The 2023 Ann Arbor Carnival & Fair season is back! Carnivals are always a great source of family fun with games and rides and entertainment. My daughter loves rides, so carnivals and fairs that bring rides to town have always been a big hit with her.
The Ann Arbor Jaycees Carnival at Pioneer High School may be the most popular carnival in Ann Arbor. But, I found so many other carnivals near me in 2023.
In Washtenaw County, there is the Milan Fair, Saline Fair, Manchester Fair, and Chelsea Fair. Nearby is the Canton LibertyFest or the Hamburg Fun Fest. Or venture to Howell for the Michigan Challenge Balloonfest – it is worth the drive!
What other Michigan Carnivals in 2023 are worth the drive from the Ann Arbor area?
Note we are in the process of updating this article for 2023.
Summer Carnivals in Michigan for 2023 – Near Ann Arbor
Our list includes carnivals in communities surrounding Ann Arbor that have rides. We have information on dates, hours, entertainment, and prices. We have also noted which carnivals have an admission fee or minimum purchase.
Carnivals are ordered by event date. If you know of one that we missed, let us know and we’ll add it to the list.
Milan Fair
The Milan Fair is one of the first Washtenaw County fairs each year an offers a full fair experience.
Opening day Thursday includes a parade at 6p. Friday’s fair day concludes with fireworks over the lake. Pull up a blanket or chairs on Wabash St for a great view. Saturday starts with a magic show at 11a.
Milan Fair Schedule:
🎡 Thursday, June, 1 Milan Fair & Parade
🎡 Friday, June, 2 Milan Fair & Fireworks
🎡 Saturday, June, 3 Milan Fair
At a Glance
Location
Wilson Park, Wabash Street, Milan, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal June 1, 2023-June 3, 2023
Schedule
4-11p Thursday & Friday, 11-10p Saturday
Price
Ride Wristband: $30. Tickets available
Hamburg Family Fun Fest
Celebrate with the Hamburg Fun Fest. Head for the carnival rides, but stick around for some of their other activities. Check out the petting zoo. Let kids take a shot in the Youth Archery Shoot. Ice Skate in June! And check out the giant lawn games in the kids zone.
Don’t miss the Laser Show and Fireworks at West Park on both Friday and Saturday night. Or come Saturday for the Classic & Custom Car Show.
They also have several fun shows – Laugh Magic Live, Rock N Circus Sh Live Reptile Presentation, Radio Controlled Plane Show,
Hamburg Family Fun Fest Schedule
]🎡 Wednesday, June, 14 Hamburg Fun Fest
]🎡 Thursday, June, 15 Hamburg Fun Fest
]🎡 Friday, June, 16 Hamburg Fun Fest
]🎡 Saturday, June, 17 Hamburg Fun Fest
At a Glance
Location
Manly W. Bennett Park, 10405 Merrill Road, Whitmore Lake, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal June 14, 2023-June 17, 2023
Schedule
Opens 4p Wednesday, noon Thursday, 2p Friday, and 11a Saturday
Price
Ride Wristbands: $25 in advance. At the gate: $25/Wednesday, $30/Thursday or Friday, and $35/Saturday
Canton LibertyFest
Canton LibertyFest is a 3 day carnival. 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Canton LibertyFest.
In addition to the carnival, they have a marketplace, petting farm, live music, LEGO Display, and more.
Mark your calendars for fireworks on Friday night (rain date of Saturday). Saturday starts with the Liberty Run and a pancake breakfast. Also on Saturday is Canton’s Juneteenth Celebration. There will also be music each afternoon and evening.
Carnival ride wristbands can be bought for $30 for a Thursday or Friday or $35 for Sunday – cash only on site. You can buy a $30 single day ticket valid any day online in advance with a $1.99 fee. A 3 day Mega Ride Wristband can be purchased online in advance for $75 (plus $1.99 fee). The multi-day pass cannot be bought on site. Buy your wristband now.
Canton LibertyFest Schedule
🇺🇸 Thursday, June, 15 Canton Liberty Fest
🇺🇸 Friday, June, 16 Canton Liberty Fest & Fireworks
🇺🇸 Saturday, June, 17 Canton Liberty Fest & Juneteenth
🇺🇸 Saturday, June, 17 Liberty Run
At a Glance
Location
Heritage Park, South Canton Center Road, Canton, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal June 15, 2023-June 17, 2023
Schedule
1-11p Thursday and Friday, 10a-11p Saturday
Price
$75 Mega Wristbands, $30/day Wristbands. Tickets 4/$5 or 50/$50
Ann Arbor Jaycees Summer Carnival
The Ann Arbor Jaycees Carnival is an Ann Arbor tradition. It is held each June in the Pioneer High School parking lot. The Carnival includes rides, games, and food. For my daughter, the highlight of the Carnival is the rides. She has loved rides from the first time I took her to the Jaycees Carnival at 1.5 years old.
2023 Carnival Walk Through
Get all the details in our 2023 Ann Arbor Jaycees Carnival Article.
Tickets
Skerbeck returns as the ride operator for the 2023 Ann Arbor Jaycees Carnival. There is a minimum purchase to enter the carnival. You have to spend $10/person or $30/family.
