KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter for the Ann Arbor / Detroit Metro Area |
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Sun, May 31: 61st Birmingham Village Fair
Thu, Jun 4: 2026
Festival of Flags - Davison, MI
Fri, Jun 5: St. Frances Cabrini Festival 2025
Sun, Jun 7: Motor City Pride 2026
Fri, Jun 12:
Bank of Ann Arbor Music in the Air Friday Night Concerts
Sat, Jun 13: 18th Annual Jackson Road Cruise
Wed,
Jun 24: Livonia Spree 2026
Fri, Jun 26: 41st Annual Michigan Challenge Balloonfest
Sat, Jul 11: Indigo Lavender Festival
Sat, Jul 11: Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad Jurassic Weekend |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
A tumble is not a verdict; it's information. And kids are natural data analysts. That's what a mom half a generation older than me told me when I was getting ready to have kids, and I took it to heart. So I was secretly a little thrilled the summer my daughter Madison was almost 4, when she took her first big splash off a slippery log into a creek.
Here's why: To succeed in life, everyone needs to learn to stretch to the edge of their abilities... to gather courage from their toes, to calculate, to balance, to wobble, to slide... and eventually to succeed. Kids can learn this early if the grownups in their orbit help them see the mud and bruises that come from a tumble as badges to be worn proudly: a fail-until-we-succeed philosophy in action. That's how personal fulfillment happens, and it's how human progress happens,
too. Summer is childhood's best laboratory, where sensory experiences stick as lifelong learning. School has grades and rubrics and consequences; summer has grass stains and do-overs. An amusement park ride can teach the difference between fear and danger. A hands-on museum can teach that when your tower collapses, you simply vow to rebuild it taller. A farm can teach that maybe you don’t like strawberries from the grocery store, but you do like the
ones you picked yourself, still warm from the sun. A climbing gym can teach your muscles that “I can’t” really means “I can’t yet.” And summer camps are entire worlds built around trying something new with no transcript following you home. Last week, the KidsOutAndAbout.com team launched our annual Top 20 Places to Take
Kids survey. It's a way to thank the people who make your community a great place to raise kids. Equally important, it’s a giant menu of local opportunities for your kids to stretch their legs, their minds, and their bravery this summer. Use it to create your summer bucket list! Then step back and set your family’s summer dial to “safe to fail.” Watch your kids climb, build, stumble, and try again. Let them splash.
—Debra Ross,
publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Ann Arbor Summer Camps That Actually Keep Kids Engaged (9–5 Full Day) Looking for a summer camp your child will actually love and that solves your day? iCode Ann Arbor offers hands-on tech camps where kids build games, explore robotics, and create with AI—not just play on screens. Camps run 9–5 with small groups, guided instruction, and real projects kids are proud of. Designed for ages 6–15, from beginners to advanced learners. Spots are limited, and families are already enrolling. Right now, save $150 with our Grand Opening offer. View camps and reserve your spot: https://icodeschool.com/ann-arbor-mi/camps/
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Maybury Farm offers outdoor party packages for birthdays, family events, and group gatherings with covered pavilion seating, picnic tables, and a tractor wagon ride through trails. Summer packages (April–Sept) and Fall packages (Sept–Nov with corn maze access) come in small, medium, and large options for 25–75 guests, with extra guests per fee. Events run in 3-hour time blocks on weekends. Full payment and online booking are required and non-refundable. Guests should dress for weather; the farm operates rain or shine unless unsafe. Outside food trucks, alcohol, entertainment, grills, smoking, and electricity are not allowed. Set-up and cleanup are required there.
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Get your yard and garden ready for the season with native flowers, trees, and shrubs. All plants for sale are Michigan native genotypes, which means they are more likely to thrive in our area and will be more beneficial to local wildlife.
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Enjoy live song performances, dance along with Rapunzel, play movement games, and so much more in this interactive evening of fun for the whole family! Program includes play time in the Hide & Seek playroom. Pizza dinner available for purchase.
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With over 40 rides games and attractions for the whole family this will be largest midway in festival history! We've got your favorite fair foods as well so come hungry. Don't forget to save some money by using our online presale system. Visit our website for more info!
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The wait is over—Crossroads Village is back for another season of family fun! Join us for Opening Weekend, where we’ll be honoring our veterans. This exciting weekend is packed with live entertainment, activities, and opportunities to learn more about the important contributions of our service members, along with a special ceremony by the Quilts of Valor. In recognition of Memorial Day, veterans and active military receive free admission as we express our gratitude for their service.
