Seven Lakes State Park at the Dawn of Summer

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

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Seven Lakes State Park remains a well-kept secret for many residents of Oakland County. That is a shame, for this 1,432 acre gem of diverse topography offers excellent outdoor recreation opportunities. Located in the northwestern corner of our county, Seven Lakes has something for everyone at the dawn of summer. There is also a small mystery spawned by this park’s name. Sharp-eyed park visitors study the map, and then pause. Where is the seventh lake? Hint: Don’t look for it.

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Winter Solstice: The Gateway to Winter Adventure in Oakland County Parks

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Winter officially began at 23:03 Universal Time on December 21. That moment marked the point at which the least amount of sunlight fell across the northern half of the globe. The earliest humans on earth may not have chatted around a campfire about the winter solstice, but they managed to grasp the fact that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight and the locations of sunrises and sunsets all shifted in detectable patterns. Stonehenge is one such testament to the event. Winter, in all likelihood, was a time of great challenge, when many struggled just to survive. Today we have Facebook and Twitter to mark the solstice and here in Oakland County, we have 13 parks that take on a special beauty during the slowly lengthening days of winter. Addison Oaks County Park, Independence Oaks County Park and rural Rose Oaks County Park are three of our hilly and glacially sculpted parks that are rich in winter trails and wild land adventures on the wilder side of Oakland County. Continue reading

Celebrate the Season at the 2014 Holly Dickens Festival

2253757_origTurn back the hands of time, to Merry Old England, in the age of Charles Dickens. Downtown Holly, with its turn of the century buildings, celebrates the life and times of Charles Dickens in the 41st Annual Holly Dickens Festival.

Enjoy horse drawn carriage rides, caroling choirs, sledding, unique shops with welcoming shopkeepers, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and much, much more.

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The 2014 Holly Dickens Festival will celebrate throughout three weekends, starting off with a 7 p.m. parade and tree lighting  on Friday, November 28, 2014.

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Sat. Nov. 29, 1:00 – 8:00 PM
Sun. Nov. 30, 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Sat. Dec. 6, 1:00 – 8:00 PM
Sun. Dec. 7, 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Sat. Dec. 13, 1:00 – 8:00 PM
Sun. Dec. 14, 1:00 – 5:00 PM

For more information visit the event website  or the Holly DDA


Photos provided by the Terry Connell & the Holly Dickens Festival