Summer is around the corner and we are excited to share fun and affordable activities you absolutely must not miss. Check out these great indoor and outdoor activities to maximize family fun whether rain or shine in Southeast Michigan!

Hot-air balloons fly above Howell each summer at the annual Michigan Challenge Balloonfest! Photo courtesy of michiganchallenge.com


Brighton’s Imagination Station
Located in the heart of downtown Brighton, this 10,000 square foot playground is loaded with wooden play structures that enable children of every age to fulfill their ultimate fairy tale fantasies. While kids explore, adults can stroll the tranquil Mill Pond or tread across the Tridge; a three spiked bridge and 1/2 mile nature walkway including an adjacent gazebo. Summer evenings sizzle on Sunday nights with free gazebo concerts in the new performance shelter. The Imagination Station a favorite of visitors and residents alike.

​Last weekend, thousands of people flocked to the annual Novi Spring Home and Garden Show at the Suburban Collection Showplace. This popular home exposition offers everything you could possibly need for your home and garden. Visitors strolled through over 25,000 square feet of gardens featuring patios, outdoor kitchens, fire pits, water features, and plants created by 24 landscapers.

“First seen in Hus & Hem, beautiful black stained beds are a new take on the traditional raised garden bed. Photograph by Peter Carlsson.”
First seen in Hus & Hem, beautiful black stained beds are a new take on the traditional raised garden bed. Photograph by Peter Carlsson.

Eco-friendly gardening includes tactics such as using rain barrels to conserve water; mimicking nature’s own method of planting in layers of trees, shrubs and groundcover to minimize runoff; growing edible gardens; and incorporating products that have a positive impact on the environment.

If you missed the show, fret not. Here are a couple of easy, eco-friendly outdoor garden trends that enable you to go green—and save green too!

This weekend Echelon Homes enjoyed some time in the Lyon Township community for the second annual Winterfest.  It was a bummer that we didn’t have any snow but everyone came out to support the event and enjoyed themselves anyway.  There was snow shoe racing that the Echelon Homes team tried (with Rick’s kids helping), children’s activities, fantastic face painting, (the artist was amazing) and a great magic show that many people in the area came out to enjoy.  Don’t forget there was also a fantastic chili cook off, yummy.  

Sorry you missed it?  There is always next year or join us for the 2013 Kite Festival in Lyon Township or check out their website http://www.lyontwp.org for other festivals and events.

Thank you Lyon Township community for creating a wonderful events for people to meet their neighbors and have some fun.

Article by: Jennifer Elkow

Looking for something fun to do next weekend? Visit Lyon Township for Winterfest. The team at Echelon Homes, knows this community is a great place to raise a family. Rick Elkow, owner of the home building company, knows this first hand, having grown up right here in New Hudson. What better way to celebrate our community than with a winter party with friends and families on January 19, 2013 from 9:00am-5:30pm?

So bundle the family up and join us. We will be sponsoring the sledding hill and hope you and your family will stop by to say hello. Visit the Lyon Township website for more information or view their flyer for the event.

Below are just a few of the activities planned for the day:

• Sled dog rides
• Ice skating
• 5K snow run
• Cross country skiing
• 9 hole golf
• Hockey goal shoot-off
• Igloo building competition
• GPS treasure hunt
• Ice fishing

We look forward to seeing you there!

Article by: Jennifer Elkow