The Festival at St. Joseph Church

2012 Festival Set for July 21 and 22!

2012-01-16T20:36:00.002-05:00

The dates are set for the 2012 Festival at St. Joseph Church! Be sure to join all the fun on Saturday, July 21 and Sunday, July 22 at the corner of North Territorial and Mast Roads. We're looking forward to seeing you there!

The Festival 2011 - Full Schedule of Events

2011-07-09T23:03:00.004-04:00

Don't miss any of the exciting things to see and do at the 2011 Festival at St. Joseph Church!

Events kick off on Saturday, July 16 at noon and continue through 6:00 pm on Sunday the 17th. Visit this link to download the full schedule of events.

And, for a complete guide to all of the entertainment acts, please visit this link.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Late Night Catechism at St. Joseph Festival!

2011-06-12T21:13:00.014-04:00

On Friday, July 15, "Sister" will be at the St. Joseph Festival once again but with her very own version of "The Newlywed Game" with"Late Nite Catechism 3: Til Death Do Us Part."

Time to call all married couples to the task for lessons on the Sacraments of Marriage and Last Rites. So bring your better half and a good sense of humor to see the funnest counselor around.

Join us again for another year of this comedic relief that everyone is raving about. Tickets are $25 and are available at the church. Fun and excitement for the whole family!

Festival 2011: Summer Excitement!!!

2011-05-25T16:33:00.004-04:00

Coming July 15-17,2011 is

The Festival at the Corner!

The Festival Committee has been hard at work since January 2011 planning and preparing for this year's Festival "at the corner" -- the corner of Mast & North Territorial Roads, 3 miles north of Dexter.

Friday Night Kickoff Events:

This year, once again, we are offering fun and excitement for the whole family! On Friday, July 15, "Sister" will be back to gently rap knuckles and call married couples to task in "Late Nite Catechism 3: 'Til Death Us Do Part" with her own version of "The Newlywed Game." This show has gotten rolicking reviews since its debut -- so plan on joining us at 7:00pm at St. Joseph Church, 6805 Mast Road, Dexter. Tickets are $25.

Also on Friday night, the Teen Nite Cafe returns! For $5, students ages 13 and up can enjoy "all you can eat" pizza, inflatable games, Rock Band competition, door prizes and more! This event will be held on the Festival grounds at 6805 Mast Road, Dexter, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm.

Thanks for Attending the 2010 Festival!

2010-07-19T12:45:00.003-04:00

A big thank you to everyone who helped make the 2010 Festival at St. Joseph Church a huge success! Mark your calendar for the 2011 Festival - July 16 and 17. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

5K Cross Country Run - Registration is Still Open

2010-07-16T09:50:00.003-04:00

Registration for the the St. Joseph Church Steeple Chase 5K Cross Country Run is open online until midnight, tonight, July 16th. Visit this link to sign up at Active. com.

On-site registration will take place on the Festival grounds, Saturday, July 17th from 5:00 pm until the race begins at 7:00 pm.

You can download the race form here. Entry fee is $20.00. All runners will receive a $10 gift certificate from Dexter Bike and Sport.

The Official Festival Guide and Directions

2010-07-14T09:46:00.004-04:00

The Official Guide to the 2010 Festival at St. Joseph Church is now available by visiting this link. The guide details all of the entertainment and activities - with times - taking place on the festival grounds on July 17 and 18. The Festival hours are Saturday, July 17th from Noon to 10:30 pm and Sunday, July 18th from Noon to 6:00 pm.

For a profile on the event's taking place this weekend, visit this link for Saturday, July 17th and visit this link for Sunday, July 18th.

And, if you need directions, please visit this link to Google Maps.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Festival Flea Market Opens Thursday, July 8th at 9:00 a.m.

2010-07-07T14:28:00.005-04:00

This is a friendly reminder that the Festival at St. Joseph Church Flea Market will be open on Thursday, July 8th at 9:00 a.m. It will be held at the Parish Center, next to the old church, in the Village located at 3430 Dover Street.

The flea market will be open for three days and the times are - Thursday & Friday, July 8 & 9, 9am–7pm; and Saturday, July 10, 9am–5pm. There will be special bargain pricing for all items throughout the day on Saturday.

The Festival Continues Into Sunday - July 18

2010-07-05T21:07:00.009-04:00

The Festival at St. Joseph Church, July 17-18 will be a fun filled weekend from start to finish. The entertainment for Sunday is going to be a great end to a fantastic festival!

