Memorial Day weekend starts tomorrow! If you’re still looking for ways to spend it, check out the ideas below from Erin Bernhard of The Awesome Mitten.

Grand Traverse Bay. Courtesy of The Awesome Mitten.

Memorial Day weekend often marks the beginning of summer in many Michigan towns. All over our great state, Michiganders spend the weekend putting in boats and docks, firing up grills, and finishing yard work. Memorial Day is also a patriotic holiday, commemorating lost soldiers and veterans who dedicated themselves to defending this country, so there are parades and American flags galore! We celebrate the end of a long, cold winter by breaking out shorts, sundresses and flip flops, crossing our fingers that it doesn’t snow in June (and knowing full well that it might). And the best part? Having an extra day off of work! Let us help you plan your long weekend with our top eight favorite ways to celebrate Memorial Day.

1. Throw some shrimp on ‘the barbie.’ From Marquette to Milan, grill chefs will rejoice next weekend as they celebrate the beginning of barbeque season. Whether you’re of the charcoal or propane persuasion, you know that almost everything tastes better grilled. Hit your local farmer’s market and stock up on seasonal asparagus, rhubarb, and mixed greens to complement your choice of meat. Create a make-your-own burger bar with mushrooms, caramelized onions, tomato, lettuce and condiments OR throw together some shish kebobs with steak, chicken, bell peppers, pineapple, and cloves of garlic. Invite twenty of your closest friends to bring a dish or drinks to pass, pull your bocce ball and croquet sets out of the basement, and bam! You have yourself a party.
2. Get outside. Generally, Michigan in late May is warm enough to go out and play. Whether you take a quick spin around the neighborhood on your freshly tuned bike or throw the kayaks on top of the car for a weekend-long adventure, make sure you enjoy the outdoors at some point this weekend. Pop over to the sunrise coast and hike somewhere off of historic US-23, or head up north to Keweenaw National Historical Park. There are plenty of outdoor treasures across the state; if you don’t feel like leaving home, you don’t have to look any further than your own backyard.
3. Celebrate. Michigan has an incredible amount to offer and Memorial Day weekend is a great time to celebrate every little thing. In northwest Michigan, the cherry blossoms are blooming along M-22. Mackinac Island is preparing for the Lilac Festival that begins on June 7, and visiting over Memorial Day is a great way to beat the crowds. Recognize our military heritage by attending a parade in a new town or check out a festival that celebrates Michigan food, drink, nature, or history.
4. Break out your orange and blue. This weekend, the Detroit Tigers face the Minnesota Twins at home in Comerica Park. Get tickets on Friday to check out the fireworks and Polish-American Heritage Night, or go on Sunday for Kids Day. If you’d rather be wearing red and white, the Red Wings face the Chicago Blackhawks in round two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs during Memorial Day weekend; get tickets for Monday’s game three at Joe Louis Arena to watch Datsyuk and Zetterberg up close.
5. Chill out, but not literally. But what good is a long weekend if you don’t get to relax? If you’ve already finished the yard work, sometimes there’s nothing better than a hammock or blanket in the sunshine, a glass of ginger-mint lemonade, and a copy of The Great Lakes Book Project or anything by Jim Harrison, either of which will make you yearn for the lakes and land that are much closer than you think.

   

   Fishtown. Courtesy of Ken Scott Photography (facebook.com/KenScottPhotos).

    

6. Embrace the season. The last weekend in May is exciting for many reasons, but topping the list is the opening of seasonal shops and businesses and extension of hours for summertime. Because the sun sets later, restaurants and local shops are open longer to accommodate a higher level of patronage. You’ve waited all winter to walk to your corner ice cream shop at 8:30pm for a cone, and summer is the season for that. Small tourist towns like Leland’s Historic Fishtown and Saugatuck are open for business and ready to provide you with all the fudge, souvenirs, great food and drink, and goods you can handle.
7. Raise a glass. Last week, Grand Rapids was named Beer City USA for the second year in a row. Michigan brewing is at a record high and Michiganders statewide are happy to help pick up the slack. Bell’s Oberon opening day, a state holiday, was March 25^th but enjoying the ale has been somewhat lackluster this year, considering the influx of wintry weather over the last two months. Fear not! Memorial Day brings the promise of the type of wonderful weather that good summer ale will always compliment. So, crack open a cold one; cheers to craft brewing in Michigan.
8. Predict the unpredictable. We all know the old adage: if you don’t like the weather in Michigan, wait five minutes. For as much as we always hope for bright sunny days over Memorial Day weekend, all Michiganders know to prepare for rain. Not sure what to do if you can’t be outside? Watch a movie! Michigan has been featured in films for years, and there are plenty of made-in-Michigan films available for rental or purchase. Even if you can’t enjoy the great outdoors yourself, you can still get a glimpse through some wonderful films. 

