Founders Day Festival Brings Highland Township Community Together

(Crystal A. Proxmire, May 24, 2023)

Highland Township, MI – In 1835 Highland became a self-governing township, and since that time it’s been what Chris Parrish described as “a nice community with a small town feel. We’re out in the middle of nowhere, but close to everything you need.”

Parrish and his wife Cindy were part of the Founders Day Festival that took place May 20 in Downtown Highland. There families were able to enjoy a parade, followed by a craft show with activities like face-painting, bounce houses, crafts, and food trucks.

The Parrishes were there with a booth for their home-based business CSP Wood Creations, featuring welcome signs, bean bag toss sets, furniture, utensil caddies, coasters and more.  Their dog Zoey was also there.  “Zoey liked the horses,” Cindy said when asked about the parade.

The parade had kids on local sports teams, along with community groups like the Huron Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Downtown Highland which showcased the upcoming Farmers Markets by handing out marigolds for attendees to take home and plant.  The parade also featured veterans.  Some led carrying flags of various branches of services, and there was a lone black horse without a rider to symbolize troops that died in battle and were unable to ride home.

The booths gave dozens of small businesses and crafters a chance to connect with community members – and customers!

Lacy and Ryan Raden told Oakland County Times that they were “very Highland,” with Lacy working at a local wine shop and Ryan working at a glass factory.  For fun, they and 15 year old Spencer enjoy making crafts that go well with fantasy and role playing.  The teen uses a resin printer to make cat skulls and bird skulls for Lacy to use in designing eclectic hats.  They learned to crochet together, making hats, shawls and other fun things to wear, and they also make jewelry together.  A popular item is resin-made elf ears.

The Founders Day festival is a warm up for the Radens, who will have a booth for the first time this year at the Renaissance Festival. There they’ll be selling under the moniker Clairvoyant Mushroom, bringing out their best mushroom-themed pieces for the event.

Longtime pals Marilee Opeka and Dianne Burnett shared a booth at Founders Day as well, featuring their company Home Stitch Design.  Their specialty is towels with crocheted handles to hang on oven doors or cabinet handles.

“It’s very relaxing and it’s fun to be creative putting different designs together,” Burnett said.  Her favorites are those with animals.  “I like cats and dogs,” she said.  “They seem to go over well with pet owners.

For Opeka, it’s the nautical themes that bring her the most delight.

“I cook so I uses these towels.  My mother in law makes them, but I think they’re too small.  So I taught myself how to crochet and starting making them myself.  Dianne saw them and said ‘those are good, you should sell them,’ so here we are.”

Another hobbyist turned entrepreneur is Shelly Meldrum of Howell at the Moon Creations, a booth that had nature-inspired jewelry.  Meldrum started during the pandemic as a way to keep busy, and was excited to start doing art shows and fairs when the world opened up again.  “I meet a lot of really nice people at these shows,” Meldrum said.  “I see so many interesting things.  I think I spend more than I make.  I love supporting other artists.”

Supporting artists wasn’t the only option at the festival, as there was a booth catering to readers and writers.  Samantha Williams and Ashley Lobocki of Aurora Publicity were on hand to tell people about their website www.LitRing.com.  Though they work out of their homes in Milford and Highland, the website is a world-wide enterprise that helps connect independent authors with readers across the globe.

“When you sign up you get news about authors, and we do book giveaways,” Williams said.  “We love being able to support writers.”

The Founders Day Festival marks the start of the events season in Downtown Highland, which includes the Highland Farmers Market which takes place on Saturdays beginning June 17, Concerts on Tuesdays beginning July 11, a Summer Sidewalk Sale, The Red White and Blues Festival and more.  Learn more about Downtown Highland events at https://www.highlanddda.com/events-attractions/

For more things to do, visit the Oakland County Times Event Page! 

To submit event info email editor@oc115.com .

Thank you to Jim Shaffer & Associates Realtors for sponsoring this section!