Sleeping Bear Dunegrass and Blues Festival is this week

The Sleeping Bear Dunegrass & Blues Festival runs Thursday, July 31st, through Sunday, August 3rd. You can still get tickets online through tomorrow, July 30th, for pickup at the festival. The gates are open every day at 8 a.m. until 12 a.m. One day passes are $48.50 with full weekend passes starting at $123.50 (with either no camping or off-site camping) on up to $138.50 for on-site camping. VIP passes start at $303.50 (no camping or off-site camping) up to $403.50 for on-site camping.

Here's a smattering of some of the acts this year: Arlo Guthrie Del McCoury Band Railroad Earth Greensky Bluegrass Cornmeal Steppin' In It Daisy May and Seth Bernard

Check out all of the acts at the 2008 Dunegrass & Blues Festival.

On the fence about going? Watch this clip from last year. It sure looks like a lot of fun and sounds great.

If the player does not appear, view it here.

If you can't stand the heat

Go North! To Michigan's Upper Peninsula to be exact. Here's a quick glance around at some of today's temps in the U.P. -

Marquette - 76 Escanaba - 75 Sault Ste. Marie - 78 Paradise - 72

Versus a smattering of some Lower Peninsula temps -

Detroit - 90 Grand Rapids - 90 White Pigeon - 88 Traverse City - 86

Not sure what to do when you go Up North to Michigan's U.P.? Check out Hunt's Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a ton of great ideas and off the beaten path adventures.

Stay Cool :)

Lights out at the Mackinac Bridge

In an effort to shave approximately $13,000 off of its annual operating costs the Mackinac Bridge Authority and MDOT have put in place a plan to shut off the bridge's decorative lighting beginning at 1 a.m. In the past the decorative lights came on a sunset and shut off at sunrise. This way, folks can still see how pretty the bridge looks all lit up at night and the state can save money too. The roadway lights will remain on for safety, of course.

Read about the Mackinac Bridge Authority's green initiative.