Smooth Jazz and Sweet Boats: What's happening this week in the Blue Water Area

From Sanilac County to St. Clair and points beyond, the Blue Water Area has some fun things to do this weekend.

This Friday & Saturday, August 16th & 17th take a stroll back in time at the Antique Boat and Vintage Show in Port Sanilac. The annual festival features a wide array of antique and classic boats and these beautiful wood vessels are a must-see if you appreciate craftsmanship. Tin Can Tourists will also be setting up their unique campers in the Harbor Park, adjacent to the Port Sanilac Marina.

The sounds of jazz fill the air this Saturday at St. Clair's Palmer Park.

The 4th Annual St. Clair Jazz Festival. Detroit based and world-renowned flutist Alexander Zonjic will be headlining the festival this year. There is no charge for this event which starts at 1PM and runs to 9pm.

Some other events this week include Rockin' The Rivers at Port Huron's Kiefer Park, Dave Bennett’s Rockin’ the 50’s at Lexington's Music in the Park on Friday and the Citadel Stage in Port Huron presents Shakespeare's A Midsommer Nights Dreame.

Looking towards next week Hot Wheels Weekend is happening Marysville, St. Clair County Farm Museum Harvest Festival is in Goodells and and Lexington will be having Maragarita Fest. Find out about them and plenty more at our events page.

First Week Of August Happenings In The Blue Water Area

August is almost upon us. Don’t worry though, there’s still plenty of summer left and the Blue Water Area has a lot of events going on.

Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state. This weekend, the 4th annual Michigan Lighthouse Festival will be celebrating those in the ThumbCoast. Things kick off this Friday at the Fort Gratiot Light Station in Port Huronwith barbecue buffet dinner, entertainment from Empty Canvas and more. Over the weekend, lighthouse aficionados will be taking tours of the lighthouses in Harbor Beach, Pointe Aux Barques and Port Austin. Visit the Michigan Lighthouse Festival website for all the details.

The boogie is going to be full effect this weekend along the lakeshore. The Port Sanilac Blues Festival kicks off at 2pm on Friday with food vendors and a beer tent and runs through Saturday evening. 

It's a battle of the Blue and the Grey in Port Sanilac this weekend too. Check out Civil War Days at the Sanilac County Historical Museum and Village on Saturday & Sunday for battles and skirmishes, an artillery demonstration, fashion show and more.

Promising a fantastic atmosphere with a wide variety of two dimensional and 3-D professional artists, the Lexington Fine Arts Street Fair will provide spectacular music, tasty food vendors and raffles. It runs this Saturday and Sunday.

Starting on Friday and running through Sunday, Marine City's Maritime Days features live music, a lighted boat parade, a sidewalk chart art contest food and a whole lot more! It starts on Friday and runs through Sunday. Find out more at www.maritimedays.net.

Other events this week include Rockin' The Rivers at Port Huron's Keifer Park on Thursday. Saturday finds St. Clair having a Mardi Gras Party and the Bi-Yak-A-Thon in going on in Harbor Beach.

Looking towards next weekend, the Yard Sale Trail is happening.

Find many things to do and see around the Blue Water Area at our events page.

There's Still Plenty Of Summer Left: What's Happening This Weekend in the Blue Water Area

Even though this weekend is the last one for the month, there's still plenty of time left to celebrate summertime. The Blue Water Area has quite a few things happening over the weekend to finish up July and welcoming in August.

Come see what Port Huron has to offer, view the many cars, see old friends and make new ones this Saturday. The MainStreet Memories Car Show will many have sweet machines of the past up to modern times to check out downtown starting at 10am and through the afternoon. Find out more at their website.

Also in Port Huron this weekend, the Blue Water Volleygrass Festival is at Northern High School is Friday through Sunday.

How long will a cardboard boat float? How fast can an outhouse move? And, most importantly, who will be the next King and Queen of Bologna. All these questions and more will be answered at the Yale Bologna Festival this weekend. This 3-day weekend event closes the streets of Yale's downtown and transforms the community of just under 2,000 to a gathering of over 20,000 Bologna starved party-goers! Find out more at the Yale Bologna Festival website. 