This is only the beginning of ways to spend your long weekend. How do you do Memorial Day?

Erin Bernhard is the Managing Content Editor for The Awesome Mitten. She’s a northern Michigan twentysomething who loves good microbrews, great wine, summertime grillouts, and well-roasted coffee. She is also a dedicated yoga practitioner, social media and marketing enthusiast, reader and writer, local food junkie, and outdoors explorer–and she’s always adding to the list. She is located in Traverse City and loves helping to make her hometown shine. Follow her on Twitter (www.twitter.com/errnbrrn), connect with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/erin.bernhard) and feel free to email (erin@awesomemitten.com) her anytime!

June means the official start of summer in Pure Michigan! And with school out for the year and warm weather here to stay, it’s the perfect time to experience some of the great things going on around the state.

Below is a roundup of a few of the many events going on around Michigan in June. Please visit michigan.org for a complete listing of things to do across the state.

Week of June 2

Art & Orchard Festival
June 6-June 8, 2013, Washington
Washington’s Art & Orchard Festival will be the second weekend in June, June 6-9, 2013. The event will feature a carnival on Friday, live music, an arts & crafts show, fireworks Saturday night, petting zoo, beer tent and food station.

Cereal City Festival
June 7-8, 2013, Battle Creek
The Cereal City Festival is an event celebrating the Battle Creek community and its rich and varied past. A parade kicks off the festival on Friday, June 8th and the fun continues with the Cereal City Classic 5k/10k run and the World’s Longest Breakfast Table on Saturday morning. Throughout the day enjoy exciting events, bands and activities! Click here for more information.

National Asparagus Festival – Hart
June 7-8, 2013, Hart
Salute the shoots with a parade, 5K run, rodeo and crafts fair in downtown Hart. The National Asparagus Festival is held every year during the second weekend of June. For more information, visit the National Asparagus Festival website or call (800) 874-3982 or (231) 861-8110.

Mackinac Island Lilac Festival
June 7-16, 2013, Mackinac Island
The idea of the festival was to bring people to the island to enjoy a great horse drawn parade amidst the lovely lilacs that fragrance the island in June. Now this ten day festival includes a comedy show, afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel, music, walking tours, hayrides, arts and crafts, 10K run, Lilac Festival Queen, dancing, wine tasting, bingo, lilac strolls and much more. Visit the website for more information.

Leland Wine & Food Festival
June 8, 2013, Leland
Michigan’s oldest wine festival takes place at the Leland Harbor. Everyone has a chance to go see 17 wineries of the Leelanau & Old Mission Peninsulas on Saturday, enjoy great food and music and kick off the summer festival season in style! No need to purchase advance tickets – just show up rain or shine at the big tent in Leland’s picturesque Fishtown district. Admission is $15 and includes an etched wine glass and two tickets for wine tasting. For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at (877) LELAND1 or (231) 256-0079.

Orion Music + More
June 8-9, 2013, Detroit
Make your way to Detroit June 8-9, 2013, for the Orion Music + More concert event. The lineup includes Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Deftones, Rise Against, The Dillinger Escape Plan. The event includes thirty-plus acts over five stages, a custom car and automotive show, Metallica Museum, and more. Two day passes are $150. For tickets, complete lineup details, and more, visit the website link.

Week of June 9

Ann Arbor Restaurant Week
June 9-14, 2013, Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor Restaurant Week offers one price dining, one week, several options. Extraordinary three course dinner menus and fixed price fare lunch menus from Ann Arbor’s best restaurants. Experience cuisine that delights your palate and defines the art of dining in Ann Arbor. Now is your chance to discover new restaurants and enjoy favorites at a discounted price. Make reservations early at participating restaurants as tables fill fast during this gastronomically great event. For more information, visit the website link or call (734) 668-7112 ext 22.

Hamburg Family Fun Fest
June 12-15, 2013, Hamburg
The Hamburg Family Fun Fest brings family fun to the park like never before, attracting more than 50,000 attendees. Feature attractions include amusement rides, circus, petting zoo, talent competition, classic car show and arts & crafts just to name a few. A variety of concerts will also be held throughout the weekend on two stages. Click here for more information.

Heritage Coast Grand Prix
June 13-26, 2013, Tawas
Head to the Heritage Coast Grand Prix in Tawas for beautiful beaches, family fun and revved up racing. The event includes four fun-filled and family-oriented days of activities. Check out the boats, meet the drivers and experience the thrill of the races. Visit the website for more information.

