We all know that the weather in Michigan can be unpredictable, so you have to give credit to an…read moreannual festival that is so dependent on the weather. This year was a little warm. This year, the highs will reach 40. Having said that, this a magical festival based on absolutely beautiful, if transitory, works of art. My husband and I live just down the street, and it is worth it for us to go every year.

The 40th annual Plymouth ice festival was held in February 2022. Because of Covid, the ice…read moresculptures were spread throughout downtown Plymouth which I think is a good idea to also entice people to visit businesses along different streets. The ice sculptures were impressive. I'd like to see the number of statues increase in the future. February is one of my least favorite months because it's cold and there aren't a lot of outdoor activities. The ice festival was fun and encouraged me to go to Plymouth twice to take a walk around town to see the ice sculptures. I'd like to see more winter events like the ice festival that bring people together and have a positive impact on local businesses. I stopped by Max and Bella's Smokehouse for the first time to get dinner while I was at the ice festival. I recommend eating here for a quick take-out plate. I thought there would be a long wait but the business was prepared to serve quick and hearty meals. There were also food trucks and food vendors next to Kellogg Park. Don't expect an internationally renowned ice festival like the one in Harbin, China, but this is a decent festival for a small city and worth seeing.

Our tour guide, Cheryl gave us a lot of interesting information. We enjoyed our time with her.read more

I have lived in Ypsilanti since January of 1999 and just now got around to exploring the Historical…read moreMuseum. These can be very dry and educational (in the bad, boring way), but Ypsi's museum does a great job. Part of it, I think, was the enthusiasm of our tour guide. She told us something cool about each room and pointed out a few nifty artifacts in each as well. However, the home, which was originally built by Asa Dow in the 1860s, would probably be fun to explore without a guide as well. Downstairs, you can view the formal parlor or the less formal family parlor, the dining room, and the kitchen. Upstairs, rooms are dedicated to a variety of displays, from musical instruments, to the tool room, to the children's room, full of porcelain-headed dolls and toys. Some of my favorite bits of the museum included the elaborately built and tricked out traveling carpenter's kit and a huge stainglass window that actually originally was at the city's "Ladies Library." The tour guide told us they had trouble protecting the stained glass from vandals and so moved it into the Dow house. The best thing about the museum is that it's free, though donations are accepted. I spent an hour there getting the tour, but would love to go back with a friend and explore it for another hour or two some time.

Just a fun homemade- community made festival and parade. We have never been to the Friday night…read morepart of the fest, we attend the Sunday parade. We have been going from time to time since the kids were really little, at least a decade. We have not always made it out here, but we were able to attend this year then take a nice walk around the city. This is a fun little event, nothing fancy, but great for all ages and the kids love the bubbles.

The kickoff to the Ann Arbor festival season and by far one of the funnest gatherings in town…read more Festifools is split up into two events--the original and flagship "Festifools" and a younger twilight party called "FoolMoon." Here's the dish on each. Firstly--Both typically take place on the second weekend of April. FoolMoon goes down on Friday night and Festifools on Sunday. FoolMoon is a night time processional through several streets of Ann Arbor made up of locals who have made luminaries and are dressed up in lovely glowing garb (in the weeks leading up to FoolMoon you can attend luminary workshops to help make your own or buy kits at a few local shops like Downtown Home and Garden). The processionals all end downtown by Washington and Ashley for a nightime block party filled with cool sights, light projects and shows, beer, food, music and merriment. And all those eye popping and impressive luminaries. The party, on a nice weather night, goes until midnight. So it's truly a party. In general FoolMoon is my favorite of the two and is one of my favorite things to do in town. Sadly this year it was raining and I'm just not built for elements like that so I didn't make it down but next year I shall be sure to return. Festifools is what they call "a gigantic public art spectacular, created by members of the community and U of M students." Folks get together in the weeks leading up to the event and make huge papier-mâché puppets (most of which need several people to help control) which they then take to Main Street and march in a parade (along with costumed revelers and marching bands) for folks to enjoy. The puppets typically veer into the silly, the surreal, and maybe a little creepy. This year I saw some Pac Man ghosts (silly), big headed replicas of notable locals (the surreal), and a big fat baby with a phone that said "send nudes" (the creepy). There was also a huge Vincent Van Gogh, little kids dressed up as robots, Chinese dragons, an octopus controlled by about 10 walkers, and so so much more. This event is short, it only runs about an hour (4-5 pm) but they pack in a lot into it. Lots of fun, great for kids, pet friendly (I walked my dog down to watch the processional), and most importantly-- FREE! Great cheap fun for the whole family! Or just curious onlookers on the street! Happy to have such a cool, creative community in town working on this. Hoping they continue this tradition for many many years into the future!

