Soak up the sun this month and get soaked at the beach, waterpark or splash park! Don’t let the rainy days get you down, we’ve got a guide to Rainy Days in Metro Detroit. If you have a family vacation planned this month, check out our travel guides for family-friendly activities across the country. For the Michiganders staying in the Mitten this month, here are some of our favorite small towns to visit this summer.

 

SUMMER FESTIVAL

Sunday, July 1 / 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

@ Kensington MetroPark Farm Center, Milford

Enjoy a fun-filled weekend of farm-themed activities for the whole family. Tour the farm and take part in traditional demonstrations and games, visit with the food vendors of our Farm Market, and get your photo taken with Clydedales from Greenwood Farms.

 

SALUTE TO AMERICA

Sunday, July 1 – Wednesday, July 4 / 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

@ Greenfield Village, Dearborn

An exuberant collection of songs, food and fanfare that is quintessentially American. Join us for this celebratory evening of high notes, from the first glance at Greenfield Village to the last sparkle in the sky.

 

SHELBY TOWNSHIP INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS

Tuesday, July 3 / 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm

@ Ford Field Central Park, Shelby Township

The Shelby Township Downtown Development Authority is proud to present the 2018 Shelby Township Independence Day Fireworks! The fireworks will be visible throughout the Shelby Township DDA Van Dyke corridor beginning at 10 p.m. The township will host families at Ford Field Central Park at 7460 23 Mile Road.

 

THE OAKLAND COUNTY FAIR

Friday, July 6 – Sunday, July 8

@ Springfield Oaks County Park, Davisburg

The Oakland County Fair offers 10 days of events and fun activities for the whole family, including fireworks, demo derbies, Figure 8 racing, Monster Trucks and animals. And don’t forget the Carnival rides and all that awesome fair food.

 

PUPPET PERFORMANCE: HOW TO BUILD A FLYING MACHINE

Saturday, July 7 / 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

@ Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit

Featuring bunraku-style puppets, MoonBull Studio’s newest work-in-progress tells the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright as they dream, experiment, fail and succeed on their path to solving the problem of human flight. This show will encourage audience members to follow their passions, feed their creativity and work together to tackle the impossible.

 

PRINCESS BRUNCH AT JIMMY JOHN’S FIELD

Sunday, July 8 / 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

@ Jimmy John’s Field, Utica

Join us for our Princess Brunch, which takes place prior to the United Shore Professional Baseball League game between the Utica Unicorns and the Westside Woolly Mammoths on Sunday, July 8, 2018! Game starts at 1:05 pm. Gates open at 12:00 pm.

 

MUD DAY

Tuesday, July 10 / 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

@ Nankin Mills Recreation Area, Westland

Combine tons of mud with water and you have created every child’s fantasy! There is no charge or pre-registration required for this messy event. Make sure to wear old clothes and shoes.

 

UNCLE SAM JAM

Thursday, July 12 / 4:00 pm – Sunday, July 15 / 11:00 pm

@ Civic Center Park, Woodhaven

The Uncle Sam Jam brings family fun to Woodhaven with fireworks, carnival rides and games, interactive displays and attractions, petting farm and camel rides and FREE concerts all weekend long! There is NO ADMISSION CHARGE to the event

 

MICHIGAN LAVENDER FESTIVAL

Friday, July 13 / 10:00 am – Sunday, July 15 / 5:00 pm

@ Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill, Armada

Relax and rejuvenate to the essence of Fragrant Lavender swaying in the breeze. Enjoy a gourmet lunch in the shade while sipping on a glass of ice cold Lavender Lemonade. Not only is this event a celebration of all the wonders of Lavender, but also an event that knits together local, talented artisans of one-of-a-kind hand-made goods!

 

FARM JR

Friday, July 13 / 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

@ Kensington Metro Park Farm Center, Milfordd

Farmer Jr. has kids work alongside Kensington Farmers to learn about life on the farm: meeting and feeding animals, hauling straw, doing chores and having fun! They will also get a chance to make a tasty farm food such as butter, bread or cider.  Space is limited and days fill up fast! For ages 6-8.

 

SUMMER SUNSET FAMILY SILENT DISCO PARTY

Friday, July 13 / 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm

@ Bell Creek County Park, Redford

You’re invited to the ultimate family friendly party! Each participant will receive a glow necklace but feel free to bring your own to light up the night! Food and drinks will be available to purchase throughout the event. There is no fee for the Summer Sunset Family Silent Disco event, but you will need a valid ID for headphone rentals.

