Go with the flow at the historic Old Mill in downtown Ortonville on June 12. CreekFest, a River Day event, will focus on Kearsley Creek and other Brandon Township waterways. A designated trout stream and headwaters to the Flint River, Kearsley Creek flows by the Old Mill, where the afternoon’s core activities will unfold. Fun for the whole family includes:
n Picnic lunch at the Old Mill (buy or bring your own) & Cook’s ice cream
n Live hawks, eagles, and other birds of prey, with Joe Rogers
n Folk singer, Tom Hodgson: Music for Mother Earth
n GOB Riverdancers
n Kearsley Creek Country Band
n Minnow-Race and Yacht-Race (kid-built 7? floating watercraft)
n Nature Crafters & Bake Sale
n Nature Stories for Little Ones
Morning activities include an 8:00 AM Pancake Breakfast at the Ortonville United Methodist Church; Creekside Creatures & craft activities for kids at the Fire Station; hand-drummers and ReMax hot air balloon rides (hawk’s-eye view of Kearsley Creek); nature walks, a Creek Wade, and Creek-Critters Search at Narrin Park.
The event is part of Brandon Township’s Phase II Stormwater Management Initiative, so residents will find lots of displays, demonstrations, and free literature explaining how we all can help to keep our waterways and our drinking water clean. CreekFest coincides with the MDNR’s Free Fishing Day, so kids won’t need a license to fish. Prizes will be awarded for the biggest fish caught that day. And, If you haven’t seen the Old Mill Museum and one-room schoolhouse, this would be a good time to see what it was like in the good old days.
Now in its second year, the event is organized by several local organizations, including The Flint River Watershed Coalition, the Clinton River Watershed Council, and the North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy (NOHLC). The Ortonville Downtown Development Authority, Recreation Department, Public Library, Historical Society, Rotary, River of Life, and many local businesses have pulled together to make CreekFest an outstanding community event, with something for everyone.