Upcoming Events in Battle Creek & Calhoun County
August 26 – September 9, 2026
This is a somewhat lighter stretch after the Calhoun County Fair, but there is still plenty happening, including ZZ Top at FireKeepers, farmers markets, live music, food trucks, cycling, youth football and community activities.
As always, schedules can change, so confirm ticketed events with the organizer before heading out.
• Battle Creek Farmers Market — Wednesday, August 26 | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM | Festival Market Square, 25 McCamly St. S., Battle Creek — Fresh locally grown produce, foods and artisan vendors fill Festival Market Square. The market is free and continues Wednesdays into the fall. Battle Creek Events Calendar
• Battle Creek Community Foundation 2026 Annual Meeting Block Party — Wednesday, August 26 | 4:00–6:00 PM | Festival Market Square — BCCF brings its annual meeting into the community with a free block party featuring food, games and activities for children and adults. A brief presentation is scheduled for 5:15 PM, and everyone is welcome. BCCF event information
• Live Music Wednesdays in Downtown Battle Creek — Wednesday, August 26 | 6:00–8:00 PM | Wave Square, 63 W. Michigan Ave. — Free live music at the corner of McCamly Street and West Michigan Avenue provides a great way to keep the downtown fun going after the BCCF Block Party.
• Wednesday Night Karaoke — Wednesday, August 26 | 8:00 PM–2:00 AM | The Music Factory, 191 Angell St., Battle Creek — Weekly karaoke hosted by 4Leaf with a large sound system and stage setup. Admission is free for ages 21+, with a $5 cover for those under 21.
• Mike's Team Active Mountain Bike Group Ride — Thursday, August 27 | 6:00–8:00 PM | Fort Custer Recreation Area MTB Trailhead — A weekly no-drop mountain bike ride open to different skill levels. Routes vary, and organizers generally split riders into faster and more relaxed groups depending on attendance. Free to participate.
• ZZ Top Live at FireKeepers Casino — Friday, August 28 | 8:00 PM | FireKeepers Casino Event Center, 11177 E. Michigan Ave., Battle Creek — Legendary rock band ZZ Top returns to FireKeepers with more than five decades of blues-rock favorites. Doors open at 7:00 PM, with tickets starting at $99 plus fees. ZZ Top event and ticket information
• New Level Sports Rocket Football — Saturday, August 29 | All Day | Carson Razor Vick Field, Van Buren Street, Battle Creek — Local youth football continues with New Level Sports' Rocket Football League, offering a full Saturday of hometown sports action.
• Truckin' Tuesdays — Tuesday, September 1 | 11:30 AM–1:30 PM | McCamly Park, 10 Washington Ave. N., Downtown Battle Creek — The popular downtown lunch tradition continues with a rotating lineup of food trucks. Grab coworkers or friends and enjoy an outdoor lunch in the park. Admission is free, with food available for purchase.
• Mike's Team Active Tuesday Night Time Trial — Tuesday, September 1 | 6:15–8:00 PM | Mike's Team Active Bikes, 22 Michigan Ave., Battle Creek — Cyclists tackle an 18-mile ride consisting of a six-mile group warmup, six-mile individual time trial and six-mile group cooldown. The ride is designed to let cyclists compete against their own previous times.
• Battle Creek Farmers Market — Wednesday, September 2 | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM | Festival Market Square — The weekly market returns with fresh produce, local foods and artisan vendors. The market accepts programs including WIC, SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks.
• Live Music Wednesdays — Wednesday, September 2 | 6:00–8:00 PM | Wave Square, Downtown Battle Creek — Another free evening of live local music at Wave Square, at McCamly Street and West Michigan Avenue.
• Wednesday Night Karaoke — Wednesday, September 2 | 8:00 PM–2:00 AM | The Music Factory — Weekly karaoke returns with music, stage lighting and drink specials. Admission is free for ages 21+, with a $5 cover for guests under 21.
• Battle Creek Farmers Market — Wednesday, September 9 | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM | Festival Market Square — Shop fresh produce, flowers, locally made foods and artisan goods as the downtown Farmers Market continues into September.
• Live Music Wednesdays — Wednesday, September 9 | 6:00–8:00 PM | Wave Square, 63 W. Michigan Ave. — Free live music continues downtown, giving residents another opportunity to enjoy an evening in the Social District and support nearby businesses.
• Wednesday Night Karaoke — Wednesday, September 9 | 8:00 PM–2:00 AM | The Music Factory, 191 Angell St. — Close out this two-week event period with Wednesday night karaoke. The event is free for ages 21+, with a $5 admission charge for guests under 21.
⭐ Highlights for August 26 – September 9
The biggest ticketed attraction is clearly ZZ Top at FireKeepers Casino on August 28, while August 26 offers an unusually good full day downtown with the Farmers Market, BCCF Block Party, and Live Music Wednesdays happening within a few hours of one another.
Labor Day week is quieter on the major-festival front, but Truckin' Tuesdays, the Farmers Market, cycling events, youth football and downtown live music keep the local calendar active as Battle Creek transitions from summer into September.
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$99 for ZZ Top seems steep, but I bet it's gonna be packed anyway. Wonder if they'll throw in any tributes after Dusty passed.
Jenna MartinI was thinking the same thing about the price! But it's not every day a band like ZZ Top comes to town. I hope they do something special for Dusty too. Would be a nice tribute.