Jazzin on Jefferson
June 14-15, 2013, Detroit
Jazzin’ on Jefferson is a free street music festival organized by the Jefferson East Business Association. For a schedule of main stage performances, visit the website link.

Pinconning CheeseTown Festival
June 14-15, 2013, Pinconning
Highlights of the festival include a mac & cheese dinner contest, the ultimate wine & cheese party, the cheesy CheeseTown parade, a teen concert, arts & crafts, fireworks, a beer tent with lots of live music, and in honor of Father’s Day weekend, a CheeseTown dad contest. The event is held at Doc Letchfield Park on M-13 in Pinconning. The event is in conjunction with the 30th Annual CheeseTown Challenge Race (5 mile race, 2 mile fun run/walk, and Little Meeces Race). For more information on this event, call (989) 879-2816.

Week of June 16

Quicken Loans 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
June 16, 2013, Brooklyn
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to the Irish Hills on Father’s Day with the running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 400. NASCAR stars, such as former MIS winners Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Jimmy Johnson return to MIS for another action-packed day of side-by-side racing. Forty-three drivers, 200 laps. Call (800) 354-1010 or visit the website for ticket and camping information.

East Jordan Freedom Festival
June 19-23, 2013, East Jordan
The East Jordan Freedom Festival is a family friendly festival with something for everyone including live music, parades, kids games, carnival, block party and fireworks over the south arm of Lake Charlevoix. For more information, call (231) 536-7351 or visit the website link here.

FinnFest USA 2013
June 19-23, 2013, Hancock
Hear the music, feel the summer breezes, smell the birch wood of the kokko and be where every Finn needs to be in June of 2013. For five days the Copper Country will host FinnFest USA 2013 – a festival spread across the region, with a variety of programming sure to interest everyone! Tori market, concerts, performances, dances, exhibits and gallery shows, local tours, sports and games, a parade, midsummer bonfires, street theatre, special guests and VIPs and much, much more! For more information, visit the website or call (906) 487-7205.

Kalamazoo Island Fest
June 20-22, 2013, Kalamazoo
Get ready for some good times with three days and nights of reggae music rocking downtown Kalamazoo. A great variety of quality Jamaican and Caribbean-inspired cuisine will be served. Food, drinks, beer and wine will be available. The live reggae music line-up runs all day and ranges from the top local talent to well-known regional and national headliners presented outdoors throughout the day. For more information visit the website or contact (269) 385-6200.

Summer Solstice Jazz Festival
June 21-22, 2013, East Lansing
This free two day jazz festival in the heart of downtown East Lansing features high-caliber local, regional, and national talent presented by the City of East Lansing, Wharton Center for the Performing Arts, and the Michigan State University College of Music. For additional event information, visit the web link or call (517) 319-6927.

Detroit River Days
June 21-23, 2013, Detroit
The 2013 festival will continue to celebrate Detroit’s maritime, ecological and culinary culture while again featuring many proven crowd-favorite, family-friendly activities and programming elements from previous festivals. Interactive exhibits, large-scale sand sculptures, strolling entertainers, eco-friendly kids’ zones, carnival rides, and live concerts with performances featuring more than 50 local, national and international music acts will be back this year. More information is available online.

Week of June 23

Ford Fireworks
June 24, 2013, Detroit
The Parade Company is excited to pump up the City of Detroit, on June 24th as we produce the 55th Ford Fireworks presented by Target, along the Detroit River. This event attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators for one of the most anticipated summer nights in Detroit and one of the nation’s largest fireworks displays. Visit the website here.

St. Ignace Car Show Weekend
June 26-27, 2013, St. Ignace
This annual event is one of the largest all-make, all-model shows in the country. Hundreds of antique, custom, and celebrity automobiles are on display all day Saturday. Car enthusiasts can examine vehicles up close and see them in action during Kewadin Casino Cruise Night on Thursday evening, and the Down Memory Lane Parade on Friday evening. Contests, exhibits, vendor booths and more make this a fun, family event. For more information call (906) 643-8087 or visit the website.

Michigan Challenge Balloonfest 2013
June 28-30, 2013, Howell
Join us for the state championship of hot-air ballooning, June 28-30 in Howell. It’s a weekend full of high-flying fun for the whole family. Enjoy thrilling skydiving jumps, music, carnival, family entertainment, downtown activities and more. Don’t miss the fun including Play 1st Mobile Gaming, SmashZone and five scheduled balloon launches, Annabelle Road and the fabulous balloon glow on Saturday evening and the MediLodge Fireworks on Friday night. For more information on this event, visit the website link or call us at (517) 546-3920.

