Discovering how to live a glorious life on less
Where would you go if you had $7500 to spend on a dream vacation?
Home Run Inn Pizza is giving one lucky person $7500 to spend on a dream vacation. You can enter to win online using our referral link (we’ll get 5 entries for every person who enters via this link).
Enter to win before April 30, 2020 and who knows – maybe that summer vacay will become a reality this year!
No purchase necessary.
Bank of America offers free access to museums across the US every month for cardholders through their Museums on Us program. Check out the eligible dates for 2020!
Our family loves to visit museums. In fact, we have an annual memberships to our local ones and have enjoyed access to many museums across the US thanks to reciprocal benefits associated with our memberships.
We’ve also taken advantage of this great deal from Bank of America too and it can be a fun way to check out museums where you live or where you travel at a discount. Depending on which museum you visit, they can be rather pricey excursions. This will help with that; however, please note that the free admission is for the card holder only so it may not cover the entire price of your visit if you have other people in your party.
Here’s how it works: On the first weekend of every month, you can present your active Bank of America, Merrill or Bank of America Private Bank credit or debit card along with your photo ID for one free general admission to one of the more than 225 institutions participating in the program.
The next eligible Museums on Us weekend is March 7 & 8th, but you can get the full calendar of dates here. A list of participating institutions can also be found online.
Summer may be almost over, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty left to do in the Mid-Michigan area! Check out this month’s family-friendly free and fun events we’ve discovered.
August 1-3rd – Midland’s RiverDays features music, food, hot air balloons and more all for free! Get the details and plan your family’s adventure.
August 3rd – Catch the first Movies by Moonlight in downtown Mt. Pleasant! The first show is A Dog’s Purpose, rated PG. Movies start at 8:30 pm.
August 3rd – Alma Church of the Nazarene is hosting a community picnic and everyone is invited! Stop by between 3-6 pm for food, fun and back to school giveaways.
August 5th – Celebrate the addition of an amphitheater at Island Park in Mt. Pleasant with a free concert and ribbon cutting! Concert to begin at 7pm.
August 8th – Stop by downtown Mt. Pleasant for another installment of Thrilling Thursdays and celebrate space! Build and launch your own water bottle rocket and enjoy Tang and moon pies. Event kicks off at 6pm at City Hall.
August 9th – Play it Safe at this free community event brought to you by ICCU. Stop by Island Park in Mt. Pleasant between 12noon and 4pm for games, prizes, crafts and more! Plus, the first 200 kids will receive a free bike helmet! Get more details here.
August 9th – NCG Cinemas kicks off their Free Family Film Festival. Free films include Hotel Transylvania 3, the Goonies, Wonder Park, and How to Train Your Dragon 3. The festival runs from August 9th – August 31st.
August 10th – Stop by the Mt. Pleasant Discovery Museum for another Kids & Culture event! This month kids will get to take a peak into Mexican culture and explore through crafts and games. The event is from 10am – 12noon.
August 11th – 17th – Visit the Midland County Fair this week for some animal fun!
August 24th – Victory church is hosting a free community carnival that will feature food, games and carnival rides. Stop by between 2-5pm.
August 28th – Have you ever wanted to read to an animal before? Your family can at Leaman’s Green Applebarn today at 10am.
You may have noticed that we completely SKIPPED a month of free family fun activities this last April. We apologize for the inconvenience, but sometimes life just gets busy. And April was REALLY busy here at the MSD household.
We’ve finally adjusted to our new rhythm and we’re excited to share some fun and free activities just in time for May.
May 4th – FREE comic book day! Check out your local comic bookstore or see if your local library is participating. In downtown Mt. Pleasant, Hall of Heroes, LLC will have over 50 different FREE comic books to choose from! Plus, you’ll find some great deals throughout the store and can stick around to enjoy the 1966 Batman movie showing at the Broadway Theater across the street for only $2 a person.
The Chippewa River District River Library is also hosting a Mini-Con this year where you can pick up a FREE comic book (while supplies last) when you visit the library between 12 noon and 2 pm. Additionally, your family can participate in a variety of activities around the library and even meet LEGO Batman!
May 6th – FREE slice day at Bell’s Pizza! Stop by anytime during open hours and claim your free slice of pizza. Limit one slice per person.
May 11th – Enjoy a free movie at the Ideal Theater in Clare! Stop by the theater at 2 pm for a family-friendly show. Hosted by the Coleman Wesleyan Church Women’s Ministry.
May 11th – Its another Kids & Culture Saturday! This month, visit the CMU Museum of Cultural and Natural History from 10 am – 12 noon for an educational, fun and free event.
May 17th – Register for Family Trivia Night at the Chippewa River District Library. The game begins 6pm and pizza and refreshments are provided. Plus, there will be PRIZES! Trivia questions are for elementary aged through adult.