Throughout the year, the Plymouth Historical Museum puts on some amazing events. My kids' favorites…read moreare their Christmas events. All the volunteers are so invested in their characters! The museum itself is quaint but we'll thought out. They have a large exhibit and information on Abraham Lincoln as well as the Daisy Air Rifle Factor. When we visited during the holidays, the exhibit was all about old toys. The staff is friendly and kind. They also have an archive section that you're able to set up a time to peruse. We live in an older home in the area and I'll be back one of these days to set up a time to look into my house and it's former inhabitants. Additionally, there is a strain caboose in the back the museum purchased not long ago. You can explore it with museum admission and during the holidays, Santa takes visitors there. It's a wonderful place to support and learn about Plymouth's history.

Wonderful way to spend an hour or so. Large enough to cover all aspects of their current decade but…read moresmall enough to make your tour feel intimate. Enjoyed it with two of our grandchildren.

Doing tourist things after hearing that this was a must visit for people with small kids. This…read morewas on the list of to-do's as we had a short weekend visit to the Canton area. .....Great place to see all of the exhibts.. Not a bad time at all. We got to see play and do so MANY things all active and the girls loved the play areas ...all of them. The bathrooms were clean and strategically placed...I was pleasantly surprised. The parking is somewhat close....& I liked the exercise...our girls napped so hard after the visit. I am in firm belief that the overall planning and logistics of this place are professionally done & handled well! This venue is a must visit if in the area and you like hands on action. The girls had a blast and that is what matters most!! 10/10 times I will return.. for the price I paid... I could see myself doing this again with a longer stay in the area! Sidenote the people in guest service station were super awesome... All workers that interacted with our family had smiles on their faces and were so helpful. ***Especially since we had Museum Pass in another state (Oklahoma City) and they participate in the reciprocating membership deal. I still paid for 2 full price even though I figured it should have be the cheaper ... But it was interpreted wrong I guess by me within 90 mile... I feel for the price I paid...it eas kinda worth it. We will return! *Questions reach out* Respectfully, Bryan and Family Oklahoma City

This is such an innovative way of having a museum. My husband and I wanted to bring the kids here…read morefor the first time. The bad news is there was an art fair and no parking only $20 parking. That did not kill our vibe. Tickets are $16 a person and under 2 is free. We purchased the tickets and we parked our stroller. The kids walked up the stairs and went into this water room. My son loved it so much. He was squealing and running around. My daughter loved played with the balls and throwing them in the water. Once we were done with this floor, we decided to go up the stairs. We were shocked to see a massive preschool room suitable for ages 4 and under. They have tons of toys for the kids. They had another water station. My kids were dry at first. However, a little boy sprayed water at my son and soaked him as his mom watched and said nothing. This didnt make our experience bad because luckily we had a change of clothes. I only say this to warn you to bring a change of clothes just in case they get wet. We didn't really go to the third floor. My husband said it was more for older kids when he went to check. The kids were having too much fun inside the playroom. We will definitely be back and hopefully not on a day where an event is taking place.

They need to have detour signs a week ahead of this festival. It is a huge disruption to traffic…read moreand a huge inconvenience. it is a major thoroughfare for commuters as well and for people not familiar with the area it can be very distressing when trying to find an alternate route. You're in town Ship should announce these closures not to just a locals. It's very infuriating every season they do this.

So much entertainment this is a must go every year! We loved the Dragons blood shaved Ice and the…read moreApple Dumpling! New Boston is a Jem!

