Clinton Fall Festival marks 50th anniversary Sept. 27-29 with concerts, arts, parade
CLINTON — Fifty years ago this coming weekend, an autumnal celebration was born in Clinton as the village's new fall festival brought the community together to enjoy a variety of arts, entertainment and food.
Some events have endured at the Clinton Fall Festival, such as the grand parade at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Others have changed with the times, such as food options and entertainment. Where the 1974 festival had many community organizations offering a variety of food, the 2024 festival has several food trucks and fair food vendors scheduled. For entertainment in 1974, the festival featured professional banjo players and Channel 2 TV personality Opsy the Clown while, in New Jersey, 12-year-old John Bongiovi Jr. was just starting to play music. He probably never imagined that in 50 years there would be a tribute band playing his future band's biggest hits at a large festival in a small town in southeastern Michigan.
This year's Clinton Fall Festival opens Friday, Sept. 27, and continues Saturday and Sunday. Activities are planned throughout town. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Live entertainment
Free performances take place all weekend at the Main Stage at the Clinton Middle School lawn on Tecumseh Road. The headlining performance is The Soulmen, a Blues Brothers tribute group, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
"You don’t want to miss this awesome tribute show including great songs, comedy, an outstanding backup band, and just great fun," a post on the festival's Facebook page said.
The full Main Stage schedule is:
• Friday: “42 N-E” (a 5-piece band), 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Jean Wilson Jazz, 2-3 p.m.; and Union Street Revival, 3-5 p.m.
• Saturday: variety acts, 11 to 11:30 a.m.; Bob Schultz, aka “Bigfoot Bob,” noon to 2 p.m.; and the Blues Brothers show, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
• Sunday: church service, 10 to 11 a.m.; Larry Rothman, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; and One Voice Gospel, 1 to 2 p.m.
On Saturday evening at Tate Park, Brayden Lape of Grass Lake will open for Bon Jovi tribute band Wanted. Lape was a contestant on "The Voice" on Blake Shelton's team. Admission for this show is $5; kids younger than 5 get in for free. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Food trucks will be serving concessions, and attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs. Donations collected at this show will go toward the festival's scholarship fund.
More to see and do
There's more to the festival than music. One of the main draws are the artists and crafters — more than 200 — who will set up in the area of Tecumseh Road just south of downtown. More vendors will be selling their wares along Michigan Avenue.
Nearby at the Smith-Kimball Community Center at the corner of Tecumseh Road and East Franklin Street will host the lost arts display, which will showcase traditional crafts and trades.
Children can head to the Kids Zone on East Franklin Street where there will be inflatables, a petting farm and face painting. At noon Saturday, a mini tractor pull will take place at Tate Park.
Out at Tate Park there will be carnival rides Friday through Saturday, hayrides from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and the softball tournament Saturday and Sunday. Wristbands for the carnival rides are $25.
Food vendors will be set up throughout the festival.
The classic car and truck show will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. next to the Shell gas station on Tecumseh Road on the south side of town.
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The Friends of the Clinton Township Public Library will have a book sale Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the library, 100 Brown St. Featured are items for Christmas, hunting and fishing, politics, and presidents. Nora Roberts books will be “buy one, get one free.” All pocket paperbacks will be 25 cents unless specially priced. In addition to the large selection of rare and vintage items, there will a table full of vintage science fiction. The Children’s Area will feature books about Halloween, Thanksgiving and Native Americans, and Christmas. While most items in the Children’s Area are priced at 25 cents, there also is a large selection of books in excellent condition that are suitable for gift giving that are reasonably priced, a news release from the Friends said. There also is a “last chance” section where shoppers may choose as many items as they wish for whatever donation you wish to make.
Payment may be made by cash, check with identification or credit/debit card. There is a 3% surcharge when using a credit/debit card.
The Clinton Fire Department will be open for tours from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The station is at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Jackson Street.
Before the Grand Parade Sunday, there will be surprise entertainers along the parade route starting at 2 p.m. The parade is at 2:30 p.m.
Transportation
Free parking with shuttles to the festival area will be available at Solid Rock Church, 810 Tecumseh Road; the Southern Michigan Railroad, 301 Bartlett St.; Eden Foods, 701 Tecumseh Road; and Tate Park, 475 W. Michigan Ave., according to the festival map. Additional parking will be available east of Clinton Middle School and east of Stoplight Plaza. Shuttle stops will be at Tecumseh Road and Clark Street, Veterans Memorial Park at the corner of West Michigan Avenue and Burton Street, Comerica Bank at the corner of West Michigan Avenue and Division Street, and Tate Park.
The Southern Michigan Railroad will be running between Clinton and Tecumseh on Saturday and Sunday.
Golf carts will be traveling throughout the festival area, offering rides.
— Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Preview: Clinton Fall Festival is Sept. 27-29
