7 Pure Michigan Things You Need to Do This August

You told yourself you were going to get out and go somewhere this summer. Even if it was just a day trip.

Have you done it? Or has another Michigan summer almost slipped by without you getting out and enjoying what the state has to offer?

SEE ALSO: 3 Michigan Cities Ranked Among 'Top 100 BBQ Towns' in US

Here are seven Pure Michigan things to do between now and Labor Day.

Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival

The dates for the 2024 Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival are July 26th through August 4th.

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Grand Haven, known as "Coast Guard City, USA", hosts this annual festival to honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. Coast Guard. It features all the usual fair stuff - rides, entertainment, food - but also some things you don't encounter everywhere, such as beach volleyball and tours of a number of Coast Guard ships.

National Blueberry Festival

Traverse City gets a lot of attention for Michigan's cherries, but we're a big blueberry state too.

South Haven hosts the annual National Blueberry Festival from August 8th through the 11th, in an effort to "recognize, appreciate and celebrate the cultural and economic significance of blueberries, blueberry production and agritourism in Southwest Michigan".

Upper Peninsula State Fair

Yoopers wanna have fun in the summer too! The Upper Peninsula State Fair will be held in Escanaba from August 12th through the 18th.

Entertainment this year includes country singers Tracy Byrd and Hailey Whitters, along with rock band Fuel.

Woodward Dream Cruise

Michigan fun in August isn't relegated to fairs and festivals.

The Woodward Dream Cruise will take place along 16 miles of Woodward Avenue in Metro Detroit on August 17. Organizers expect around 40,000 classic cars on display and roughly a million spectators. It's the largest one-day automotive event in the nation.

Michigan Renaissance Festival

The 2024 Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly takes place every weekend beginning August 17 and lasting through September 29.

The event promises a "magical 16th Century European village featuring 17 stages of exciting entertainment including: musicians, magicians, jugglers and jousting; plus more than 100 artisans in the Festival marketplace".

Mackinac Island Fudge Festival

Admit it. You wanted to go to Mackinac Island this year anyway. Why not go when they're holding the Mackinac Island Fudge Festival?

This year's festival is August 23rd through the 25th, and includes "fudge-making demonstrations, fudge inspired food and cocktails, an outdoor movie, family games, and more!"

Sleeping Bear Dunes

This one's kind of here as a bonus. There's nothing particular going on at Sleeping Bear Dunes in August; it's just a great time a year to visit.

RELATED: $3000 to Be Rescued From These Michigan Sand Dunes?

Located along Lake Michigan north and west of Traverse City, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore affords visitors spectacular views of the lake from high atop some massive sand dunes - up to 450' high in some places! Just be careful if you choose to scale the dunes - it's easy to go down them, but much harder climbing back up!