The annual Bay-Rama Fishfly Festival kicks off June 22-26 in downtown New Baltimore. The festival is a family-friendly event that is free and open to the public. Refreshments and food are available for purchase. 

Before the festival officially kicks off Wednesday, June 22, Anchor Bay Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Anchor Bay Tastefest from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 21 in Walter and Mary Burke Park on Front Street. New Baltimore-Chesterfield Patch offered readers the chance to win tickets to the food-lovers' fiesta.

Bay-Rama offers a slew of activities during the multi-day festival, including rides, a beauty queen pageant, cardboard boat regatta, food-eating contests, parade and more. Fireworks are held at dusk Thursday, June 23 in the park. View the complete schedule of events here.

As the only known festival in the nation to honor the insects, fishflies takes center stage in the city. Patch profile the short-lived creature that swarms around the lake at this time of year. Check out our story here and let us know in the comments section if you think it's a nuisance or necessity.

And keep up with Patch's coverage throughout the festival:

• Check out pictures from a soggy opening day.
• A new queen is crowned Miss Bay-Rama.
• Photos: Fireworks dazzled the crowd.
• The Bay-Rama Parade capped off the festival.