LANSING, Mich. — What do llamas, chicken wings and oddities have in common? Absolutely nothing, but this weekend, all three are taking over the mid-Michigan area. Here's a look at Lamafest, Michigan Chicken Wing Festival and A Festival of Oddities.
Lamafest
If you love llamas, Michigan State University's Pavilion will be the perfect spot for you this Saturday and Sunday. That's because Michigan's longest running llama show, Lamafest, is back.
The Michigan Lama Association is sponsoring the festival.
"Lamafest is just a, it's a typical of any livestock show. We everybody brings their llamas here, and they are judged on conformation. They also do obstacle courses and stuff like that to check their agility. And so it's just kind of like a dog show or anything else," said organizer Don Topliff.
Inside the pavilion you can watch halter and showmanship classes and llamas going through obstacles in the performance ring. You can also check out vendors with unique art items, gifts and even animal fiber sales.
"Plus, you can visit all the owners out in the stalling area, and they're always happy to show off their animals. It's a free admission for so bring the family and have a good time," Topliff said.
Michigan Chicken Wing Festival
Can't make it to a cookout this Labor Day weekend? Don't worry you don't have to travel far.
The Michigan Chicken Wing Festival is taking over Adado Riverfront Park in Lansing on Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. until 9 p.m.
"You're gonna see vendors, lots of vendors, lots of food, lots of wings. We have a VIP tent beer wine tent. We have a kid zone with inflatables, and other fun things to do we even have a dunk tank this year," said founder Shirley Carter Powell.
They will also have live band performances each day of the festival. Although they don't have vegan wings this year, they will have vegetarian dishes.
The Michigan Chicken Wing Festival is a fundraiser for the nonprofit organization Against All Odds. The money will be put back into the community.
"To help the disadvantaged and the homeless in the street. You know, people that are in need of things through our store, Lillian, we used to just do cancer survivors, but we've expanded since the pandemic," Carter Powell said.
VIP tickets are sold out for Saturday, but you can still grab them for Sunday. For more ticket details, click here.
A Festival of Oddities
And last but certainly not least, on Saturday, you can celebrate all things weird at the Courthouse Square Museum in downtown Charlotte for A Festival of Oddities.
"A Festival of Oddities is just a big one day celebration of all things strange and macabre. We bring in a lot of local vendors, food trucks. We've got vintage carnival games," said founder Jenn Carpenter.
The festival is free, but you can take a tour for $5 inside the museum. You'll also be able to hear from true crime authors and podcasters.
They will also be a very special guest in attendance.
"His name's Ari Lehman. He was the first actor to play Jason Vorhees in Friday," Carpenter said. "We have a couple different kinds of themes going on. Of course, we're really playing up the Friday the 13th thing, Camp Crystal Lake stuff because Jason is coming. But then the museum is putting on a beautiful Victorian funeral exhibit, so that's kind of going hand in hand with that."
This festival is for all ages, but there are some things that young kids would find spooky or disturbing.
"So parental discretion, for sure. But it's a family-friendly event," Carpenter said.
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