Known for its expansive beaches, bustling harbor, and fun events, Michigan’s South Haven is a popular destination for summer vacation. Located right on Lake Michigan’s shoreline, South Haven is quaint and amazingly beautiful in the summertime. The summer events held in South Haven draw visitors from around the Great Lakes area and are not to be missed! Read on to learn about five of our favorite Lake Michigan Summer events in South Haven!
Harborfest
Known for its large, bustling harbor, South Haven’s boating community is quite large! Come celebrate life on Lake Michigan in South Haven by attending Harborfest, which is in mid-June each year.
Packed full of fun, Harborfest runs two days (Saturday and Sunday) and hosts a variety of fun events and activities to enjoy. Featuring a craft show, Food Fest, beer garden, dragon boat races, kids rides and activities, and live entertainment, Harborfest is a wonderful celebration to enjoy with the whole family. This is one of the best Lake Michigan Summer events!
South Haven Art Fair
For almost 60 years, the South Haven Art Fair has been showcasing the area’s most talented artists and craftsmen. Organized by South Haven’s Center for the Arts, the South Haven Art Fair is held yearly leading up to 4th of July.
Located at a beautiful wooded park just one block away from Lake Michigan, the South Haven Art Fair’s venue is incredibly beautiful. With 120 vendors, locally sourced food, and live music, the South Haven Art Fair is the place to go in Michigan to peruse and purchase from the best artists and creators in the area.
Light Up the Lake Fireworks
Every year on the evening of July 3rd, South Haven holds an epic fireworks show over Lake Michigan. Drawing visitors from around the Great Lakes region, this popular Lake Michigan Summer event showcases one of the best fireworks shows in the area.
Viewable from Riverfront Park, North Beach, and South Beach in South Haven, the Light Up the Lake Fireworks show blasts off fireworks a safe distance away on the North Pier. For added fun, be sure to tune your radio to Cosy at FM 103.7 for coordinated music.
A perfect event for the whole family, Light up The Lake Fireworks in South Haven is a wholesome and iconic American holiday event that is not to be missed!
South Haven 4th of July Parade
The morning after the Light Up the Lake Fireworks event, South Haven holds an annual 4th of July parade downtown. Starting at 11:00 AM, the parade starts at Elkenburg and winds through several streets of downtown South Haven before ending on Center street.
Prime viewing of the parade is along Huron Street downtown near the pavilion. A wonderful event for the whole family, the South Haven 4th of July Parade features classic cars, floats, and marching bands. An exciting and loud event, we recommend the 4th of July Parade to those wishing to celebrate America’s birthday surrounded by high spirits.
National Blueberry Festival
For over 50 years, South Haven has been hosting the National Blueberry Festival each August. As the epicenter of blueberry production, South Haven started the National Blueberry Festival as a small event to celebrate the yearly blueberry harvest.
Since its inception in 1963, the National Blueberry Festival has blossomed into a large event that features baking competitions, recipe exchanges, and a parade. Fun for the whole family, we recommend the National Blueberry Festival to blueberry lovers of all ages.
Choosing Beachwalk Properties when Seeing All the Great Lake Michigan Summer Events
With so many fun events to attend all summer long in South Haven, finding comfortable and convenient vacation accommodations can be tricky. Luckily, we offer a variety of gorgeous private homes in the South Haven area. Each home is hand-selected for its location, quality, and livability and then appointed with modern amenities to help our guests feel comfortable and at home.
Browse our available South Haven vacation homes today! Booking online is easy through our website.