Fall and Holiday Season in Bay City (2026)
Confirmed dates for theatre, ghost tours, Santa's arrival and carriage rides.
Explore Bay City
Everything you need, in one place.
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My ListYour saved places
Start Here
A few local favorites to begin your visit.
See Bay City
The riverfront, downtown and festivals.
Guides to Bay City's Best-Known Places
Bay City, Michigan sits where the Saginaw River meets Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron, about five miles upriver from the bay. It has roughly 32,700 residents, a historic downtown built in the lumber-boom years, a destroyer you can tour, a 2,389-acre state park and about 25 city parks. These in-depth guides explain the places people ask about most.
Bay City State Park & Tobico Marsh
A mile of Saginaw Bay beach, camping, trails and one of the largest freshwater coastal wetlands on the Great Lakes.
USS Edson Naval Ship Museum
A Cold War destroyer that served in Vietnam, now moored on the Saginaw River. Visitor's guide.
The State Theatre
From a 1908 vaudeville house to today's concerts, comedy and film.
Defoe Shipbuilding
The yard that built Navy ships, including the research vessel that found the Titanic.
Neighborhoods & Districts
Center Avenue, downtown, Midland Street, the antique district and the east and west sides.
Festivals Guide
Fireworks, St. Stan's Polish Festival, Hell's Half Mile and more, with timing tips.
Lumber Barons & Mansions
The pine boom and the Center Avenue houses it built.
Polish Heritage
Parishes, polka, paczki and the St. Stan's festival.
Bay City Players
Michigan's oldest continuously operating community theatre, with its 2026-27 season.
Historical Museum of Bay County
Local history in a 1911 armory, plus the Trombley Centre House.
History by Decade
Population and events from the 1830s to today.
Sister Cities
Ansbach, Goderich, Poznan and Lome.
Best Time to Visit
What each season is like, with festivals and events by month.
New here? Read about this guide and our editorial policy, or get in touch.
Bay City at a Glance
32,661Residents (2020 census)
1865Became a city
~10 milesRiverwalk & Rail Trail
2,389Acres in the state park
Did you know?
- Bay City is, by a narrow margin over Port Huron, the largest U.S. city on or near Lake Huron.
- The research ship Knorr, which found the wreck of the Titanic, was built at Bay City's Defoe shipyard. Read the story.
- Bay City Players is described as the oldest continuously running community theatre in Michigan.
- The State Theatre opened in 1908 as the Bijou and has had four names. See its history.
- Four drawbridge-style bridges cross the Saginaw River, and the Center Avenue Historic District has more than 250 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Pop star Madonna was born in Bay City in 1958. Meet more notable people.
A Short History
Leon Trombley built a log cabin on the east bank of the Saginaw River in 1831, and the settlement that became Bay City grew around the sawmills that lined the river. By 1860 about 2,000 people lived here, and the lumber barons' wealth built the grand homes and churches you can still see. After the pine was gone, shipbuilding, heavy industry and sugar took over. Immigrants, especially from Poland and Germany, shaped its neighborhoods, churches and food. Read the full history and timeline, or browse the neighborhood guide.
Latest from the Blog
Local guides, itineraries and event dates.
One Perfect Day in Bay City
A walkable plan from morning coffee to a night out downtown.
A Guide to Bay City's Riverfront
Parks, the marina, the Riverwalk, bridges and boat launches.
History
The seat of Bay County, where the Saginaw River meets Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron.
1831First settler
1865Incorporated as a city
Lumber & ships19th-20th century boom
Polish & German rootsChurches, food, festivals
Bay City grew up as a lumber and shipbuilding town, and its downtown still has Victorian architecture, antique shops, and a walkable riverfront. Read the full history of Bay City, with a timeline, industries, immigrant communities and notable people.