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Here are 24 things to do in Michigan this weekend (July 18-20)

Michigan Public | By Miles Anderson
Published July 17, 2025 at 3:08 PM EDT

What came first Lake Michigan or the state of Michigan ? Unlike the chicken and the egg question, there is an answer. Lake Michigan was named before the state of Michigan. Hopefully that fun fact piqued your interest and excitement about the Mitten State because Michigan Public scrupulously scoured event calendars across the state to find a sampling of fun, interesting, and timely events in an effort to make deciding your weekend plans a little easier. Planning to go to any of these events this weekend? Let us know how much you enjoyed it by emailing digital@michiganpublic.org.

Across Michigan

Ann Arbor Art Fair
7/17 - 7/19, All day
Downton Ann Arbor
Free

50th Annual Michigan Brown Trout Festival
7/18-7/27, All day
Alpena Small Boat Harbor, 400 E. Chisholm Street, Alpena
Free

Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival
7/18-7/20 Fri. 7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m., Sun. 10 a.m.
Marquette Tourist Park, 2145 Sugar Loaf Ave, Marquette
$45-150

Czech & Slovak Festival
7/19-7/20, Sat 1:30-9 p.m. Sun. 12:30-7:20 p.m.
Sokol Detroit, 23600 W. Warren Avenue, Dearborn Heights
$15

Ann Arbor & Ypsilanti

Geology Hike: Ice Contact Terrain at Park Lyndon South
7/18, 6:30 p.m.
18801 N Territorial Rd Chelsea
Free

MAMMA MIA! -- Dancing Queens Dance Party at Michigan Theater
7/18 9:30 p.m.
Michigan Theater, 603 E Liberty Street Ann Arbor
$12

72nd Manchester Chicken Broil
7/19 4 p.m.
Alumni Memorial Field, 220 S. Vernon St. Manchester
$15

The Lunar Octet at the Blue Llama
7/19 6:30-10:30 p.m.
The Blue Llama, 314 S Main St Ann Arbor
$50

Metro Detroit

Detroit Symphony Orchestra: Batman 1989 In Concert
7/18 7:30 p.m.
Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, 3711 Woodward Ave, Detroit
Cost varies

African World Festival
7/18-7/20 Fri. 5-11 p.m., Sat & Sun 11-11 p.m.
Hart Plaza, 1 Hart Plaza Detroit
$12.51-250

Southern Soul
7/19 7 p.m.
The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, 2600 Atwater St., Detroit
$70

8th Annual Detroit Festival of Books
7/20 10-4 p.m.
Eastern Market, 2934 Russell Street Detroit
Free

Grand Rapids

Meijer Gardens Summer Concert Series: Leftover Salmon & The Infamous Stringdusters
7/18 6 p.m.
Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE Grand Rapids
$63

Upheaval Festival 2025
7/18-7/19 1-12 a.m.
Belknap Park, 30 Coldbrook NE, Grand Rapids
$159.27

Rock Music to Destroy the Chaos Future
7/19 7 p.m.
The Stache at The Intersection, 133 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW Grand Rapids
$10

The Goonies at Wealthy Theatre
7/20 2 p.m.
Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids
$10

Kalamazoo

2025 Kalamazoo Blues Festival
7/18-7/19 Fri. 5-11 p.m. Sat. 1-10:45 p.m.
Arcadia Creek Festival Site
$15-35

The Flying Leaps w/ The Plural Nouns & Yellowhouse
7/18 8 p.m.
Bell’s Brewery and Eccentric Café, 355 E Kalamazoo Ave Kalamazoo
$19.37

Beginning Birding: The Baltimore Oriole
7/19 9-10:30 a.m.
Ayurvedic Wellness Center, 900 Peeler Street, Suite E, Kalamazoo
$20

Shakespeare's Pub 22nd Anniversary Party!
7/19 11:30 a.m. - 1 a.m.
Shakespeare's Pub, 241 E Kalamazoo Avenue, Kalamazoo
Free

Lansing

Walter Blanding Series “Monk’s Dream” Celebrating the Music of Thelonious Monk
7/18 5 p.m.
The Urban Beat, 1213 Turner Road, Lansing
$30

Yankee Springs Recreation Area - Volunteer Stewardship Workday
7/19 10-12 p.m.
Yankee Springs Recreation Area, 2104 Briggs Rd S, Middleville
Free

2nd Annual Mason Street Country Fair
7/19 10- 6 p.m.
205 North Mason Street, Mason, MI 48854
Free

Mega Mall Outdoor Flea Market
7/20 9-3 p.m.
15487 Old U.S. 27, Lansing, MI 48906
Free

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Miles Anderson
Miles Anderson is a Digital Media Intern for Michigan Public. He is a rising senior at the University of Michigan studying English and sociology.
See stories by Miles Anderson
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