At Lake Fest, you’ll learn all about the cool animals that call the lake home, the people who live around it, and, most importantly, how we can work together to keep this vital resource healthy for everyone.

This event is designed with families in mind! A boatload of activities is planned to keep everyone entertained, from curious kids to engaged adults. Get ready for hands-on experiences, exciting projects, and the chance to meet inspiring community partners who share our passion for protecting the lake.

Visitors will enjoy:

• Meet the brave Coast Guard and learn about what they do to keep our waters safe.
• Go on a super fun scavenger hunt around the estate and see what cool things you can find.
• Try “fishing” and see if you can catch some fun memories!
• Meet a live sturgeon from the DNR Adventure Center and discover why they’re so special.
• Learn about the animals that live around Ford House and Lake St. Clair.
• Hang out with cool science teachers from the Michigan Science Center and do some cool experiments.
• Team up with the Clinton River Water Council to learn how we can help keep our water clean.
• Learn all about walleye from the Lake St. Clair Walleye Association.
• Hear about all the natural resources around us from the Six Rivers Land Conservancy.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to create lasting memories with your family while learning about the importance of protecting our precious environment.

Tickets for the Lake Fest at Ford House may be purchased online at www.fordhouse.org/lakefest. Admission is $10 per adult and $7 per child (ages 4-12). Friends of Ford House enjoy discounts on tickets. To learn how to become a Friend of Ford House, visit www.fordhouse.org/friends.

Ford House is grateful to its annual sponsors, including Ford Philanthropy, Landscape Services, Inc., Northern Trust, Henry Ford Health, Bodman Attorneys & Counselors, D Land Group Property Management, Frank Rewold & Sons, Wahl Tents, Brown & Brown Philadelphia Insurance, Grunwell-Cashero, Saros Real Estate Services, SmithGroup, Mary & Ron Lamperter, and PGS Dentistry.

The term en plein air, which comes from French and translates to “in the open air,” has a long and celebrated history. In en plein air painting, artists create their masterpieces outdoors, directly experiencing their subject’s light, shadow, and atmosphere. This artistic tradition gained immense popularity with the Impressionists, who sought to capture the fleeting effects of sunlight and movement in their work.

Ford Hose Paint Out: A Canvas for Creativity

Paint Out, a Ford House Education program, offered a fantastic opportunity for artists of all skill levels to explore their creativity in the beautiful setting of Ford House and its surrounding gardens.  Whether you were a seasoned artist or just starting your artistic journey, this event was a chance to:

• Immerse yourself in nature: Embrace the fresh air and natural light as you capture the essence of Ford House grounds.
• Challenge yourself: Step outside your comfort zone and try a new approach to painting.
• Connect with the community: Mingle with other artists and art enthusiasts while creating a piece of art.

Celebrating Artistic Achievements

This year, twenty artists, including the six chosen winners, will display their work in a free exhibition at Ford House’s Teague Community Gallery in the Visitor Center from June 15 to August 4.

The winning pieces were:

• First Place: Nicole McKean, “Solitude”
• Second Place: Sharon Will, “Rose Garden”
• Third Place: Lisa Chalker, “Summer Morning”
• Honorable Mention: Cynthia Yates, “House View”
• Honorable Mention: Kolt Ewing, “Playhouse Tree”
• Honorable Mention: Sharon Glazer, “Flowers by the Pond I”

For more information about past Paint Out and other Ford House events, call 313-884-4222.

From May 6 through 10, educators can stop by The Speedster at Ford House and enjoy a free cup of coffee. This offer is valid for one free cup of coffee daily, so feel free to visit us throughout the week and enjoy your favorite pick-me-up.

At Ford House, we understand the importance of supporting our educators and showing gratitude for their hard work. This small gesture is our way of saying thank you for all that you do to inspire, educate, and empower the next generation. Let’s raise a cup to you and celebrate your impact on the lives of students everywhere. Cheers to you, and thank you for everything you do!