Grand Haven Art Festival & Fun Day
June 29-30, 2013, Grand Haven
The work of 150 of the finest artists in the country will be on display and for sale during the 51st Annual Grand Haven Art Festival & Family Fun Day, June 29 – 30, 2013. The festival will take place along Washington Avenue in downtown Grand Haven, transforming the area into an outdoor art gallery. Admission and parking are free and open to the public. Presented by The Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg. (616) 842-4910.

National Cherry Festival 2013
June 29–July 6, 2013, Traverse City
Get your planner out and write down the dates for a great week or family fun when you attend the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City on June 29–July 6. There will be colorful parades, marching bands, music shows, sporting events, amusement rides along with carnival games on the midway and food items, pie eating contests and loads of luscious cherries prepared every way you can think of. For more information, visit the website link or call the Cherry Festival office at (800) 968-3380.

Week of June 30

Log Cabin Days & Antique Car Show
June 30, 2013, Michigamme
Tour the museum and the Dompierre House and walk around to see all the antique cars on display from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information contact (906) 323-9016.

Coast West Music Fest
July 1-6, 2013, Muskegon
This event is a multi-day music festival with three stages, fireworks on July 4, food and refreshments. Acts announced so far: O.A.R., Josh Turner, Leann Rimes, Cheap Trick, Buddy Guy, Johnny Lang, Allen Stone, Chicago and Foghat! For more information visit the website link.

Light up the Lake Fireworks & Parade
July 3-4, 2013, South Haven
At the south pier over Lake Michigan, watch a spectacular fireworks display July 3 and listen to the Light Up The Lake soundtrack LIVE on SuperHits 103.7 COSY-FM! The fireworks shoot off synchronized to the music! Parade will be held July 4 at 11am through downtown featuring local marching bands, pageant winners, patriotic floats, fire trucks, & lots of candy! Questions, call (269) 637-5252 or (800) SO-HAVEN.

Fourth of July Celebration
July 4-6, 2013, Cedarville
Enjoy the spectacular view of fireworks over Cedarville Bay from the Cedarville’s downtown waterfront park or the lawn of the Great Lakes Boat Building School on July 4. Earlier that day, our parade, kids games, hot dogs and burgers, Up in Smoke BBQ, races and contests, and more wind down into early evening with music on the bay by Dance Commander DJ and a Jersey Mud eating contest. For more information, call (906) 484-3935

Cedar Polka Fest
July 4-7 2013, Cedar
The Cedar Polka Fest is held yearly in Cedar, Michigan, under the big tent on the tennis courts. Highlights include a parade on Saturday at noon, softball tournament, a polka mass and polka under the big, big tent with the big names of polka. For more information on this event call (231) 228-3378 or visit the website.

These are just a few of the many events happening next month in Pure Michigan. Please visit michigan.org for a complete listing.

The Henry Ford in Dearborn is geared up to celebrate what would have been Henry Ford himself’s 150th birthday this summer. Today, Lish Dorset of The Henry Ford fills us in on what’s happening.

Summer is always a busy time at The Henry Ford, from families enjoying a visit together at Greenfield Village to kids enjoying a mid-day, school’s-out-for-summer matinee at our IMAX Theatre. This summer is shaping up to be especially busy thanks to a packed schedule as we celebrate what would have been the 150th birthday of our institution’s founder, Henry Ford.

We’re celebrating Henry’s legacy all year at The Henry Ford, whose birthday is July 30. Starting in June and running through August, pay a visit to Miller School in Greenfield Village and step back in time to the days of Henry’s youth as he experiments with clock parts, machines and principles that challenged him.

You can also visit Henry’s T, a 15-minute dramatic play and hear how this ultimate maker was inspired to build his universal car. Follow up the play with a visit to Henry Ford Museum and learn how to build a Model T yourself.

Both Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village are offering guided tours to guests with an emphasis on Henry’s work. Join our master presenters and learn more about his great body of work.

As one of the partners for this year’s celebration of Henry, we’re proud to be among such great Michigan organizations, like the Ford Motor Company, celebrating one of Michigan’s own. Follow the latest Henry Ford 150th news here.

Probably one of the best celebrations of Henry’s vision is Driving America. It’s been more than a year since our revamped automobile exhibit opened back up to the public and we couldn’t be prouder of it. Make sure to visit one of our interactive kiosks located within our Driving America timeline to access our online collections as well as games and fast facts.

It’s more than perfect timing that our fourth (can you believe it!) installment of Maker Faire Detroit happens just a few days before Henry’s birthday. Expect to see some of your favorite makers, like Lifesize Mousetrap and Eepy Bird (AKA “The Coke and Mentos) guys mixed in with new makers and tinkerers July 27-28. We’ll also be celebrating Henry’s birthday by showcasing a few of our own artifacts along with special programming.

