Take a walk back in time during the Tin Can Tourists' 10th annual Vintage Camper Show at Port Crescent State Park July 28. The park is located at 1775 Port Austin Road in Port Austin.

Campers and day-use visitors are invited to tour more than 90 vintage campers, including Airstream, Spartan, Vagabond, Shasta, Holiday Rambler and Serro Scotty models from the 1930s to 1980s.

Thumb Area Transit will transport visitors from the park's day-use unit, which is located 2 miles west of the park on M-25, to the campground and back.

Learn how to identify, manage and understand the impact of invasive species in Michigan with a week of fun, educational family programs in many state parks. “STOP the Invasives Week” – running from July 30 to Aug. 5 – will feature informational hikes, programs about aquatic and terrestrial invasive species, games, and much more.

Come learn about the harmful non-native species in your area, how to identify them and what you can do to help stop the invasives! Find a STOP the Invasives Week program near you.

Learn more about the variety of nature programs state parks offer – Memorial Day through the end of August and featuring each location’s rich and varied natural resources – at michigan.gov/natureprograms.

The 23rd annual Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Festival is set for Aug. 4-5 at Bay City State Park’s Saginaw Bay Visitor Center.  Festival activities run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. 

The weekend’s festivities include:

• A hunting and outdoor recreation expo.
• The Michigan Duck and Goose Calling Contest.
• A duck-calling clinic.
• A wildlife arts and crafts show and a wildlife carving show.
• The 2019 Michigan Duck Stamp Competition.

The festival also offers a variety of other family-friendly activities, including live animal presentations, canoe races and other contests for kids and adults, opportunities to learn from featured artists, retrieving-dog demonstrations, arts and crafts, and much more.

For more information, visit friendsofpark.org/waterfowl-festival-2018.html or call 989-667-0717.

Know any kids who love to go fishing but hate waiting to see if Mom, Dad or another adult wants to go? Why not let the kids plan the outing themselves? Kids can initiate their next fishing by finding their gear, locating a place to fish, and asking an adult to go with them! It’s easy to locate a spot nearby by searching through the Family Friendly Fishing Waters website, or visit one of several state parks or visitor centers that offer instruction on how to fish through the Hook, Line and Sinker program.

Or plan to head out Saturday, Aug. 4 – the second annual Take an Adult Fishing Day in Michigan – and share your picture with us using the hashtag #TakeAnAdultFishing. 

Take full advantage of the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks Aug. 9-13 and can be seen with the naked eye, by camping under the stars or enjoying a "Meteors & S'mores" program in a Michigan state park.

During Meteors & S’mores, a handful of state parks will stay open late and offer viewing opportunities for both campers and day-use visitors. This stargazing experience is topped off with complimentary s’mores around a campfire. Bringing blankets, seating, bug spray and snacks is suggested.

You can also catch magnificent views from the comfort of your campsite throughout the entire week by making a camping reservation.

Designated viewing areas and times are specified at each park. A list of event dates can be found at michigan.gov/darksky.  Camping reservations can be made at midnrreservations.com or by calling 1-800-44PARKS (1-800-447-2757).

Want to try something new in the outdoors or maybe brush up on your skills and get some tips from the pros? The Outdoor Skills Academy can help! We offer expert instruction, gear and hands-on learning for a range of outdoor activities.

Classes coming up include a workshop on photographing birds taught by Tom Haxby, award-winning nature and wildlife photographer, in Muskegon Aug. 18 and 19.

Or take the first step toward Becoming an Expert Archer with a class, led by professional archer and USA Olympic instructor Nick Di Cresce, in Ludington Sept. 15.

Also on the Outdoor Skills Academy schedule for the coming months are classes on bear, deer and waterfowl hunting, ice fishing, hiking, downhill skiing and snowboarding.

For more information, visit michigan.gov/outdoorskills.

Michigan residents and out-of-state visitors can ride DNR-designated routes and trails Saturday, Aug. 18, and Sunday, Aug. 19, without an ORV license or trail permit during the second Free ORV Weekend of the year.

Free ORV Weekend includes nearly 3,700 miles of off-road trails and the state’s five scramble areas –  St. Helen’s Motorsport Area, Black Lake Scramble Area, Silver Lake State Park, Bull Gap and The Mounds. All other ORV rules and laws still apply, and the Recreation Passport is required where applicable.

Throughout the year, fees generated through ORV licenses and trail permits ($36.25 for both) are reinvested back into the ORV system to help fund trail expansion, maintenance and infrastructure improvements. The funds also support safety and law enforcement and help address damage created by illegal ORV use.