Music will be consuming the festival tents with performances from Big Foot Bob and the Toe Tappers and 33rd Street Band. Big Foot Bob and the Top Tappers have been playing music for most of their lives. The band contains soulful vocals, guitar and horns, and versatile music genres. Big Foot Bob and the Toe Tappers grove to tunes from Country Blues, Jazz, Rock, Reggae, and Soul.

The Kalamazoo based horn band, 33rd Street Band give their audience an appreciated taste of the timeless great horn bands. Jump and jive with this classic group! The 33rd Street Band have been together since 2003 and you can really notice their talented chemistry.

Delay that family zoo trip on Sunday and come see the Wild Life Safari! The kids will love all the amazing animals. There will also be the festival Chicken Dinner that will be served up and ready for the whole family to enjoy.

Additional activities and extras during the festival weekend include: Vegas Tent with Black Jack Table & Beer Tent & Children's Games & Inflatable Bouncing Structures & Craft Tent & Variety of Food Items.

Join the festivities and make memories with this year's Festival at St. Joseph Church, July 17-18!

A Summer Highlight For Everyone Will Be Saturday - July 17

2010-06-28T14:50:00.025-04:00

The schedule for Saturday, July 17 is packed with fun! One of the biggest attractions will be the 2nd Annual Classic Car Show and will have even more sizzling rides to admire.

There will also be excitement for the kids as well: The Great World of Tortoises will be showcasing their amazing reptiles and Gemini - Kid's Sing Along and Storytelling will have everyone singing. Colors the Clown is returning for another great performance! Colors will have balloons, animals, and tricks that will only bring smiles.

Be prepared to put your dancing shoes on. There will be performances from Jazz Legend, Benny Poole and Men in Black Band. Benny Poole is known for his great spirit and his genuine appreciation for jazz music.

Men in Black Band have been together since 1986! All members have been around the music business for quite some time and have the raw talent to prove it. Men in Black Band jam out to classic oldies and R&B from the 60's and 70's.

There will be the St. Joseph Cross Country 5k for all the running enthusiasts out there. Register before July 2nd and save $5.

The Festival at St. Joseph Church, July 17-18 2010, is going to have so many amazing concerts and exciting festivities for everyone to enjoy!

Community Appreciation Concert Featuring the Saline Fiddlers and String Cheese

2010-06-24T21:02:00.016-04:00

Friday, July 16th, 2010 is our Special Community Appreciation Concert from 7:00pm-10:30pm. in the Country Church, located at the corner of Mast and Territorial Roads. If you love fiddle music you are going to need to be at this event!

This year’s concert is featuring the incredibly talented Saline Fiddlers and String Cheese. The Saline Fiddlers are a group of high school performers that represent the positive influence within the youth today. The fiddlers tour the nation and even have made to Germany in 2009 to perform. Come and rock out with this great nonprofit educational group that knows their Blue Grass and Jazz.

String Cheese is a combination of Diana Ladio on Fiddle and Ali Haraburda on Cello. This group comes out of Ann Arbor. These two women are insanely talented and they light up the stage with their delightful interpretation of Celtic music. String Cheese also continuously involves themselves in music education programs and inspires many to pick up an instrument and play.

There will be an intermission to visit with friends and enjoy complimentary refreshments and appetizers.

These groups are going to be electrifying and you don’t want to miss it. You will need a ticket to reserve a seat. The concert is free and open to the public. There will be an opportunity to make a donation, if you wish, at the close of the evening.

St. Joseph Church Festival Flea Market -July 8 through 10

2010-06-17T09:30:00.006-04:00

This year, The Festival at St. Joseph Church will continue the tradition of past years and hold its annual Festival Flea Market. Be sure to note that this year’s flea market will be held the week prior to the festival, July 8 through 10.

Come check out all the amazing treasures for everyone! It will be held at the Parish Center, next to the old church, in the Village located at 3430 Dover Street.

The flea market will be open for three days and the times are - Thursday & Friday, July 8 & 9, 9am–7pm; and Saturday, July 10, 9am–5pm. There will be special bargain pricing for all items throughout the day on Saturday.

Steeple Chase 5K Cross Country Race

2010-06-05T18:23:00.002-04:00

The inaugural Steeple Chase 5K Cross Country Race at the St. Joseph Festival will take place on Saturday, July 17 at 7:00 pm on the festival grounds. Runners will be challenged on a 5K run throughout the festival grounds that will include sporadic, steeple chase like obstacles to present a challenge and some excitement for runners. The race is designed for beginner to intermediate cross country runners.

