2024 MICHIGAN RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

Vikings invade Detroit as these Nordic warriors converge on the medieval Village of Hollygrove in suburban Oakland County for this year's Michigan Renaissance Festival over the Labor Day weekend. On Saturday August 31, Sunday September 1 and Monday September 2. Watch brave warriors clash in wild Whisker Wars, be dazzled by the Tattoo Competition, check out a Viking encampment and of course you won't want to miss out on my favorite part of this annual event, the day's jousts. It’s a weekend where history meets heart-pounding fun!

Can't make it to the Renaissance Festival this weekend for the Viking Invasion? There is still time to engage in the merriment with four more themed weekends of fun:  Wonders of the World (Sept 7 - 8), Shamrocks and Shenanigans (Sept 14 - 15), Harvest Huzzah (Sept 21 - 22) and Sweet Endings (Sept 28 - 29). Click here to check out the entertainment options scheduled for each weekend's festivities. 

Tickets

Tickets per day, per person are $23.95 for adults (13+) and $13.95 for children when purchased online or $26.95 / $16.95 when purchased onsite. There is also a Senior Discount for onsite ticket purchases (65+) of $24.95. You can also purchase tickets in advance of attending the show at Kroger, Mendards and Walgreens for the adult/children online price ($3 off the gate price).

Parking

Please note there is a $15 per day / per vehicle parking pass required to park at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. Payment can be made in advance online or via QR code that is present upon arrival. With the event's parking system, you'll need to enter your license plate number to obtain a parking voucher. Online parking vouchers are available for purchase until Friday night at 11 PM each week. After that, online sales close. If you don’t purchase a voucher online in time, you can buy one on-site on the day of your visit by scanning a QR code upon arrival.

How to Get to The Festival 

Northbound: Follow I-75 S to Holly Rd in Grand Blanc Township. Take exit 108 from I-75 S, Take E Baldwin Rd and Dixie Hwy to the grounds. 

Southbound: Follow I-75 N to Dixie Hwy in Springfield Township. Take exit 93 from I-75 N, Follow Dixie Hwy to the grounds.

Hours for the event are 9am - 7pm / Rain or Shine. Treat your group to an unparalleled outing filled with adventure and excitement. Traverse the winding paths of a meticulously reconstructed 16th century village, explore over 80 artisanal shoppes showcasing one-of-a-kind crafts and delectable food options, partake in skillful games and take part in an assortment of human-powered rides. Be regaled by the countless costumed characters who entertain with daily performances. For more information, visit michrenfest.com

ART THE CLOWN MEET & GREET

David Thornton, known for his portrayal as “Art the Clown” in the TERRIFIER movie series, and Director, Damien Leone, are coming to Detroit in October to hype the new addition to the horror flick franchise, TERRIFIER 3, in a two-day event October 25-26 at Emagine Canton. On Friday, October 25, fans will be able to join David Thornton and Damien Leone for a special Q&A event where they will answer questions and share their filming and on-screen experiences before a showing of the new TERRIFIER 3 movie in Emagine Canton's Super EMX theater. On Saturday, October 26th fans will be able to attend a Meet and Greet, Autograph Signing & Photo Session with both David Thornton and Damien Leone. Also on Saturday, there will be a rare and limited special VIP Photo session where guests can get a photo (up to 4 people) with David Thornton in Full Makeup & Costume as “Art The Clown." 

In TERRIFIER 3, Art the Clown unleashes a night of bloody chaos as the unsuspecting residents of Miles County peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve. This indie film has not been rated by the Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA] (Treat as R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, language, and some sexuality). TERRIFIER 3 is being released in select theaters across the USA on October 11, 2024.

All weekend events are taking place at Emagine Canton located at 39535 Ford Rd., Canton, MI 48187. The TERRIFIER 3 Weekend Events Include: 

Friday, October 25 

Screening of TERRIFIER 3 with special Q&A with actor David Thornton and Director, Damien Leone 7:00 p.m. - Q&A Session Begins / 7:45 p.m. – TERRIFIER 3 Movie Begins on the Super EMX Cost: Tickets are $40 each and includes access to the Q&A, movie ticket, and limited-edition mini poster. 

Saturday, October 26 

VIP “Art The Clown” Photo Ops: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Rare photo session opportunity with David Thornton in Full Makeup & Costume as “Art The Clown” alongside Director, Damien Leone. Ticket includes professional photo, with up to 4 people. Cost: $150 - Tickets available online at Emagine-Entertainment.com 

General Admission Meet & Greet , Autograph & Photos w/Damien Leone & David Thornton: 2:00p-5:00p Meet the masterminds behind Terrifier 3! Fans can line up for autographs and selfies with Director Damien Leone and actor David Thornton (not in character). Please note that autographs and selfies are priced individually and can be purchased directly at the signing tables. Guests must be in line by 5:00 PM to ensure their autographs and selfies are completed. Any guests arriving after 5:00 PM will not be able to join the line. 

