Things to Do in Defiance

Competitors and friends converge to fill their spare time with strikes and high-fives, and to scatter pins atop Georgetown Bowl's 40 lanes. Automatic-scoring systems track points as bowlers chase the elusive 300-point gutter ball seven days a week—including on Beer Bash Friday, when all-you-can drink drafts supplement two hours of unlimited bowling. Inside the Sports Gallery Lounge, four big-screen TVs broadcast both professional and college games, and at the snack bar, bites of wings, wraps, and pizza help players refuel between frames. Beyond the lanes and video arcade, the full-service pro shop's industry veteran, Trace Chamberlin, helps upgrade equipment by re-drilling holes to fit their owners' fingers or rolled-up treasure maps pointing to the center pin.

Landmarks of standup for decades, Connxtions Comedy Clubs remain mainstays for up-and-coming comics and national stars, with a roster of past performers that includes Sinbad, Drew Carey, Tim Allen, D. L. Hughley, and Rob Schneider. Headlining comedians, many seen on national television, keep the venues teetering Thursday–Saturday nights, whereas Wednesday nights host improv spectacles and open mics where rookies can begin their ascent into stardom or descent into miming. While refueling chuckle tanks, duos and groups can split a savory appetizer, such as cheese bread or chicken wings, or enjoy a potent cocktail at the bar.

Tampa's Cinco de Mayo Fiesta is a cultural cornucopia celebrating the Mexican holiday with music, dancing, food, activities, children's attractions, and a car and motorcycle show. Follow the incipient online schedule—or flip through the Facebook page—for the still-developing calendar, which includes events such as salsa-dancing lessons, a tongue-tickling chili contest, and the glamorous Miss Tampa Latina pageant. During the daily happy hour 3 p.m.–6 p.m., thirsty guests can enjoy one free beer. Take in a salsa lesson, then meander over to the other salsa camp, where recently steadied shoulders will be tested against fiery tortilla-toppers at the salsa tasting station. While proud car owners buff their road babies for Friday's car and motorcycle show, their flesh-based brood can clamber (supervised) through the children's area and carnival rides.

Although it’s the oldest continuously running theater in Michigan (and the third oldest in all of the United States), Croswell Opera House has more vibrancy than most venues half its age. Renovated over the last two decades with a new stage floor, an enlarged orchestra pit, and burgundy and gold medallions atop a fresh coat of paint, the historic venue has lost none of its old-fashioned charm as it continues through its second century.

Originally constructed in 1866, the downtown epicenter of Lenawee County arts and culture has played host to a rich timeline of American entertainment. The 1800s featured vaudeville acts, musicians, and orators such as Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, and the early 1900s saw silent movies swallowed by the next wave of cinema: loudies. Although it was nearly demolished in 1967, the opera house persevered with the loving care of its staff and patrons, and today continues to host a wealth of musical acts, Broadway shows, and children’s theater.

Inside a sprawling, 4,000-square-foot laser-tag arena, sharpshooters 7 years and older strap on chest pieces and unholster their electronic arms. Competitors crouch and weave through black-lit battlefields as they confuse enemies by flanking their position and producing duck calls to the tune of “Bennie and the Jets.” Guests can take a break to scramble up the sides of a rock-climbing wall, or they can sharpen their thumbs in the arcade arena. Q-Zar also hosts group birthday parties and team-building outings, during which coworkers can silently stalk each other in the dark before pouncing to intercept a trust fall.

At Black Rose Rentals, helpful teams of party suppliers deck out celebrations with brand-new equipment. The staff sets up summery white canopies over outdoor banquets and facilitates toe tapping with DJ rental systems. Inflatable moonwalk palaces keep revelers entertained and airborne, while portable dance floors turn lawns and patios into glitzy ballrooms. