2022 Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival Complete Guide (NEW Updates)

2022 Caseville Cheeseburger Festival Complete Guide

Ever tried a cheeseburger in Caseville, MI? Now’s your chance! The Caseville Cheeseburger Festival, held every August, is the event of the season on Michigan’s Thumb coast.

Smell the cheeseburgers wafting through the air? Hear the sounds of Jimmy Buffet songs mingled with the laughs of partygoers on a Lake Huron beach?

Yep. It’s time for the Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival. This highly-anticipated Huron County event is held mid-August , bringing thousands annually to the little town of 800 year-round citizens. It’s a great way to celebrate the final weeks of summer in Caseville, a fun Michigan resort town known for its beautiful beaches and casual, laid-back vibe.

We’ve got the complete 2022 guide to this fun fest on the shores of Caseville’s Saginaw Bay, including the schedule of all of the top events (like the Parade of Tropical Fools), musical entertainment, where to find the best food, and all the tips for attending the Caseville Cheeseburger Festival.

Read on for the Complete Guide to the 2022 Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival.

About the 2022 Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival

The 24th annual Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival is scheduled for August 12-21, 2022.

Folks are already making plans for some Michigan fun in the sun – but what IS the amazing Caseville Cheeseburger festival all about?

It all started with musician Jimmy Buffet’s signature song, “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” an ode to his “carnivorous” love of cheeseburgers and a dream of eating them in a tropical paradise. Inspired by Buffet’s tropical music and carefree attitude, the Cheeseburger in Caseville festival began in 1999 as a way to wrap up summer with a bang while drawing tourists into town.

Now, almost 25 years later, thousands flock to the shores of Caseville at the tip of Michigan’s Thumb to enjoy friends, family and fun at the “Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival” each August.

This popular festival grew quickly, Caseville has even earned the nickname “Key North,” an homage to Buffet’s beloved Key West. At this “celebration of life and the cruise we are making through it,” as Buffet says, you can enjoy ten full days of fun, games, music, sun, and (of course) cheeseburgers!

PRO-TIP: The Saginaw Bay coast between Caseville and Port Austin, is home to some of the prettiest beaches in Michigan. Be sure to use our Guide to the Best Caseville and Port Austin Beaches to find your perfect Michigan beach!

Caseville Cheeseburger Festival Location

Caseville is located at the tip of Michigan’s Thumb, just about 20 minutes west of Port Austin. most of the festival events take place at the Caseville County Park Ampitheatre at 6400 Main Street.

How to Get to the Cheeseburger Festival

There’s parking throughout the city, but since Caseville is such a small town, it can be tight on the weekends and on Saturday, August 17, the day of the Parade of the Tropical Fools.

You might want to consider taking the Shuttle service offered by Thumb Area Transit which costs around $3 per ride. Bus stops in include Port Crescent State Park, Oak Beach County Park, Sleeper State Park and the ampitheatre at the Caseville County Park. The shuttle typically operates from 3 p.m. until midnight. You can find more info about the shuttle service here.

Event Admission to Cheeseburger in Caseville

While almost all of the events at the Cheeseburger festival are free, the concerts require a $15 button to attend. The Cheeseburger buttons will get you into all of the concerts throughout the entire event.

The Parade of Tropical Fools

The 2022 Parade of Tropical Fools is scheduled for Wednesday, August 17 at 5:30 p.m. If you’re looking to the ultimate summer beach party, this is the place to be. Put on your best grass skirts; brightly-colored shirts; grab your plastic flamingo head to downtown Caseville for this non-stop fun fest.

It’s a very popular event: you’ll join more than 70,000 others who line the streets, hoping to catch beads, candy, frisbees and other goodies that are thrown from the parade floats. be sure and bring your camera, not only are the floats amazing, but the tropical costumes (think Cheeseburger hats) worn by the parade-goers are pretty fun, too!

Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival Events

There are events and contests that run for the duration of the festival. It’s a full 10 days of fun for all ages, complete with an actual “Parade of Tropical Fools.” The events starting on opening day and include daily concerts (see the schedule lineup below), sand castle-building contests, hula-hoop contests, family fun days and more! My favorite events include:

Annual Cheeseburger Best Photo Contest

Beginning on opening day, August 12, submit your best cheeseburger themes photo via email for a chance to win.

Annual Best Dressed Business in Town

Businesses in Caseville go all out for decorating during the festival. The top votes will determine which business is best dressed for Cheeseburger in Caseville.

