Celebrating the 'First Long Weekend of Summer' in the Blue Water Area

Memorial Day weekend is coming up quick. First observed as Decoration Day in 1868 as a day of remembrance of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice during wartime, the name of the day gradually shifted to Memorial Day throughout the years and was officially changed to that name in 1967.

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The law took effect at the federal level in 1971.

Many Blue Water Area communities will be having Memorial Day parades, observances and ceremonies on Monday the 27th.

At 10AM,  Harbor Beach will hold military honors at Rock Falls Cemetery. The parade starts at the American Legion Hall on Trescott Street then goes through downtown ending at Veteran’s Park.

Marine City also honors veterans with their parade at 10 AM.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Lexington invite you to join them at to remember those who help keep the country safe at 11 AM.

Also at 11AM, the Port Huron Memorial Day parade will start at the corner of Huron Avenue and Quay Street, downtown Port Huron and travel north to Pine Grove Park where a memorial service will follow.

Port Austin pays tribute to the men and woman who've served at 11:30 AM.

At noon, Port Sanilac blesses the fleet with a 21 gun salute and echo taps from their area chapter of the VFW. It will be followed by a 

St. Clair's American Legion post will have their parade at 1 PM and a ceremony following at Memorial Park.

Along with honoring those who've served and kept us safe, there are quite a few other events happening over Memorial Day weekend too.

Harbor Beach will be a treasure hunt from Thursday the 23rd through Sunday the 26th as it is time for their annual city wide garage sale. You never know what you'll find!

May 25th & 26th, you can take a step back in time at the Feast of the Ste Claire. Held at Port Huron's Pine Grove Park, this event has been a long running tradition in the city with periods of early Michigan history brought to life by re-enactors living in historic-style camps and demonstrating daily life of that era.

Don't forget that the Lady's Slippers are in full bloom if you visit Port Austin on Memorial Day weekend too. The Lady’s Slipper Festival at the Huron County Nature Center welcome you to join them for food, fun, crafts, music and activities for all ages on Sunday the 26th.

Another sure sign that summer is just around the corner is that plenty of the Farmers Markets will be open. Port Sanilac and Harbor Beach are on Friday. Port Huron and Port Austin have them happening on Saturday.

Looking ahead, the first weekend in June is next week. Things happening then include Port Huron's Be A Tourist In Your Own Town and the Blue Water Sturgeon Festival.

Later in June, you can discover the blue of Michigan's ThumbCoast at Art On The River in Port Huron, Maryville's Summer Fest, Porch Fest in Port Austin, The Blue Water Cruise Weekend, The St. Clair Art Fair and much more.

To find out more all the happenings in our area, Discover The Blue at our events page.

What are your plans for the upcoming long weekend?

Rev It Up!: 2019 Blue Water Area Car Shows

So, you've got the motor running and heading out to the highway. Why not rev it up and head to one of the many classic car shows happening in the Blue Water Area this summer.

The season of shows kicks off in June with two cars in one weekend at Marysville City Park. On Saturday, June 8th, Rumble In The Park will feature hot rods, custom and muscle cars.

The next day the Past and its Wheels show will feature not only many un-modified and in stock condition rides but also quite a few Wills Sainte Claire cars. Wills built approximately 12,000 cars between 1921 and '26 at a factory in Marysville. There are only about 75 Wills Sainte Claire automobiles remaining in the entire world.

If you're a fan of bigger machines, check out the Harbor Beach Truck Show on Saturday, June 15th. The downtown streets of this ThumbCoast community are closed off and then lined with over 75 trucks ranging from semis to pickups and tankers to trailers. Along with the trucks of all sizes, there will be food, beverages, vendors and live music.

From trucks used for work to equipment for working in the field. Take a trip back to see how farming was done in earlier times at the Lexington Antique Tractor Show. Taking place behind Lexington’s A&W restaurant, tractors will stand shiny and tall for viewing for vintage farm equipment enthusiasts. It's happening on Saturday, June 15th.

The last weekend of June is a huge weekend for classic car enthusiasts from Michigan's ThumbCoast and beyond. Running from June 27th through the 30th, the Blue Water Cruise Weekend kicks off with a carnival at Birchwood Mall. 

On Friday, the 28th, the wheels will be in motion as the cars cruise 24th Avenue and Pine Grove. 

Get a closer look at many of the cars from the cruise on Saturday at the Keith Peterson Memorial Car Show. That evening, check out the fireworks display along 24th Ave.

The streets of Downtown Port Huron will be glimmering with high gloss and chrome on Saturday, July 27th. The Mainstreet Memories Car Show is a community-based, non-judged event that brings auto aficionados from all over the area to check the many sweet street machines.

What goes with summer and classic cars? Vintage campers of course. Saturday, July 27th is the day for the 11th annual Vintage Camper Show in Port Austin. Coordinated by the Tin Can Tourists, America's oldest trailer and motor coach club, this show brings antique trailers, some of them dating back to the 1930s to Port Crescent State Park. This year there will be over 100 trailers to celebrate our Michigan State Parks' 100th anniversary.

Wrapping up car show season in the Blue Water Area for the summer is The Rumble On The River. Held on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, this is a one day show that coincides with Algonac's annual art fair. It's one of many great ways to cap off summer adventures for both art lovers and car lovers in the Blue Water Area.

To find out more about these things to do and the plenty of others when you discover the blue, check out our events page here.