enjoy carnival rides, a craft show, an old engine and antique tractor show, parade, and many more attractions.
Will you be attending any of these festivals? Do you know of more food-focused affairs we missed? Tell us all about it in the comments.
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