FARMINGTON, Mich. – Local 4 News is getting out of the studio and hitting the road to be In Your Neighborhood! We’re showcasing what makes our communities great!
The city of Farmington is getting ready to celebrate its bicentennial on March 8. The city was founded in 1824, 13 years before Michigan became a state.
It was settled by Arthur Power, whose hometown was Farmington, New York. During the time of slavery, Farmington was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Related: Springbrook Gardens Florist: A Farmington landmark for over 80 years
It was a small village until the 1950′s, when the post-war building boom brought thousands of people to the suburbs. Currently, more than 10,000 people call Farmington home. It’s known for the quality of its public schools, the city’s downtown, its Historic District and is regularly ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States.
Riley Park downtown is the epicenter of the whole city. It currently is home to the Riley Park Ice Rink. This free skating rink doesn’t have skate rentals, but it does have donated skates on hand for people to use. The area has family-friendly events all year long. Rhythms in Riley Park brings live music and crowds on Fridays, June-August and the Harvest Moon Celebration welcomes the fall season.
The city showcases art everywhere, with its walkable downtown featuring sculptures and murals. In fact, the city will host Heart of the Art on Saturday. This event celebrates and supports public art and features drinks, live music, a cocktail crawl and more.
Farmington keeps growing with new businesses and events coming to the area. In the last two years, five new independent coffee businesses have opened. In March, a new women’s boutique -- Apricot Lane -- will come to the area. The following month, an independent bookstore called The Road Less Travelled will open.
More information on events in Farmington can be found on its official website.
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