Sugar on the bay
Sebewaing's sugar-beet factory and annual Michigan Sugar Festival keep the Saginaw Bay village tied to the Thumb's farm economy.
The sugar-beet factory on the edge of town has been turning out sugar since 1902, and it’s still the biggest employer in Sebewaing. It’s one of four Michigan Sugar Company plants in the region, and it sits right on the shore of Saginaw Bay. Every fall, local farmers haul their beet harvest in for processing. That run is called the “campaign,” and it’s the same rhythm the town has kept for generations.
The town throws a Michigan Sugar Festival each June to thank the industry that built it. It’s a classic small-town party: a parade, a midway, a famous chicken barbecue, and fireworks. It has been going strong since the 1960s. Add a spot right on the bay for fishing and boating, a historical museum, and a walkable downtown. You’ve got a quiet Thumb town with a sweet claim to fame.