VIP Cut The Line Fast Pass: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Skip the wait! Emagine offers a Fast Pass to skip the line during the general admission meet & greet from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM on Saturday. Please note: the Fast Pass does not include photo and autograph pricing. Cost: $50 per person

Autograph Signing & Photo Session Pricing – Per Person 

Damien Leone: $50 for Autograph, $50 for Selfie, $80 for both autograph and selfie 

David Thornton: $50 for Autograph, $50 for Selfie, $80 for both autograph and selfie 

Available for purchase directly at their signing tables.

Tickets for all these TERRIFIER 3 events are available online at Emagine-Entertainment.com 

HALLOWEEN SEASON STARTS WITH BEETLEJUICE FUN

As summer comes to a close with the Labor Day weekend, the Halloween season starts up with the theatrical release of the horror/comedy flick BEETLE JUICE BEETLE JUICE which opens September 6, 2024. Rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPA Movie Rating) for violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material and brief drug use, Michael Keeton and Winona Ryder return in this sequel to the 1988's Beetlejuice.

Get into the spirit of the movie with the OP Games Beetlejuice edition of OUIJA. Unleash the Netherworld's secrets with Ouija: Beetlejuice. Summon the spirits by saying "Beetlejuice" three times and get answers to all of your burning questions! With a gothic Beetlejuice-themed design, this vintage-inspired Ouija board offers a thrilling experience, illuminating the unknown with haunting symbols and mysterious spirits. 2 to 4 players / Ages 8+ / 30+ Minutes Play Time.

In BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life soon gets turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter discovers a mysterious portal to the afterlife. When someone says Beetlejuice's name three times, the mischievous demon gleefully returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

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VISION QUEST WRESTLER MAKES MICHIGAN APPEARANCE

Frank Jasper, the actor who played the wrestling antagonist Shute to Matthew Modine's character Louden Swain in the cult classis athletic drama VISION QUEST (1985), will be appearing for a special screening of the film at Emagine Saline that will include a pre-movie Q&A session and post-movie Meet & Greet opportunity on Friday, September 13, 2024. Jasper was a high school wrestler and athletic trainer at Eastern Washington University when he was approached about the role by a friend. The friend told him that the movie was looking for someone who was six feet tall and knew how to wrestle. Jasper thought he might be a good fit, and he ended up cutting weight for the role.

WHEN: 

 Friday, September 13, 2024 

7:00 PM - Q&A Session with Frank Jasper Begins 

7:30 PM – VISION QUEST Screening Begins 

9:15 PM – Meet & Greet with Frank Jasper Begins 

WHERE: 

Emagine Saline 1335 E Michigan Ave. Saline, MI 48176 

COST: 

Screening with Q&A - $20 per person; the price of the ticket includes access into the movie with a special Q&A with Frank Jasper. 

Screening with Q&A PLUS Meet & Greet (with Autograph & Picture) - $45 per person.

Tickets can be purchased online at Emagine-Entertainment.com, through the Emagine App, or at Emagine Saline’s Guest Services Desk.

Meet & Greet only (excludes movie) includes Autograph & Picture - $30 each per person. Guests will be able to meet Frank Jasper and receive his autograph and a picture with him. Meet & Greet will take place at 9:15 p.m. Tickets for the Meet & Greet only session, excluding the movie, are only available for purchase at Emagine Saline’s Guest Services Desk.

In Vision Quest, high school wrestler Louden Swain (Matthew Modine) feels he must do something significant in his life shortly after turning 18. Despite vehement advice against it from his father (Ronny Cox) and coach (Charles Hallahan), Swain decides to try to lose over 20 pounds in a very short time to take on the defending state champion of a lower weight class (Frank Jasper). Meanwhile, he falls for the edgy, older Carla (Linda Fiorentino), who provides further distraction for the young wrestler. The film is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America.

BREAKING THE CHAINS: THE GUARD DOG STORY

For three decades, cartoonist and writer Patrick McDonnell has entertained readers around the world with his beloved syndicated comic strip Mutts. The adventures of Mooch, the curious cat, and Earl, the ever-trusting dog, have drawn praise from the likes of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, and The Simpsons creator Matt Groening. In 1995, McDonnell introduced a new character in Mutts: Guard Dog, a chained dog longing for his freedom. Now, this September, Abrams ComicsArts will publish Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story, a celebration and history of Guard Dog with a full color version of his newsworthy story of long awaited freedom. 