They had one of their open weekends and I have to say Woohoo! As good as it gets for pinball games…read more They had over 200 pinball games, 11 hours of play time for $25 on Saturday! The staff was great! Very friendly and helpful and if anything went wrong with the game, they were johnny-on-the-spot taking care of it. They also offered food and drinks outside in the pavilion area. Just a fantastic nostalgia event for those that love to play pinball! I can't wait for the next one!!

This place was an absolute blast! To my surprise, I enjoyed the games from the 50s most of…read moreall...there was something just wonderful about the simplicity. But all the games were fun...great atmosphere, really fun time!

From the South Lyon, Michigan website:…read more Witch's Hat Depot HOME RESIDENTS COMMUNITY WITCH'S HAT DEPOT Sub Menu About the Witch's Hat Depot Museum and Historic Village The Witch's Hat Depot Museum and Historic Village represents the joint efforts of the City of South Lyon, the South Lyon Area Historical Society, the South Lyon Historical Commission, local service clubs and a great number of volunteers. This community effort has resulted in a fine museum and charming, historic village that attracts many visitors, weddings and events. The Museum is open Saturday and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Special tours can be arranged by contacting the Historical Society at (248) 437-9929. The Witch's Hat Depot in Historic Village Depot The Witch's Hat Depot functions as a museum and the gathering place for the South Lyon Historical Society. It's distinctive roof line gives the building it's name: The Witch's Hat. The building was moved from the original location on East Lake Street to McHattie Park in 1976 as a bicentennial project and it now serves as the focal point for the historic village. The interior of the depot has been preserved to show what a turn-of-the-century train depot would look like. The Historical Society uses the Depot and the nearby Freight Building to store historic documents. The Depot is an excellent resource for railroad buffs or those who simply want to know more about the history of South Lyon. This website gives a more comprehensive history of the building, including its role in the state railroad system and a photo of the depot under construction in 1909 as well as a photograph of the depot in the 1970s before it was moved to its current location in McHattie Park. Historic Village Depot Caboose The caboose is fun for all, railroad buffs, children and the simply curious. It is a Chesapeake & Ohio caboose dating from 1926. The interior is furnished as much as it might have been when in daily use by the rail road workers. The caboose was moved to the museum site in 1982. Freight House Historic Village The freight house was built in 1984 to provide a much needed community meeting area as well as additional museum display areas. The basement is the museum's archive. The building design compliments the Depot. Funding for the freight house was provided by the City and the Historical Commission. In addition, all of the interior finish work was done by volunteers both amateurs and professional, making this truly a community building. It is an attractive, comfortable place to hold meetings and special events. Historic Village Washburn School Washburn School District #5 in Green Oak Township, Livingston County, was built in 1907 to replace a log school building. It served the families in the area until 1953 when the district consolidated with South Lyon Schools. The building was donated to the City of South Lyon in 1984 by the Gordon Wood Family. In the interim, it was used as a church and for a short time as a home. The City, in conjunction with the South Lyon Area Historical Society moved the schoolhouse to its present site in McHattie Park where is serves the community as part of the museum and the historic village. School children hold day-long classes in the building giving them a "one room school house" experience. The school is open for tours as part of the museum complex and is available for meetings and other community needs. Little Village Chapel in the Historic Village The Little Village Chapel is the most recent addition the Historic Village. This 1930's era "kit building" was donated to the City by the congregation of the Immanuel Lutheran Church. The building was moved in 2001 from East Liberty Street to its current site. Historic Village Gazebo The gazebo in the McHattie Park Historic Village was built in 1991 to compliment the circa 1900 village. It is used by the community for band concerts and other entertainment. It is a welcome shelter for these wanting some shade or just a comfortable place to sit while visiting the Historic Village. Recognized as a lovely setting, many wedding ceremonies have been held there. The gazebo provides a pleasant interlude on a summer afternoon. © 2016South Lyon, MI335 S. Warren Street, South Lyon, MI Telephone: (248) 437-1735 / Fax: (248) 486-0049 Site use and Linking Policy, Title VI Non-discrimination Plan munetrix logo1logo2 Powered By Revize LOGIN