June 19, 2019
13 Magnificent Ann Arbor Area Events to Attend This May
In our Ann Arbor area communities, April showers bring May events! Though summer doesn’t officially start until June, locals are already celebrating the warmer weather with socially distanced outdoor events, including vintage markets, street fairs, 5Ks and color walks.
We rounded up the can’t-miss events happening this May so you can take part in all the fun—from pot pie baking classes to virtual concerts. Read more about them below, find links to tickets and registration where necessary, and get ready for a fun-filled month!
Arts + Culture
May 1, 8 p.m. | Online
This month, tune in for a virtual concert from the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra featuring music from Beethoven, Bartok and Biber! The concert, which was filmed live at the Michigan Theater, costs $50 and kicks off online at 8:00 p.m. on May 1st. Click here to learn more and for ticket information.
2021 American Liszt Society Festival | Ann Arbor
The annual American Liszt Society Festival is coming to Ann Arbor! Held at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance, this year’s festival will focus on Liszt’s Hungarian roots and legacies while also educating attendees on the music of the Romani people as it influenced composers across Europe, both Hungarian and otherwise. The festival runs from May 12th to May 15th and will feature live music performances, presentations from leading musicologists, and plenty of Hungarian food.
Pen & Ink Illustrations Workshop | Ann Arbor
May 21, 6-8 p.m. | Online
Interested in expanding your drawing knowledge? This online workshop from the Ann Arbor Art Center will introduce you to the basics of working with pen and ink. Students will explore line weight, shading, and working with patterns to create interesting and skillful illustrations. No previous drawing experience is needed! All art supplies are included in the price of this workshop and supply kits will be ready for pickup at the Art Center a week prior to the start of this virtual class. Click here to learn more and to register!
Community Celebrations
Spring Color Fling | Dexter
May 1, 1-3 p.m. | Hudson Mills Metropark
After a long, gray winter, springtime is here and colors are blooming! What better way to celebrate than with a blast of spring colors in Hudson Mills Metro Park at their annual Spring Color Fling? Take a walk through the gravel and dirt nature trail and enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. Throughout your walk, you’ll come across five stations where you will be “doused” with a different color. Each registered participant will get a t-shirt to wear and get colored. To maintain social distancing, a maximum of 15 people will be assigned to each starting time at registration. Social distancing and face coverings are required. Click here to register.
Roaming Goat’s Spring Street Fair | Grass Lake
May 22, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | South Lake Street
For a fun, spring event that you won’t soon forget, head over to Grass Lake for Roaming Goat’s annual Spring Street Fair! Vendors, including local artists, makers and food connoisseurs will be lined up in booths on South Lake Street, selling everything from candles to jewelry to soap and even flowers. Before stepping out in town to explore South Lake Street, stop by The Roaming Goat to pick up a delicious latte and a treat to help fuel your adventure!
Frog Fun at Frog Island | Ypsilanti
May 22, 12-3 p.m. | Frog Island Park
On Saturday, May 22nd, drop by Frog Island Park in Ypsilanti for some socially distanced outdoor frog fun! Walk around the park as a family to learn frog facts and hunt for small toy frogs and painted rocks to take home. Afterward, draw frogs in the walkway with some chalk. This event is brought to you by the Ypsilanti District Library and all rocks will be provided by Ypsi Rocks, a global campaign to spread smiles and love into the community through painted rocks.
Derby Days | Ann Arbor
Join The Vintage Market on Sunday, May 23rd for an amazing day full of shopping, food, fun and friends! This exciting outdoor event will feature more than 150 incredible vendors for you to shop, including those selling vintage, salvage, farmhouse, shabby chic, furniture, home decor, clothing, jewelry, candles, garden art and so much more. There will also be a food truck rally, live music, free photo booths, face painting, henna, pony rides and special guests! Because of the scale of this event, it may be altered or canceled depending on current COVID-19 conditions. Check out the event page on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.
Sports
May the 4th Run With You | Ann Arbor
May 4 | Anywhere in Ann Arbor
Calling all Star Wars fans—this one is for you! EpicRaces proudly presents the May the 4th Run With You, a virtual 4K that celebrates with fans and “wook-alikes” everywhere. They encourage you to grab your favorite Star Wars costume and head outside to complete a 4K wherever you are. Because May is National Cancer Research Month, EpicRaces is partnering with the American Association for Cancer Research, donating a portion of every entry to help combat cancer. Click here for all the information and to register.
Mother’s Day Time to Teal 5K | Ann Arbor
May 9, 8 a.m. | Downtown Ann Arbor
MIOCA (Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance) is hosting their 10th annual Mother’s Day Time to Teal 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Run downtown on May 9th. This event—which will be in-person and virtual this year—hopes to bring together survivors, supporters and anyone who has been impacted by ovarian cancer. All proceeds of this event go towards promoting the early detection of ovarian cancer and improved treatment outcomes.
4th Annual Bløm 100 Mile Ride | Ann Arbor
May 30-June 4, Bløm Meadworks
Join the Ann Arbor Velo Club, the Ann Arbor Running Co and Bløm Meadworks for their 4th annual Blom 100 Mile Ride, a bike race over mixed terrain. This year, they plan to have options for a 50K, 100K and the 100-mile. For all the information, and to register, visit Blom Meadwork’s website!
Food + Drink
Zingerman’s Deli Pot Pies | Ann Arbor
May 9, 2-5 p.m. | Online
We, like many other Ann Arborites, have a soft spot for Zingerman Deli’s amazing chicken pot pies. But have you ever wanted to learn how to make them for yourself? This virtual class from Zingerman’s Bake will lead you in making these pies from scratch, including mixing and rolling the flaky pie crust, cooking the velouté sauce, assembling the aromatic filling, and shaping the pies.
Mother’s Day Basil Babe Pop-Up | Ann Arbor
May 9, 5-8 p.m. | York
Basil Babe is a dumpling pop-up run by a young Detroit professional and her mother—the former owner of Siam Square! At their Mother’s Day pop-up at York Food & Drink, you’ll get the chance to purchase fresh or frozen dumplings and “Crabby Rangoon,” which you can reheat using the helpful instructions on their website. In addition to tasty Asian street food, they will also be selling Thai Iced Tea and sides of their famous Chili Oil, which pairs perfectly with pretty much anything.
Backyard BBQ | Ypsilanti
May 27-31 | Detroit/Ann Arbor KOA
May is National BBQ month! Enjoy—or cook—some of the good stuff at a competition at the Detroit/Ann Arbor KOA in Ypsilanti over Memorial Day weekend. The contest will run from the 27th through the 31st, a perfect time to take your family camping or enjoy a day out in the wild!
Have a magnificent May!
What local May events did we miss? Let us know what you’re looking forward to this month in the comments below!
(Visited 110 times, 1 visits today)