While there’s a lot going on this summer, we’d love to hear from you. During your next visit, make sure to share one of your favorite Henry Ford quotes or innovations with us.

Lish Dorset is the social media manager for The Henry Ford in Dearborn. She lives in Royal Oak with her husband and cat, Ronnie. When she’s not sharing some of her favorite artifacts from the collections of The Henry Ford with fans on Facebook, she’s at home crafting. You can learn more about upcoming summer activities by checking out The Henry Ford’s blog.

The MI Pace Car Sweepstakes kicked off last month, when we teamed up with Michigan International Speedway (MIS), Ford Racing and Quicken Loans to give someone the chance to win a Ford Fusion Energi. As part of the sweepstakes, one lucky fan’s name is being randomly drawn each month (from April through July) and entered as a finalist to win the Grand Prize at the Pure Michigan 400.

The first finalist – Mike Beecher of Kissimmee, Florida – was selected earlier this month and is looking forward to making the trip to MIS this August with his son Mikey. We had the chance to ask him a few questions about the upcoming trip and his passion for racing. Read his answers below, and don’t forget that there’s still time to enter the MI Pace Car Sweepstakes at www.mipacecar.com if you haven’t already!

MI Pace Car Sweepstakes finalist Mike Beecher with son Mikey

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

A: Happily married to my wife Beatriz. We have two children, son Michael (Mikey), 12 and daughter Amber, 5. We currently live in Kissimmee, Florida, and lived in Durand, Michigan from 1999-2004. I work as a carpenter and enjoy fishing, BBQ, going to theme parks and NASCAR.

Q: What role does racing play in your life?

A: I’m a huge NASCAR fan!!!  Been a fan since watching races with my father as a child. He was a huge Dale Earnhardt Sr. fan, as was I! I try hard to watch every race on TV and go to Daytona for all races. I’ve also been to Kansas Speedway. You can find out more about how much I like NASCAR if you follow me on Twitter @NASCARGatorMike.

Q: Do you have a favorite driver that you’ll be cheering for at MIS?

A: I really don’t have a favorite driver anymore since Daytona 500 2001; I’m more just a fan of NASCAR. I do pull for some drivers more so than others though!

Q: Have you ever been to Michigan International Speedway (MIS) before?

A: Yes, I have been to Michigan International Speedway. Funny story too!! In 2001, I entered a contest from a Flint radio station (B-95) where I drag raced (men in dresses and 4″ heels) all which was filmed by the local TV station. I had to make a pit stop (so my wife could put makeup on me), then coming to the checkered flag I bumped one guy (which he was wearing pumps, me true 4″ heels)… he fell, I won two tickets to the Spring MIS race! My wife was 9 months pregnant with Mikey at the time of race! So I guess you can say Mikey has been to MIS as well! We really enjoyed everything about our weekend at MIS.

Q: Who will be coming to the race in August with you?

A: I’m taking my son Mikey in August with me to Michigan. Two reasons… First, my sister-in-law is coming to visit my wife that week. Second, Mikey and I enjoy NASCAR together! I’ve been taking him to races since he was 5.

Q: Outside of the racing itself, what are you looking forward to doing while in Michigan?

A: We are looking forward to staying at the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids and sightseeing around the area. We are planning a road trip to Durand, where Mikey was born. We’ll also stop by Flint and visit old friends.

Q: If you win the pace car, where are you most looking forward to driving it?

A: If I win the pace car I’ll have to cancel return flight do to road trip back to Florida!

In addition to the chance to drive away in the car, Mike and the other three monthly winners will receive the following:

• One month’s mortgage payment, courtesy of Quicken Loans
• A Pure Michigan vacation with a four-night stay at one of the following hotels in Michigan: Holiday Inn and Suites in Ann Arbor, JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids, Shanty Creek Resort in Traverse City and Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
• A MIS VIP Package – two passes to the Champions Club presented by CP Federal Credit Union, one MISCamping.com Graves Farm campsite, one MIScamping.com RV Rental, two cold garage passes and two pace car rides on August 17

A fifth finalist will be selected in prerace during the Pure Michigan 400.

See additional details on michigan.org, or visit www.mipacecar.com by July 31, 2013 to enter! Fans may also enter onsite at the Fan Plaza at any Michigan International Speedway NASCAR race.

With many parts of the state already experiencing summer-like warm weather, it’s only a matter of time before summer will officially be here! Make sure you have the essentials to keep you feeling and looking cool in the heat.