The water is gonna roar and there's a party on the shore at St. Clair's Riverfest this weekend. 

On the St. Clair River thundering powerboats charge in a race to be the fastest machine on the water! 

On land, there will be a carnival midway along with live music from headlines Spin Doctors on Friday and Blue Oyster Cult on Saturday. Admission to the races and concerts are FREE! See the whole schedule of the action at the Riverfest website.

Port Crescent State Park takes a blast to the past this Saturday at the annual Vintage Camper Show. Last years saw Tin Can Tourists bringing close to 100 cool, classic and kitschy vintage trailers and campers to the park to show off and have people check out. Visit and see how your grandparents luxury camped. 

Another port along the eastern shores is having a party too. Starting Friday at 5pm with a barbecue and a beer tent, The Port Sanilac Summer Festival kicks off and runs through Sunday. Find a full schedule at their Facebook page.

Looking towards next week, the Robinson Memorial International Tennis Tournament starts in Port Huron on July 31st. 

August 2nd-4th finds the Michigan Lighthouse Festival happening in the Blue Water Area. That's also the weekend Maritime Days in Marine City. August 2nd & 3rd is when the Port Sanilac Blues Festival is going on too.

Find out the more about many things going on in Michigan's ThumbCoast at our events page. 

Red, White and the Blue Water Area: Celebrating Independence Day Weekend in Michigan's ThumbCoast

The 4th of July celebrations will be plentiful this week. Picnics and parties are on many agendas to celebrate. Two of the main things that people look forward to during the holiday are fireworks displays and parades. Many of Blue Water Area communities will be having both.

Thursday, July 4th, Port Austin starts off with floats and pageantry with a parade at 1pm. At dusk, families and friends will gather at Bird Creek County Park, Veterans Waterfront Park, Port Austin State Harbor and along the shoreline to watch the fireworks.

St. Clair invites you to grab and blanket or lawn chair and sit down along their newly renovated boardwalk on the evening of the 4th around dusk. That's when their fireworks happen over the river too.

Algonac will be having fireworks on July 5th as part of their annual Pickerel Tournament and Festival which runs from the 3rd through the 7th.

Lexington is celebrating Independence Day on the 5th & 6th with fireworks down along the harbor on Friday Night. On Saturday morning, there will be a parade. Saturday evening, The Invasion bring the sounds of the 1960s to Tierney Park.

Just a ten-minute drive north from Lexington is Port Sanilac. They're having fireworks on Saturday night.

Looking towards next week, The Harbor Beach Maritime Festival is happening July 11-14. The "party on the beach" will feature live music entertainment, dancing, a pet parade, a Bocce Ball tournament, kids’ inflatables, concessions, and fireworks over the harbor and much more.

The Blue Water SandFest comes to the grounds of the Fort Gratiot Light Station in Port Huron from July 12th through the 14th. Now in its 7th year, Sandfest is Michigan’s first and only master sand sculpting and advanced amateur competition and festival. Each year, SandFest brings more and more people from all around to see the sculptures, listen to live music and much more.

Along the beautiful St. Clair riverfront, many classic cars and trucks will be on display throughout the day at the Annual River Classic Car Show on Saturday, the 13th.

The middle of July also brings the St. Clair County 4-H Fair to Goodells July 15th-20th.  

The Blue Water Fest and Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race from July 17th through the 20th.

Find out more about these and the many other summer events happening around the Blue Water Area at our events page.

From Art On The River to the Early Settlers Along The Lake: What's Happening This Weekend in the Blue Water Area

All along Michigan's eastern shores, there's plenty going plenty to see and do this coming weekend. Let's take a look at some of the events happening in the Blue Water Area.

Art On The River, a three day art and music festival, has become a tradition for the second weekend of June in Port Huron. This family friendly event, which is chock full of art workshops, music and food, kicks off this Friday evening at Kiefer park with a dance party and beer tent.

The headliner for Art On The River this is year is Derek St. Holmes. Most well known as the rhythm guitarist and voice on Ted Nugent's early solo hits such as "Stranglehold" and "Hey Baby", Derek St. Holmes has also worked with Aerosmith's Brad Whitford and the Michael Schenker Band. Derek takes the stage on Saturday evening.

