Melon Fest is as fun as its name

For the last 56 years, the sleepy town of Howell has set aside one weekend in August to celebrate something wonderful: melons. Their annual Melon Fest attracts upward of 60,000 people each year with such attractions as a Melon Run, a memorial Melon Ride, melon ice cream, a kids’ melon patch, live music (non-melon related), a fine arts fair (also non-melon related), a car show, a movie night, train rides, motorsports, miniature golf, water wars, air dogs, and more. If it sounds dorky, well, it’s actually really fun. Trust us, we’ve gone a time or two.

Runs 5-11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday; 925 W. Grand River Ave., Howell; 517-546-0693; howellmelonfestival.com; entry is free.