From outdoor accessories to home goods, the Pure Michigan Store offers a variety of items to help prepare you for warmer months. Here are just a few of our favorites.

Pure Michigan State Shaped Ice Cube Trays

Stay hydrated this summer with Michigan shaped ice cubes. Put the Michigan winter wonderland away in your freezer and turn ordinary ice cubes into reminders of the state.

VAPUR Water Bottle

Conveniently hydrate with a Pure Michigan water bottle that collapses to fit inside your bag! Perfect for trips exploring the Sleeping Bear Dunes or boating on the Great Lakes.

Fire Pit

Bonfires are summer staple in Pure Michigan. Now you can emblazon the Pure Michigan logo and State of Michigan outline on a custom handcrafted fire pit complete with poker, spark screen and BBQ grill.

Neoprene Eyewear Retainer

Ensure that you are never without shades in the sun again with this Pure Michigan eyewear retainer.

Beach Towel

Beaches and lakes are all over Michigan. Bring your Pure Michigan pride to the beach with you this summer with this brand new beach towel.

Iceberg Cooler

Keep your drinks and snacks cool in this Pure Michigan cooler. It’s unique and durable, perfect for camping, picnics, and trips to the beach or cottage.

These are just some of the many Pure Michigan products available online. Visit the Pure Michigan Store at www.puremichiganstore.org to see the full line of clothing and accessories.

With fresh water fish including trout, walleyes, salmon, perch, bass ready to bite, Michigan is home to the best catches a fishing trip can offer. And now with the Family Friendly Fishing Waters guide from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), it’s the perfect time to plan a family fishing trip in Pure Michigan.

Learn more about the new site from Elyse Walter of the DNR below, or visit michigan.org to plan your next trip.

How many times have you wanted to go fishing, but weren’t quite sure where to go? As a result, you never ended up taking that trip and missed out on Michigan’s outstanding freshwater fishing.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources understands one of the biggest barriers to getting folks to go fishing is finding suitable places to go. Preferably places an inexperienced angler can find easily, have a high likelihood of catching a fish, and offers simple amenities that enhance the trip. To overcome that barrier, we recently launched a new section of our website: Family Friendly Fishing Waters.

The Family Friendly Fishing Waters section of the website can be found at www.michigan.gov/fishing, and will connect interested individuals with local fishing opportunities. The page features a map of Michigan that’s quite simple for visitors to use – just click on the county you are interested in fishing and check out the list of family-friendly locations to fish. Every single county in Michigan has one or more locations featured.

Nearly all of the locations featured on the Family Friendly Fishing Waters website were submitted by the public and are considered easy for new anglers to access and use.

Each water body’s online profile includes its geographic location, driving directions, parking information, hours of operation, species of fish available, typical bait used, and much more.

Don’t see a water body in the county you love to fish? The DNR will continue to accept potential locations for future inclusion as well. The Family Friendly Fishing Waters online submission form can be found at www.michigan.gov/fishing.

So as you consider what to do for fun this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, perhaps you’ll finally have the tools necessary to plan that long-awaited fishing trip!

Elyse Walter is a communication specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. She specifically works with the DNR’s Fisheries Division to help educate and promote the state’s fishing opportunities and aquatic resources.

Is your family planning a fishing trip in Michigan this summer? Share with us below!

The Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix returns to the Motor City May 31-June 2, 2013 with three days of world-class auto racing, live music, interactive games and displays all on beautiful Belle Isle Park. Robert Stone, a public relations intern with the race, has gotten a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into the making of the Grand Prix. Today, he shares his experience with us.

Read from him below and learn more about the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix on michigan.org.

When I was growing up, sports were a huge part of my childhood – both playing them and getting to watch them.  The love continued through college and my plan was always to somehow work in sports.  Well, I’m getting my first chance this spring as the public relations intern with the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. I love that the job has given me the opportunity to be part of a very positive event in Detroit and the State of Michigan.  With the race coming up May 31 – June 2 on Belle Isle, we’ve been doing a lot of media tours with race car drivers to promote the race and I’ve really had a chance to experience some cool things and kind of see Detroit and Michigan through the eyes of some world-class athletes.

I didn’t know a lot about cars and racing when I joined the Grand Prix team, but luckily having prior motorsports knowledge was not a requirement for this position.  With a little research I was able to become slightly more knowledgeable than I was before coming on board.  As the drivers started to come to Detroit to help us promote the race, I was initially more excited about the chance to visit our local radio and TV stations to see how everything worked.  But the ability to sit and spend time with some of these amazing drivers was an unreal experience as they shared their thoughts on all sorts of topics. 

