The blog has been resting for most of the summer, but now it’s time for a revival. A classic ritual of summer’s end is the state fair; or perhaps we Michiganders should say, was the state fair. The Michigan State Fair, dating back to 1859, is the oldest in the nation. The fairgrounds have seen many a good year; the famed racehorse Seabiscuit won two breakout races there in 1937. But this year’s is apparently the last edition of the fair, at least for awhile; the money is just not there. State fairs are anachronisms: the midway, with its low-tech carny rides and greasy food; the farm displays, recalling a life that most Americans have left behind; the quaint old buildings, dating from a bygone era. Still, it is good to see the country meeting the city for a week or so; farmers awed by the bright lights, urban street kids getting close to farm animals, perhaps for the first time. Something will be lost when the Michigan State Fair closes tomorrow, and my wife Jan and I were overtaken by sadness as we strolled through the fairgrounds at Woodward and 8 Mile on Friday evening.

More upbeat, literally and figuratively, is the Detroit Jazz Festival. Called the largest free jazz festival in the world, this annual event features a mixture of veteran and fledgling talent and brings thousands of people into downtown Detroit. Jan and I caught three excellent acts yesterday. The most captivating was Alfredo Rodriguez, a young pianist billed as the next Art Tatum. I never heard Mr. Tatum perform live, but Mr. Rodriguez lived up to his billing, displaying remarkable virtuosity and skill. The DJF is an affirmation of both an art form and the life of a great city.

Another form of affirmation is found in the Detroit Tigers. Just two weeks ago, the Tigers were clinging to a slim lead in the mediocre American League Central Division, with anemic hitting struggling to support superb starting pitching. But the relief corps has rounded into shape (Fernando Rodney’s closing appearances are like a rollercoaster ride, but one that leaves us deposited safely at the end), and during the past few weeks, the offense has shown signs of life. Injuries have hobbled third-baseman Brandon Inge, such that the All Star’s batting average has sunk below .240. But yesterday Mr. Inge (a gamer to be sure) belted a grand slam, stunning the Tampa Bay Rays and leading the Tigers to another come-from-behind victory. This was the Tigers’ sixth straight road win, a significant accomplishment for a team that had performed creditably at home but had been sub-500 on the road through most of the season. Suddenly, seven games separate them from the second-place Twins. In a city that needs every reason to believe in itself, the Tigers are a welcome surprise and perhaps a harbinger of recovery.