Kindleberger Summer Festival
Kindleberger Park, Parchment
July 7-12, kindleberger.org
Plays and musicals, such as Cinderella: A Dream Come True and Seussical the Musical, will be showing every evening of the free festival. On Saturday, there will be arts and crafts in the morning, as well as a street dance in the evening.
Riverwalk Festival
Downtown Lowell
July 8-10, Free!, riverwalkfestival.org
This annual festival will feature fan favorites such as the Brian Mead Memorial Cruise-in, the $1500 rubber ducky race, a barbecue, food booths, street entertainers, fireworks, a children’s activity zone and more.
Kalamazoo Blues Festival
Arcadia Creek Festival Place, Kalamazoo
July 8-10, $5-$14, kvba.org
For its 17th year, the Kalamazoo Blues Festival is bringing in 24 local and national blues performers for this three-day event. (See related story for more info.)
Picnic Pops
Cannonsburg Ski Area, Cannonsburg
July 8-30, Thursday and Friday evenings
$5-$14
Enjoy outdoor performances by the Grand Rapids Symphony with a picnic basket in hand. This year’s series features fireworks, a collaboration with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Motown’s Greatest Hits and A Tribute to The Beatles.
Michigan Peace Festival
Willow Ranch, Grand Junction
July 9-11, $40, michiganpeacefest.com
Music and camping festival with a peace theme.
Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire
Kimball Pines Park, Battle Creek
July 10-11, 17-18, 24-25
$12 adults, $8 children 5-12, free for children 4 and younger, silverleafrenfaire.org
Medieval-inspired fun with music, juggling, jousting, sword fighting, and artisan vendors.
Town and Country Days
Downtown Sparta
July 14-18, spartafair.com
The annual fair will feature a classic car show, kids parade, a beer tent, carnival rides, live music, a tractor pull, sports tournaments and more.
Woofstock Fest
Arcadia Creek Festival Place, Kalamazoo
July 17, $5, dogs and children under 10 free
downtownkalamazoo.org
Festival for people and their dogs, raises funds for the SPCA of Southwest Michigan, includes pet contests (agility and dock jumping) and a children’s area.
Muskegon Bike Time
Downtown Muskegon
July 16-18, Free!, muskegonbiketime.com
Called “America’s fastest growing bike event,” this Muskegon favorite has attracted 35,000 bikers and 90,000 spectators. Three days of motorcycles, food, vendors, beer tents, stunts and live music.
Berlin Fair
Berlin Fairgrounds, Marne
July 19-24, berlinfair.org
Located at the Berlin Raceway grounds, one of Michigan’s oldest fairs features rides, carnival games, food, live entertainment, a kids’ show, animal exhibits, 4-H presentations and a special stunt show by World Famous Dockdogs.
Taste of Kalamazoo
Arcadia Creek Festival Place, Kalamazoo
July 22-24, $5-$8, children under 12 free
tasteofkalamazoo.com
Annual event celebrating the restaurants of Kalamazoo with food and entertainment.
Third Annual Lakeshore Harvest Country Family Farm Fest
Trail between South Haven, Saugatuck and Fennville
July 24, Free!, lakeshoreharvestcountry.com
Lakeshore Harvest Country will offer entertaining, farm-based activities such as crafts, games and demonstrations.
Barry County Fair
Barry Expo Center, Hastings
July 19-24, barryexpocenter.com
Held at a 160-acre site that has six barns, three outdoor arenas and a racetrack, the annual fair has plenty of room for carnival rides, elephant ears, racing events, tractor pulls and 4-H shows.
Ionia Free Fair
Ionia Fairgrounds
July 21-31, ioniafreefair.com
The “World’s Largest Free Fair” stretches for 10 days with a carnival midway, live music, drag racing, a demolition derby, motocross, Ionia Idol, food, games and more. (See related story for more info.)
National Baby Food Festival
Downtown Fremont
July 21-24, $3-$14, nbff.org
The Baby Food Capital of the World hosts a kids expo with free popcorn and snow cones, live music, karaoke, contests, arts & crafts and games. Check out the Adult Baby Food Eating Contest or the Baby Food Cook-Off.
Taste of Grand Rapids
John Ball Park, Grand Rapids
July 23-24, Free!
Sample entrees and desserts from more than a dozen Grand Rapids-area restaurants at John Ball Park while catching live music and the annual barbecue competition. Most food samples are $1-$5 each.
Ottawa County Fair
1286 Ottawa Beach Rd., Holland
July 26-31, $5 adults, $2 children
ottawacountyfair.com
The annual fair features a carnival midway with rides, food booths, 4-H and livestock shows, a demolition derby, motocross, and harness racing.
Black Arts Festival
Arcadia Festival Place, 114 E. Water St., Kalamazoo
July 26-Aug. 1, $3-$5, some events free
blackartskalamazoo.org
Sponsored by the Black Arts and Cultural Center, this festival features food, vendors, workshops, a film festival, live entertainment and children’s activities.
Coast Guard Festival
Downtown Grand Haven
July 30-Aug. 8, coastguardfest.org
Enjoy 10 days of ship tours, parades, fireworks, live music, a carnival midway, kids day and street dance.