On Saturday, June, 8th see hot rods, custom and muscle cars at Rumble In The Park at Marysville Park.  The next day, the park will host stock and unmodified rides that are at least twenty five years old for The Past and Its Wheels. This show is well known for having quite a few Wills Sainte Claire cars. Wills built approximately 12,000 cars between 1921 and '26 in a Marysville factory. There are only 75 remaining in the entire world.

In Port Sanilac this weekend the Native, Voyageurs & Settlers Days are at the Sanilac County Museum & Historical Village are happening. At this event, families can learn about and experience the rich history connected with the voyageurs, early settlers, American Indians, and military of the Great Lakes Fur Trade period. This reenactment of the life-styles and skills of this era will include demonstrations and displays of traditional crafts and skills, trade goods and artifacts, campfire cooking, military life, weaponry, and much more! It runs from 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Looking ahead into June events include, Marysville' Summerfest kicks off on 13th, Harbor Beach holds its annual Truck Show on the 15th, Porch Fest is happening in Port Austin on the 22nd, the Blue Water Cruise weekend in Fort Gratiot starts on the 27th and runs through the 30th and the St. Clair Art Fair is the 29th and 30th. 

Find out more about these and many more happening when you Discover The Blue at our events page.

Snazzy Boats and Jazzy Music: What's happening this week in the Blue Water Area

From Sanilac County to St. Clair and points beyond, the Blue Water Area has quite a few things to see and do this weekend.

This Friday & Saturday, August 17th & 18th take a stroll back in time at the Antique Boat and Vintage Show in Port Sanilac. The annual festival features a wide array of antique and classic boats and these beautiful wood vessels are a must see if you appreciate craftsmanship. Tin Can Tourists will also be setting up their unique campers in the Harbor Park, adjacent to the Port Sanilac marina.

If you are going to be checking out the show on Friday, you have the rare opportunity of taking a tour of the Port Sanilac Lighthouse between 11AM and 3PM too.

Speaking of lighthouse tours. On Saturdays, hop on the boat taxi and take a tour of the Harbor Beach light. Tours run from 9AM to Noon through September 22nd (weather permitting of course.)

The Fort Gratiot Light Station in Port Huron is also open for tours each day through September 3rd from 10AM to 5pm.

The sounds of jazz fill the air this Saturday at St. Clair's Palmer Park.

The 3rd Annual St. Clair Jazz Festival features the music of Detroit based and world-renowned flutist Alexzander Zonjic, jazz/funk guitarist Jeff Lorber and many more. This free festival starts at 1PM and runs to 9pm.

Events in the weeks to come include Hot Wheels Weekend in Marysville, St. Clair County Farm Museum Harvest Festival in Goodells and Lexington's Maragarita Fest. Find out about them and plenty more at our events page.

Blue Water to the Blues: What's happening the first weekend of August on Michigan's eastern shores

If you're one of many who has looked at the calendar and thought "August is already here. This summer has been flying by fast" you're not the only one.

The thing is though there IS still plenty of summer left and the eastern shores of Michigan have plenty of things going on.

From the Blues to the Blue and the Grey. Port Sanilac has it happening this weekend.

The boogie is going to be full effect on Friday along the lakeshore. The Port Sanilac Blues Festival kicks off at 3pm and runs through Saturday evening.

It's a battle of the Blue and the Grey in Port Sanilac this weekend too. Check out Civil War Days at the Sanilac County Historical Museum and Village on Saturday & Sunday for battles and skirmishes, an artillery demonstration, fashion show and more.

Promising a fantastic atmosphere with a wide variety of two dimensional and 3-D professional artists, the Lexington Fine Arts Street Fair will provide spectacular music, tasty food vendors and raffles. It runs this Saturday and Sunday.

Starting on Friday and running through Sunday, Marine City's Maritime Days feature 3 stages of live music, a lighted boat parade, an arts & crafts Show, antique tractors, Jet-Ski races, food and a whole lot more! It starts on Friday and runs through Sunday.

Other events this week include Rockin' The Rivers at Port Huron's Keifer Park on Thursday and the Harsens Island Field Day on Saturday. Also on Saturday is St. Clair's Mardi Gras Party and the Bi-Yak-A-Thon in Harbor Beach.

