Top things to do with KIDS this weekend: September 14-16

Beautiful smiling woman and child choosing a pumpkin on a pumpkin patch on farm during the autumn season

Take advantage of your weekends and plan something fun for the whole family to enjoy! Explore somewhere different, take a class or enjoy a local festival. Here’s our top picks for what to do and where to go this weekend!

ALL WEEKEND

UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS

Thursday, September 6 – Sunday, September 30

@ Chene Park, Detroit

A spectacle of global proportions, the extra special 25th Anniversary edition of everybody’s favorite circus will take you on an unforgettable journey of electrifying, edge-of-your-seat performances!

TROY FAMILY DAZE

Friday, September 14 – Sunday, September 16

@ Troy Community Center

Each September, the Troy Family Daze Festival attracts people from surrounding communities to celebrate our diversity and heritage. An array of activities offers fun for the entire family. Family activities include free stage shows, talent shows, amusement rides, youth/parent contests, a youth area with entertainment, games and crafts, fireworks and more.

FLAT ROCK RIVERFEST

Friday, September 14 – Sunday, September 16

@ Huroc Park, Flat Rock

This year’s festival will feature three days of family fun and entertainment – including carnival rides and games, fire department obstacle course, Detroit Circus Fire & Light Show, petting zoo, pony rides, arts & crafts and much more!

NORTHVILLE HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Friday, September 14 – Sunday, September 16

@ Downtown Northville

The Heritage Festival provides an opportunity for residents of Northville, both past and present, to reminisce, enjoy and celebrate the wonderful town that we’ve all called home. Come enjoy kids zones filled with pedal cars, inflatables, parades and more.

MICHIGAN RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

Saturday, September 15 / 10:00 am – 7:00 pm

@ Michigan Renaissance Festival Grounds, Holly

Take a time-travel adventure into the 16th century at the annual Michigan Renaissance Festival! Inside the turreted gates, visitors enjoy the sights and sounds of a 17-acre village, complete with building reproductions of Renaissance shops, taverns and a magnificent castle.

MEET YOUR BEST FRIEND AT THE ZOO

Friday, September 14 & Saturday, September 15

@ Detroit Zoo

Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo is one of the nation’s largest off-site pet adoption events. The Detroit Zoological Society hosts this semi-annual event in partnership with the Michigan Humane Society. Since the event’s inception in 1993, nearly 25,000 dogs, cats and rabbits have been placed into new homes at the spring and fall events.

FRIDAY

KNEE HIGH NATURALISTS – LOGS

Friday, September 14 / 10:00 am – 11:30 am

@ Stage Nature Center, Troy

Let’s hike through the woods and find out what lives under a log. We will roll over some logs to explore the life that exists there. Bug boxes will be used to collect some of the animals. Children will have an opportunity to take an up-close look at worms and other small animals that live under the logs.

THE GREAT WEST BLOOMFIELD CAMP OUT

Friday, September 14 / 3:00 pm – Saturday, September 15 / 3:00 pm

@ Marshbank Park, Bloomfield

Experience the great outdoors through camping this fall at our annual Great West Bloomfield Camp Out. We will sleep under the stars, listen to music and participate in many fun activities! Everyone is welcome. A camp style dinner and pancake breakfast are included in the registration fee.

MAYBURY FARM CORN MAZE

Friday, September 14 / 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm

@Maybury Farm, Northville

Enjoy Maybury Farm’s corn maze and help support the Farm! The funds raised from the maze are used to help support the work of the Farm and our mission of connecting the community to animals and agriculture.

HERITAGE CELEBRATION

Friday, September 14 / 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

@ Heritage Park, Farmington

Join us for a fun educational celebration as we learn about the Heritage and History Center in Heritage Park! There will be a guided historic hayride, museum tour, and other activities that show the history of the Spicer and Goodenough families, the Longacre House, and more.

FAMILY NIGHT OUT

Friday, September 14 / 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

@ Goldfish Swim School – Macomb, Canton & Farmington Hills

Join us for Family Night Out from 6:30-8:00pm! We will have crafts, food, open swim and raffles! Cost: $5 per person or $15 per family Pre-registration is required for this event.

MOVIES IN THE PARK: PETER RABBIT

Friday, September 14 / 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm

@ Adams Park, Tecumseh

Adams Park is the place to be on 2nd Friday June through September for FREE movies. Bring a blanket and come join the fun! Popcorn, candy and pop will be available for purchase.

SATURDAY

FARE’S FOOD ALLERGY HEROES WALK

Saturday, September 15 / 8:00 am – 10:00 am

@ Kensington Metro Park, Milford

Celebrate your food allergy heroes and make an impact at FARE’s Food Allergy Heroes Walk. Our walk exists to recognize the courage and determination of food allergy families and to empower these everyday heroes to help keep families managing food allergies safe.

INSANE INFLATABLE 5K

Saturday, September 15 / 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

@ Stony Creek Metropark, Shelby Towmship

The Insane Inflatable 5K is coming to Detroit! Get ready to experience the most fun, wild and insane obstacle run in the world. Get “pumped up” for a course filled with the world’s largest and most extreme inflatable obstacles ever produced.

CHOW TIME AT THE FARM

Saturday, September 15 / 8:30 am – 9:30 am

@ Kensington Metropark Farm Center, Milford

Ever wanted to feed the pigs? Help farm staff to feed the pigs, goats, cows, and more. Young farmers will learn what each animal eats and why. Ages 6 – 15.

