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, music acts, animals and bounce houses.
Why cereal?
Battle Creek is the town where the Kellogg brothers found a way to make breakfast quick and easy. In 1894, they accidentally discovered how to turn grain into flakes. That discovery eventually became Corn Flakes.
This is where C.W. Post started a business in a barn that became a worldwide corporation. He first termed the phrase “Road to Wellville,” and that road started here.
Cereal began as a health food, but Post and Kellogg made it fun, too. And we celebrate that every year in June.
World’s Longest Breakfast Table
The Battle Creek festival first made it into the Guiness Book of World Records in 1979, shortly after it became a regular event.
It was called the World’s Longest Breakfast Table because tables were set up end-to-end, creating one long table that stretched through downtown.
This tasty tradition is still the best part of the festival. While the long table no longer runs along Michigan Avenue, you can find space at tables set up along McCamly Avenue for the festival.
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.
Cereal is served free for everyone from 8 to 11:30 a.m. June 8.
Meet our celebrities
The Cereal Festival is on Saturday, but arrive a day early to catch the parade through downtown Battle Creek. It kicks off at 6:30 p.m. June 9.
The parade is led by some familiar faces: Tony the Tiger and Sugar Bear, along with their friends.
They are usually around before the parade to give out hugs, but if you want to get a photo with our local celebrities then head to Festival Market Square during the Cereal Festival. Tony Tiger and Sugar Bear will be around to pose for pictures and accept high-fives.
Find the magic
Fulfill your festival era with the Taylor Swift Experience by Kanin Wren at 10:15 a.m. There will also be multiple animal shows by the Realm of Reptiles.
Kids will find stuff to do spread throughout downtown. The Jumpers Adventure Area is by the big blue boxes known as the BC Cargo market. It’s next door to Full Blast, where the summer swim park will be open.
The Kidz Zone has games near Festival Market Square, then head to Wave Square for the Bubble Station. Wave Square also has a mini splash pad.
A tiny train toots along the streets and you can catch a ride for free.
Wait, there’s more!
Battle Creek has a lot of fun festivals going on in the summer. Cereal Fest is just the beginning.
Look to the skies for Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival July 3-7; there will be Thunderbirds, airplane stunts, hot air balloons and carnival rides.
Rock out at Leilapalooza on July 27; this all-day music festival has a unique venue, set among the monsters and wizards of Fantasy Forest at Leila Arboretum.
End the summer with Backyard Burgers & Brewsfest on Aug. 24; the hardest part of this food truck festival is trying to decide how many different kinds of food you can eat in one night.