The photo above captures The Rosebud Company’s work at Fair Lane: Home of Clara & Henry Ford, located in Dearborn, MI.
We’re excited to announce that the same process will be employed at Ford House to restore our historic wood floors, preserving them for future generations.

The Rosebud Company, a Georgia-based flooring restoration company, will be working diligently to restore the 95+-year-old wooden floors in our Drawing Room, Library, and Study.

These rooms are currently open without furnishings until Sunday, October 15. Afterward, they will be completely closed from October 16 – November 6, reopening on Tuesday, November 7.

Please also note that the handicapped ramp to the Drawing Room has been temporarily removed, rendering it inaccessible for ADA purposes. The room will be closed entirely from October 16 – November 6.

Stay tuned for exciting visual updates and sneak peeks on our social media channels.

Ford House President and CEO, Mark Heppner and Landscape and Natural Areas Manager Kevin Drotos, speak on the progress made so far on the Ford Cove Shoreline and Coastal Wetland Restoration project and the Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grant will provide Ford House with up to $7 million to support the restoration.

Read the full story on this exciting project HERE.

How we’re participating:

Outside the Gate Lodge, you will see a tree lit with purple lights, and it will remain lit through April 30.

The week of April 3, we will install a banner on the wall along Lake Shore Road and a sidewalk sign in the Plaza that highlights our support of #PurpleinthePointes.

The Shop located in our Visitor Center will have products that support the inclusion of those with cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges.

We encourage everyone in the community to participate as well by hanging purple lights and/or ribbons on their houses and trees.

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out!” – Dr. Seuss

Last fall, kindergarten teacher Nicole Beaudry noticed that some of her students were extremely interested in Matchbox cars.

“They were really into the colors and styles of the cars and were comparing the designs to find the ‘coolest’ one,” Beaudry explained. “They also began propelling them off the furniture to see how they moved, so there was an interest in aerodynamics as well.”

Guided by the passion and inquisitiveness of her students, Beaudry created the car design project. She worked with University Liggett School Trustee and parent Jody Ingle as she planned the project, and Ingle’s background in industrial design was extremely helpful in ensuring the project connected the students to real world experiences.

Over the course of two-and-a-half-months, students conceptualized, drew and designed their own car. The project was constantly evolving as Beaudry gauged the students’ interest and their abilities to be successful with the activities.

“I make sure that projects contain avenues for all children and all learners and include as many hands-on activities as possible. I also work to bring art and science experiments into every project, including this one,” she said.

Work on the car design project began with a discussion of shapes, symmetry and proportions, and students examined real-world vehicles that were inspired by nature. They selected an animal or natural environment that would serve as the inspiration for their own vehicle design.

Beaudry built on the inquisitiveness of her students and provided scaffolding throughout the project, incorporating surveys and discussions about end users during the design phase.

Students were able to see many real-world examples of the design process through trips to the Ford S Studio and the Ford Piquette Plant, and Beaudry brought in experts to help students finalize their vehicles.  Bringing experts into the classroom is a key component of project work; it exposes children to people with real world experience and helps make the project more concrete and relevant.

As the students advanced through the design process, an instructor from College for Creative Studies came to the classroom, sitting with each student to discuss their vision. He drew realistic renderings of the students’ vehicles, and the students were able to draw in some of their own lines.

The final step was turning their renderings into clay models. Sculptors from Ford came to the class to show the students how to add and subtract clay to arrive at the shape they wanted, and how smoothing and creating lines would reflect the vehicle’s features.

Throughout the project, Beaudry documented the process so that students could see their progress and refer to the work they’ve done. By the end of the project, the kindergarten classroom was filled with examples of the students’ creativity and innovation.

As a rule, it was important to Beaudry that the students’ age did not limit what they were able to try.

“Children are capable of learning so much and doing so much more than some people tend to give them credit for,” she said. “The glow forge and 3-D printer were both key parts of this project and no one said ‘kindergarteners are too young.’ The support and belief that ULS teachers know their learners is tremendous and something I really value from our administration.”

