Free Concerts, Great Theater and Bocce Balll…Who Knew?!

Eastern Michigan summers bring people to the water’s edge to bask in the sunshine, splash in the fresh lake water and to view an incredible horizon line. Who knew you’d also get free concerts, great theater, vintage shows and the best master sand sculpturing competition in the state? The Greater Port Huron Area and its blue shores meander along Lake Huron and the St. Clair River and pack the summer days with fun and excitement for the whole family.

Free waterfront concert series take place in nearly every shoreline community in the Greater Port Huron Area. The concerts usually occur on the same day every week, and the days vary by town. Music genres range from current hits and songwriters to oldies but goodies, jazz, county and more. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket and be ready to enjoy the water view and the moving rhythm.

Unexpectedly, delightful theater has also ripened in the Greater Port Huron Area. Lexington Village Theatre brings rocking musical acts, comedians and fun entertainment to the stage in Lexington. Grab dinner in town then a play or musical at two venues in Marine City: the River Bank Theatre and Snug Theatre. The Citadel Stage conveys an intimate ambiance to Port Huron’s theater scene while the McMorran Place Theater presents a grand stage. The Barn Theater of Port Sanilac is indeed a barn; however, its rousing talent brings brilliant performances to the stage and the crowd to their feet.

Awesome festivals also take place along these eastern shores. Blue Water Sand Fest, occurring July 14-16 in Port Huron is a master sand-sculpting competition and the only one of its kind in Michigan. Master sculptors from around the country compete to create the greatest sculptures from sand and therefore present an incredible display for public viewing. Quick sculpting contests as well as amateur contests are also part of the fantastic festivities that take place.

Harbor Beach’s Maritime Festival is happening July 6-9 and brings a great weekend of entertainment to the shores of Lake Huron. Live music all day and all weekend, tasty eats, friendly competitions like frog jumping, hotdog-eating, bocce ball (reportedly Michigan’s biggest bocce ball tournament) and even an invitational jet ski race take place right on the beach. What says summer-fun more than that?

Antique car shows, vintage boat shows, impressive art shows and even kayaking events will take place this summer in the Greater Port Huron Area amongst an array of other adventures to partake in. For more details on these events and other things to do on the blue eastern shores of Michigan, please visit www.bluewater.org