FAMILY BIKE BASH

Saturday, September 15 / 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

@ Nankin Mills Recreation Center, Westland

The entire family can bring their bikes to Nankin Mills for a morning of bike demos, organizations and Bling Your Bike Contest before enjoying a traffic free ride down Hines Drive.

HAWKFEST

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

Saturday, September 15 / 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

@ Lake Erie Metropark, Brownstown

Hawkfest is a two-day event for the whole family focusing on birds of prey (eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls) and the annual fall hawk migration over Lake Erie Metropark. Join us for a great weekend of games, crafts, guest speakers, and fun. Live birds of prey will be on hand!

KIDS WORKSHOP WITH GREEN LIVING SCIENCE

Saturday, September 15 / 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

@ Eastern Market, Detroit

Murals in the Market is proud to collaborate with Green Living Science and Recycle Here for an interactive and engaging kids themed hands-on art project while artist from around the globe paint murals throughout Detroit’s historic Eastern Market!

YOUTH DAY

Saturday, September 15 / 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

@ Michigan Science Center

Join Detroit’s next generation of design stars for an afternoon of creativity and exploration. Bring your families and enjoy the Michigan Science Center with design focused workshops geared towards kids ages 2-16.

AUTISM SPEAKS WALK

Saturday, September 15 / 10:30 am – 1:30 pm

@ Kensington Metropark, Milfrod

Autism Speaks Walk is the world’s largest autism fundraising event dedicated to improving the lives of people with autism. Powered by the love of parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, relatives and supporters, the funds raised help ensure people of all abilities have access to the tools needed to lead their best lives.

TAP DROP-IN

Saturday, September 15 / 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

@ N’Namdi Movement Center, Detroit

Tap & Scat focuses on introducing, identifying and creating rhythms and harnessing the idea that your body can be used as an instrument. Using Classical show tunes, children will be introduced to basic concepts of rhythm, music composition and improvisation.

TAIWAN FESTIVAL

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

Saturday, September 15 / 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

@ Detroit Institute of Arts

To kick off the DIA’s celebration of our soon-to-open Asian Galleries, the DIA invites you to explore the traditional beauty and modern relevance of Taiwan through a weekend of films, performances, cooking demonstrations, traditional arts & crafts, hands-on shadow puppets and displays.

KIDS WEEKEND / ERIE ORCHARDS

Saturday, September 15 / 1:00 pm – Sunday, September 16 / 5:00 pm

@ Erie Orchards & Cider Mill, Erie

Bring the kids to see the magic shows and the clown both Saturday and Sunday from 1-5pm. The animal petting zoo is open, and we have pony and hay rides. Crafters are here. Don’t miss this magical weekend for kids!

LEAF PRINTS ON T-SHIRTS

Saturday, September 15 / 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

@ Stony Creek Nature Center, Shelby Township

Bring a clean, white t-shirt and decorate it with the colors of fall leaves! Make one as a gift for someone special and make one for yourself too. Ages 5 and up.

FAMILY ACTIVITY SERIES

Saturday, September 15 / 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

@ Charles H Wright Museum, Detroit

Enjoy The Wright Museum with this FREE Saturday activity series for the whole family. Whether art, music, dance, acting, or more, you and your children are sure to have a great time!

FREC CITY SATURDAY

Saturday, September 15 / 2:00 pm – 11:00 pm

@ Ford Resource & Engagement Center, Detroit

Enjoy Summer at the FREC! Come out for FREE Live Concert and More… Family fun includes carnival games, food, face painting, circus performers, movies, and ticket raffle!

THE GREAT CAMPOUT

Saturday, September 15 / 4:00 pm – 11:59 pm

@ Lakeshore Park, Novi

Hot dog cookout, lawn games, geocaching, camp crafts, movie on the big screen, s’mores, campfire stories, and continental breakfast! Saturday, September 15 @ 4:00 pm to Sunday, September 16 @ 10:00 am.

FAMILY NIGHT OUT

Saturday, September 15 / 5:00 pm – 7:45 pm

@ Troy Community Center

An inexpensive and fun night out for families! Spend quality time together and enjoy basketball, swimming, parachutes, inflatable castle, and more.

SUNDAY

HARVEST FESTIVAL

Sunday, September 16 / 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
@ Birmingham Farmer’s Market

Join the Birmingham Farmers Market for our Harvest Festival! This event will feature barn animals from Bowers School Farm, antique corn shelling machines, food trucks, kids craft, live music and more.

SOMEWHERE IN TIME

Sunday, September 16 / 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

@ Elizabeth Park, Trenton

Antique auto displays, riverboat rides, musical entertainment and the children’s games and entertainment area is a sure hit for all ages as Elizabeth Park is turned back to the 1920’s.

MONARCH MIGRATION FESTIVAL

Sunday, September 16 / 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

@ Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ann Arbor

about the challenging journey monarchs take every year, have your face painted, and meet local experts and vendors support butterfly conservation efforts.

KIDS’ LAB: THE RAINBOW CONNECTION

Sunday, September 16 / 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

@ Michigan Science Center

Is black ink really just made of black dye? Can you create a rainbow just by adding water? Visitors will grab some markers and filter paper and explore the magic behind a colorful chemical process in our Centennial Lab.

For MORE EVENTS happening this weekend, please check out our full EVENT CALENDAR!

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

About Chrissy Hartig

Chrissy Hartig is a recent graduate of Wayne State University and contributing writer for Little Guide Detroit. Born in the Metro Detroit suburbs, she moved to Midtown to be closer to the excitement of the city. She loves spending her time outdoors and enjoying nature in places like Belle Isle and the Riverwalk.