I grew up in Huntington Woods near the Detroit Zoo. It was a great childhood - We were able to play kick the can well into darkness on warm summer nights, my parents allowed us to ride bikes to local drug stores and we were even allowed to get quite dangerous on a rather large hill that was two blocks East of my house. And when I say we "played" on that hill, I mean we rode bikes, skateboards, roller-skates or even in home-made "soapbox cars" or other vehicles to drive down the hill IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET! While I do not condone playing in the street, I have amazing memories of the fun summer days we had, and really enjoyed riding down the hill. That's why I was excited to hear about the second annual Boxcar Derby on March 20!

This Saturday, any Ann Arbor area child - elementary school kids to University of Michigan college "kids", or anyone in between - can build cars and race them downhill near the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house. Food and finish line antics make it a perfect day for kids and families whether they are a racer, a sideline supervisor or a member of the cheering audience.

So be sure to stop by and check it out, Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at South University between Oxford and Walnut in Ann Arbor - I'm sure it'll be a fun day for all.

Tammy Mayrend is a search marketing professional and mother of two who blogs on local activities for families at annarbormom.com.