Parties At The Beach: What's happening this week in the Blue Water Area

Michigan's ThumbCoast has two big beach parties happening this week. Both of them serve up a unique kind of fun that only the eastern shores of Michigan can offer.

Photo by Dale Merrill

Now in its 7th year, The Blue Water SandFest is Michigan's first and only Master sand sculpting and Advanced Amateur competition/festival. For 3 days the grounds of the Fort Gratiot Light Station will see extraordinary sculptures crafted from sand and water that will dazzle and impress visitors to the site.

Voted one of the 10 Best festivals of its sort by USA Today, the Blue Water Sand Fest is much more than just checking out the impressive works of art. There will be an eclectic array of live music throughout the weekend, hands-on sculpting lessons, tours of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and much more.

The Blue Water Sandfest is July 12th through the 14th.

A city with Beach in its very name can't have a summer pass without having a beach party, right? From July 11th through the 14th, Harbor Beach does just that with their annual Maritime Festival. 

Among the things happening at the Martime Festival this year include a ton of live music, beach bocce and volleyball tournaments, frog jumping and hot dog eating contests, fireworks on Saturday night and jet ski races.

Other things happening this weekend in the Blue Water Area include the Port Sanilac Garden Club's Extraordinary Walk through Farms, Fields & Flowers and Led Zeppelin tribute act ZOSO at the Lexington Village Theater.

Looking towards next week, the St. Clair County 4-H Fair at Goodells County Park starts on July 15th and Port Huron's Blue Water Fest kicks off on July 17th with the Rotary Parade.

Find out all the happenings at our events page.