Blood drives
• The American Red Cross and partner, Sport Clips Haircuts, are urging eligible donors to give blood. Those who come to give blood or platelets, Sept. 1-30 will receive a coupon for a free Sport Clips haircut via email, redcrossblood.org.
Car shows
• Motor Bella auto show is Sept. 23-26 at M-1 Concourse, Pontiac, motorbella.com, ticket prices vary.
• USMA Grand Finale charity car & truck show is 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sept. 26 at Clawson K of C Hall, 870 N. Main St., Clawson, 248-435-3091, unitedstreetmachines.com/events.html, trophies, indoor concessions, grass parking.
• American Speed Festival is Sept. 30-Oct. 3, with car racing Oct. 1-2 at M1 Concourse, Pontiac, festival price is $75 a person, with children younger than 12 admitted free, americanspeedfestival.com.
Charitable activities
• Priority Health health plan is sponsoring the Metropolitan Detroit Diaper Bank (MDDB) in September to support local families in need of diapers. Once a month, parents can make a request for diapers via the MDDB online form, detroitdiaperbank.com/diaperneed.
Children’s activities
• Fall Homeschool Nature Programs are either Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sept. 21-Nov. 11, meet at Farmington Hills Nature Center at Heritage Park, 24915 Farmington Road, Farmington Hills, drop-off program for children ages 6 to 12, classes are outside, unless inclement weather occurs, $80 per child for residents/$90 non-residents. Registration required at fhgov.com or at the Costick Center, 248-477-1135.
• FOX Club – Farmington-area Outdoor Xplorers Club. meets after school, 4-6 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 22-Nov. 10, for ages 7-12 drop-off program. Register at fhgov.com or at the Costick Center, $80 residents/$90 non-residents.
Classes/Lectures
• Oakland Community College is featuring an expanded series of culinary and personal finance classes in its Continuing Education program, classes run from September to December. Culinary Arts classes are held in the college’s culinary kitchens on the Orchard Ridge campus in Farmington Hills. Personal Finance classes will be offered on OCC’s Auburn Hills campus. Register at oaklandcc.edu/ce/personal-enrichment.aspx.
• Free 8-week in-person JVS Women to Work program, with Microsoft 2016 Word and Excel basic computer training and job search assistance for metro Detroit women is Oct. 5-Nov. 30. An informational meeting is Sept. 30 at the agency’s headquarters, 29699 Southfield Road, Southfield. Class size is limited, register with Judy Richmond at 248-233-4232 or email jrichmond@jvshumanservices.org. jvshumanservices.org.
• Rochester-Avon Historical Society presents “Genetic Genealogy: Using DNA Tests for Family History,” at noon, Oct. 5, as part of its lunchtime Brown Bag program series at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm. Registration is required at rochesteravonhistoricalsociety.org/events, free, bring a lunch.
Community events
• DTE hosts Community Open Houses, 5-7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 (rescheduled date) at the Heritage Park North Pavilion in Farmington Hills, and 5-7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Sundquist Pavilion in Riley Park, downtown Farmington. Learn about infrastructure improvements and tree trimming efforts in the area, fhgov.com/DTEResourcePage.
• Kindness Rock Garden grand opening is 5-7 p.m. Sept. 29, at the Waterford Township Public Library, 5168 Civic Center Drive, Waterford Twp., waterfordmi.gov, presented by On a Dragonfly’s Wings and Waterford Youth Assistance, paint rocks with positive messages.
• Plaidurday Happy Hour is 5:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 1, wear flannel, $30 per person includes drink tickets, games, music and snacks, outdoors, ages 21+. Register at troyhistoricvillage.org.
• Canceled due to inclement weather forecast: Farmington Hills City Wide Open House is noon-3 p.m. Oct. 3, City Hall Campus, 31555 W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, explore fire trucks, police cars, jail cell tours, free hot dogs, bounce house, children’s activities, CPR and safety demonstrations, 248-871-2500, fhgov.com.
