The Annual Hops & Props on the River in Manistee focuses on the city’s rich boating history and Michigan craft beer, cider, and wine.
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(Scroll down to see more events in September.)
The Annual Hops & Props on the River in Manistee focuses on the city’s rich boating history and Michigan craft beer, cider, and wine.
The Miss Ludington Area Scholarship Program is typically held each September and is a precursor to the Miss Michigan program.
Learn about the annual Young Eagles Rallies in Mason and Oceana Counties and find information about flights at the Mason County Airport.
Farm Markets & U-Pick farms offer locally grown and organic produce, flowers, plants, seeds, and more in West Michigan.
The popular tourist town of Ludington, Michigan will celebrate its 150th birthday (sesquicentennial) in 2023. Many events will be included.
Current family-friendly events in West Michigan, great, fun, things to do for kids of all ages! Fun for the whole family!
The Silver Lake Sand Dunes Apple & BBQ Festival spans two days and includes a wide variety of activities that are fun for all ages.
Autumn is a great time in West Michigan, with fall festivals, corn mazes, Halloween parties and ghost ships.
Explore the City of Grand Rapids as it fills with hundreds of pieces of art. From photography to sculptures and paintings.
West Michigan is a popular location for various races and runs... including the Lakestride Half Marathon and the Lighthouse Triathlon.
The City of Scottville has created a new event in 2021 called the Scottville Fall Celebration which will include many activities downtown.
Bear Lake has a variety of activities for Bear Lake Days each July. Events include parade, fireworks, car show, kids activities, and more.
The Village of Brethren is located in Dickson Township about 15 miles east of Manistee. Brethren Days is held over Labor Day weekend.
West Michigan fishing tournaments give anglers a chance to add a little money to their pocket in addition to the fish in their bucket.
Visit downtown Ludington and enjoy music and family activities in an outdoor setting, to celebrate one of the last hurrahs of the season!
Pentwater is known for its art galleries, antiques shops and boutiques, so expect some great finds at their summer arts and crafts fairs.
Summertime means outdoor arts and crafts fairs, and communities in Manistee County often include these fairs as part of their festivals.
Fun Halloween parties and trick or treating take place in West Michigan including Ludington, Scottville, Manistee, and Oceana County.
“Honoring Our Elders” Traditional Pow-Wow
Native American social celebration with drumming, singing, dancing, storytelling, food, raffles, and arts and crafts vendors. Suggested admission is $5/person, $20 carload max. For more information, visit facebook.com.
Brethren Days
The village of Brethren hosts in annual festival with activities for the whole family.
Holland Zeeland Labor Day Truck Parade
Bring the family, earplugs, and an appetite for big trucks, ice cream, and giveaways. Parade travels from Zeeland to Holland. Ice cream social following the parade. For more information, visit truckparade.org.
Scottville Clown Band Performance at Manton Fall Festival Parade
Manton
Ludington North Breakwater Light Closes for the Season
Stearns Park Beach- 420 N. Lakeshore Dr., Ludington.
Jammin’ Mondays on Betsie Bay
Live music at featuring the Beth Bombara Band the Waterfront Amphitheater- Centre St., Elberta
Manistee Shoreline Showcase
Live music at featuring the Beth Bombara Band the Rotary Gazebo at Douglas Park, First Street Beach, Manistee.
LACA Summer Concert Series
Live music featuring the Beth Bombara Band at Waterfront Park- 300 W. William St., Ludington.
Diapers & Donuts
Families are invited by West Shore Family Support to receive free diapers and donuts at their office- 603 E. Tinkham Ave., Ludington. Free car seat checks will also be offered. Sponsored by Turf Care Mole Man.
Live Music in Legacy Plaza
Live music featuring Benjamin Paetz. Legacy Plaza- 110 N. James St., Ludington.
Silver Lake Apple & BBQ Festival
Activities for the whole family. Downtown Silver Lake.
Mason County Garden Club Plant Exchange/Sale
Leveaux Park- 900 E. Ludington Ave., Ludington.
Oceana County Young Eagles Rally
Kids ages 8-17 are invited to take a free airplane ride with a local pilot. Flights are first come, first serve and a guardian must be present. Sponsored by EAA #772. Oceana County Airport- 1805 W. Baseline Rd., Shelby. For more information on the Oceana County Young Eagles Rally, contact Diane LaPorte at (231) 730-0545.
Fall Craft Show
Pomona Park- 3084 W. Fruitport Rd., Fruitport.
Little Sable Point Lighthouse Closes for the Season
Stearns Park Beach- 420 N. Lakeshore Dr., Ludington.
New Era Farmers Market Concert Series
Live music featuring Hawks & Owls at 1820 Ray Ave., New Era.
Michigan Irish Music Festival
The festival features 6 stages of music, culture, dance, and more. Heritage Landing- 1051 Shoreline Dr., Muskegon. For more information and tickets, visit michiganirish.org.
Live Music in Legacy Plaza
Live music featuring Joe Irelan. Legacy Plaza- 110 N. James St., Ludington.
ArtPrize
A city-wide art competition within a 3-square mile district in downtown Grand Rapids.
Ludington Petunia Parade Removal Day
Ludington Petunia Parade will be removing petunias on the Avenue and the marina.
Performance by Dixon’s Violin
Ludington Area Center for the Arts- 107 S. Harrison St., Ludington.
Scottville Fall Celebration
Event includes family friendly activities, the Miss Mason County Pageant, a performance by the Scottville Clown Band, and more. Downtown Scottville, 100 Blocks of South Main & Blaine Streets.
Horse Shows
MIHA District 9 Meet. Caswell Horse Park at the Mason County Fairgrounds- 5302 W. US-10, Ludington.
ArtPrize
A city-wide art competition within a 3-square mile district in downtown Grand Rapids.
Diapers & Donuts
Families are invited by West Shore Family Support to receive free diapers and donuts at their office- 603 E. Tinkham Ave., Ludington. Free car seat checks will also be offered.
Barley, BBQ, & Beats
This event is a fundraiser for Hospice of Michigan and showcases barbecue from leading pit masters, hand-crafted cocktails from select Michigan distilleries, and live music featuring Nathan Walton and The Remedy and Tim Jones & The Honky Tonk Hippies. Tickets on sale March 11, 2024. $65 per person; $75 per person at the door. Open only to guests ages 21 and older. Visit hom.org/bbb-tc for tickets or more info.
Live Music in Legacy Plaza
Live music featuring Two Dudes in Flip Flops. Legacy Plaza- 110 N. James St., Ludington.
New Era Fall Festival
Annual event featuring arts and crafts, live music, children’s activities, an antique car show, and more. Visit neweramichigan.com for more information.
Horse Shows
MIHA District 9 Meet. Caswell Horse Park at the Mason County Fairgrounds- 5302 W. US-10, Ludington.
Blessing of the Animals at Circle Rocking “S” Children’s Farm
Blessing of the Animals, silent auction, and old fashioned games. Circle Rocking “S” Children’s Farm- 5487 N. Tuttle Rd., Free Soil. Click here for more information.
ArtPrize
A city-wide art competition within a 3-square mile district in downtown Grand Rapids.
New Era Farmers Market Concert Series
Live music featuring West Winds at 1820 Ray Ave., New Era.
Pentwater Harvest Day
Pentwater’s Farmer’s Market will be open for one last time during 2022. Pentwater Village Green- 327 S. Hancock St., Pentwater. Visit pentwater.org for more information.
Octoberfest Kick Off Pub Crawl
Beginning at Ludington Bay Brewing Co. where participants will get their map and commemorative koozie for this self-guided crawl. It then continues on South James Street to Ludington Avenue with stops at participating Outdoor Social District establishments. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at eventbrite.com or at Ludington Bay Brewing Company beginning at 5:30pm on the day of the crawl.
Performance by Pianist Hyemin Kim
Ludington Area Center for the Arts- 107 S. Harrison St., Ludington.
West Michigan Old Engine Club Tractor Pull
Free to attend. Dead Sled at 9am, Transfer Sled at 12pm. WMOEC Grounds- 700 S. Scottville Rd., Scottville.
Salmon Run 5k/10k Run/Walk
Race begins and ends at Baldwin Village Hall- 620 Washington St., Baldwin.
Octoberfest in Ludington
Craft beer and live music festival. Downtown Ludington.
Pentwater Fall Arts & Crafts Fair
Hours are Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 10am-3pm. To register, visit pentwater.org. Pentwater Village Green- 327 S. Hancock St., Pentwater.
Stony Lake Therapeutic Riding Center Silent Auction & Line Dance
Event includes pony rides, line dancing, lawn games, and a silent auction all to benefit the center’s programming. Tickets are $10/each or $30/family and can be purchased by emailing aubrey@stonylakestables.com.
