2024 ArtPrize grand prize $125k winner John Katerberg says he designed this painting of a popular lighthouse view to be interactive. Image courtesy ArtPrize.

"I painted a scene that’s very familiar to western Michigan. People fall in love with it right away," Katerberg said of his surprise win. "They love a sunset, they love the splashing waves. But the dynamic part about that piece is it’s an interactive piece. It almost looks three-dimensional. And the people who view it are doing the painting dance. They look at it, they dance around it."

One of several dozen art pieces that were voted by the public to be top pieces in Grand Rapids' popular summer art festival, Katerberg's painting is among many pieces that celebrate Michigan's lakefront lifestyle and locals' love of the outdoors. But you don't have to attend a major festival to enjoy art in Michigan, especially in summer. When we drove past Sleeping Bear Dunes a couple of years ago, artists had easels out on the street, doors to galleries open. Every town in Michigan has a tiny art gallery and a sculpture artist, and probably a local muralist. Art is everywhere, celebrating community spirit, beautiful vistas, and unique local cultures you can take home as your little piece to remember a perfect Michigan summer.

Michigan's Top Summer Arts Festivals Kick Off Now

If you're traveling to the Mitten on vacation or loitering locally, you are sure to run across a great summer art festival in Michigan's beach or college towns. But how many are there, and how do you find them when you're not a local in the know? Here's a list of prominent Michigan art festivals happening in Summer 2025 to check out this year. We have limited this list to art festivals, but feel free to add more in comments or on social media!:

June 2025

• Northville Art House Art Market (Northville): June 13 & 15, 2025. Held in Downtown Northville. A great local art market.
• 58th Annual Flint Art Fair (Flint): June 14 & 15, 2025. Features 125 artists.
• Otsego Artisan Market (Otsego): June 21, 2025. Held at TOP Riverside Pavilion.
• Grand Haven Art Festival (Grand Haven): June 27-29, 2025. The 64th annual event, transforming Washington Avenue into an outdoor gallery. Features free admission and family activities.
• Lakeshore Art Festival (Muskegon): June 28-29, 2025. This is the 12th annual event in downtown Muskegon, which aligns perfectly with your local focus and properties.
• St Clair Art Fair (St. Clair): June 28-29, 2025. The 54th annual fair.

July 2025

• South Haven Art Fair (South Haven): July 5-6, 2025. Held at Stanley Johnston Park, featuring 110 artists.
• West Shore Art Fair (Ludington): July 5-6, 2025. The 57th annual fair.
• Wyandotte Street Art Fair (Wyandotte): July 9-12, 2025. One of the largest art fairs in Michigan, attracting over 200,000 visitors and 300+ artists.
• Art In The Park (Plymouth): July 11-13, 2025. This is Michigan's second largest art fair, attracting nearly 300,000 shoppers with over 400 artists.
• Ann Arbor Art Fair (Ann Arbor): July 17-19, 2025. This is a massive, nationally recognized event comprised of three independently juried, concurrent fairs:
  • Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original
  • Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair (The Guild)
  • Ann Arbor State Street District Art Fair
  It draws close to half a million attendees and features nearly 1,000 artists across 30 city blocks.
• Fenton Art Walk (Fenton): July 26, 2025. The 12th annual event, featuring 100 artists.
• Bay Harbor Arts Festival (Bay Harbor): July 26-27, 2025. The 25th annual event in the Village at Bay Harbor.

August 2025

• Art in the Park (Lake Odessa): August 2, 2025. Held in Village Park.
• Grosse Pointe Art Festival (Grosse Pointe Farms): August 2, 2025.
• Belle Isle Art Fair (Detroit): August 2-3, 2025. Held at Belle Isle State Park near the Scott Fountain, featuring nearly 100 artists in a stunning setting.
• Michaywe Arts & Crafts Fair (Gaylord): August 8-9, 2025. The 45th anniversary, held at Michaywe Club House.
• Lake Huron Arts and Crafts Show (Oscoda): August 10-11, 2025.
• Brighton Street Art Fair (Brighton): August 22-24, 2025. The 2nd annual event in Downtown Brighton.
• 40th Annual Blueberry Festival Craft Fair (South Haven): August 9-10, 2025. Features both fine art and handmade crafts.
• 49th Annual All Crafts Fair (South Haven): August 30-31, 2025. Held over Labor Day Weekend.

September 2025 (Early Summer-adjacent)

• Art in the Village (Franklin): September 1, 2025 (Labor Day).
• Common Ground's 51st Annual Birmingham Street Art Fair (Birmingham): September 13-14, 2025.
• Battle Creek Fall Art Festival (Battle Creek): September 13-14, 2025.
• ArtPrize (Grand Rapids): September 18 - October 4, 2025. While primarily a fall event, its span often begins in late summer. This is a massive, highly unique, and influential art competition throughout downtown Grand Rapids.
• Funky Ferndale Art Fair (Ferndale): September 19-21, 2025. Voted one of the country's best art fairs.

Tips for your Cronicle Blog and Social Media:

• "Top 5 Summer Art Festivals Not to Miss" (for your blog).
• "Road Trip Guide to Michigan's Art Fairs" (include a map).
• "Meet the Artists: Michigan Art Fair Spotlights" (interview artists participating in these fairs).
• "Art & Ambiance: Finding the Perfect Michigan Town for Your Next Creative Retreat" (linking back to your properties).
• Live from the Fair! If you visit, share Instagram Stories and Reels from the ground, highlighting specific artists or unique finds that fit your "whimsical dread" or nature themes.