THIS WEEKEND
Five Things to Do Around the Great Lakes
September 11-13, 2026
Fresh Fest Cleveland
Cleveland, OH | Sept. 12 | FREE
Fresh Fest Cleveland brings music, art, food and urban agriculture together at Rid-All Farm and Otter Park in the city’s Kinsman neighborhood. This year’s festival features performances from Rakim and Rebirth Brass Band alongside chef tastings, a farmers market, art installations, wellness activities and local vendors.
Old Car Festival
Dearborn, MI | Sept. 12-13 | Ticketed
The Henry Ford’s Old Car Festival celebrates its 75th anniversary at Greenfield Village with hundreds of vehicles dating from the 1890s through 1932. The weekend includes historic demonstrations, the Pass-in-Review parade, historically inspired street food, music & dancing, plus Saturday evening’s Gaslight Parade of Cars.
Printers Row Lit Fest
Chicago, IL | Sept. 12-13 | FREE
Chicago’s historic Printers Row welcomes readers, authors, booksellers and publishers for its 41st annual literary festival. The two-day event features programming across indoor and outdoor stages, plus more than 100 exhibitors lining South Dearborn Street.
Music is Art Festival
Buffalo, NY | Sept. 12 | FREE
Founded to strengthen Western New York’s creative community and expand access to music, Music is Art is more than a one-day festival. Its annual celebration brings together more than 800 musicians, DJs, dancers, visual artists, spoken-word performers, nonprofits and vendors across 20+ stages at Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, creating a massive showcase for the region’s homegrown talent.
U.P. Fall Beer Festival
Marquette, MI | Sept. 12 | Ticketed, 21+
The Michigan Brewers Guild brings the 17th annual U.P. Fall Beer Festival to Mattson Lower Harbor Park along the Lake Superior shoreline. Nearly 70 Michigan breweries will pour hundreds of beers, with live music and local food rounding out the afternoon.