Communities across St. Clair County are preparing for a busy start to summer with festivals, waterfront events, live entertainment, art fairs and community celebrations planned throughout June.
From carnival rides along the St. Clair River and classic car shows to Blue Water Pride and longtime local traditions like the St. Clair Art Fair, residents will have plenty of opportunities to get outdoors as the summer festival season ramps up across the Blue Water Area.
Riverfest Port Huron
The Wrigley Center’s first annual Riverfest will bring carnival rides, games and festival food to downtown Port Huron along the St. Clair River. Organizers say Big Rock Amusements will bring up to 30 rides for children and adults during the 11-day event. Advance ride passes, individual tickets and overnight stay packages are available through the festival website.
Black River Tattoo Convention
The Black River Tattoo Convention returns for its second year, bringing more than 100 tattoo artists from across the United States to Port Huron for a weekend of body art, vendors, entertainment and contests. The event gives attendees a chance to meet artists and get tattooed throughout the three-day convention.
Sturgeon Fest and Friends
Sturgeon Fest and Friends will celebrate the Great Lakes’ threatened lake sturgeon with hands-on activities, workshops, live music and food trucks along the waterfront in Port Huron. Visitors can also experience a live sturgeon touch tank and an Anishinaabe traditional drum ceremony during the free community festival.
Art on the River
Art on the River is a three-day art and music festival along the St. Clair River featuring local artists, crafters and live bands. The family-friendly event will also include hands-on art activities, workshops and food vendors throughout the weekend.
Plaza Palooza
Plaza Palooza is one of the many events within St. Clair’s Rockin’ in the Plaza summer concert series. The event will feature live music, a drone show, kids activities, bounce houses, games and more along the downtown riverfront.
Port Huron Township Heritage Museum Open House
The Port Huron Township Heritage Museum will host an open house celebrating local history and the township fire department. Visitors can tour the Grand Trunk Western caboose, see emergency vehicles and a 1913 steam engine on display, along with tractor rides, children’s activities and food vendors.
Blue Water Region AACA Annual Car Show
The 33rd annual Marysville Car Show will feature classic vehicles, motorcycles and Wills Sainte Claire automobiles along the St. Clair River in Marysville City Park. This year’s event will honor “orphan cars,” or makes and models no longer manufactured, while raising money for the nonprofit Wills Sainte Claire Auto Museum.
Marine City Maritime Days Festival
Marine City Maritime Days will return to the St. Clair River waterfront for a weekend of live entertainment, vendors, family activities and maritime-themed events. Organizers say this year’s festival will also add a carnival and midway alongside longtime favorites including fireworks, a lighted boat parade and a kids zone.
Blue Water Cruise Weekend
Blue Water Cruise Weekend will return with Cruise Night along Pine Grove Avenue/M-25 on Friday followed by the 19th annual Keith Peterson Memorial Car Show on Saturday at Birchwood Mall. The weekend will feature classic and custom vehicles, music, raffles, trophies and the Blue Water Bombshell Pin-Up Contest.
St. Clair Art Fair
The St. Clair Art Fair, one of the oldest art fairs on Michigan’s east side, will return to the St. Clair riverfront with artists from across the region. The event will feature paintings, photography, pottery, jewelry, metal art and other handmade creations.
Blue Water Pride
Blue Water Pride will celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in downtown Port Huron with live entertainment, food trucks, vendors and community resources. The event will also include a Pride March beginning at 1 p.m. and more than 70 participating vendors throughout McMorran Plaza.
With summer now underway, communities are preparing for another busy season of festivals, fairs and outdoor events along the waterfront and throughout the Blue Water Area. More event guides and summer activity lists will be published throughout the season.
Have an event that should be included in a future roundup or noticed something we missed? Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Carnivals, concerts and festivals return to the Blue Water Area
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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