 

KID’S SUMMER OLYMPICS

Saturday, July 14 / 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

@ Whispering Woods Kiwanis Park, Shelby Charter Township

Boys and girls ages 3-12 may compete in any or all events of their choosing. Events include 40-yard dash, hurdles, baseball toss, disc toss, broad jump, long jump, and obstacle courses.

 

BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL

Saturday, July 14 / 9:00 am – Sunday, July 15 / 6:00 pm

@ Erie Orchards & Cider Mill

This is a great weekend to start our season with fresh blueberries (already picked or you pick). We will have freshly baked pies, muffins, and blueberry donuts.

 

SUMMER ON THE BANK

Saturday, July 14 / 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

@ Marshbank Park, West Bloomfield

Help kick off a new annual summer tradition! Join at Marshbank Park for some fun in the sun. Be sure to bring swimsuits and towels. There will be inflatables available for kids to play on so don’t forget to bring socks. Bring money if you’d like to participate in some of the pay-to-play activities or purchase food/drinks from food trucks that will be on hand.

 

DETROIT KITE FESTIVAL

Sunday, July 15 / 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

@ Belle Isle State Park, Detroit

The Detroit Kite Festival will take place July 15th, 2018 on Belle Isle. It’s completely free, and no tickets are necessary. It will feature on-site kite making and kite-related activities, professional kite flyers, with participation from local businesses and organizations.

 

PEWABIC IN THE PLAZA

Wednesday, July 18 / 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

@ Rivard Plaza, Detroit

Join Pewabic Pottery’s new mobile museum and educational clay experience for hands-on clay activities on the Detroit RiverWalk. Held monthly, Pewabic will introduce visitors into the art of making pottery. This event is free and held at Rivard Plaza.

 

FARMINGTON FOUNDERS FESTIVAL

Thursday, July 19 / 6:00 pm – Sunday, July 22 / 11:00 pm

@ Shiawassee Park, Farmington

The Greater Farmington Area Founders Festival has been a summer tradition with over a quarter of a million-people attending each year.  Guests enjoy a long weekend of music, food and fun activities geared for all ages.

 

ANN ARBOR ART FAIR

Thursday, July 19 / 10:00 am – Sunday, July 22 / 6:00 pm

@ Downtown Ann Arbor

The Ann Arbor Art Fair is one of Michigan’s finest summer traditions and one of the largest outdoor art fairs in the nation. The following family-friendly art projects are open to all ages and free to the public: Punk Posters! – Cranbrook Art Museum, Clay Creations – Clay Work Studio, Stabiles – Detroit Institute of Arts,
Wool Felting Fun – Flipside Art Studio, and Insect Inspirations – University of Michigan Museum of Natural History.

 

FAMILY FIELD DAY

Friday, July 20 / 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

@ Montibeller Park, Ann Arbor

Families, bring your competitive spirit! Win prizes for top scores in fun games like a potato sack race, egg race, home run derby, and many more! Light dinner will be served including grilled hot dogs.

 

SUPER YOUTH TRIATHLON

Saturday, July 21 / 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

@ Clements Circle, Livonia

This exhilarating competition is sure to bring a new appreciation to a time-honored sport. Youth athletes need a swimsuit, bike, bike helmet, running shoes and a healthy desire to compete.

All participants will receive a specially designed T-shirt. Ages 5-14.

 

OPEN STREETS

Saturday, July 21 / 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

@ Rouge Park, Detroit

Open Streets Detroit is a free, safe and inclusive event that brings Detroiters together in the streets by providing opportunities for fitness, recreation and community building along city streets. At Open Streets Detroit, you can expect to see people walking, running, biking, rollerblading, skateboarding, and playing in the streets. In addition to turning the streets over to people, Open Streets Detroit includes complementary programming at locations along the route featuring a wide variety of organizations.

 

INCREDIBLE INDIA

Saturday, July 21 / 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

@ Boho Mini, Detroit

Experience Incredible India! We’ll create jar terrariums featuring important cultural artifacts and landmarks, get henna tattoos, practice yoga, and enjoy an authentic Indian drink and snack! This event is designed for children ages 4-12 years old. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Kids and adults will walk away with their one-of-a-kind terrarium and henna tattoo! Limited space available. Pre-registration required.