• Canceled: Annual BBQ Battle competition, hosted by Oakland County Parks and Recreation, City of Oak Park and Water Tower Social District, is canceled, (previously scheduled for Oct. 2).
Fundraisers
• Busch’s Fresh Food Market is hosting its annual fall milk drive, Sept. 27-Oct. 10, at all Busch’s markets to raise and donate funds to local charities including Forgotten Harvest and Food Gatherers. Guests can make donations with cashiers for the cost of a gallon of milk, or more. Local markets are in Farmington Hills, Novi, Plymouth-Northville, Rochester Hills, South Lyon and West Bloomfield, buschs.com.
• Virtual Run For A Cause 2021 is open for registration through Sept. 30, to raise funds in support of Community Housing Network’s efforts to connect those in need to housing. Registration is $30 per person or $100 for families of 4 or more. Participants receive a finisher’s medal, bit.ly/3zXX9NQ.
• Baron’s Wholesale Clothiers in Farmington Hills and Todd’s Menswear in Royal Oak are participating in Suitember, a fundraiser designed to highlight the benefits of dressing well and helping local charities in each store’s community. The fundraiser is held throughout the month of September. The local fundraiser is to benefit The Friendship Circle, a nonprofit to benefit individuals with special needs, suitember.com.
• Free Bikes 4 Kidz Detroit is partnering with Home Depot to collect and refurbish bikes for children in need. On Oct. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the community can donate used bikes at Home Depot locations across Oakland County. Each bike collected will be refurbished by volunteers before being donated to families in need. along with a new bike helmet, fb4kdetroit.org/volunteer.
• Women Rock Science virtual fundraiser gala is 7 p.m. Oct. 7, hosted by Cranbrook Institute of Science, to celebrate women in STEAM and raise funds for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics programming, delivered by Cranbrook Institute of Science educators to Pre-K-12 students in underserved communities throughout Michigan, science.cranbrook.edu/women-rock-science, general admission tickets are $100 or $250, register by Oct. 1.
• Open Door Annual Tea & Luncheon fundraiser is 10 a.m. Oct. 11, at White Lake Oaks Golf Course Clubhouse, 991 Williams Lake Road, White Lake, vendors, raffle, lunch with speaker is noon-3:30 p.m. Joe Grimm, speaker about the pop culture of Faygo, adv. Tickets at 248-360-4977 or opendooroutreachcenter.com, $45.
Golf outings
• Drive for Life Invitational golf outing is Oct. 11, North Course of Oakland Hills Country Club, 3951 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, to benefit oncology patient programs at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak and Troy, event includes breakfast, lunch, cocktail hour, gifts, online auction and dinner. Register at Beaumont.org/DriveForLife.
Fall/Halloween activities
• Huzzah! Renaissance Festival: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. rain or shine, Saturdays and Sundays, through Oct. 3, (plus Friday, Oct. 1), Hollygrove, 12600 Dixie Hwy., Holly. Admission is $23.95+ adult, $15.50+ for ages 5-12, MichRenFest.com.
• Erebus Haunted Attraction: Sept. 24-25, Oct. 1-3, Oct. 7-10, and more dates in October, plus Nov. 5-6, 18 South Perry St., Pontiac, HauntedPontiac.com, 248-332-7884, $26+ each.
• Downtown Northville celebrates the 10th anniversary of “Skeletons are Alive” launch party, 6-9 p.m. Oct. 1, in Town Square (across from the Marquis Theatre on Main Street), music, food trucks, a photo booth and family entertainment, downtownnorthville.com. Outdoor Public Art Display of more than 120 skeletons is through Oct. 31 in downtown Northville.
• Fright Village: Oct. 1-31, haunted attractions, Canterbury Village, 2359 Joslyn, Lake Orion, frightvillage.com, prices vary.