May 18th – Stop by the Barnes & Noble bookstore in the Midland mall for free story time fun! Today at 11am, story time will feature the Dr. Seuss classic “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”
May 19th – Stop by and celebrate Hope Well Ranch’s 15 year anniversary! Its free to attend, but after you learn more about this great organization, you may want to consider providing a donation to support their mission if you are able. The event will feature the Incredible Dr. Pol, the Palooka Brothers string band, food trucks, Maxon’s Blue Country Barbeque, Cruisin’ Chef, the Grub Hub, kids games, ranch tours and more!
May 25th – Join Living the Good Life Alpaca Acres for their free community event, the 3rd Annual Alpaca Palooza in Harrison, MI. There will be live music, unique vendors and all sorts of fun photo opportunities! Stop by anytime between 10 am – 4 pm.
Are there other opportunities happening in our community we should know about? Share in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Looking for some ways to welcome Spring? We’ve got you covered all March long with our list of FREE family fun events happening throughout Mid-Michigan.
Calling all LEGO fans! Stop by your local Barnes & Noble for a special LEGO architecture build event on Saturday March 9th at 6pm! For those of you in mid-Michigan, Barnes & Noble is located in the Midland Mall.
It’s time for another Kids & Culture event, this time at Off-Broadway Performing Arts Studio! Stop by Saturday March 9th between 10 am – 12 noon for a fun and free family-friendly event.
Another great opportunity this month is a comedy magician show taking place at Plachta auditorium on Central Michigan University’s campus on Tuesday, March 12th at 7 pm. Trent James, the award-winning comedy magician, is sure to wow you, making this an evening of fun for everyone. Free to attend and open to the public.
Not sure if this show is right for you? The video below will give you a sneak peek into a Trent James show.
We’re told that March 12th is FREE pancake day at IHOP! Stop by and enjoy your free shortstack and, if you’re able, consider donating to help children battling critical illness while you’re there.
And if you love free food, you might want to mark down March 20th on your calendar. We’re told that Dairy Queen will be serving up free ice cream cones that day, but haven’t been able to officially confirm it. Check with your local Dairy Queen to see if they will be participating.
Stop by the Chippewa River District Library, Shepherd branch for Create, Make and Take Craft time on March 13th at 3:30pm. All materials will be provided – you just need to bring your creativity!
Grab your favorite board game and head on over to the Salvation Army in Alma on March 15th at 6pm for a free family game night! Movies will also be playing in the chapel.
Looking for an opportunity to introduce your family to the orchestra? Creative 360 in Midland will be hosting the Midland Community Orchestra Small Ensemble and invites everyone to come and listen March 15th at 7pm. More details can be found on the Great Lakes Bay Parents website.
Did you know that Michigan is one of the top maple syrup producers across the nation? In 2017 it was ranked as the 7th top producer of this sugary confection. On March 16th, your family can discover how maple syrup is made during Maple Syrup Day at the Chippewa Nature Center! The event is free for kids and members, but $5 for adults who aren’t members at this time.
Stop by the Chippewa River District Library, Veterans Memorial campus for a rescheduled family date night featuring Kim Darst from Husky Haven Sled Dogs and her incredible story of racing in the Iditarod! Attendees will get the opportunity to see her sled gear and interact with one of her dogs! Be sure to arrive early to this event taking place March 17th at 2pm.
Take a break from technology and stop by the “Pop” in carnival taking place at Finch Fieldhouse on Central Michigan University’s campus March 22nd from 6 – 8 pm. CMU’s Recreation, Parks and Leisure services RPL 430 class is partnering with Angel Wings to host a family-fun night where kids and adults can play classic carnival games like ring toss and mini bowling. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged to help support the local charity.
Are there free family-fun events we missed? Share them in the comments or on our Facebook page.
We love going to the movies, but by the time you buy tickets for the entire family, it can be a long term negotiation on what you can afford at the concession stand. As a result, we are always on the lookout for a great deal.
A friend tipped us off to the Crystal Box Office in Crystal, MI as a suggestion. An affordable, single screen theater in a small town we had never stopped in before. We checked the schedule and saw that they were playing Aquaman around New Years. The boys and I were ready for an adventure to someplace new, and we set off to check it out.
I had no idea what to expect. Maybe a small screen and long lines. But we arrived to find a parking space right in front of the theater and no wait to purchase our tickets at the old style booth that opened to the outside sidewalk. The tickets were only $4 each!
Then we got inside and found a concession stand from a bygone era, filled with the fresh smells of popcorn and other treats. For $3 you could get a huge popcorn and fountain pop for a buck.
We had the theater almost to ourselves and got a perfect spot toward the middle. The sound was great and the screen large. While we were enjoying the film we didn’t even remember that we were at a smaller theater.
The building is a bit dated and the facility shows a little wear and tear, but it also gives it an old school charm. I would recommend this stop to anyone in the Central Michigan area looking for a fun, new spot to catch a flick on a budget. Although, you’ll want to check ahead to see if they are playing the movie you want on their only screen.
For the most up to date listings and more information, visit their facebook page at facebook.com/crystalboxoffice.
