Michigan Labor Day Weekend Links

The weather is going to be quite like mid-summer this Labor Day Weekend, which is commonly thought of as the unofficial end of summer. Other than the heat, it is shaping up to be a beautiful weekend.

The best news for those traveling in Michigan this weekend is that MDOT is suspending most road construction and lane closures beginning at 3pm on August 30 through 6am September 3rd.

Here is just a small sample of the events going on across Michigan from the U.P. on down to Detroit this weekend -

• Marquette Area Blues Fest - Labor Day Weekend
• Hartford Old Engine and Tractor Show - Van Buren County Fairgrounds
• Detroit Jazz Festival - Hart Plaza, Detroit
• Audiotree Music Festival - Kalamazoo
• Fireworks Over The Bay - August 31st - St. Ignace
• 56th Annual Labor Day Bridge Walk - Mackinac Bridge

Don't forget - the 4th Annual Mackinac Bridge Antique Tractor Crossing is this weekend

Over 800 antique tractors will parade across the Mackinac Bridge this Friday, September 16th. The parade begins in Mackinaw City at approximately 9am and will head north over the bridge, through St. Ignace, and finish at Kewadin Shores Casino. You will also be able to view the antique tractors on September 16th & 17th at the casino grounds. The parade will go on rain or shine, but will be cancelled if there are winds in excess of 35 m.p.h. There is no makeup date for this event.

For more details on this event check out www.bobstractorpartscorner.com

Top Five Things to do in Michigan this Weekend - 8/26 - 8/28/11

We'll kick things off with this slideshow from last year's Porcupine Mountains Music Festival -

1. Kalamazoo Scottish Festival - 8/27/11. Come see the tossing of the haggis this Saturday in Kalamazoo.
2. Civil War Muster in Jackson. Come visit Michigan's oldest and largest Civil War Reenactment.
3. Porcupine Mountains Music Festival - 8/26 - 8/28/11.
4. Movies By The Bay in St. Ignace. The movie for 8/28 is Secretariat. This event is free and begins at approximately 10pm.
5. Traverse City Microbrew and Music Festival - 8/26 - 8/27/11.

Java Joe's Cafe, My Favorite U.P. Coffee Shop

Way up north across the Mighty Mac and located in lovely St. Ignace you will find one of the many treasures of Michigan's Upper Peninsula - Java Joe's Cafe. The name says 'Java,' but there is more to Java Joe's than coffee. The first time I stopped in there was in the evening with my wife to get a Chai Latte. The place was packed with people eating pizza. Yes, pizza. From the looks and smells of those pies, I would say that Java Joe's must serve up a mighty good pizza in addition to their yummy breakfast and excellent selection coffee.

The proprietor of the cafe, Joe Durm, is a friendly chap who loves to chat with his customers and seems genuinely interested in where they are heading or where they are from. He offers suggestions on places to stop along your way after hearing which direction you are taking from his store.

I can't vouch for the breakfast (I have always just stopped for caffeine) at Java Joe's Cafe, but judging by the sights, smells, and crowds it must be pretty good. Some of my family ate there last summer for breakfast and they were quite pleased with the quantity and quality of the food.

You can even make up your own cappuccino or latte flavor with the wide assortment of flavors in Java Joe's inventory. We had him create Caramel Apple Cappuccino when we stopped in on our way to Wisconsin. Joe said that in all of his years he had never before served up a Caramel Apple Cappuccino. It was so good. I need to find some apple flavoring and try to create my own.

When Joe isn't serving up coffee and pizzas he substitute teaches at the school on Mackinac Island. How cool is that to be a substitute teacher on Mackinac Island of all places?

Prices and Such

• Breakfast - from the Shortstack Pancakes at $2.89 up to the Hobo Omelet at $7.89
• Lunch - from the Veggie Burger at $4.59 up to the Whitefish Sandwich at $8.95
• Pizzas - average price for a 16" pizza is around $14.95 (I have to try the Smoked Whitefish sometime!)
• Coffees are anywhere from $1.29 for a small coffee to $3.75 for large specialty drinks

If you go: Java Joe's is located at 959 North State Street in St. Ignace. The cafe is located in the outskirts of the parking lots for the Holiday Inn Express and Comfort Inn.