Labor Day Book Sale
In the parking lot behind the Manistee Library- 95 Maple St., Manistee.
Pancake Breakfast
Pentwater VFW Hall- 8440 US-31 North, Pentwater.
Cruisin’ at the Castle Charity Car Show
Car show with DJ Music, food, drawings, silent auction, and book sale on the castle grounds- 9400 Pere Marquette Dr., Canadian Lakes. For more information, contact Marshall at (231) 598-0838.
Trout Unlimited Banquet
Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 5-12, and free for children under 5. There will be live music, a food truck, open bar, adult/child casting contests, and a silent auction. Baldwin Canoe Rental- 9117 M-37, Baldwin.
Hippie Fest
Hippie Fest is a grassroots festival where free-spirited people from across the country gather to celebrate peace, love, and hippie-ness! Featuring live music, bohemian shopping, vintage hippie car show, and more. For more information visit hippiefest.org.
Bus Day to Big Point Sable Lighthouse
Free concert from 1-3pm. Bus transportation from 12pm-5pm. Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington State Park- 8800 M-116, Ludington.
AFFEW Beach Clean-up
Beach clean-up at Stearns Park, Ludington.
Gun Show
Fremont Rec Center- 201 E. Maple St., Fremont. For more information, call Jeff at (231) 854-1634.
Free Soil Gun & Knife Show
Event includes a 50/50 raffle (need not be present to win, and food and beverages for purchase. Cost is $4 for veterans/seniors and $5 for all else. 8-foot vendor tables are $20 each and can be reserved by calling Gregg at (231) 464-5454. Free Soil Community Center- 8480 Democrat St., Free Soil.
Lakeshore Mama & Me Expo
Speak with providers, sample products, and meet other moms. Open house format with kids activities available. Hart Wesleyan Church- 3757 W. Polk Rd., Hart.
Parking Lot Craft & Vendor Sale
The 10 Spot- 5750 US 10, Ludington. For more information, call (231) 425-3488.
Date Night Drop Off
Children ages 3 and up can be dropped off to enjoy music, playtime, dancing, stories, crafting, movies, and more with Miss Melinda. Children should bring a sack dinner and water. Cost is $35 for one child, $50 for two children, $65 for three children, and $75 for four children. 50% down paid via Venmo, Paypal, Apple Pay, check, or cash is due no later than Wednesday, September 20th. Call (231) 631-7751 to make a reservation. United Methodist Church- 387 1st St., Manistee.
Fall Mom 2 Mom Sale
Sale of gently used children’s clothing, accessories, toys, and furniture. For more information or to rent a table, visit facebook.com. Cornerstone Baptist Church- 121 Nelson Rd., Ludington.
West Michigan is the location for many Car Shows during the summer. Various awards and plaques are presented at these car shows.
Enjoy the warmth of a bonfire on the beach! The Ludington Fire Department mans the fire while you enjoy the sunset.
Ludington has many businesses to help you enjoy crafting and appreciate the finished product. Let them help you create your own masterpiece!
Summer’s not over yet and there are summer bargains to be found all weekend during downtown Ludington’s Sidewalk Sale Days in early August.
Summertime and music just go together perfectly and at the Village Green in the center of Pentwater, the evening is simply charming.
Farm Markets & U-Pick farms offer locally grown and organic produce, flowers, plants, seeds, and more in West Michigan.
West Shore Bank hosts the Rhythm & Dunes Summer Concert Series each summer at the Waterfront Park Pavilion in downtown Ludington.
Enjoy a variety of shoreline cruises with various themes on the S.S. Badger Carferry in both Ludington and Manitowoc.
The Northwestern Michigan Fair in Traverse City is held in mid-August on Blair Townhall Road, Traverse City. It was established in 1908.
Summertime means outdoor arts and crafts fairs, and communities in Manistee County often include these fairs as part of their festivals.
Find artifacts, photographs, and lots of information and stories about the rich history of Pentwater at this historic museum!
The Pentwater River provides opportunities to experience a paddle sport for the first time or take on a challenge for those more experienced.
Ludington has many businesses to help you enjoy crafting and appreciate the finished product. Let them help you create your own masterpiece!
Beautiful color emerges come Fall. Take it all in with an afternoon drive, or stroll, through the many forests of West Michigan.
Scottville Riverside Park, along the Pere Marquette River, has over 50 modern sites and is popular for camping and fishing.
West Michigan is home to wineries galore! Enjoy a wine tasting tour and sample award winning wines.