Santa Claus Is Coming To Town: Blue Water Area Winter Holiday Parades

Two things we all must remember this time of the year. That is to not pout or cry. Why? Because Santa Claus is coming to town.

As we all know before he makes his rounds dropping off gifts to good little boy and girls on Christmas eve, he likes to check in to places before that to make sure everyone is behaving. Thanks to some connections we have at the North Pole, we're able to let you know when and where some of those stops will be in the Blue Water Area.

St. Nick's first stop will be in St. Clair on Friday, November 22th at 6pm. After riding his sleigh down S. Riverside Street in the parade, he'll be given the key to the city and then the tree at Palmer Park will be lit.

His next visit will be the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, November 26th when he stops in to help ring in the excitement of the season during Marine City’s Lighted Santa Parade!  

The night after Thanksgiving, November 29th, Santa kicks off the official start of the holiday season in the city of Port Huron with a parade too. Following the city's parade, he'll throw the switch that lights the McMorran Christmas Tree and leads the crowd in singing holiday carols. 

Saint Nick gives his reindeer a night off on Wednesday, December 4th and arrives on the back of a decorated in lights antique tractor for Algonac's Santa Parade and Tree Lighting.

After a week back up at the North Pole he returns to the Blue Water Area to check on all the good girls and boys in Marysville on Saturday, December 7th at 5pm their annual parade. 

The jolly man in the red suit has a bit of a tight schedule on that Saturday because he's also part of Harbor Beach's Annual Lighted Christmas Parade which starts at 5:30 on Trescott St.

On Saturday, December 14th, you may not see reindeer in Lexington but you will see a lot of four-legged creatures into the spirit of the season at the Lexington Old Fashioned Christmas Horse Parade. It starts at 2pm.

To find out about all the things happening around the Blue Water Area during the holiday season check out our events page.

Miles of Treasures and much more: What's Happening This Week in Michigan's ThumbCoast

The Blue Water Area and all of Michigan's Thumb will see a lot of hunters this weekend. Bargain Hunters that is as it is time for the 17th annual Yard Sale Trail. 

Starting in New Baltimore and Clay Township to the south and Port Austin and on to Sebawaing to the north, the trail covers around 200 miles of yard and garage sales on along M-25 and M-29 on Michigan's eastern coast.

From kitsch to classics and everything in between can be found along the route which begins about 8 a.m. on Friday and lasts throughout the weekend.

M-25 and M-29 are state highways and will be busy and law enforcement offer a few bits of advice for those shopping and checking out the trail.

• Give vehicles in front of you a more bit of extra space as many will be slowing down and pulling over to check out the many locations having sales  
• Pay extra attention to pedestrians crossing the highway. There will be many out there and some may be in a blind spot.
• Don’t park near intersections as it can obstruct other drivers vision for a time to cross the road.
• Remember that drivers cannot park on a fog line or be over the fog line in the road, or park less than 15 feet from a fire hydrant.  

If your adventure on the sale trail finds you in Harbor Beach on Saturday, check out AG Venture Day where you can stroll the downtown streets to get up close to the equipment and talk with local farmers.

Along with the Yard Sale Trail during the day this weekend, there are quite a few live shows happening in the evening. On the theater scene, The Citadel Stage has a production of A Midsommers Nights Dreame and the Riverbank Theatre In Marine City hosts Grease!

Live music this week includes Eagles tribute band Hotel California at Rockin' The Rivers in Port Huron on Thursday and Lynyrd Skynyrd member Artimus Pyle and his band play the Lexington Village Theater on Friday.

Looking towards next weekend Port Sanilac has their Antique Boat and Vintage Show and St. Clair hosts their annual jazz festival.

Find out more about all the things to see and do when you Discover The Blue 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.

14 Great Beaches and Splash Pads In Michigan's ThumbCoast

Summer is upon us and cooling down from the heat is on the top of the list for families and kids.

Located in Michigan’s ThumbCoast, the Blue Water Area offers many public beaches to enjoy a day at the lake at. Along with them, there are several parks that feature splash pads too. Here are fourteen great beaches and splash pads to get in the water and to “Discover The Blue” of Michigan’s eastern shores.

St. Clair County

Clay Twp. Splash Park

Located on Pte Tremble Rd in Algonac, The Clay Township Splash Pad and Park sees a flurry of activity from the children on the playground and the water splash pad every summer.