Looking towards next weekend, the Yard Sale Trail is happening, Marysville has its Art In The Park, and Detroit's Queen of the Blues, Thornetta Davis, plays at Lexington's Concerts In The Park.

Find many things to do and see around the Blue Water Area at our events page.

The County Fair to Cart Racing: What's happening this week in the Blue Water Area

Each July, when the stables and stalls at Goodells County Park are teeming with movement of not only humans but horses, cows and many other creatures, it can only mean one thing. It's time for the St. Clair County 4-H Fair.

Named one of the best family fairs in the state of Michigan, the fair opened today and runs through Saturday the 21st. Along with the usual fare such as a carnival, fried treats and livestock shows and auctions, the St Clair County 4-H Fair also has entertainment throughout the park each and every day.

Admission to the fair is $7 per person.  Children 8 and under are always free and no charge for parking. There's also an option of a daily admission for $20 at the gate.  Each daily admission admits one car and all occupants on the date purchased.

Every summer Harbor Beach's Trescott St. has many people on it heading down to the water. One Saturday each July though there's transportation a little more unusual than a normal making way to the shore.

Based on the same type of set up one would see at an American Soapbox Derby Association competition, it's time for the annual Harbor Beach Cart Derby on Saturday, July 21st.

This community event, co-sponsored by the City of Harbor Beach and The American Legion, is open to ages 8 years old an up with four division competing throughout the day.

The first green flag drops at 9 in the morning with the over 18 group and races continue through to around 2 in the afternoon. Come on down, cheer them on and make summertime fun memories for the young and young at heart.

See photos and more from last year's derby at the Harbor Beach and American Legion Cart Derby Facebook page.

This Saturday, the Sanilac County Historic Village and Museum in Port Sanilac celebrates folkies to Flower Power with the Singin' the Sixties Festival. All across the village's grounds, there will be music and discussion of the decade that changed history forever.

Looking towards next weekend, Riverfest and River Classic Offshore Powerboat Race roars into St. Clair, the Mainstreet Memories car show is in Port Huron, vintage and classic campers show off at Port Austin's Port Cresent St. Park, Port Sanilac has its annual summer festival, Harsens Island is having its Roots Music Festival and the city of Yale throws a party of bologna.

Discover the Blue when you check out all the happenings at our events page.

From local artists and shiny chrome to sipping brews and state settlers: What's happening this weekend in the Blue Water Area

All along Michigan's eastern shores, there's plenty going plenty to see and do this weekend. Let's take a look at some of the events happening in the Blue Water Area for it.

Art On The River, a two day art and music festival, has become a tradition for the second weekend of June in Port Huron. This year they're shaking things up a bit. The family friendly event with art workshops, hands on art, music to dance to and food to enjoy will still be happening on Saturday and Sunday but also this year they're adding Friday night to the mix with a dance party and beer tent.

Over the weekend, Art on The River will play host to many different artists and musicians including 4 time Detroit Music Award winner Barbara Payton, who is the headline act at the festival on Saturday evening this year.

On Saturday, June, 9th see hot rods, custom and muscle cars at Rumble In The Park at Marysville Park.  The next day, the park will host stock and unmodified rides that are at least twenty five years old for The Past and It's Wheels. This show well known for having quite a few Wills Sainte Claire cars. Wills built approximately 12,000 cars between 1921 and '26 in a Marysville factory. There are only 75 remaining in the entire world.

Just a ten minute drive from Marysville is St. Clair. On the evening of the 9th, you can sip on many hop, barley and malt beverages at the St Clair Beer and Wine Festival. The festival, which will take place at St. Clair's Riverview Plaza courtyard, features over 100 beers, wines and craft cocktails from more than 40 breweries, wineries & distilleries from across the state and around the globe. Tickets are available here.

This weekend Native, Voyageurs & Settlers Days are at the Sanilac County Museum & Historical Village in Port Sanilac. At this event, families can expect to have talks and demonstrations that include beeswax candle making, showing furs, rope making, cooking and much more. Everyone is invited to come experience and learn about the rich history connected with the voyagers, Coureurs de Bois native Americans and early settlers of our Great Lakes. It runs from 10am-4pm this Saturday and Sunday.

