12 things to do in Michigan in August 2020

There are still not too many events up and running. However, there are definitely many summer destinations to explore. Grab your mask and hit the road. For example, consider trying our 12 things to do in Michigan in August 2020.

Summer Saturdaze at Gilmore Car Museum

The Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners is happily welcoming guests back again. If you’re not familiar with the place, then you’ll be surprised to find out it’s North America’s largest car museum. It started in the early 1960s. Donald S. Gilmore began collecting vintage automobiles. Eventually, he needed more space. So, he acquired 90 acres of land near Kalamazoo. Car fans gather each Saturday in the summer for Saturdaze. Each of these celebrations is based on a theme like red, white and blue cars, hot rods, or even motorcycles. Visit the calendar for this month’s themes and other events.

Helicopter Tour over Mackinac

It’s always a joy to take a car ride across Mighty Mac. How about biking around the island? Now consider adding a thrilling new transportation experience to a tip o’ the mitt visit. Hop aboard a helicopter for a tour of the area by MIFlight Aviation. Enjoy the East Moran Bay, St. Ignace, and get a glimpse of Mackinac Island like you’ve never it seen before. All those thrills for just $40 per person. An $80 ticket will get you a flight right over the majestic bridge. All flights depart from Mackinac County Airport and require a 2-person minimum.

Boyne Family Fun Days

Say you love the game of golf and want to pass that passion along to your kids. Getting them out on a course to try it out can be a tad pricey. Boyne Family Fun Days are designed for just that purpose at an affordable rate. Every Sunday after 2 p.m. the courses are available for up to 2 juniors to play for FREE when playing with a paying adult. The courses include The Monument at Boyne Mountain, The Moor at Boyne Highlands, and Crooked Tree Golf Club.

Tiger Baseball

At long last, it’s time to Play Ball! The boys of summer have taken to the field. While, unfortunately we can’t join them in the stands, we can still tune in and cheer them on throughout the 60-game season. Check the Tigers schedule for game days. Many local pubs have set up social distanced viewing opportunities if you want to share the experience with other fans. Otherwise, pour yourself a cold Michigan brew, grab a bag of Germack peanuts, and create your own at home Tiger experience.

Paddleboard Yoga

You can find yoga sessions almost anywhere…in a park, on a beach, and now right out on the water. Stand-Up Paddle Board (SUP) Yoga is a fun way to experience the exercise phenomenon in the great outdoors. Participants paddle out, do an hour of yoga on the boards, and then paddle back in. Eclipse Yoga provides the paddle boards and life jackets which will be sanitized before and after each use. No experience with SUP or Yoga is needed. They’re happy to teach you everything you need to know. Classes are offered at Silver Lake, Island Lake State Park, and Spring Mill Pond. Schedules and registration are available online.

Outbreak Exhibit at Grand Rapids Public Museum

Talk about a timely exhibit, the Smithsonian’s Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World opens at the Grand Rapids Public Museum on August 1. It features informative panels and videos that cover outbreaks such as Zika, Ebola, Influenza and new information pertaining to COVID-19. Visitors will learn about the vaccination process, stigmas associated with certain infectious diseases, different roles community members and international partnerships assume to help stop outbreaks from becoming epidemics and more. The museum is adding a section related to its community documentation project of daily life during COVID-19.

906 Festival in Curtis

While most festivals around the state have sadly been canceled due to COVID-19, there are a couple that are valiantly adapting to go on such as this celebration of our beloved Upper Peninsula on August 1. It includes live music, over 30 art and retail vendors, a beer and wine tent, and entertainment, along with fun games and activities for the whole family. Vendors have been spread further apart and each will have hand sanitizer. Handwashing stations are also available, and guests are asked to wear face coverings at all times.

National Blueberry Festival in South Haven

The National Blueberry Festival will also still go on, but in a limited capacity. Emphasis will be placed on the local growers. Many will set up under the Huron Street Pavilion on Saturday August 8 from 9-5 p.m. and several will be hosts for Farm Day. Additionally, there will be several virtual events that anyone can participate in. DeGrandchamp Farms Postcard Perfect Photo Contest invites you to host your own pie-eating contest and submit your video or photo to the festival’s Facebook page. There will also be a Kid’s Scavenger’s Hunt. Get your clues online or in-person and have fun exploring South Haven for answers. Check out the website for additional details.

St Ignace Fireworks

Perhaps the only thing that can improve a fireworks display is a stunning setting. How about over water alongside the majestic Mackinac Bridge? The town of St. Ignace invites you to join them every Saturday through September 3 for just such a spectacle. Gather on the Huron Boardwalk, at American Legion Park, Kiwanis Beach Park, and all along the waterfront, to marvel at the colorful Chrysanthemums, Rings of Saturn, and all the fizzlers, swizzlers, boomers, and everything in between.

Paint Grand Traverse

One of the more unique art events in the state has been creatively transformed, given our pandemic. It’s now called Paint Grand Traverse 2020: Virtually Beautiful, and will still include many of the things guests love. Artists will spend a beautiful weekend painting in downtown Traverse City and Old Mission Peninsula. Online shoppers will get the first choice of paintings, August 10-16. An in-person exhibit and sale will run August 17-September 12 in the Carnegie Gallery at Crooked Tree Arts Center. There will also be a virtual Pint-Size Paint Out for Kids, outdoor painting demonstrations, and a live-streamed awards ceremony. Visit their website for the latest details.

Grand Rapids Restaurant Week

Our local eateries need us now more than ever so Grand Rapids Restaurant Week has reinvented its usual process in order to encourage more eating out. This year, diners will download a digital pass to their smartphones (available soon). They’ll use the pass to check in at participating restaurants. Diners will receive a return visit coupon at every restaurant they check into – perhaps a free dessert offer, a buy-one-get-one-free deal or a meal discount, all redeemable within 60 days of their Restaurant Week visit. Diners who check into four restaurants will earn a special foodie-themed gift from Experience Grand Rapids. Restaurant Week runs August 5-16. Bon Appétit!

Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes Exhibition

The long-awaited heroic exhibition at The Henry Ford in Dearborn is now open. From comics to film, Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes features more than 300 artifacts, including some of Marvel’s most iconic and sought-after pages, costumes and props. Spectacular artifacts will thrill both avid collectors and casual fans, while immersive set pieces, soundscapes and interactive elements bring the Marvel Universe to life. The biggest Marvel exhibition ever, it chronicles the story of Marvel and its influence on visual culture, while also uncovering the stories of individual characters like Captain America, Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel and Doctor Strange.

Tweet @BuyMichiganNow to tell us how you’re getting out again. We’d love to know which of our 12 things to do in Michigan in August 2020 you try. Snap some pix and tag @BuyMichiganNow on Instagram. For next month’s suggestions, or to get ideas for your travel bucket list, be sure to visit our Michigan Tourism page.