Marine City Beach

Known as the farthest south sandy beach in St. Clair County, the Marine City Beach offers a barrier-free sidewalk, restrooms,  picnic tables, barbecue grills and shady, grassy areas to kick back and relax.

Marysville City Park & Chrysler Beach 

Marysville City Park offers many great amenities for a great summer day. Along with an extraordinary splash pad, the park also has plenty of shaded picnic areas as well as covered pavilions, several playground romps, baseball diamonds and fitness areas. Located directly across the street on the park's east side is Chrysler Beach. As one of the few sandy beaches along the St. Clair River, the location also boasts a gazebo that's a prime location for freighter watching.

Goodells County Park 

In the center of St. Clair County is Goodells County Park. It not only includes a splash pad for the kids to play in but also the location for the county's historical village, a farm museum which represents over 150 years of farming, a butterfly garden and many more things that promise a fun day in the outdoors.

Lighthouse Beach and Park

Right next to the Fort Gratiot Light Station is Port Huron's Lighthouse Park is one of the most historic places in the area. The beach touts over 900 feet of waterfront and beach on Lake Huron as well as a play area and many picnic spots under large trees.

Lakeside Beach Park and Splash Pad

On the clear waters of Lake Huron sits Lakeside Beach and Park in Port Huron. Boasting 1050 feet of water frontage with clean, sandy beaches, Lakeside includes lots of playground facilities, splash pad, picnic areas and restrooms are available. Beach volleyball is a popular activity and on the weekends there are lots of boats anchoring offshore.

Fort Gratiot County Park

Fort Gratiot County Park is located in the northern part of St. Clair County, just off M-25 on Metcalf Rd. This 30 acre park offers breathtaking views of Lake Huron and 852 feet of shoreline and beach. Facilities at the park include beach access, restrooms, wedding plaza, picnic areas as well as a children’s playground, Biggo Solo swing (ADA accessible) and close to a mile paved of walking trails.

Lakeport State Park

Lying along Lake Huron, Lakeport State Park provides southeast Michigan residents access to the Great Lakes. The park has two distinct units separated by the village of Lakeport. A total of 250 sites are divided between the two campgrounds.

Sanilac County 

Tierney Park

Sitting next to the Lexington State Harbor is Tierney Park, a public park with a beach on the shore of Lake Huron. This quaint park includes restrooms, a stage for music concerts, BBQs, picnic tables, volleyball court, swings and kids playscape. 

Lexington County Park

Nestled on 27 beautiful acres just 3 miles north of Lexington along M-25, the Lexington County Park offer not only a beach but electric or rustic campsites and a pavilion available to rent as well.

Forester Park 

6 miles north of Port Sanilac on M-25 along the scenic Lake Huron shoreline is Forester Park. Covering 68 acres the park offers a day-use area along rustic cabins, RV or tent camping.

Huron County

Lincoln Park & Trescott Pier

Sitting at the east end of Trescott Street in Harbor Beach is Lincoln Park. It has a nice sandy swimming beach, playground equipment, a picnic shelter, picnic tables, and restrooms.  A lengthy pier, called Trescott Street Pier, extends from the parking area, offering a scenic view of the lighthouse and Lake Huron.  A kayak can be launched from the north side of the park.

Bird Creek Park

Bird Creek Park is a seven acre day use park located in Port Austin. The first thing you notice at Bird Creek is the wooden boardwalk that goes halfway around the park along the beach with roofed picnic shelters overlooking the beach and the water. 

Port Crescent State Park

Situated on 600 acres, Port Austin's Port Crescent Park is located along 3 miles of shoreline on Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay. Activities within the park include camping, hiking, swimming, canoeing, hunting, cross country skiing, bird watching, fishing, and picnicking.  There's a kayak launch site which is part of the Tip of the Thumb Heritage Water Trail.

Find out more about Michigan's ThumbCoast at bluewater.org

Discovering Michigan's ThumbCoast In May

Ahhh, the warm weather months. You’re starting to feel it in the air, aren’t you?

If that, along with the calendar telling us the month of May is about to arrive, wasn’t enough to show signs that the sunny season is straight ahead, the many events going on sure would.

Here's a look at some of the things happening over the next four weeks in Michigan's ThumbCoast.

