Weekend Events Round-Up: Father's Day Weekend

I can't believe that summer officially starts NEXT WEEK! My kids only got out of school Wednesday and they're already fighting, complaining and asking "What can I do?" Boy is it going to be a l-o-n-g summer. Luckily, there is always a lot to do around Ann Arbor with the kids! In fact there is no shortage of activities and events!

Of course this is Father's Day weekend, so we'll be doing that. Also the Strawberry Festival hits Belleville and we're volunteering our time at our church for their sale (I'd be remiss to not to let you know that the BEST Strawberry Pies in town will be available all weekend at Trinity Episcopal Church on Belleville Road too!!!)  as well. But there is a lot to do elsewhere too.

The weekend is sure to get filled up with events and activities, so be sure to stop in tonight for the opening night of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival Top of the Park (your child will love the KidsZone!), spend some time crafting for Dad (a few years ago my kids made these cute golf balls with Sharpies for dad!) or tour the many local sites around Ann Arbor!

Festival season in Michigan has begun. Be sure to swing by
Belleville's National Strawberry Festival this weekend!

Friday, June 15:

It's all about opening night at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, Belleville's National Strawberry Festival or Canton Liberty Fest which runs through Saturday. The first two listed happen all weekend!

Saturday, June 16:

Want to get crafty with the kids, perhaps gifting their creation to dad? There are two opportunities for free craft events today. The first allows the kids to Make a Father's Day Card at Ann Arbor District Library (2359 Oak Valley Dr.,Ann Arbor) at 11:00 a.m. then head to the Ypsilanti District library (5577 Whittaker Rd., Ypsilanti) to design dad his own mug at 2:00 p.m.

Think that's fun, teens in grades 6+ can hit the Hands-On Workshop at the Ann Arbor District Library (343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor) 1:00-5:00 p.m. for 3-D Printing fun. The makers of All Hands Active (AHA) lead an intro to 3-dimensional printing. Learn about 3-D technology, see how a 3D printer works to create objects before your eyes, and experiment with designing some objects using the freely available Google Sketchup. Participants will be able to submit simple designs to be printed and picked up at a later date. For more information on this event call the Library’s Youth Department at 327-8301 or visit our website at aadl.org.

Your pre-schooler will surely enjoy the swashbuckling Pirate Party at Ypsilanti District Library (5577 Whittaker Rd., Ypsilanti) at  10:30-11:30 a.m.  Swing aboard for some pirate-themed stories, songs, and a craft or two as we hunt for buried treasure.

At 2:00-4:00 p.m. be sure to check out the Ann Arbor Book Festival for free games with prizes, music, storytelling followed by a talk and book signing!  

Check out the early season fireworks at 10:15 p.m. during the closing of Canton Liberty Fest for 2012. Bring chairs, blankets, bug spray and snacks to Heritage Park for the excitement!

Sunday, June 17:

Feeling like there's nothing to do? There are always the free Dinosaur Toursat University of Michigan Museum of Natural History Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Don't forget to hit the the free tour of the Rentschler Farm Museum during one of their free tours too!