(Chelsea Update would like to thank Bridget Favre for the information in this story.)
Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights, presented by Rick Taylor Real Estate – Reinhart Realtors, is a free summer concert series every Thursday, June 7 through Aug. 16 from 6:30- 8:30 p.m.
Professional artists perform at ten staged areas located throughout downtown Chelsea featuring music, dance, comedy, and family entertainment.
Here is the scoop on things to do with kids:
Chalk Art How to Draw:
Located next to the Clocktower on Main Street, Sounds and Sights provides free chalk and plenty of space for kids of all ages to draw while listening to music from the Glazier Stage. Each week a new theme is presented along with easy to follow directions on how to draw related images. All you need to bring is your smile and your imagination. During the Sounds and Sights Festival, on July 27, participants compete in the 7th Annual Chelsea Chalk Art Contest, click for details.
Kid’s Stage:
Located in the courtyard behind the Clocktower Commons, the entertainment for this stage is always geared toward kids: jugglers, magic, face painting and more! Check out the schedule to see performers each week.
Balloon Alley:
Located on Main Street, in the alley next to Violet and Moss on Main Street, Three Generations Twisters create complementary balloon animals, hats and toys for the kids.
SculptureWalk Chelsea
12 unique sculptures are placed throughout downtown, see on map. Kids love searching for all of them, and talking about what they see. Take a selfie with each sculpture and post to Instagram using #SSTN2018.
Dance All Night:
With ten stages located throughout downtown, your whole family can enjoy a variety of music from blues to Celtic rock to jazz and more! Check out the weekly line-up on www.chelseafestivals.com. The stages at East Middle and South Street are blocked off from traffic so kids have room to show their moves.
Sweet Tooth:
Check out the huge assortment of retro candy at The Potting Shed located on West Middle Street or visit the new kids’ boutique Kitty Face on Main Street for unique toys, clothes and books. Vintage Barn Boutique on E. Middle Street also has a variety of sweets and often hosts free children’s activities, like rock painting, stop in for details.
Ice cream, you scream? Check out Zou Zou’s Cafe on corner of Main Street and W. Middle Street.
Plenty of Food options:
Easy and super kid friendly food can be found throughout Downtown. Grab a “Piggie Parfait” at Smokehouse 52 BBQ, a hot dog at Awesome Dawgs at East Middle Street. Jet’s Pizza is at the north end of town and offers slices to go. Both Cleary’s Pub and The Common Grill offer kids’s menus if you prefer to dine in. Adjacent to the Kid’s Stage, Los Tres Amigos offers Sounds and Sights specials every Thursday Night. And though Chelsea Alehouse Brewery draft beers are for Mom and Dad, they do offer a kids menu and have an assortment of board games to keep the kids entertained. First Congregational Church offers complimentary water and lemonade along with a weekly bake sale.
Before or after the music, visit Thompson’s Pizza, voted best pizza in Washtenaw, and Biggby Coffee located south of downtown near the intersection of Jackson Road and M52.
Click here for complete list of Chelsea restaurants.
Trips to the Loo:
Public, family-friendly restrooms can be found inside the Chelsea District Library as well as the First Congregational Church on East Middle Street. There is a public restroom inside the Police Station, however it does not have a baby changing station. Port-a-Potties are located across from the Clocktower Gazebo.
SRSLY Cinema:
After Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights, stick around and watch movie at dusk provided by SRSLY Cinema. Located on the lawn behind the Clocktower, SRSLY projects a family-friendly movie onto an outdoor screen. Be sure to bring your own picnic baskets or lawn chairs. A schedule of movies can be found a www.srslychelsea.org