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Castle turrets and cobblestone paths will be the backdrop for a wide range of entertainment as you stroll through this outdoor medieval adventure! Be entertained by musicians, jesters, magicians, belly dancers, the queen and her royal court, medieval knights in combat, and more – not to mention indoor bathrooms and air-conditioned buildings!
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Mom & Dad, do you have plans that don't include your young artists? Bring their energy and creativity to Kid's Extreme Night Out! So you can have a night to yourself! This fun-filled evening includes making jumbo spin art in a giant 48" machine, playing exciting games, and getting messy with slime time. It’s a night of laughter, creativity, and unforgettable fun! Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with protective gear, but wear clothes that can handle some colorful chaos. Brace yourselves for a sparkly, splattery, paint-flinging extravaganza! Young artists will spin dazzling creations on a jumbo spin art machine and unleash their inner chaos with splatter painting galore. It’s messy, it’s magical, and it’s 100% giggle-approved! Who knew art could be this much fun?!
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Experience the biggest Memorial Day Parade in the midwest in St. Clair Shores. On Sunday, May 24th, grab a spot on Harper Ave. to watch one of the best parades in the country! The parade starts at 1 p.m., pack for the weather!
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Spend your Sunday evening with us at Lake St. Clair Metropark enjoying music from different local bands. Each Sunday starting Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, the Thomas Welsh Activity Center becomes a concert venue. From rock to country to R&B and oldies, there is a concert for everyone. Lounge in a lawn chair or get on your feet and dance. Concessions will be open during the performances. We invite you to join us this summer!
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Organized by the South Lyon VFW Post 1224, the Memorial Day Parade is a South Lyon tradition. The parade launches at 9:00 a.m. from Bartlett Elementary and makes its way east on 10 Mile (also known as Lake Street) through downtown to Reynold Sweet Parkway. The parade ends in the South Lyon Cemetery with a touching ceremony that commemorates the contributions and sacrifices of all veterans.
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At 9:00am, (on Monday, May 25th) in Plymouth is an opportunity to recognize those who gave their life in service for our country and our veterans. There will be a parade up Main Street to Veterans Park for a Memorial Day ceremony honoring our fallen soldiers. As the parade passes through, spectators can follow them to Veterans Park, which is located in front of PARC at Church and Main Streets. You are also welcome to go straight to the park for the ceremony and watch them coming up the street.
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Mark your calendar for the annual Memorial Day Parade, hosted by the Ferndale Memorial Association. This is Michigan’s oldest ongoing Memorial Day event. The parade is on Monday, May 25, 2026, starting at 10:00 a.m. near Livernois Street and West Maplehurst Street. The parade will travel along Livernois, Oakridge, Pinecrest, Nine Mile, and back to Livernois, ending at the Memorial Mall. Afterward, there will be a memorial ceremony at the Memorial Mall, where the names of local veterans who passed away in the past year will be read. Thanks to the Ferndale Memorial Association for making this event possible. After the ceremony, the Ferndale Fire Department invites everyone to visit the station. You are welcome to stop by, take a tour, and meet the Ferndale firefighters. The station is located right across from the Memorial Mall at 1635 Livernois.
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Experience color, form, and luminosity in an entirely new way at CHIHULY at Meijer Gardens, where vibrant glass installations transform the Gardens — plus an optional indoor gallery experience as well as a guided tour.
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On the eve of Memorial Day, a star-studded lineup will grace the stage for one of PBS’ highest-rated programs. This multi-award-winning television event honors the military service and sacrifice of all our men and women in uniform, their families and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Check your local listings.
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- Camp Kenan Open House: Paint-a-Palooza - YMCA Camp Kenan - 8571 Lower Lake Road, Barker, NY 14012, United States, Saturday, May 23, 2026, 10:00am to 2:00pm
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Detroit - Ann Arbor - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, USA, Saturday, May 23, 2026 to Sunday, May 24, 2026, See link for times
- St. Clair Shores Memorial Day Parade - Harper Avenue - St. Clair Shores, MI, USA, Sunday, May 24, 2026, 1:00PM
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Dallas area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas!
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Ann Arbor - Detroit area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool,
& more. Our guide puts summer fun right at your…
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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