Dexter Daze, the village’s largest festival of the year, will take place Friday and Saturday with a parade, entertainment, a social tent, a pole vault competition and lots of arts and crafts booths.

“Dexter Daze is one of my favorite times of the year. Everyone comes out and I get to see people I don’t normally see,” said Dexter Village Council President Shawn Keough.

The two-day festival includes community booths and children’s activities, tours of Gordon Hall and more than 15 garage sales. For a complete list of activities, click here.

Council member Donna Fisher called it a “big community reunion.”

The free event also includes a bounce tent, chicken barbecue, a library book sale and local merchant sales.

Dexter Kiwanis has a raffle that awards $10,000 to the winner, $1,000 for second prize and $500 for third prize with tickets at $10 each or 5 tickets for $40. The drawing will take place at 7 p.m. in Monument Park and proceeds benefit scholarships and community projects.

The Rotary Club of Dexter will raffle off a playhouse that’s a replica of a home found in the village for the 11th year in a row. Tickets are $5 each or five tickets for $20 and the winner will be chosen Saturday at 7 p.m.

“All the alumni, my son’s 30th (high school) reunion, the social tent, it’s the whole feeling, pretzels from the senior center, bidding on the Rotary Playhouse that go to scholarships, music, it’s just a great event,” said Councilman Paul Cousins.

According to the history of the event, prior to 1971, the festival began as a sidewalk sale that was transformed into “Discover Dexter Days,” and included old movies, pie baking contests, square dancing and a parade.

In its 39th year, Dexter Daze takes place from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. and the social tent opens at 11 a.m. both days where more than 100 crafters will sell their work.

On Friday, the Dexter Museum will be open from 1-3 p.m. and the American Legion will have a Swiss steak fry beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Among Saturday’s highlights are the annual parade that begins at 10 a.m. and travels down Dexter Ann Arbor Road to Main Street. The St. James’ Church chicken BBQ begins at 11 a.m. and tours of Gordon Hall take place from noon until 3:30 p.m.

Plus, there’s a pole vault competition at Creekside School from 1-7 p.m. In addition, the Dexter District Library will hold a book sale from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and visitors can shop at the farmers’ market en route.

Do you enjoy horseshoes? Join the Dexter Ringers at the First Street Park Saturday at 1 p.m.

Visitors can take a ride in the Little Smilin’ Choo Choo through the village for $1 from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. both days.

The Dexter Lions, Kiwanis and United Methodist Church will sell food in the park both days as well.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Dexter stories, visit our Dexter page.