Happy September, neighbors! It's Labor Day weekend, art is taking over the waterfront, and we've got one last concert in the park before the season closes out.

🎟 Community Events & Festival Radar

Art on the Bay. The area's fine art and craft show comes back to the waterfront for the holiday weekend. Come by car or come by boat!
Date & Time: Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Location: Walter and Mary Burke Park, New Baltimore
Fee: Free

Chesterfield Clean Up Crew. The last one of the season. Volunteers meet at Brandenburg Park and head out to sites around the township, and the first 25 registered get a Beautification Commission t-shirt.
Date & Time: Saturday, September 5, 10:00 AM meet-up
Location: Meet at Brandenburg Park
Fee: Free, register in advance at parks.chesterfieldtwp.org

New Baltimore Farmers Market. Two good Sundays back to back. September 6 lines up with Art on the Bay and it's Future Founders Kids Day, where local kids run their own booths, sponsored by Renewal by Andersen. September 13 is Kids & Family Day and Grandparents Day.
Date & Time: Sundays, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Location: Downtown New Baltimore, 36300 Front Street
Fee: Free to browse

Kids Night at Chick-fil-A. Kids eat free and there's always something going on.
Date & Time: Tuesdays, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Location: Chick-fil-A, Chesterfield Township
Fee: Free for kids with a meal purchase

Midweek Music Finale: Meldrum Brothers. The last one of the summer, so grab a chair, a blanket, and a cooler and get down to the water. A DJ warms up the crowd at 6:00 before the band takes over, and you can pick up a beverage to go from any participating Social Wave restaurant downtown. Band sponsored by Washington Street Wine House.
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 9, 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM, DJ at 6:00 PM
Location: Walter and Mary Burke Park, New Baltimore
Fee: Free

Big Rig Day. Fire trucks, dump trucks, and a helicopter landing. If you have a kid who points at every piece of heavy equipment on the road, this is their day.
Date & Time: Saturday, September 12, 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Location: Brandenburg Park, 50050 Jefferson Avenue
Fee: Free

🚗 Worth the Drive

Romeo Peach Festival. Running right now through Monday, about twenty minutes northwest. Carnival rides, a parade, a car show, craft shows, live music, and a Lions Club beer tent.
Date & Time: Now through Monday, September 7
Location: Downtown Romeo
Fee: See the festival schedule for ride and event pricing

Algonac Art Fair and Color Run 5K. Around 100 artists set up along the St. Clair River, with music, food vendors, and a kids' creation station. If you want to earn it first, the Color Run starts at City Hall that morning and finishes in time for the fair. Pancake breakfast after and a finisher medal for everyone.
Date & Time: Sunday, September 6. Color Run starts at 8:30 AM
Location: Algonac Waterfront Park, 1130 St. Clair River Drive. Run starts at Algonac City Hall, 805 St. Clair River Drive
Fee: Art fair free to attend. Color Run registration $45 at algonacartfair.com

Sunday Night Concert at Lake St. Clair Metropark. Free live music on the water to close out the holiday weekend.
Date & Time: Sunday, September 6, 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Location: Lake St. Clair Metropark, 31300 Metro Parkway, Harrison Township
Fee: Free with a Metropark pass

Richmond Good Old Days. Four days of small-town festival that Richmond has put on every year since 1964, always the weekend after Labor Day. Motor sports run Thursday through Saturday, the Skerbeck Family Carnival opens Friday, fireworks go up Saturday at 9:30, and the Great Michigan Parade closes it out Sunday.
Date & Time: Thursday, September 10 through Sunday, September 13. Carnival hours are Friday 3:00 to 11:00 PM, Saturday Noon to 11:00 PM, and Sunday 1:00 to 9:00 PM
Location: 69500 Beebe Street, Richmond
Fee: CARNIVAL RIDE ARMBANDS
Friday: $25.00 at the gate
Saturday: $30.00 at the gate
Sunday: $25.00 at the gate, or $22.00 online through Saturday night
Individual ride tickets: 4 for $5.00
Rides take 2 to 6 tickets each. Armbands are good only the day you buy them. Online orders add a small per-band fee.

Fun & Fabulous Fundraiser. A veterans benefit in Casco with a tribute concert, Donny Rod performing as Rod Stewart and Dan Spencer as Toby Keith. Proceeds go to Veterans Honor Flight and Wreaths Across America. Tickets and tables are being booked now, and they're still taking vendors if you run a local business and want a spot, though space is limited.
Date & Time: Saturday, September 19. Call ahead for showtime and reservations
Location: Little Camilles by the Green, 4575 County Line Road, Casco
Fee: $35 per person. Mike Bembas 810-278-2243 or Jeanne Wonning 810-643-3279

📍 Local Civic & Roadwork Updates

Jefferson Avenue closing for a week. Jefferson will be closed to through traffic between 21 Mile and Cotton Road from Monday, September 14 through Friday, September 18 for bridge maintenance. You'll still be able to reach every business and property along it, but plan another route if you drive it daily. Dates are estimated and weather can push them.

Now hiring pitching machine umpires. New Baltimore needs umpires for Tuesday and Thursday evening games starting after Labor Day. Easy way to pick up some extra income if your evenings are open. Email [email protected] to get on the list.

The township wants your input on the 2027 Master Plan. The survey is open through September 15 at surveymonkey.com/r/6CJYMDQ. This is the document that decides what gets built where, so it's worth ten minutes.

That's a wrap for this week's Anchor Bay Current. See you around town!