You can show proof of an online wristband purchase, or purchase a wristband, ride tickets, or midway bucks for food or games at the gate.
Ann Arbor Jaycees Carnival Schedule
🎡 Wednesday, June, 21 Ann Arbor Jaycees Summer Carnival
🎡 Thursday, June, 22 Ann Arbor Jaycees Summer Carnival
🎡 Friday, June, 23 Ann Arbor Jaycees Summer Carnival
🎡 Saturday, June, 24 Ann Arbor Jaycees Summer Carnival
🎡 Sunday, June, 25 Ann Arbor Jaycees Summer Carnival
At a Glance
Location
Pioneer High School, West Stadium Boulevard, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal June 21, 2023-June 25, 2023
Schedule
4-9p Wednesday-Friday, noon-9p Saturday & Sunday
Price
$30 ride wristband. $10 minimum purchase to enter, $20/family
Michigan Challenge Balloonfest
Michigan Challenge Balloonfest has their 38th event in 2023. The event features hot air balloons that you can see on the ground, as they fly in, or during the Balloon Glow on Saturday night. The Festival also includes a full carnival, market place shopping, and live entertainment.
Check out our review from the 2019 Michigan Challenge Balloonfest. We attended on Saturday to watch the Balloon Glow.
There is an admission fee of $5/day or $10/weekend. The weekend admission wristband is only available Friday and is valid Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Carnival rides are an additional cost with a $30/day wristband or tickets for $1.25/each or $20/20 tickets.
Schedule your carnival visit to see the 6:30p balloon launch on Friday or Saturday and either fireworks (on Friday) or Balloon Glow (Saturday).
Make time to take in the Arts Festival & Open Market, Entertainment, and the Family Fun Tent (which includes the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum on Friday and Saturday).
🎈 Thursday, June, 22 Michigan Challenge Balloonfest – Rides Only
🎈 Friday, June, 23 Michigan Challenge Balloon Festival
🎈 Saturday, June, 24 Michigan Challenge Balloon Festival
🎈 Sunday, June, 25 Michigan Challenge Balloonfest
At a Glance
Location
Howell High School, West Grand River Road, Howell, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal June 22, 2023-June 25, 2023
Schedule
Thursday & Friday 2-11p, Saturday 6a-11p, Sunday 6a-9p
Price
$5 Wristband for admission, $10 Weekend Wristband.
Chelsea Community Fair
Head to the Chelsea Community Fair for a fun time at the carnival rides or visiting the animal exhibition barns.
The 2023 schedule is not out yet, but we will update closer to the fair. Currently, there is a demolition derby and horse show listed as events on their Facebook page. Their website still lists 2022 details beyond that.
Make plans to attend for either the children’s parade or the Fair Parade.
🎡 Tuesday, August, 22 Chelsea Community Fair
🎡 Wednesday, August, 23 Chelsea Community Fair
🎡 Thursday, August, 24 Chelsea Community Fair
🎡 Friday, August, 25 Chelsea Community Fair
🎡 Saturday, August, 26 Chelsea Community Fair
At a Glance
Location
Chelsea Community Fair, West Old US Highway 12, Chelsea, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal August 22, 2023-August 26, 2023
Schedule
Gates open at 10a. Rides open: 5p Tuesday, 3p Wednesday & Thursday, noon Friday, 1p Saturday
Price
TBD: 2022 rates: $10/day, $30/season, $20/season for students, seniors. Plus ride wristband
Saline Fair
The Saline Fair is an annual event that brings together agricultural displays, activities and a carnival. Beyond the rides, take a walk through the barns to see the animals from baby birds to large cows. Check out the buildings for collections. Check out some of the grandstand shows like tractor pulls, Ag Olympics, auto cross derby, and more.
This year, the fair starts on Wednesday which is Saline Schools Day. The full fair runs through Sunday with just rides on Labor Day Monday.
When my daughter was younger the fair was after Labor Day and we loved visiting for children’s day while the big kids were at school. We always had a great time. There’s a touch a truck and usually lots of kid-friendly activities.
Saline Fair Schedule
🎡 Wednesday, August, 30 Saline Fair
🎡 Thursday, August, 31 Saline Fair
🎡 Friday, September, 1 Saline Fair
🎡 Saturday, September, 2 Saline Fair
🎡 Sunday, September, 3 Saline Fair
🎡 Monday, September, 4 Saline Fair
At a Glance
Location
Fairgrounds, Ann Arbor-Saline Road, Saline, Washtenaw, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal August 30, 2023-September 4, 2023
Schedule
Rides open at 2p Wednesday & Thursday, 1p Friday-Monday.
Price
$7 Admission/ Ride Wristbands $17 in advance, $20-25/day on site
Gone But Not Forgotten – Ann Arbor Carnivals
It appears that the National Strawberry Festival in Belleville is gone. They cancelled their 2020-2022 events. As of May 2023, their website is gone.
The Sumpter Township Country Fest was typically held Memorial Day weekend and has not been held since 2019. It does still appear on their website, so perhaps it will return in future years.
Fairs without Rides
Manchester Community Fair
The Manchester Community Fair had rides prior to 2020. They did not list rides for 2022 or 2023 and I could not find rides on the websites for any of the usual ride operators.
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