The first weekend starts the month hoppin'!

On Friday, May 3rd, Downtown Port Huron presents Art Hop Spring 2019.  Art Hop is a mini-sidewalk festival inspired event which brings the art enthusiasts, fun-seeking families and merrymakers together to the city's main street.

May 4th & 5th, finds railroad enthusiasts gathering at the Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron for the Tunnel City Railway Train Show, a family-friendly event which will feature dealers, manufacturers, scale train layouts much more.

There will be a lot of "horsing around" in Lexington from May 3rd through the 5th.

Derby Days start with a horse parade on Friday at 7pm and most stores downtown will be staying open to 9pm. From 9pm to 2am there will be country line dancing at Steis's Village Inn.

On Saturday, things start with at noon with kid's pony rides until 4pm. At 6pm the derby will be shown on the big screen at Lexington Village Theater.  In the evening the Windjammer will be having mechanical bull riding and there will be live country-rock music happening at Steis's.

Sunday there will be an all day Cinco De Mayo party which will include a Cinco De Mayo Closest to the Pin Challenge at Lakeview Hills Golf Resort.

Remember those old game shows on TV and wished you had been on one of them? Now is your chance! On Saturday, May 11th, The Harbor Beach Gameshow Series brings back the television magic of yesteryear right in the Harbor Beach Community Theatre.

Even if you don't hit the big money at the Game Show Series, you may find the deal of the century at Harbor Beach's Citywide Garage Sale running May 22nd through the 27th.

During Memorial Day weekend celebrate the pageantry, history and flavor of Michigan from 1750-1840.

Port Huron's Feast of the Ste. Claire brings to life four periods of early Michigan history with re-enactors living in historic-style camps demonstrating the daily life of these eras.

If you're looking to fish, and like a little friendly competition while doing so, the Blue Water Area has several tournaments happening in May.

The MMA Walleye Classic is in Port Huron on Saturday, May 4th as is the Can2Can Tournament in Harbor Beach. From May 17th through the 19th, The Marbleye Classic will be happening in St. Clair.

After a day outside discovering the blue in May, take in a live stage show in the evening.

This weekend the Port Austin Players wraps up their presentation of Neil Simon's God's Favorite and Port Huron's Citadel Stage starts its run of Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood. The Riverbank Theatre in Marine City has its production of Nunsense this month and The Barn Theater in Port Sanilac kicks off their summer season at the end of the month with the Sam Bobrick's classic comedy Annoyance.

Discover more about what's happening in the Blue Water Area 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.

A Night Out in the Blue

Getting out with a date or some good-time friends?  Port Huron and the Blue Water region of Michigan is your playground!  Here are a handful of night-out ideas for you to run with: 

  Dinner & a Movie

Photo courtesy of Keith Macke

Dinner and a movie is a classic date-night event.  Now with Sperry’s Moviehouse right downtown, Port Huron is a great date destination with plenty of restaurants to choose from and the movie theater within walking distance of many places to grab a bite.Sperry’s own 2^nd Floor Dinnerhouse (hint, hint: located on the 2^nd floor of the movie theater) is a great option for dining.  Its second story vantage overlooks Main Street and may be the only public area to see downtown from this height.

For a touch of old-time movie house magic, visit The Mariner Theatre of Marine City which shows classic movies and films.  An antique popcorn machine, peanut roaster and period theater seats add to the ambiance of the throw-back scene.  Upcoming features include The Mummy, showing on October 14 and Bride of Frankenstein, showing on October 28.     

Live Theater

Live theater can be a riveting experience and the Blue Water region has excellent venues to catch a play, like the sister stages Snug Theatre and Riverbank Theatre in downtown Marine City.  Tickets are available now for the comedy Moon Over Buffalo playing at the Riverbank Theater October 20 thru November 4. 

Another lively performance will take place at McMorran Theater in Port Huron presenting the musical Rocky Horror Show on October 20 and 21.  Just down the street the quaint but talented Citadel Stage will put on Frankenstein October 13-29 and 12 Angry Jurors November 10-19. 

Challenge Your Wits

If out-of -your-chair fun is more your style, check out The Hallway Escape Room in downtown Port Huron.  The objective is to gather the clues and solve the puzzles in sixty minutes or less.  There are three themed rooms to choose from: casino heist, Thomas Edison time warp and murder mystery.  Are you and your date or a group of friends up for the challenge?  It’s a rush to escape!