Over the years Guard Dog, one of the Mutts comic strip’s most beloved characters, has played an important role in raising awareness about the cruelty of tethering and has inspired countless readers to become involved in animal welfare. Featuring the complete Guard Dog story, early Mutts comic strips, and other supplementary materials - Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story will be published on Tuesday, September 3. Abrams will donate a portion of the proceeds for pre-orders of Breaking the Chain to the Sidewalk Angels Foundation.

Patrick McDonnell is the creator of the animal-friendly comic strip Mutts, which debuted on September 5, 1994, and has appeared in more than 700 newspapers in over twenty countries. With a print readership in the millions, Mutts has garnered international recognition for its gentle humor and powerful themes of kindness, compassion, and friendship. In 1999, just five years after Mutts began, McDonnell received the highest honor awarded to a cartoonist: The Reuben for Cartoonist of the Year.

“This wasn’t a villain; this was a tragic character,” says McDonnell in his introduction to Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story. “I thought of all the real dogs in this country and around the world who suffer the same unbearable fate. Maybe my dog could be their voice. He could represent the cruelty that animals endure at the hands of humans, and the cruelty we inflict upon ourselves by staying chained to our own unconscious ways of thinking.”

Brought to life with McDonnell’s warm and intimate art, and featuring the complete story, now in color for the first time, Breaking the Chain is an emotionally resonant vignette whose grounding in the real-life animal neglect issues that affect millions of chained dogs worldwide will move both long-time Mutts fans and first-time readers.

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SEPTEMBER BREAKFAST AND A MOVIE AT MICHIGAN EMAGINE THEATRES

Each month, Emagine hosts a Breakfast and a Movie showing, at select theaters, of one of the newest family-film releases. The breakfast and a movie screening package will include a full breakfast buffet, a 44oz. popcorn, and a 21oz fountain drink as well as a ticket to the showing for $24 for children and $30 for adults.  September's Breakfast and a Movie feature presentation is TRANSFORMERS ONE.

TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. In the first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie, TRANSFORMERS ONE features a star-studded voice cast, including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm. TRANSFORMERS ONE is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America [MPA Movie Rating].

September's Breakfast and a Movie events in Michigan will take place at Emagine Royal Oak & Emagine Canton on Sunday, September 22, 2024. Breakfast is at 10:00 am / Movie at 11:00 am. For more information, visit emagine-entertainment.com/.

TWISTERS WHIRLS ONTO DIGITAL PLATFORMS

Chase. Ride. Survive. Brace yourself for a wild ride into the eye of the storm, this time from the comfort of your home. As the chase of the summer continues to unfold in theaters, TWISTERS is now available exclusively on digital platforms to own or rent from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. This summer blockbuster that is following the path of 1996's hit motion picture TWISTER has earned a Certified Fresh designation on Rotten Tomatoes and an A- CinemaScore, becoming the best opening ever for a Hollywood disaster film. TWISTERS is an adrenaline-pumping, thrilling experience that puts you in direct contact with one of nature’s most destructive forces. When adding this flick to your home entertainment video library it includes, in addition to the feature presentation, a never-before-seen gag reel and deleted scenes, when you purchase from participating retailers nationwide including Apple TV, Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), Comcast Xfinity, Cox and Microsoft Movies & TV. TWISTERS is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA] for intense action and peril, some language and injury images.

Starting August 13, 2024 buying or renting on Digital is the only way to watch TWISTERS at home while the movie is still in theaters. And a lucky Geek Daddy reader will be able to add TWISTERS to their home entertainment video library courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. One lucky participant in this giveaway who submits an eligible entry in the Rafflecopter form below will be selected to receive a Movies Anywhere digital code for TWISTERS. Entries need to be submitted before 11:59 pm ET on August 18, 2024. Must be over 18 years old and a United States resident to participate in this promotion. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Directed by Lee Isaac Chung [Minari], TWISTERS brings back the blockbuster disaster epic with a whirlwind of heart-stopping action and exhilarating thrills. Ever since a devastating tornado encounter, Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) gave up chasing storms across the Oklahoma prairie to safely study them on screens in New York City. Lured back to the field by her friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) and a once-in-a-lifetime scientific opportunity, Kate crosses paths with Tyler (Glen Powell), a charming daredevil and self-proclaimed tornado wrangler whose thirst for tornado-tracking adventures made him a social media sensation. As storm season intensifies with terrifying phenomena unlike anything seen before, Kate and Tyler realize they may need to work together if they are to have any chance of taming, and surviving, an unprecedented outbreak of destructive tornados.