• Michigan Fall Festival: Oct. 2-3 outdoors at Canterbury Village, 2359 Joslyn, Lake Orion, entertainment, music, food, pumpkin decorating, bounce houses, petting zoo, children’s activities, children’s costume contest at 4 p.m. both days, Dog parade and costume contest for dogs is 2 p.m. both days, adv. tickets $5+, $8 cash at the door, $5 parking, ages younger than 2 and military with ID, free admission, bit.ly/3ACuzSE.
Health/Safety
• State of Michigan COVID-19 hotline for testing or vaccines is 1-888-535-6136, (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.), for information, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus or email COVID19@michigan.gov.
• Oakland County COVID-19 Vaccination, OaklandCountyVaccine.com.
Libraries
• Oak Park Public Library presents an evening with author and radio DJ Peter Werbe, author of “Summer on Fire: A Detroit Novel”, 7 p.m. Sept. 29, virtual and in-person at 14200 Oak Park Blvd. Oak Park, free, registration is required at oakparkmi.gov/departments/library/index.php, 248-691-7480.
• Oxford Public Library hosts Seven Ponds Nature Center, at 7 p.m. Oct. 6, to present “Whoooo Goes There? Michigan’s Magnificent Owls!”, at the library, 530 Pontiac Street, Oxford, miopl.org, 248-628-3034.
• Rochester Hills Public Library hosts Smart Towns presentation, “Robotics in Surgery” with Dr. Douglas Pugmire, 7 p.m. Sept. 30, how advanced robotic technology is used to treat gynecological diseases, free program, registration is required, Smarttowns.rhpl.org, calendar@rhpl.org, 248-656-2900.
• Troy Public Library celebrates National Library Card Sign-up Month in September, free this year. A library card unlocks educational and recreational resources for all ages, online resources, kits, mobile hotspots, and digital and physical library materials. Those interested in signing up for a Troy Public Library card can visit troypl.org/GetACard.
• Wixom Public Library Fall Used Book Sale sponsored by The Friends of the Wixom Library is Sept. 29-Oct. 2, at the library, 49015 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, wixomlibrary.org/friends.
Parks/Outdoor activities
• Oakland County Parks and Recreation Annual Vehicle Permits for 2022 go on sale Sept. 27. Buy now for access to eight parks for the rest of 2021 through Dec. 31, 2022, $30 for residents and $48 regular rate. Permits may be purchased by mail, in person or online at OaklandCountyParks.com.
• Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas, michigan.gov/dnr. Park entrance fees apply.
Pets
• Michigan Animal Rescue League 12th annual Yappy Hour, pet-friendly cocktail party is 6:30-9 p.m. Sept. 29, outdoors at Meadow Brook Hall’s Rock Garden, to raise funds for rescued animals’ medical care, features gourmet treats, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, silent auction, red-carpet photography. Register at Marleague.org, $85+.
• Pet Vaccination Clinic is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 2 at Orion Oaks Dog Park, 2301 W Clarkston Road Lake, Orion Township, hosted by Oakland County Parks and Recreation and All About Animals. Services will include $10 vaccinations for dogs and cats, $20 microchips. Dog licenses not available. Pets must be on a leash or in a carrier, 586-879-1745, oakgov.com/parks/parksandtrails/Waterford-Oaks/Pages/default.aspx.
Support activities
• The Oakland County Suicide Prevention Task Force is hosting an online Suicide Prevention event 9 -11 a.m. Sept. 30, register at bit.ly/3Afdii5 or call 248-462-6341, conference ID is 87164364.
• Cancer Support Group, eight-week in-person and Zoom sessions are 7-9 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 28-Nov. 16 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 620 Romeo Road, Rochester, 248-673-1299.
• Hospice of Michigan continues to offer virtual grief support groups, hom.org.
• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255), suicidepreventionlifeline.org or text 741741.
Submit community events to The Oakland Press online at bit.ly/1iUM73e.