Under the Stars

Get outside and wander the natural beauty of your Blue Water evening.  Algonac, Marine City, St. Clair, Marysville and Port Huron have wonderful boardwalks and walking paths that stretch along the riverfront.  Further north Lexington and Harbor Beach’s break walls reach into Lake Huron for a beautiful panoramic view.

Kick your feet up at St. Clair’s Riverview Plaza where their open air courtyard grants a gracious lawn, Adirondack chairs and gas lite fire pits for visitors to gather at and enjoy.  Just across the street is the longest freshwater boardwalk in the world, so take a stroll!   

There are many more great things to do on a night out in the Blue Water region.  The most important thing is to enjoy yourself and your company!           

From History and Heritage to Hobos and Hounds: Ten Things Happening This Weekend In The Blue Water Area

Now that Labor Day has passed and school is back in session, many may think that it marks a slow down of things to do and see in the Blue Water Area. That isn't the case though as this upcoming September weekend has plenty happening in our region. Here are ten things to check out for an eastern shores of Lake Huron adventure.

Bach, Baroque and beyond. That's what to expect in Port Huron and Lexington this weekend at the annual Bach Festival. The celebration of the composer starts Thursday in Port Huron with noon and 7 pm performances at SC4's Fine Arts Theater with the Festival String Quartet performing a varied program of music from Bach to light classics.

Friday evening, the fete moves to Lexington where the Trio Phoenix will perform an evening of music for violin, cello and piano including works by Bach, Beethoven, Rameau and Debussy at the Lexington Village Theater. The music continues on Saturday and Sunday with the Festival Orchestra offering two concerts in St. Denis Catholic Church.

To find out more and to get tickets visit the Lexington Bach Festival website.

The music of Bach isn't the only sounds they will be hearing in Lexington this weekend either. The legendary B.J. Thomas, known for the hits such as "Hooked On A Feeling", "Rock-n-Roll Lullaby" and, of course, the #1 smash "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" will be playing two shows at the Lexington Village Theater on Saturday.

If your musical tastes run a bit more on the rockin' side of country music, make plans to be in Port Huron on Friday night when Scott Manery & The Barnburners turn up the heat at McMorran Place.

Also in Port Huron this weekend, the PH&DDR Historical Society celebrate Port Huron’s history as a vital international transport center, the city’s struggle to overcome the economic depression and the courage and resourcefulness of those that rode the rails seeking work and adventure with Hobo Fest on Friday and Saturday.

If seeing how people traveled by water in style is your thing, feast your eyes on the many vintage floating vessels (quite a few of which were built in the Blue Water Area decades ago at Chris Craft and Gar Wood) at the Blue Water Antique and Classic Boat Show. It's happening this Saturday at Port Huron's River Street Marina.

Throughout this upcoming weekend, Marine City is celebrating its sesquicentennial birthday on the grounds of their historic city hall for Heritage Days. Among the things happening at this jubilee include the Michigan 8th Volunteers setting up camp and remind us of our state's role in the Civil War, music ranging from ancient bagpipes to a swing band, a petting zoo, antique cars & tractors, horsedrawn wagon ride through town and more. Check out EBW's feature on Marine City Heritage Days here. 

Also in Marine City this weekend it's the premiere of Oliver! at the Riverbank Theater. This musical interpretation of the Charles Dickens classic. runs through September 30th.

One thing that September means to a lot of people is that it is harvest time. After the crops have been taken care of it is time to relax and then party. For many that means it's POLKA TIME. Especially in Kinde. Located a ten minute drive from Port Austin, the Kinde Polka Fest features ten polka bands over three days and brings people from all around the Michigan's Thumb to come and roll out the barrel of fun.

Harbor Beach is also having a harvest celebration on Saturday too with a Craft Expo 10 am-4 pm the on Murphy Museum lawn, a  pie & dessert contest 10:30 am at their visitors center and sampling of various chili recipes made at local merchants and organizations from 11 am-3 pm.

There's going to be good boys and cool pooches galore this weekend at Goodells County Park this weekend. The St. Clair Kennel Club's annual dog show is always a huge draw with area canine fans and friends and this year will be no different. The show starts Friday and runs through Sunday.

Discover all the Blue has to offer at Bluewater.Org