Lavender books and ethnic festivals

With warmer weather ahead, a number of outdoor celebrations of cultural heritage, art and agriculture are expected to take place this weekend.

Here are some ideas for you and your family to consider for the weekend of July 15-17.

Blake’s Lavender Market: Celebrate all things lavender, gardening tips, health benefits, lavender infused foods and drinks, craft workshops, kids activities, train rides to the lavender field and over 200 artisans and vendors.

Blake’s Hard Cider Co. and Blake’s Brewing Co. will also be offering their seasonal lavender-infused cider and beer.

10am-5pm Friday-Sunday at Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill, 17985 Armada Center in Armada. $12 per person; children 12 and under are admitted free.

Chalk art contestants drawing on the street at Berkley Street Art Fest.

Berkley Street Art Festival: The streets of downtown Berkley will be transformed when professional and amateur street artists come together to create colorful street art.

The day also includes the Shop for Good Village, a curated collection of handmade goods with a primary focus on doing good. Categories include ethically produced artisanal products, goods benefiting at-risk local populations, recycled/upcycled products, and vegan or organic artisanal products.

Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in a interactive mural experience with professional visual artist Daniel Cascardo as he creates an abstract black and white mural, then invites others to add color, patterns, shapes and other visual elements to the work.

There will also be a kids’ art space with a bouncy house, the unveiling of a new downtown Berkley mural at Nova Chiropractic, a sidewalk sale of local businesses, food and more. 11am-5pm Saturday on Coolidge between Catalpa and Beverly in Berkley.

The Bronx Wanderers will perform at the Festa Italiana at Freedom Hill County Park.

italian party: This three-day event will celebrate Italian heritage with live entertainment, Italian wines, food, beer, fireworks and a family entertainment area with a bouncy house, zip line, climbing wall and Moreover.

Headliners include: Bronx Wanderers, EuroRhythms by Ray Massa and Sicilian Tenors.

6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday at Freedom Hill County Park and the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater, 14900 Metro Parkway in Sterling Heights. Free to attend. Parking at $10.

39th Annual African World FestivalI: Detroit’s largest celebration of the African Diaspora returns to Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit Friday-Sunday after several years. The festival features local and international performances that include musical artists, African drum and dance acts, food, art vendors, child-friendly activities, information booths about vital community resources and Moreover.

Headliners include: Mama Sol, Lizz Wright, The Legendary Wailers, Seun Kutiand We Are Scorpio with Jessica Care Moore and Steffanie Christi’an.

Single-day tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for youth; children 3 and under are free. Attendance is free all weekend for Wright Museum members.

Knights on horseback in full armor at Canterbury Village.

Michigan Medieval Fair: Stroll through a medieval outdoor adventure while being entertained by ogres, dancers, bubble fairies, musicians, jesters, magicians, fire eaters, a royal court and a host of others artists and artists, all against the backdrop of the castle.

Entertainment will also include two knights in full armor charging and trying to unhorse, a walk through a Dragon’s Den with realistic mythical dragons and other activities for the whole family.

Bands playing Celtic music will include: Wakefire, Roanne, murray black, The Whip Guys, iron woodto name a few.

10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday and July 23-24 at Canterbury Village, 2359 Joslyn Court in Lake Orion. $14.99 per person; Military, veterans and children under 2 admitted free. $5 parking.

Bonus Event: Detroit Book Festival: Book lovers can shop from over 60 vendors who will have a variety of books to buy at this 5th annual event. Buyers can expect all genres, ranging from rare, old, new, unusual, children’s books and comic books. There will also be vinyl records, creative activities, food and music.