The Michigan State Fair comes to the Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi on September 3, 2026.

It’s a smaller event than the original state fair in Detroit, which usually began a week-and-a-half before Labor Day. Billed as one of America’s oldest state fairs, Michigan’s annual tradition drew more than 1 million people at its peak in the 1960s.

By the early 21st century, attendance and revenue had fallen so much that the state couldn’t afford to keep it going. The 2009 fair had 217,000 visitors. Almost two months later, then-Governor Jennifer Granholm vetoed funding for the fair.

A few years later, members of Michigan’s agriculture industry rounded up corporate sponsors and revived the event. They’ve held it in Novi since 2012.

Riley Stechschulte is the manager of volunteers and sponsor relations for Michigan State Fair, LLC. She says their agriculture and livestock teams are the heart of the event.

“They had the heart to bring it back so that future generations would have the fair,” she says. “It’s turned into something that families love to attend every single year.”

The tradition lives

Stechschulte says the fair draws an average of 200, 000 visitors over 5 days. It covers a smaller area than the old Detroit fairgrounds, much of which has been redeveloped.

But she says it has something for everyone to enjoy.

“We’ve had a circus in the past, we’ve had BMX bikes in the past, and this year we’re going to have monster trucks,” she says. “It’s a good mix of the old and new.”

The “old” elements refer to traditional features such as animal and plant exhibits showcasing the agriculture industry. One of the highlights is a cow sculpted from Michigan butter. Stechschulte says first-time fairgoers are surprised to learn how much farming matters to the state.

“Agriculture is the second largest industry in Michigan,” she says. “People who live in southeast Michigan don’t see just how much of the state is cornfields and livestock farms.”

Besides sweet corn, Michigan is a major producer of apples, cherries, grapes, peaches, berries, and asparagus.

The next generation of farmers isn’t necessarily rural

The fair gives children living on Michigan farms a chance to show what they’ve learned. But Stechschulte says city kids get involved, too.

“We have an urban scholarship program as well as a livestock and agriculture scholarship for youth involved in the fair,” she says. “Our goal is to get those kids together from rural areas and urban areas and have them teach other about the things that they do.”

The Michigan State Fair runs Sept. 3-7. Admission is $10.

The United Farm Workers Foundation, which advocates for farm workers and immigrants in the U.S., recently released a survey finding most farmworkers are worried about detention and deportation because of the Trump administrations latest immigration crackdown. 

Anna Hill Galendez is the managing attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. She leads the team providing legal services to farmworkers throughout Michigan.

“So while we haven’t seen large-scale raids at agricultural sites in Michigan during this administration, the constant threat or potential threat of that enforcement has really created a chilling effect and climate of fear for farmworkers in Michigan,” says Galendez.

The UFW Foundation surveyed over 2,200 farm workers in 12 states including Michigan.  The survey found that beyond deportation, people are afraid of seeking medical help, shopping or using social media.   Many have been working in the U.S. for more than 10 years.  

Additional headlines for Monday, Aug. 10, 2026

ProsperUs Plan to Profit

The nonprofit ProsperUs Detroit is hosting a Financial Readiness Accelerator program. The free 3-week program is for entrepreneurs who face financial barriers or have limited access to resources. The courses will cover how to build credit, manage debt and prepare for future funding. 
 
The cohort will be held Sept. 9 through Sept. 23 on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The courses will be held at the JHub at 950 Selden Street. 
 
People have until Aug. 16 to apply at prosperusdetroit.org.

El-Sayed talks with Obama

Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed says he spoke with former President Barack Obama and hopes Obama will campaign with him and other Michigan Democrats. El-Sayed told NBC’s Meet the Press the conversation was warm and inspiring.

Obama did not endorse anyone in the state’s primary election. El-Sayed’s main Democratic rival, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, campaigned on her ties to the Obama administration, where she worked on reviving the auto industry. El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers in November. 
 
-Reporting by Pat Batcheller

Work summit for refugees, immigrants

Registration is open for a workforce summit which aims to create networking opportunities for refugees and new immigrants.

The Southeast Michigan Immigrant and Refugee Collaborative is hosting the 2026 Opportunity Workforce Summit to introduce refugee and immigrant job seekers to employers, workforce organizations and educational institutions.

The event takes place Sept. 22 from 10  a.m to 3 p.m. at the Schoolcraft College, mVistaTech Center in Livonia, Michigan.

Wellness summit

A global movement is bringing a wellness summit to Detroit in October. The Hearth Summit Detroit is focused on communal wellbeing through art and reflection.

Event organizers hope to attract 200 changemakers from Detroit and Wayne County to discuss art, philanthropy and mental health. The organization says they want educators, entrepreneurs, artists and mental health practitioners to work toward a more just and equitable society. 
 
As of last year, there have been 27 regional summits hosted in 18 countries. The event in Detroit will take place Oct. 8-10 at the Kintsugi Village in Corktown. People can sign up at hearthsummitdetroit.com. 

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