Weekend Planner: Dexter Area Events for Aug. 4-5

From chicken dinners to air shows, there is plenty going on around Washtenaw County this weekend to entertain the kids.

Families

• 2012 Thunder Over Michigan Air Show

The Yankee Air Museum will host its annual Thunder Over Michigan Air Show on Aug. 4-5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at historic Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti. The theme for this year’s show is Mustang Mania and 20 P-51 Mustangs are scheduled to appear. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $30 on the day of the event.

• 33rd Annual Chicken and Corn Roast

The 33rd annual Chicken and Corn Roast will be held at North Lake United Methodist Church in Chelsea on Saturday, starting at 3 p.m. The church is located at 14111 N. Territorial Road. Chicken dinners are $10.

• Spring Valley Trout Farm tours

sits on 20 acres of carefully maintained grounds in a park setting. Visitors can stroll in the park, which includes 9 spring fed ponds ranging from a 1/2 acre to an acre in size. On these grounds are located two  covered picnic pavilions which seat up to 100 people each, a children's play area, and an authentic American log cabin, used as a fishing lodge with Handicap restrooms and snack bar. The cabin is available for your groups visit and is a replica of fishing cabins from the north. Admission is $5.

• Play a game of laser tag

Drop-in laser tag players are always welcome at  in Dexter. You can play laser tag with as little as two or as many as 14 people per game. The arcade is open from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

• Tours of Rentschler Farm and Saline Railroad Depot Museums

On Saturday and Sunday the Rentschler Farm and Saline Railroad Depot Museums, 1265 E. Michigan Ave., are open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The farm animals have returned, young lambs and their ewes, as well as baby pigs, Trixie and Dixie. At the depot museum, visit the fully furnished caboose. For more information, call 734-944-0442.

• Hands-On Demo: Hunting Mastodons

At this demonstration, step back 12,000 years into the last Ice Age. Explore the evidence of Mastodon hunting by people who lived in Michigan! Discover how archaeologists today study artifacts and learn about the evidence of interactions between people and Mastodons. This event is free and takes place at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Live Theatre

• Tickets are on sale now for performances of at the Encore Musical Theatre in Dexter.
• continues its run at the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea.
• Penny Seats Theatre presents "She Loves Me," Aug. 2-4, and Aug. 9-11 at West Park Band Shell, between Miller and Huron streets in Ann Arbor. For more information, visit www.pennyseats.org.