Christian Fittipaldi was one of the first drivers to come to Detroit this year to help us promote the event.  He is a former CART and NASCAR driver who now drives for the Action Express Racing team in the GRAND-AM Rolex Series, and his uncle is racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi.  The Fittipaldi last name was familiar to me, but I was still learning about the GRAND-AM series and the high-tech sports cars they drive.  As the day went on we started talking racing and Christian mentioned that he could close his eyes and basically drive the Belle Isle track in his mind, even more than 10 years after he last did it in person, and that was incredible to me.  Every time I try and close my eyes to picture a drive the thoughts go so slowly, but he was able to drive the course at race speed in his mind.  Just being able to spend time with a guy who has been in some of the biggest races in the world and share his thoughts on what it was like was incredible.

The next week we had the pleasure of welcoming IndyCar fan-favorite James Hinchcliffe to town.  The “Mayor of Hinchtown,” as he likes to call himself, replaced Danica Patrick in the GoDaddy.com Chevrolet IndyCar for Andretti Autosport. Hinchcliffe didn’t have the best experience at Belle Isle last year as he was the driver claimed by the track before they stopped the race to fix the surface.  To show that he didn’t have any hard feelings towards the event and to help showcase all of the work that has been done on Belle Isle to make it a premiere race course, Hinchcliffe spent the morning moving tires in a forklift to help us prepare for the event.  It was a great way to demonstrate how he had moved on from the incident and that the Grand Prix is ready to host an incredible race weekend in just a few weeks.  Getting to spend the day with “Hinch” proved that his fun loving, joking nature isn’t an act or for show but it’s the type of guy he is.  It was also cool to watch him on TV win on the streets of Brazil just a few days after leaving Detroit.

JR Hildebrand, who drives the National Guard Chevy IndyCar for Panther Racing, came to town the next week and he threw out the first pitch at a Detroit Tigers game, which allowed the staff access to the field as well. I’ve been to a Tigers game early before to watch batting practice, but being able to stand on the field and watch these guys hitting the ball was an unbelievable experience.  Then getting to jump with JR from the radio broadcast booth to an interview with Fox Sports Detroit gave me the chance to experience the behind-the-scenes areas of Comerica Park that very few people have seen.  The next day we went to the GM Heritage Center, which is packed with classic cars showing the lineage of the GM brand from the 1920s to today.  As I said, I am not really a car guy, but it was hard not to be in awe at the Heritage Center with so many amazing vehicles.  It had all of the history of the GM brand in one room, from a replica of one of the first racecars to GM’s first electric car and an SUV that could drive itself.  One of the cars had less than 50 miles on it, which is amazing because I drive farther than that to get to work every day!  I could have spent hours in that place just trying to soak up everything that the Heritage Center had to offer.

Being able to be a part of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences was way more than I ever thought I’d experience working in my position.  Just the opportunity to be around these drivers and watch them do normal things like talk to people on Twitter or relate to current events and issues made me realize that they are just normal, good guys.  Guys that happen to drive really fast for a living with a lot of guts and a lot of skill.  Working for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix has been an unbelievable experience so far, and it is just getting revved up.

There is going to be so much going on race weekend at Belle Isle, it is going to be an incredible experience for fans and I’m just really excited that I will get to be a part of bringing this great event to life. If you want to learn more about the Grand Prix please check out www.DetroitGP.com and follow us on Twitter @DetroitGP.

Robert Stone is the public relations intern with the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.  He is currently working towards his Master’s Degree in Sports Administration at Central Michigan University.  In his spare time he likes to spend time with his girlfriend Jenn, dog Jake and cats Cleo, Oreo and Professor Fuzzy Boots.

Photographer Shawn Malone’s time lapse video of Michigan’s northern lights has been making its way around the web over the last week or so. The video compilation features aurora borealis (commonly called “northern lights”) and other rare night sky events from Northern Michigan. If you haven’t seen it, check it out below.

Music: David Helpling/Jon Jenkins

This video is Shawn’s first time lapse compilation, which she cut down to over 10,000 photo frames that equal 33 scenes of various night sky events in Northern Michigan. The shots were taken throughout 2012 on both Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Below is a gallery of photos that Shawn shared with us from her adventures.

See more of Shawn’s work on the Lake Superior Photo Facebook page.

Have you seen the northern lights in person? Tell us where in the comments section below!

Spring is upon us, which hopefully means the warm weather is here to stay! Spring and summer months in Michigan are the perfect time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. One great activity for people of all ages is bicycle riding – whether it be riding around Mackinac Island looking at the scenery or on a rigorous ride in the Upper Peninsula.

