Festivals of the Sun and Moon

Those 21 and up can come celebrate one of the shortest nights of the summer, made memorable by handcrafted beers from Bell’s Brewery. Starting 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, Festival of the Moon attendees can sip wine or a cold craft beer while taking in the view of recycled material sculptures as part of the Scrapfest competition. This early summer night’s eve is complete with live regional and national bands, including new mid-Michigan band Lights and Caves, Jimmy Eat World-influenced band Way To Fall and many more. From 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday daylight brings the Festival of the Sun with local food tasting, fine wines, more bands, more heat and a constant supply of ice-cold, handcrafted brews. Celebrate day or night at Turner Street and Grand River Avenue in Lansing’s Old Town.

Woofstock Adopt-a-thon

Sunshine, soft breeze, fresh-cut grass and kittens. The Capital Area Humane Society, or CAHS, is kicking off summer by hosting the third Annual Woofstock Adopt-a-thon. CAHS hopes to increase the adoption of homeless companion animals and subsequently save lives. Starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 9 p.m. on Saturday, the day will feature a garage sale, bake sale and even live music courtesy of Lansing-based band UnTaMeD. Animals up for adoption will include kittens, adult cats and dogs, rodents and rabbits. Other events of the day include a one mile alumni recognition walk. This family-friendly event takes place at the Capitol Area Humane Society in Lansing at 7095 W. Grand River Ave.

Old Town Scrapfest

This festival is the culmination of two weeks of scrap creation. The Scrapfest exhibit occurs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. June 20-21 in Lot 56 parking lot. Coming to fruition with a one-hour auction Saturday at 7 p.m., Scrapfest showcases multiple sculptures made of recycled material and is one of Lansing’s greenest art initiatives. Up to 20 teams may enter the competition, which began in early June. The teams were given one hour in Friedland Industries’ scrap facility to collect up to 500 pounds of scrap metal, which they then transformed into unique sculptures. Attendees can observe the environmentally-friendly works of art while drinking a craft beer at the Festival of the Moon, or bid on one at the Festival of the Sun in Old Town.

Summer Solstice Jazz Festival

Downtown East Lansing will be swinging with the smooth sounds of summertime jazz music this Saturday and Sunday. Local, regional and national jazz artists will take East Lansing on a journey as they highlight the prolonged sunshine with the Second Line Parade, featuring Chicago’s Lowdown Brass Band, starting at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum and heading downtown. The festival promises “30 hours of sunshine and 14 hours of the best jazz in the heart of downtown East Lansing.”

Lansing Beer Week

The umbrella name under which several other events occur, Friday kicks off the third Annual Lansing Beer Week, an outdoor beer festival beginning Friday with the Festival of the Moon, and ending with the Lansing Beer Fest at 6 p.m. on June 28. The week features 33 Michigan Breweries and more than 100 craft beers and hard ciders. On Saturday, beer enthusiasts can visit the Festival of the Sun and attend the Solstice Brew Session from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., a seminar which gives attendees the education needed to craft an all-grain Oktoberfest lager. The week is made complete with several other beer-oriented events and is a staple among local beer connoisseurs.