Editing Mendon, Michigan (section)

==Culture==
Despite its small size, this town has culture to spare.

=== Mendon Riverfest ===
Each year, the village celebrates the Mendon Riverfest at Reed River Park on the banks of the [[St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan)|St. Joseph River]]. This festival began in 1987 at the historic Wakeman House, but relocated around 1989, when the size of the festival became too large for the venue. The Mendon Riverfest takes place annually on the  third weekend in August, from Thursday through Saturday. Some of the signature activities include the Lip Sync Contest, the Canoe Swamp, Casino Night, and the Toy Boat Race. On Saturday night a fireworks display is set off over the banks of the St. Joseph River.

=== Mendon Kiwanis Showboat ===
Beginning as a Minstrel Show in 1956, The Mendon Kiwanis Showboat, Has become a cultural staple. With its Focus on Local Music, Talent, and comedy what's not to love.

It is also the Largest fundraiser for the local Mendon Kiwanis Club. In 2017 it raised Nearly $10,000 USD, much of which stayed local and went to funding food programs and scholarships for the kids in the town of Mendon.

On the first full Weekend of every November,† at the Mendon Elementary Auditorium, This Fundraiser takes place. Each Year it brings together a Chorus of local talent to perform in a variety show. For the first fifty years of its existence the show's format and theme remained largely unchanged. It Used to be Based on turn of the century Mississippi River Steam Boat shows and the musical 'Showboat' By Oscar Hammerstein II. 
The 51st show would begin a brand New era for the show. One where the Steamboat theme and minstrel show format would vanish. In the most recent fourteen years of the show it has taken on a theme of the year style. With some of the previous years themes being:
* Vaudeway! (2017) The Showboat Chorus finds themselves enchanted by an evil wizard Forced into performing The music of Broadway and the sketch comedy of Vaudeville.
* SMILE! (2018) A gang of characters (loosely based on the Muppets), led by the charismatic Cermet T. Toad, come into the town of Mendon to remind the adults to smile. Featuring songs and skits about happiness.
* Lets Fake A Deal! (2019) A group of Ed Sullivan fanatics, finds themselves participating in a fast paced game show for the grand prize of One million dollars. Music all about the games we play and sketches written based on your favorite TV Game shows.

†Except in 2006 when the 50th anniversary show was canceled due to construction on the Auditorium, and 2020 when the decision was made to cancel the show due to the COVID-19