September Fairs and Festivals in Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor

The leaves are changing colors and the chilly wind is beginning to blow your summer buzz right out the door – but don’t fret, summer isn’t over just yet. In September in metro Detroit, we have tons of last-minute fairs and festivals to make sure you get in one last bash before the hustle and bustle of the school year totally harshes your mellow.

From hometown fairs to fall fests and pre-Halloween celebrations, there’s sure to be one more shindig that your whole family will be into. Check out this list of upcoming September festivals to find the right one.

Renaissance Festival

Aug. 21-Oct. 3, 2021 (Saturdays and Sunday; plus Sept. 6 and Oct. 1)

• Address: Hollygrove Grounds, 12600 Dixie Highway, Holly
• Times: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays

Experience the 16th century with themed weekends full of full-contact jousting competitions, kids’ shows, and feasts; plus live mermaids and other costumed characters, puppet shows and street performances. Dress in your best costume to top off your trip.

Saline Community Fair 

Sept. 1-6, 2021

• Address: Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, Ann Arbor
• Times: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily; Children’s Day is Thursday, Sept. 2, special activities 10 a.m.-noon

This annual has a week of rides, livestock exhibits, games, live entertainment and much more.

Michigan State Fair 

Sept. 2-6, 2021

• Address: Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi
• Times: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday

This annual Michigan tradition brings back the ever-popular pig races, livestock exhibits and agricultural displays, live entertainment, a midway full of games and rides and performances by the Detroit Shrine Circus (for an additional charge).

Romeo Peach Festival 

Sept. 2-6, 2021

• Address: Romeo Lions Field, 269 W. Washington St., Romeo 
• Times: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-midnight Friday, 8 a.m.-midnight Saturday, 7:45 a.m.-midnight Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday

This fest has brought joy to the community for more than 85 years. Swing by for carnival rides, craft shows and plenty of peachy goodness.

Arts, Beats and Eats

Sept. 3-6, 2021

• Address: Downtown Royal Oak
• Times: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday

This annual fills the streets with the community’s best music, food and artwork for families to enjoy.

Roundup Family Fair/Art in the Village 

Sept. 3-6, 2021

• Address: Downtown Franklin area
• Times: Family fair: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily; fine-art fair: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

This end of summer event features a parade, pony rides, midway games, inflatables and a fine art fair.

Hamtramck Labor Day Festival

Sept. 4-6, 2021

• Address: Downtown Hamtramck area
• Times: Noon-10 p.m. daily

This annual fest is back and will feature carnival rides, wrestling, canoe races and more.

New Baltimore Art on the Bay

Sept. 4-5, 2021

• Address: Walter & Mary Burke Park, 36300 Front St., New Baltimore 
• Times: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

This New Baltimore tradition sets up on the banks of Lake St. Clair and features two days of live music, food and artwork on display.

Sunflower Festival 

Sept. 4-6, 2021

• Address: Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill, 17985 Armada Center Road, Armada
• Times: 5-9 p.m. Thursday, 2-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, 1-9 p.m. Sunday

Stroll through the fields of sunflowers, shop the artisan market, enjoy sunflower treats, a sunflower maze, train ride, live entertainment and more.

Richmond Area Good Old Days Festival

Sept. 9-12, 2021

• Address: Downtown Richmond area
• Times: 5-9 p.m. Thursday, 2-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, 1-9 p.m. Sunday

This annual fest offers classic carnival fun like games, rides, motor sports, a parade and more.

Art & Apples Festival

Sept. 10-12, 2021

• Address: Downtown Rochester area
• Times: 2-7:30 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday

Apple treats and the work of over 200 artists are the highlight of this annual festival, which is hosted by the Paint Creek Center for the Arts. Find live music and entertainment, and a kids’ area, too.

Flat Rock RiverFest 

Sept. 10-11, 2021

• Address: Huroc Park, 28700 Arsenal Road, Flat Rock
• Times: 4-11 p.m. daily

This downtown festival offers live music and entertainment, food and drinks, carnival games and rides, fireworks and much more.

Plymouth Fall Festival

Sept. 10-12, 2021

• Address: Downtown Plymouth area
• Times: Begins at 3 p.m. Friday and begins at 11 a.m. Saturday-Sunday

Send summer off with a bang at this annual fest, which features a car show, craft show, pet show, food, live music and entertainment; plus a big ol’ carnival.

St. Lawrence 2021 Apple Fest 

Sept. 10-12, 2021

• Address: St. Lawrence Church, 44633 Utica Road, Utica
• Times: 5 p.m.-midnight Friday, noon-midnight Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday

This annual festival has carnival rides, kid’s tent, live music and lots of apple eats and beverages.