There will be awards for the top finishers and runners are invited to stay afterward to enjoy the live musical entertainment the remainder of the evening.

Registration fees are $15.00 prior to July 2, 2010 and $20 July 3 through the 17th. You can register for the Steeple Chase 5K Cross Country Race online by visiting this link.

St. Joseph Festival Classic Car Show, Saturday, July 17th

2010-06-01T09:23:00.004-04:00

Enjoy classic cars or own a classic car? Join us to check out this year’s St. Joseph Festival Classic Car Show which takes place on Saturday, July 17th. We had a great show with 60 cars last year and are anticipating an even better turn out for 2010.

Registration starts at 12 noon and closes at 3:00 PM. Cars are welcome to come after 3:00 PM, but may miss the judges' discriminating eye and a special blessing from Father Brendan. Dash Plaques will be given to the first 100 registered cars to commemorate your participation in the event.

Six trophies will be presented to the winners this year. The lucky ones are chosen by six Parish Celebrity Judges: Father Brendan will pick his favorite, representatives from Knights of Columbus, The Knight of Columbus Auxiliary, Parish Men's Choice, Women's Parish and the Youth Mustard Seed.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Countdown to the 2010 Festival Fun Begins

2010-05-25T14:42:00.005-04:00

The Annual Festival at St. Joseph Church will be taking place on July 17 and 18, 2010 at the corner of Mast and North Territorial Roads. There will be many exciting events planned for the entire weekend. Over the next few weeks, we will give you a sneak preview of the many events and activities. This week we will feature some of the fun activities available for children.

For the second year in a row, we will have some exciting large inflatable structures for the teen and pre-teen attendees. The list of inflatable’s includes: a twenty-eight foot pyramid designed Mountain climb; a three lane bungee run; a jump inside, forty-foot high Alien laser tag structure; a chaos slide obstacle course, a giant twister and a fifty-five foot kiddiepillar for the youngsters. The highlight will include a Quad bungee jump, where riders can flip the afternoon away!

Another feature for youngsters will be the Kid’s Game Tent. There will be many games including festival favorites, “The Fish Bowl Toss” to “Lazy Duck River”. Players always receive prizes and game tickets will be on sale throughout the day.

Saturday’s hours are 12pm - 8pm and include appearances by Amazing World of Tortoises (12pm - 6pm) and Colors the Clown (3pm - 6pm).

Sunday’s hours are 12pm - 6pm and include appearances by Wild Life Safarri (1pm - 4pm) and be sure to get a weekend keepsakes photo from the Photo Booth from 12pm to 6pm.

We are looking forward to seeing you there July 17 & 18!

Annual Festival Takes Place July 17 and 18, 2010

2010-05-03T20:44:00.006-04:00

The Annual St. Joseph Festival time is soon approaching.This year’s dates start with a teen night on Friday July 16, followed by the festival on the 17th and 18th. This will be our second year at the country Church grounds on the corner of Mast and North Territorial. Take this great opportunity to meet with your parish family, neighbors and friends. The weekend weather forecast is calling for sunshine and a cool country breeze.

Friday night will kick-off with another special performance in the church. The highlight will be fresh fusion Celtic music by the duo called String Cheese. They will then be followed by the Saline Fiddlers, a premier, local fiddling show band. It will be a great night to celebrate the music and the people of St. Joseph’s Parish and the Dexter community.

Also on Friday evening, we will host our Annual Teen night on the festival grounds. It will include food, inflatable games and an interactive video arcade. All parish teens are invited and friends are always welcome.

Saturday’s entertainment starts off with legendary jazz artist Benny Poole and closing the night out with Men in Black. Sunday’s music swings to the rhythm and blues of Big Foot Bob and the Toe Tappers followed by a seven piece band called the 33rd Street Band.

Some new activities include a Wii video arcade, featuring a numerous games on a big screen. New and improved inflatables like the ever popular, Quad Bungee Jump, Alien Laser Tag, Kiddiepillar and many more. We will also have enhanced transportation to shuttle visitors from the park lots and church to the festival grounds.

The Second Annual Classic Car Show will take place on Saturday afternoon, July 17th from noon till 3:30 pm. There will be door prizes for all attendees and four different award categories.

As always, our festival will have many food choices like pulled pork, chicken fajitas, and Italian sausage. Sunday afternoon will feature the famous chicken dinner with a new drive through feature for those looking for take-outs.

