While Cereal Fest on June 8 really kicks off summer here in Calhoun County, it’s only the beginning of the fun.
Here are seven events you should put on your calendar:
Cereal Festival
Indulge in a colorful, crispy bowl of cereal in Battle Creek on June 8. The National Cereal Fest is one of Michigan’s sweetest summer festivals. It has free breakfast, magic, music and bounce houses.
It starts with a parade on Friday night, where the main attraction is Tony the Tiger, Sugar Bear and other cereal celebrities.
On Saturday, sit down at the World’s Longest Breakfast Table. Volunteers pour bowls of cereal from Kellogg’s and Post. In case you didn’t grow up in Battle Creek, that includes: Fruity Pebbles, Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, Golden Crisp and more. Prairie Farms Dairy, another local business, provides the milk.
There’s also lots of family friendly activities to do once you’re done eating breakfast.
Epson Tour: FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship
The Epson Tour is for golfers heading to the LPGA, and it’s stopping in Battle Creek June 7-9.
The FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship is at the Battle Creek Country Club, located on Goguac Lake.
Tickets are by donation -- the proceeds from the tournament will be donated to The South Michigan Food Bank. So you can see some professional golf and support a good cause at the same time!
Marshall Blues Festival
Maybe it’s because Marshall is halfway between the musical cities of Detroit and Chicago, but this small town loves the blues. In summer, main street is replaced with a music stage and beer tent. Food vendors line the street, ready to feed hungry music-lovers.
This year’s line-up is Tony Thompson and Friends at 3 p.m., the Who Dat? Blues Band at 5 p.m., the Sax Machines at 7 p.m. and headliner Chris Canas at 9 p.m.
Chris Canas is known as Detroit’s Prince of Blues. He’ll sing a mix of classic covers and roller coaster originals with a diverse mix of blues, funk and soul. Be prepared to dance along.
Field of Flight
Hot-air balloons, jet planes, fireworks and Ferris wheels take over the skies of Battle Creek July 3-7.
The Thunderbirds are this year’s big act, so come in the afternoon and stay until it gets dark. The official air show, with demo teams and acrobatics, is July 4 and July 6-7. Hot air balloons usually launch at 7 p.m. every day and night shows include pyrotechnics.
If what you’re after are carnival thrills, July 3 is the best day to attend. There aren’t any planes, but admission is free. All of the vendors are going to be open, selling things like barbecue and lemonade by the gallon. Skerbeck Carnival and FireKeepers Stage will provide the entertainment, while someone is shot out of a cannon.
Kids Day is July 7, and kids can sign up to win a bike. There will be inflatables and Thunderbirds go-karts.
Leilapalooza
Leilapalooza is a day of music, food, art and fun on July 27. The music festival takes place in Leila Arboretum, across three different stages. You can spread out a picnic blanket among the fantastic sculptures of Fantasy Forest or dance in the grass by the perennial gardens. The genres are as diverse as the types of flora in the arboretum.
Color the Creek
Color the Creek has brought professional muralists to paint in Battle Creek since 2016. It has filled the walls of the city with realistic animals, larger-than-life heroines, prism bursts and the mantra “Believe in Battle Creek.”
You can pick up a guide to all of the murals at the Battle Creek Welcome Center and take yourself on a tour. Not only is it great art, it’s great for Instagram.
Color the Creek returns Aug. 12-17 with more murals, art installations and events.
Calhoun County Fair
The county fair has been a tradition since 1848. You don’t have to be a farmer to enjoy this weeklong event. Anyone craving fried food and a ride on the carousel is welcome Aug. 10-17.
It’s a chance for kids to get close with animals such as sheep, horses, cows and goats. There’s a petting farm and show animals are kept in barns that are open to the public.
There’s a show every night, ranging from a rodeo to demolition derby. Check out the schedule for livestock selfies and the frog-jumping contest.