 

SUMMERFEST MOVIE NIGHT: COCO + BIG HERO 6

Monday, July 23 / 6:30 pm – 11:00 pm

@ Grosse Pointe War Memorial

It’s family night at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. Bring blankets, chairs and get ready for  double feature. Grounds open at 6:30pm. Coco begins at 7pm Big Hero 6 begins around 9:15pm

 

ARCHERY WORKSHOP

Wednesday, July 25 / 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

@ Edsel & Eleanor Ford House

Ready, aim, hit the bullseye! In the spirit of our Fairy Tale Festival’s Robin Hood theme, try your hand at archery in this fun workshop with Motor City Archers for adults and kids ages 8 and up! No equipment or prior experience is necessary.

 

BRING IT! LIVE – GIVEAWAY

Friday, July 27 / 8:00pm – 10:00 pm

@ Fox Theatre

“Bring It! Live” will give fans the chance to become part of the action as they see Miss D and her Dancing Dolls perform their never-before-seen routines live onstage. Audience members will take part in live voting, engage in Q+A with the cast, and get the exclusive “behind the scenes” lowdown on the hit Lifetime series.

 

WANDA AND WINKY GO TO CALIFORNIA

Friday, July 27 / 7:00pm – Sunday, July 29 / 2:00 pm

@ New Center Park, Detroit

Adapted from the children’s book Wanda and Winky by Commerce Township author Linda McLean, this performance tells the story of the Detroit Zoo’s last two elephants who made headlines in 2005 when they were retired to an animal sanctuary in California, making the Zoo the nation’s first major animal facility to retire an animal solely on ethical grounds. Wanda and Winky Go To California will use spectacular, life-sized elephant puppets to narrate the poetic journey of these Asian elephants, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of this endangered and beautiful animal.

 

MAKER FAIRE: DETROIT

Saturday, July 28 / 9:30 am – Sunday, July 29 / 6:00 pm

@ Henry Ford Museum, Deaborn

Encounter inspiration everywhere you look on the open-air midway and inside the museum, in the form of robotics, animatronics, flaming carnival games, marshmallow shooters, clothing, food, games, mechanical wizardry and more. DIYers, curiosity seekers, artists, scientists and engineers meet their tribes through demonstrations, hands-on workshops and spontaneous spectacles.

 

TOUCH-A-TRUCK

Saturday, July 28 / 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

@ Greenmead Historic Village, Livonia

The Churchill Interact club is hosting Touch-A-Truck, which is a FREE hands-on family event that provides a unique opportunity for children and adults alike to explore vehicles of all types including public service, emergency, utility, construction, landscaping, transportation, delivery, and just plain awesome – all in one place.  They can hear sirens, watch the tractor bucket move, learn how they operate all up close and hands on.  Children will be allowed to touch their favorite vehicles, get behind the wheel, and meet the people who help to build, protect and serve our community.

 

XMAS IN JULY

Saturday, July 28 / 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

@ Heritage Park Petting Farm, Taylor

Santa Claus, animals  and much more!

 

AUTISM HERO WALK

Sunday, July 29 / 7:30 am – 11:30 am

@ Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak

The 4th annual Autism Hero Walk begins with an energetic opening ceremony followed by a 1-mile walk through the Detroit Zoo. Immediately following the walk, attendees are encouraged to enjoy a day at the Zoo and post-walk activities at the events pavilion.

 

AFTERNOON TEA WITH ARIEL

Sunday, July 29 / 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

@ The Townsend, Birmingham

Ariel’s glimmering gems are treasures of the sea. Our Children’s Princess Teas are Interactive for the First 45 Minutes with Singing and Dancing. We Will Have Food Stations and Fun for All Throughout… And Yes, Boys and Men love to Attend.

 

SUMMER FUN – MUSIC & MOVIE IN THE PARK

Tuesday, July 31/ 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm

@ Livonia Community Recreation Center

The music begins at 6:30 p.m. with Momford & Sons. Stay for a movie under the stars at 8:20 p.m. featuring Peter Rabbit. Bring your blanket or lawn chair and get ready for live music, kids activities, giveaways and a movie under the stars!

 

Need to get out of the house for a date night?

CLICK HERE FOR 40 REASONS TO GET A BABY-SITTER IN JUNE

 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE EVENTS THIS MONTH

 

Summer is HERE! Check out these ideas for how to enjoy the long days and warm nights.

• 5 Beaches the Kids Will Love in Metro Detroit
• Family Guide to Free Outdoor Movies in Metro Detroit
• Guide to Metro Detroit Farmers Markets, Splash Parks + Waterparks

 

Photo credit: Facebook

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