Welcome to the second week of September in Mid-Michigan, the calm after Labor Day when summer's biggest festivals wrap up and the weekend calendar shifts to car shows, blues festivals, and the first apple-cider tastes of the season. This week is anchored by three excellent weekend events: the Frankenmuth Auto Fest fills Heritage Park in Frankenmuth Friday through Sunday, the Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly opens its Wonders of the World themed weekend on Saturday, and downtown Brighton turns into a barbecue and blues destination for the Smokin' Rock-N-Blues Festival on Friday and Saturday. It is a strong week to get out and enjoy the last long evenings of late summer.
We are also making Bay County a regular stop in the roundup this season. About an hour north of Flint, Bay City and the Saginaw Bay area are known for festivals, fireworks, riverfront events, art fairs, and outdoor recreation that draw visitors from across the region, and this week is a perfect example: a Movie Night on Saginaw Street Thursday, a free Saturday-evening Peace of Mind Concert at Wenonah Park on the Saginaw River, and the Market at Uptown Bay City Friday afternoon. If you have not made Bay City a day trip yet, this is the week to start.
For deeper seasonal ideas, check out our September 2026 seasonal guide, our guide to the best farmers markets, and our Bay City day trip guide.
Festivals & Fairs
Frankenmuth Auto Fest
The 43rd annual Frankenmuth Auto Fest rolls into Heritage Park (601 Weiss St) in Frankenmuth Friday through Sunday, one of the biggest charity car shows in the region. Expect hundreds of classic, muscle, and custom vehicles on the grounds, plus vendor booths, live entertainment, and family activities. Proceeds support the Frankenmuth Rotary Club, Lions Club, American Legion, VFW, and Michigan Heroes Museum, so it is a fun weekend with a genuinely good cause behind it. Pair it with a walk through Frankenmuth's Bavarian-style downtown while you are there.
Heritage Park, 601 Weiss St, Frankenmuth, MI · frankenmuthautofest.net
Michigan Renaissance Festival: Wonders of the World Weekend
The Michigan Renaissance Festival at Hollygrove, off Dixie Highway just outside Holly, celebrates its Wonders of the World themed weekend Saturday and Sunday. The festival bills it as a global adventure: a diverse world market, live performances from around the globe, a belly dancing contest, vibrant ethnic dances, and a steampunk-style showcase, all alongside the usual full-contact armored jousting, 150-plus artisans, and 17 stages of entertainment. Hours run 9 AM to 7 PM each day, rain or shine. Gate admission is $29.95 for adults, $19.95 for children ages 5-12, and $27.95 for seniors, plus fees, with ages 4 and under free. It is one of the most colorful family outings within an hour of Mid-Michigan.
12600 Dixie Hwy, Holly, MI 48442 · michrenfest.com/wonders-of-the-world
Brighton Smokin' Rock-N-Blues Festival
Downtown Brighton heats up Friday and Saturday for the Smokin' Rock-N-Blues Festival, an award-winning barbecue and live music celebration on Main Street and around the AMP at Mill Pond. Award-winning pitmasters serve up barbecue while rock and blues bands play across the weekend, with vendor booths filling the walkable downtown. It runs Friday from 5 to 10 PM and Saturday from noon to 10 PM, and admission is free. Bring a lawn chair, grab some barbecue, and enjoy one of Livingston County's best late-summer street festivals.
Downtown Brighton, Main Street at the AMP · brightoncoc.org
Donut & Cider Fest at Canterbury Village
The Donut & Cider Fest returns to Canterbury Village in Lake Orion Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM, a family-friendly celebration of two of fall's favorite flavors. Local donut makers and cider vendors line the village grounds, alongside artisan market stalls and kids' activities, all set among Canterbury Village's whimsical shops and gardens. Advance tickets are $3 plus fees, with day-of admission $5 cash or $6 with a card. It is a sweet, low-key way to welcome the cider season in northern Oakland County.
Canterbury Village, Lake Orion, MI · canterburyvillage.com
Concerts & Live Music
Rodney Atkins at The Capitol Theatre
Country star Rodney Atkins headlines The Capitol Theatre in downtown Flint on Friday night at 8 PM, part of the Flint Institute of Music's fall lineup. Known for hits like "If You're Going Through Hell" and "Watching You," Atkins brings a high-energy country show to one of Genesee County's most beautiful historic venues. Tickets are the way in for this one, so grab yours ahead of time through the Flint Institute of Music.
The Capitol Theatre, Flint, MI · thefim.org/events
Thunderstruck: AC/DC Tribute at The Machine Shop
Thunderstruck, one of the Midwest's top AC/DC tribute bands, rocks The Machine Shop in Flint on Saturday night at 7 PM. Expect the full high-voltage setlist, from "Back in Black" to "Highway to Hell," in the gritty club setting the Machine Shop is known for. It is a great pick for anyone who wants loud guitars and a packed room on a September Saturday. Tickets required, so check the venue's calendar before you go.
The Machine Shop, Flint, MI · allevents.in/flint
Punch Brothers at Royal Oak Music Theatre
Acclaimed string band Punch Brothers play Royal Oak Music Theatre on Thursday night, a rare Detroit-area appearance from Chris Thile and company. Their blend of bluegrass precision and modern composition makes for one of the most distinctive live shows in acoustic music. For Oakland County fans, this is an easy weekday-night show in a classic venue. Tickets required.
Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI · royaloakmusictheatre.com
Turn Up The AMP! with Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones
The free Turn Up The AMP! concert series at Brighton's Amphitheater on Mill Pond continues Wednesday night with Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones from 7:00 to 8:30 PM, presented by Lake Trust Credit Union. The series keeps running after Labor Day, and a crisp early-September evening by the water is one of the best ways to enjoy it. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and a few dollars for a bite from downtown Brighton. Free and family-friendly.