On Thursday, March 9, visitors can enjoy Maple Syrup: Tapped, Shaken, and Served, a special event where guests will learn about maple tapping and indulge in a delicious maple-themed cocktail! Join us at Ford House to learn about the start-to-finish process of making maple syrup. Guests learn techniques to identify appropriate trees for tapping and enjoy a short walk to our “sugar bush” for a tapping demonstration, along with a discussion on the process and history of making maple syrup. Afterward, gather at our wood-fired maple syrup evaporator for syrup tastings and maple syrup-themed cocktails.

Bird Walk

On March 19, visitors can enjoy our Bird Walk where guests explore the grounds with experts Rosann Kolvacik, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited Grosse Pointe, and Bill Rapai, President of Grosse Pointe Audubon. After the walk, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while you discuss the birds seen. Guests can enjoy the Bird Walk on April 2 as well as May 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Spring Tea & Tour

Also on March 19, as well as March 23, Ford House invites guests to its Spring Tea & Tour where visitors enjoy an elegant tea service with small bites and sweets in the beautiful Lake Shore Room overlooking Ford Cove and Lake St. Clair followed by a self-guided tour of the home. At each of the two Spring Tea & Tours, The Peacock Room will have a pop-up shop set up for you to browse and purchase from their incredible collections.

Ballroom Dance: Tango

April 6 invites guests to join our four-week Ballroom Dance: Tango dance class, in honor of Eleanor and Edsel Ford meeting at a dance class in their youth. In week one, learn leading and following basics. Week two introduces turns and rotations. Week three teaches attendees how to use the music and week four concludes with learning to combine patterns. Dance instructors Louis and Lauren Johnson are professional Ballroom dance instructors with 15 years of teaching experience.

Botany & Brews

Botany & Brews is a new members-only event where guests learn about the native flora on the estate from our Landscapes team. Enjoy a cold beer while learning about the care and cultivation of native plants at Gaukler Pointe. This special program takes place on May 10 and 17. Learn more and become a member today!

Paint Out! and Fresh Paint Party

A community favorite, Paint Out takes place on May 20. Guests bring art supplies and paint on the grounds at Ford House for the day. All skill levels are welcome for this program, but only framed artwork can be entered for the juried prize. Prizes will be given to the first ($1,000), second ($500), and third-place winners ($250). Each artist may submit two (2) framed artworks for the juried prize. Tickets for Paint Out include free admission to the Fresh Paint Party at the end of the day and one drink ticket. Even if you don’t or aren’t interested in painting, you can join the party, see the works, and enjoy refreshments.

Preservation Tour

On May 22, visitors join Director of Preservation Rebecca Torsell for an exclusive, members-only Preservation Tour where you’ll learn about our ongoing preservation projects and the unique details and intense care that goes into completing them.

Education Programs

Plus Education programs for children, like Storytime and Explorers, and adult programs like Maker Studio and more are offered on select dates throughout the season!

New Exhibit Opening

Perhaps our most anticipated exhibit, Ford House invites visitors to experience Making It Work, opening June 1. Making It Work is a new exhibition chronicling the lives and labors of the staff that helped make Ford House a warm and wonderful family home for Edsel, Eleanor, their children, and their extended family. Guests will learn about individual staff, their stories, and what life was like during the family’s nearly fifty-year residency. More details coming soon.

Plus more programs and events!

And that’s not all! Stay tuned for more and more exciting programs and events. If an event isn’t on sale yet, check back soon.

The Continental

Of course, no visit to Ford House is complete without enjoying a meal lakeside at our acclaimed restaurant, The Continental. Chef Jeremy Robertson creates seasonal menus that offer “comfort food, elevated.” Or swing by The Speedster, our grab-and-go option for visitors on the move. Reservations for The Continental are highly recommended!

The Shop

While at the estate, swing into The Shop to purchase gifts, books, jewelry, and much more. You can also follow The Shop on Instagram to see new products and store highlights.

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