The festival would not be complete without the large tents filled with kids games, a doll booth, bingo, 50/50 raffles, Country Bake Shoppe, a variety of beverages, and crafters selling handmade treasures.

This year’s flea market will be held the weekend prior to the festival – Thursday, July 8th through Saturday, July 10th. If you have any gently used treasures that you may feel need a new home following your spring cleaning efforts, you may drop them off at the Parish Center beginning June 18th through July 3rd. More details to follow.

Finally, a huge thank you to all the wonderful sponsors who financially support our festival.

Click here to visit our Facebook page!

Thanks for Attending the 2009 Festival!

2009-07-20T23:43:00.005-04:00

A big thank you to everyone who helped make the 2009 Festival at St. Joseph Church a huge success. Mark your calendar for the 2010 Festival - July 17 and 18. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Festival Hours and Directions

2009-07-15T16:53:00.005-04:00

The Festival will officially kick-off on Saturday, July 18th at noon and continue with entertainment until 10:30 pm that evening.

Festivities will begin again on Sunday, July 19th at noon and continue through 6:00 pm when things come to a close.

View Larger Map

Vist the map link above for complete directions and a map. For a full schedule of festival events, activities, and entertainment, visit this link.

Events and Activities Taking Place at The Festival - July 17, 18 & 19

2009-07-08T16:08:00.004-04:00

The Festival at St. Joseph Church will host several exciting events and activities from July 17 through 19 at the corner of Mast and Territorial Roads in Dexter.

The weekend kicks-off on Friday, July 17th with one of Michigan's most famous acts - Three Men and a Tenor. The family, fun filled concert will take place inside the church building at 7:00 pm. Tickets can be reserved by calling the parish office - 734-426-8483 - or by visiting the Three Men and a Tenor web site.

Official Festival events begin Saturday, July 18th with a Classic Car Show at noon and several entertainment acts throughout the day including Daughters of Newgrass, a Buddy Holly Tribute and Men in Black.

On Sunday, July 19th, guests will be greeted with the aroma of barbecue chicken dinners and the sounds of New Orleans jazz from the Motor City Street Band. An Ice Cream Eating Contest will take place in the afternoon and music will conclude with George Bedard and the Kingpins.

Along with the musical entertainment, each day will have plenty of other things to see and do for the entire family, including: children's games; children's entertainment with Colors the Clown, Amazing Animals, World of Tortoises, Gemini and the High Five Guy; Inflatable Bouncing Structures; Las Vegas and Bingo Tents; a Country Bake Shop; Craft Tent; and a full menu of food items at the Concession Stand. Beer and wine will also be served in the entertainment and Las Vegas tents both days.

For a complete list of events, download your own schedule here. For highlights and location, download the document here.

Ice Cream Eating Contest hosted by Stucchi's of Dexter

2009-07-07T12:45:00.012-04:00

Come celebrate National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 19th with an ice cream eating contest! Stucchi’s of Dexter will host an ice cream eating contest on 2:00 pm under the big tent at the Festival. Winners will receive a Sundae Party for up to 20 people at the Parlor or their own back yard!

There will be winners in each of the following categories: 5-8 years of age; 9-12 years of age; 13-17 years of age and 18 and & up.

There is a $5 entry fee to participate and all proceeds go to St. Joseph Church. Anyone can sign up at Stucchi’s of Dexter before 6:00 pm on Saturday, July 18 or at the Stucchi’s of Dexter’s booth at the Festival before 6:00 pm on Saturday, July 18. The first 25 people in each age group to sign up will get to participate and there must be at least 5 people signed up for the contest to take place. Visit this link to print off sign-up sheet.

Festival Entertainment Preview

2009-07-01T23:21:00.006-04:00

The schedule is set for an exciting three days of entertainment at the 30th Annual Festival at St. Joseph Church. Three Men and a Tenor kick-off the festivities with a historic concert inside the new church on the evening of Friday, July 17th. Visit this link for more information and to purchase tickets to the Three Men and a Tenor concert or call 734-426-8483.

The “Big Tent” musical entertainment begins at noon on Saturday, July 18th with the Daughters of Newgrass – featuring celtic, folk, and bluegrass redefined by the new generation. Other musical highlights on Saturday afternoon include Gemini ‘s performance of sing-a-longs and storytelling for children. The afternoon will close with Chris Solano’s tribute to rock legend Buddy Holly. When the sun begins to set, you will be entertained by the musical talents of Men in Black- giving all attendees the opportunity to dance into the night.