Brighton Amphitheater, Downtown Brighton, MI · brightoncitymi.gov
On the Bay: Bay County
Bay City and the Saginaw Bay riverfront are close enough for a day trip and far enough to feel like an escape. This week the Bay is especially lively, with riverfront concerts, street movies, and markets.
Peace of Mind Concert at Wenonah Park
Wenonah Park (101 Center Avenue) hosts a full Saturday evening of free live music right on the Saginaw River. The Peace of Mind Concert runs from 5:00 to 10:00 PM, and at 7 PM the Brian's House Concert featuring The Shakedown Band takes the stage in a riverfront benefit set. With downtown Bay City behind you and the river in front, it is an easy, scenic evening that captures exactly why the Bay is a favorite escape for Mid-Michigan families. Free admission.
Wenonah Park, 101 Center Ave, Bay City, MI · baycitymi.gov
Movie Night on Saginaw Street
Bay City's downtown streets double as a cinema Thursday evening for Movie Night on Saginaw Street, held on Saginaw Street between Center Avenue and 5th Street from 6:00 to 11:00 PM. Bring a chair or blanket, grab dinner from a nearby downtown restaurant, and settle in for a free outdoor movie in the heart of the Bay's walkable riverfront district. It is the kind of low-key, community-led event the Saginaw Bay area does so well.
Saginaw Street between Center Ave & 5th St, Bay City, MI · baycitymi.gov
Market at Uptown Bay City
The Market at Uptown Bay City sets up Friday afternoon in the Uptown district, bringing together local vendors, farm-fresh produce, artisan goods, and food vendors in one of Bay City's most charming neighborhoods. It is an easy stop on your way into the weekend, and pairs perfectly with a stroll along the nearby riverfront. Free to browse, so bring cash for the vendors.
Uptown Bay City, MI · baycitymi.gov
A New Blue: Exoplanet Planetarium Show
The Delta College Planetarium (100 Center Avenue) in Bay City screens A New Blue, an exoplanet show that explores the search for Earth-like worlds beyond our solar system, on Thursday. Set on the Saginaw River downtown, the planetarium is a great rainy-day or family stop, and a wonderful way to spend part of a Bay County day trip. Check the planetarium's show schedule for times and ticket details.
Delta College Planetarium, 100 Center Ave, Bay City, MI · baycitymi.gov
Family & Weekend Extras
Disney On Ice: Find Your Hero
Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero skates into the Dow Event Center in Saginaw with multiple performances Saturday and Sunday. The ice show brings beloved Disney heroes to life for younger fans, making it one of the most reliable family outings of the fall. Tickets are available through the Dow Event Center, and weekend matinees are an easy add-on to a Saginaw outing.
Dow Event Center, Saginaw, MI · doweventcenter.com
5th Annual Ukrainian Picnic
The 5th Annual Ukrainian Picnic takes over Independence Oaks County Park in Clarkston on Sunday, a community celebration of Ukrainian food, music, and culture in a beautiful lakeside county park. Expect home-style Ukrainian dishes, folk music and dancing, and family activities spread across the park's grounds. It is a warm, welcoming way to spend a September Sunday and an easy drive from most of Mid-Michigan.
Independence Oaks County Park, Clarkston, MI · oakgov.com
Dragon Trails Triathlon
The Dragon Trails Triathlon returns to Orion Township on Sunday morning, drawing swimmers, cyclists, and runners to the Lake Orion area for a scenic end-of-season race. Whether you are racing or cheering from the sidelines, the lake country setting makes it a lively, active way to close out the weekend in northern Oakland County.
Orion Township, Lake Orion, MI · eventbrite.com
Farmers Markets Across the Region
Mid-September is a beautiful moment for farmers markets: sweet corn and tomatoes are still rolling, and early apples, cider, squash, and mums are starting to appear. Most markets keep their regular weekly schedules, so here is where to shop this week:
- Flint Farmers' Market (300 East First St): Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays, 9 AM-5 PM, year-round.
- Grand Blanc City Farmers Market (Grand Blvd, downtown): Sunday, September 13, 10 AM-3 PM, with live music.
- Davison Farmers Market (8110 E Court St): Saturday, September 12, 9 AM-5 PM.
- Fenton Farmers Market (Fenton Community & Cultural Center): Thursday, September 10, 5-8 PM.
- Historic Farmers Market of Lapeer (272 N Court St): Wednesday, September 9 & Saturday, September 12, 9 AM-3 PM.
- Downtown Saginaw Farmers' Market (203 S Washington Ave): Wednesday, September 9 & Friday, September 11, 10 AM-3 PM.
- Howell Sunday Farmers' Market (downtown Howell): Sunday, September 13, 9 AM-2 PM.
- Bay Area Farmers Market (downtown Bay City): a great reason to make the Bay a market morning, with local growers and makers along the riverfront district.
However you spend it, this first full week of September is a wonderful time to be out in Mid-Michigan. The Frankenmuth Auto Fest, the Renaissance Festival's Wonders of the World weekend, and Brighton's Smokin' Rock-N-Blues Festival anchor a strong Saturday and Sunday, while Bay City keeps the Saginaw Bay riverfront busy with concerts, movie nights, and markets worth the drive. Farmers markets across the region are at their early-fall best, and the evenings are just starting to cool. For a look further ahead, don't miss our September 2026 seasonal guide.
Published by Joyce England, REALTOR with Keller Williams First.