Fisk Farm Festival and Craft Show 

Sept. 11-12, 2021

• Address: Fisk Farm, 9180 Highland Road, White Lake
• Times: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Visit this historical White Lake farm for live entertainment, storytelling, bake sale, rummage sale, pet adoption and more

Old Car Festival 

Sept. 11-12, 2021

• Address: Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn
• Times: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

This annual boasts being the longest-running antique car show and features tons of authentic classic and antique cars on display.

Monarch Migration Festival

Sept. 12, 2021

• Address: Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Road, Ann Arbor
• Time: 1-4 p.m.

These beautiful bugs make the long trek south every winter. Learn why and meet some up close. There will be activities, games and releasing of your own butterfly. Registration required.

Metro Boat Show

Sept. 16-19, 2021

• Address: Lake St. Clair Metropark, 31300 Metropolitan Parkway, Harrison Township
• Times: 1-7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday

Those that prefer to live life on the waves celebrate the art of boating with live music, art on display and kids’ activities; plus a boat and watercraft show, swimming, demonstrations and more.

Troy Family Daze

Sept. 16-19, 2021

• Address: Troy Civic Center, 3425 Civic Center Drive, Troy
• Times: 4-9 p.m. Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday

Come together with your community for four days of food, family entertainment, live animal, a cirque show, carnival and more.

Northville Heritage Festival

Sept. 17-19, 2021

• Address: Downtown Northville area
• Time: 5-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-5 pm. Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday

Find kids’ games, vintage baseball, a farmers’ market, historical tours and more at this fest, which used to be known as the Victorian Festival.

Romulus Pumpkin Festival

Sept. 17-19, 2021

• Address: Historical Park, 11147 Hunt St., Romulus
• Times: 6-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday

This annual kicks off with a parade and fills the entire weekend with fall-themed fun like pie baking, pumpkin rolling and sunflower growing, kids’ activities, live entertainment and more.

Saline Main Street’s Oktoberfest

Sept. 17-18, 2021

• Address: Downtown Saline area
• Times: 5-11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday

German eats, authentic rock and folk music, a biergarten, a play area for kids and other activities are in store at this annual.

Common Ground’s Birmingham Street Art Fair

Sept. 18-19, 2021

• Address: Downtown Birmingham area
• Times: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday

This art fest packs the streets with the works of some 150 jury-selected artists, food, kids’ activities and more.

Frankenfest at the Historic Fort Wayne 

Sept. 18, 2021

• Address: Historic Fort Wayne, 6325 W. Jefferson Ave., Detroit
• Times: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

This Halloween fest features spooky exhibits, paranormal experts, entertainment and more.

Russian Festival

Sept. 18-19, 2021

• Address: St. Vladimir Orthodox Church, 9900 Jackson Road, Dexter
• Times: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, 1-7 p.m. Sunday

Enjoy two full days of cultural fun including authentic Russian food and music; plus dancing, a kids’ area, shopping, and more.

DIY Street Fair

Sept. 24-26, 2021

• Address: Downtown Ferndale area
• Times: 6 p.m.-midnight Friday, 11 a.m.-midnight Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday

Find tons of cool do-it-yourself artwork for sale and on display, live music, food, kids’ activities and more.

Funky Ferndale Art Fair

Sept. 24-26, 2021

• Address: Downtown Ferndale area
• Times: 3-7:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday

Check out 100 edgy artists show off their work at this annual display — plus food and fun for the kids, too.

South Lyon Area Pumpkinfest

Sept. 24-26, 2021

• Address: Downtown South Lyon
• Times: 3-7 p.m. Friday (set up only), 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday

There will be a pumpkin decorating contest for the kiddos, a craft show, scarecrow contest, inflatables and tons of pumpkin-themed fun on Saturday and Sunday.

Festival of the Senses 

Sept. 25-26, 2021

• Address: Civic Center Sled Hill, 40700 Romeo Plank Road, Clinton Township
• Times: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

This fest offers live performances, dog races, vintage baseball game, food vendors and art displays by around 100 local artists.

Diehl’s Ciderfest

Sept. 25-26, 2021

• Address: Diehl’s Orchard & Cider Mill, 1479 Ranch Road, Holly
• Times: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily

Now in its 41st year, this annual fest offers up tons of family-friendly fun like hayrides, a corn maze, petting farm, crafts, live entertainment for kids and more.

This post was originally published in 2016 and is updated regularly. 

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