Sandcastle Building Contest

Each weekend during the festival, enter the sand-castle building contest on the beach at Caseville County Park. Even if you’re not participating in the building, you’ll see amazing sand architecture right in front of your eyes!

Cardboard Boat Race

See some amazingly creative cardbord boats as they race toward the finish line. This is one of our favorite festival events!

Watch this space for more details, times and locations of these popular Caseville Cheeseburger Festival events!

More Daily Caseville Cheeseburger Festival Events

• Grab some fresh Krispy Kreme Donuts to start your day off right, and then Get active by playing beach volleyball, committing to the Cheeseburger Fun Run – 5k, or doing relaxing yoga on the beach.
• Try a world famous firehouse burger and enjoy a variety of shows at the amphitheater, including the Conch honk contest and a military tribute.
• You’ll also find a lot of family activities including face painting, glitter tattoos, games, inflatables, a petting zoo, and even a seashell hunt.
• The Bags & Balls golf scramble and cornhole tournament is also today, so get a partner and get competitive.
• Later in the evening, try a famous chicken dinner at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church if you need a break from burgers and join the Circle of Drums & Hula Hoop on the Beach.
• Dedicated family events like the Flamingo Races for Children, Family Bingo, and later on the Kiddie Parade in the evening. If you’re looking to take the family to Caseville this summer, this is a great day for kid-friendly activities.
• There are also variety of activities for all ages. From Kids Caribbean Jewelry Making and more Family Bingo to the Joker Poker Run & Teen Joker Poker Run. The Best Dressed Cheeseburger House Award is a fun one too.
• Two more contests tht you wont want to miss include the Hat Making & Flip Flop Contest, followed by the Cheeseburger Eating Contest, of course.

Relax and recuperate from the competitive day with trop-rock music afterwards and let loose at the Parade of Tropical Fools in the evening.

Historical Tours & Cooling Stations

Take a step away from the hot sun to enjoy the cool air and learn a little bit about Caseville at any time during the festival. Did you know that Caseville started as a lumber town? You can learn more about this on a historical tour that runs throughout the festival. Don’t miss the chance to tour the Caseville Museum, one of Michigan’s unique historical museums.

Musical Entertainment Schedule

Throughout the reserved festival space, a handful of music venues will host musicians for your entertainment. Enjoy the music in the air and the energetic atmosphere around you during this festive celebration of delicious cheeseburgers and summer sun.

Who: T.B.A.
When: 8/12/2022, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Location: Amphitheater

Who: Jimmy and the Parrots- Buffet Tribute Band
When: 8/12/2022, 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: DJ in the Park
When: 8/13/2022, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Memorial/City Park

Who: Military Tribute
When: 8/13/2022, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: Jonnie Russler and the Beach Bums Buffet Tribute Band
When: 8/13/2022, 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: DJ in the Park
When: 8/14/2022 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: Memorial/City Park

Who: The Music Doctors
When: 8/14/2022, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: The Flashbacks Oldies Band
When: 8/16/2022, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: Music in the Park
When: 8/17/2022, 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where: Memorial/City Park

Who: Don Middlebrook Trop Rock
When: 8/17/2022, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Where: Memorial/City Park

Who: St. Louis High School Steel Drum Band
When: 8/17/2022, 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: Parrots of the Caribean Buffet Tribute Band
When: 8/17/2022, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: David Paul Britton Contemporary
When: 8/18/2022, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Memorial/City Park

Who: TBA – Opener
When: 8/19/2022, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: Air Margaritaville Buffet Tribute Band
When: 8/19/2022 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Who: Third Degree Burn
When: 8/20/2022, 1:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Where: Amphitheater

Enjoy the Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival

The Cheeseburger in Caseville Festival is one of the top summer festivals in Michigan. It’s a great chance to feel the tropical vibes at the top of Michigan’s Thumb! Don’t miss this family-friendly week of fun as an awesome summer comes to a close!

Caseville Cheeseburger Festival F. A. Q.

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About the Author-
Bella DiMascio is a Content Editor for mymichiganbeach.com. She grew up in the Detroit suburb of Westland and later attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo where she majored in Communication Studies and minored in English: Writing. Creative writing has been a hobby and interest of Bella’s since she was in elementary school and she is thrilled to be using her talents to highlight the Great Lakes State. Outside of writing, Bella enjoys getting outside with her two Australian Shepherds, playing video games, and binging shows on Netflix.