50th Annual Village Fair Will Open to the Public May 30-June 2

On Monday, the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber also received permission to open the fair a day early — on May 29 — for a private party.

Get out your calendars and start thinking spring: the 50th annual Birmingham Village Fair is officially set for May 30-June 2 in Shain Park. Still, if you hear the music and see the ferris wheel turning a day early this year, it's not a mirage but no, you're probably not allowed in. On Monday night, the Birmingham City Commission approved the dates for the fair, held every year by the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber. Commissioners also approved a request to hold a private party at the fair on May 29, with entrance restricted to party guests only. According to Chamber President Joe Bauman, the party is a bat mitzvah thrown by a Birmingham family. The fee the family is paying the Chamber, Bauman said, will more than cover the expenses for …

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Courteney Gettel

10:49 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013

No, but please remember this a bat mitzvah. People spend as much money on these events as they do a wedding - sometimes more. A girlfriend of mine told me her sister in law just spent over $60,000 on her child's bat mitzvah. This truly doesn't surprise me. I just wonder what this child's "service" project is. I am hoping it's worthy of being given a fair.   more ›

5 Things To Look Forward To in Birmingham in 2013

From the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham Village Fair to the November general elections, here's what we're thinking ahead to in 2013.

A lot happened in 2012 — but that year's over. A lot is on deck for the Birmingham community in 2013 as well. At Birmingham Patch, here are the top five things we're looking forward to this year: 1. Village Fair turns 50: The Birmingham Village Fair hits a big milestone in 2013, turning 50 years old in June. The fair, featuring rides, a midway and more, will take place in Shain Park Thursday, May 30-Saturday, June 2. "The Village Fair truly has become part of the fabric of the greater-Birmingham community," the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber's blog reads. 2. Daniel Nerad begins his first year in Birmingham: Birmingham Public Schools' newest superintendent, Daniel Nerad, embarks on his first full year with the district, after he was hired in…

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UPDATE: Village Fair Brings the Bright Lights to Birmingham

There were smiles and screams as the Birmingham Village Fair opened for its 49th season this weekend.

Best Thing We Ate This Week

Best Thing We Ate This Week: Fair Food

Nothing says summer like a hot funnel cake with the sound of the merry-go-round in the background.

Funnel cakes. For me, they taste like summer should be: fried and chewy, completely bad for you and doused in powdered sugar. And this weekend, you can find your own piece of summer at the 49th annual Birmingham Village Fair, going on through Sunday in and around Shain Park. The fair opened Thursday and Birmingham residents can check out all the Midway games, tilt-a-whirls and fair food they want through 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit Need to Know: Birmingham Village Fair Comes to Town. However, while my favorite fair food is the beloved funnel cake, what's yours? Is it cotton candy (which comes in a very close second for me), or perhaps something completely different?

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Weekend Planner: Birmingham Village Fair, Baconfest

Also highlighting this weekend is a family picnic at the Manresa Jesuit Retreat House and a benefit for Yatooma's Foundation for the Kids.

It’s Thursday, and you’ve got no idea what you’ll do this weekend. Birmingham Patch is coming to the rescue. We’ve got the best bets for your done-work-outta-here time.

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Need To Know: Birmingham Village Fair Comes to Town

The 49th annual Village Fair kicks off at noon Thursday and lasts through Sunday.

Whether you're a kid, or a kid at heart, you'll want to check out the 49th annual Birmingham Village Fair, happening this week and weekend in downtown Birmingham. "You don't have to travel far to have fun and make memories," said Joe Bauman, president of the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber, the group sponsoring the fair. "The fair is a great staycation and a way to support the community." Typically held the weekend after Memorial Day, the Birmingham Village Fair features carnival games, funnel cakes and a dozen rides. The fair, run by North American Midway Entertainment, returns to Shain Park this year while a portion of the proceeds will be donated to more than 15 local nonprofits. Will you be heading to the Birmingham Village Fair? Here's …

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