Take a look at the listing below for a sampling of what Michigan’s trails have to offer, and learn more in the video on biking from the Pure Michigan summer video series.

A complete listing of Michigan’s 1,300 miles of bike trails can be found on michigan.org.

City of Marquette – Bike Path

The city of Marquette maintains over 12 miles of paved bike trails which lead you through some of the most beautiful scenic areas in the country. The path leads the bikers along the shores of Lake Superior, past boating marinas, north to Presque Isle – a 328 acre park and to a large outdoor pool with a waterslide (no charge). The park continues along the Tourist Park Campground and Picnic Area and wooded areas surround the path to the south area of Marquette. More information and a trail map are available here.

Kalamazoo River Valley Trail

The Kalamazoo River Valley Trail will encompass 35 miles of trail throughout Kalamazoo County. Kalamazoo will be a regional hub, connecting Battle Creek to Lake Michigan, D Ave. to Portage, and eventually Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. This existing trail and planned trails in other counties will enable you to connect more than 140 miles of trail – connecting together the Battle Creek Linear Park, the Kal-Haven Trail and Portage Bicentennial Park Trail. Currently, there are 17 miles complete of this non-motorized, paved-asphalt trail. Click here for more information.

Petoskey to Mackinac Trail

The Petoskey to Mackinac Trail consists of 35 miles of mostly dirt and cinder trail that passes through Conway, Oden, Ponshewaing, Alanson, Brutus, Pellston, Van, Levering, and Carp Lake to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Trailhead in Mackinaw City. The DNR is currently working to fill in the “gaps” in the trail between Oden and Alanson. The surface is currently “unimproved” railroad ballast and gravel. Some sections are in excellent shape while others are tough going for the cyclist, making for a bit of a challenge. The entire trail is bikeable with a hybrid or mountain bike. Carp Lake and Mackinaw City on the north end are especially suitable as staging areas for off trail excursions onto lightly traveled local (paved and gravel) roads, some of which connect to the Cheboygan to Mackinaw City segment of the Gaylord to Mackinaw City Trail. Visit the website for more information.

Stony Creek Metropark

The Stony Creek Metro Park is a scenic 4,461 acre park with hilly terrain enhanced by the beautiful 500-acre Stony Creek Lake. The park includes a nature center, picnic areas, beaches, a disc (Frisbee) golf course, boat launch, fitness trail and golf course. One of the highlights of the park is the paved 6.2 mile Hike-Bike trail and over 10 miles of paved roadways provide scenic drives in all seasons and the fall color is particularly beautiful.

The Detroit Riverfront

When fully completed, the Detroit International RiverWalk will span 5 ½ miles of the Detroit Riverfront, from the Ambassador Bridge to Gabriel Richard Park, just east of the Belle Isle Bridge. Currently, 2 ½ miles of East Riverfront is complete and open to the public. The park makes a nice scenic ride in the city and connects to the Dequindre Cut adding 1.35 miles more of paved trail. Visit the website for more information.

Betsie Valley Trail

The Betsie Valley Trail is 22.3 miles long and extends from Frankfort through Elberta and Beulah to Thompsonville in Benzie County Michigan. From Frankfort to Beulah it is non-motorized. All of it is excellent for bicycles and pedestrian use. The length of the trail makes it a great for bicyclists of all abilities because you can extend or shorten your trip based on skill level. The trail runs through some gorgeous scenery.

Do you have a favorite bike trail or ride in Michigan? Share with us below!

Home to more than 100 breweries, Michigan is fifth in the nation for the number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs.  We were thrilled to see three Michigan cities take home Beer City USA honors this week, with Grand Rapids being named Beer City USA with more than 50 percent of the votes and Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor coming in second and fourth place, respectively.

To build on the beer craze that’s continuing to sweep the state, we recently asked fans to help us and Founders Brewing Co. choose a Pure Michigan beer style to be featured on tap at Founders this summer. More than 1,200 fans voted for their favorite of three styles – Vanilla Stout, Apple Ale and Wheat IPA, and today we’re excited to announce that Vanilla Stout will be available in the Founders taproom this July during Michigan Craft Beer Month.

Thanks to everyone that voted, and be sure to let us know if you plan to make a visit to Founders Brewing Co. this July!

In other related news, a new Pure Michigan radio ad begins airing today in regional markets that showcases Michigan’s craft beer offerings. Michigan beers featured include New Holland Brewing Company’s Dragon’s Milk, Huma Lupa Licious from Short’s Brewing Company, Grizzly Peak Brewing Company’s Steelhead Red and the Motown Lager from Motor City Brewing Works.

Take a first listen below, and learn more on michigan.org.

Do you have a favorite Michigan craft beer? Share with us below!