On the live stage scene, Hypnotist Amye Scharlau is at Lexington Village Theatre on Friday. Also, the Snug Theater in Marine City presents "Two Across" and Lewis Black's "One Slight Hitch" is at the Barn Theater in Port Sanilac this weekend.

Find out more when you Discover The Blue at our events page.

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

TBT: A Port Sanilac Beach in the 1930s

Photo via of Don "The UpNorth Memories Guy" Harrison's Flickr page.

For this Throwback Thursday a family checks out the sand and shore of what was a new public beach area in Port Sanilac in the 1930's.

What are some of your favorite summer time beach memories of the Blue Water Area?

A Haunting We Will Go

Are you ready for shrieks and frights and leaping from things that go bump in the night? The Blue Water Area has a few places where you can walk through spooky woods, wander a haunted railroad and event blast some zombies and creepy clowns.

Featuring a half mile walk through a wooded area of eerie sights that lead up to a ghostly and ghastly residence, Panic At Pine Stump Hollow, located at 6310 Gratiot Avenue in St. Clair, is not for the faint of heart. It is for anyone who enjoys to be frightened though. It's open Friday and Saturday through the from 8pm until midnight.

Located at the old Chicory Factory at 1129 12th Avenue in Port Huron, the Black River Haunted Railroad & Infected Zombie Paintball Shoot is divided in two parts that are guaranteed to give you thrill and chills. Outside, where the abandoned railroad tracks runs, monsters lurks and jump. If you still have your wits about you after that, you can enter the ominous looking building where can take am zombies and clowns with paintball guns. The fright experience is open Thurs through Sundays evening all the way to Halloween.

Meet the unexpected residents of the buildings at the Sanilac County Historical Museum and Village. Open Saturday, October 15th and the 21st, the Family Haunted Village and Spook Walk, located at 228 South Ridge St in Port Sanilac, sets you out to wander in the Halloweeny Woods and cemetery where meet the Wicked Witch and Snow White, Dr. Loop, the Mad Hatter, the Grim Reaper and more.

Port Huron Parks and Rec invite the family to take a Halloween Stroll through Sanborn Park on Saturday, October 29th. Come and encounter various stations of Halloween scenes with lots in store. Per-registration is required for this event which can be done here.

Also on the 29th, Halloween In Lexington has a day full of family fun in store including Children's Costume Parade, Pet Costume Parade, Children's Activities & More!

Find out more about these and many other things happening at our events page.

Lights That Shine Michigan's Eastern Shores

The #lighthouse in #PortSanilac is celebrating its 130 birthday this weekend. For only the 2nd time in its history it will be open for tours this Saturday, Sept. 10th, from 10am til 6pm. #puremichigan #discovertheblue #mittenlove

A photo posted by Discover The Blue (@discoverthebluewaterarea) on Sep 7, 2016 at 5:43am PDT

Before GPS and all the other navigational available at a watercraft's reach these days, lighthouses played an integral role in guiding the way along the coast. While many lighthouses now have private owners, they still operate as beacons along the shores as well as functional historical sites overseen by the US Coast Guard. One of those is the Port Sanilac Lighthouse. The octagonal shaped structure, built in 1886, stands 59 feet tall and has been opened for tours only once. Until this Saturday, September 10th, that is because the public is invited to the Port Sanilac Lighthouse Open House and Tour to celebrate it's 130th birthday from 10am-6pm. This rare opportunity gives visitors a chance the original 1886 classical lighthouse Fresnel Lens that has sat on top of the tower one last time as the the US Coast Guard will be replacing it with a new LED light in the following weeks.

If you'd like to visit more than one lighthouse this weekend, you can also take the boat taxi ride in to take the Harbor Beach lighthouse tour from 10am-1pm on Saturday or climb the 94 steps to the top of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in Port Huron Friday through Sunday between 11am and 5pm.

Other Blue Water Area events this weekend include The Port Huron Hobo Fest on Friday and Saturday, The Fall Craft Show in St Clair, Algonac's Annual Car Show and the Great Lakes Tattoo Expo at the Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron.

Find out more about the many things happening around the area at our events page.