On Sunday, July 19th, the entertainment resumes with the Motor City Street Brand starting at noon – featuring the great brass band sounds of New Orleans. The Festival will close under the “Big Tent” with George Bedard and the Kingpins entertaining you with the upbeat sounds of early rock-n-roll and rockabilly music.

Along with all the great musical performers, the Festival will feature a Classic Car Show; Vegas tent – with black jack tables; beer tent; bingo games; children’s games and inflatable bouncing structures, craft sales; country bake shop; and a wide varieties of food items – including a chicken dinner on Sunday afternoon.

For a full schedule of events and activities for the 30th Annual Festival at St. Joseph Church, visit this link.

Three Men and a Tenor Tickets on Sale Now!

2009-06-09T21:17:00.004-04:00

Tickets are now on sale for the historic Three Men and a Tenor Concert which will take place on Friday, July 17 at the new St. Joseph Church located at the corner of Mast and North Territorial Roads. The concert will be begin at 7:00 pm and feature the unique performance of Michigan's incredible vocal musical foursome.

Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $10 for seniors 65 & older, $10 for Children 12 & under. Tickets can be purchased online at the Three Men a Tenor web site by clicking here, available at the St. Joseph’s Parish Office at 3430 Dover Street by calling 734-426-8483 and can also be purchased in Dexter at “Life is Good” located at 3207 Broad, near Main Street.

Classic Car Show to Take Place on Saturday, July 18th

2009-05-30T15:29:00.004-04:00

This year’s festival will feature a Classic Car Show on the festival grounds, Saturday, July 18th from noon to 3:00 pm. All festival attendees will have the opportunity to view the cars during that time and also have an opportunity to vote for their favorite.

There will be door prizes for participants and four different award categories. All awards will be presented at 4:00 pm.

Expect to see cars from all eras and everyone is welcomed to join the fun. The first 50 entrants will receive commemorative dash plaques. There is no entry fee or pre-registration. If you have a classic car and would like to be part of the festivities, please contact Don Kaiser at 734-426-5428 or Vickie Kaiser at 734-649-1106 for more information.

Annual Festival Flea Market - July 9 through 11

2009-05-18T17:01:00.007-04:00

This year, The Festival at St Joseph Church will continue the tradition of past years and hold its annual Festival Flea Market. Be sure to note that this year’s flea market will be held the week prior to the festival, July 9 through 11. There will treasures for everyone!

It will be held at the Parish Center, next to the old church, in the Village located at 3430 Dover Street.

The flea market will be open for three days and the times are - Thursday & Friday, July 9 & 10, 9am–7pm; and Saturday, July 11, 9am–5pm. There will be special bargain pricing for all items throughout the day on Saturday.

A Little History about the Festival at St. Joseph Church

2009-05-11T19:30:00.005-04:00

In 1979, the parish held a “Freedom Festival,” which was an evening of dinner and games. The purpose of the event was to raise funds to sponsor a family from Vietnam. It eventually evolved into an annual two-day event called Family Festival or Fun Festival – which is what it is known as today. The goal of all the festivals are focused on welcoming members of the local community to a social event while raising money for various projects and providing financial support to the parish.

The roots of the festival can be traced back roughly 138 years and it was always recognized as a great social event within the Dexter Community. In September 1871, when a new church building was planned, the parish hosted a very successful benefit dinner. It was attended by 2,000 people, a considerable amount of people for the village of Dexter at the time. One of the highlights was a raffle that included prizes like a gold watch, a cow, and a horse.

In the late 1800’s, the annual festival was held on Labor Day. It became so popular that the train through Dexter made a special stop near the festival area so those from other communities could attend the festivities. The programs were ambitious and included many games like a “fat man’s race,” a “beautiful baby contest,” and tug of war between the “country ladies” and the “town ladies.” Winning prizes included a pair of shoes, a shirt and necktie, a driving whip, and a box of cigars.

In the early 1900’s, one of the highlights of the day was a chicken dinner. The Dexter Leader, in 1904, remarked, “Dinner will be served on the grounds. The reputation which the ladies of the parish hold for bountiful and elegant meals will be upheld. Everybody come. Do not miss it.” Every lady in the parish was asked to supply a cooking pot with her own recipe of chicken, gravy and biscuits - all of which were kept warm on outdoor cast-iron stoves.

As you can see, after more than one-hundred years, the festival has evolved. But one thing hasn’t changed – the mission. It is still all about bring members of the community together for annual social event while raising some money to support charitable causes.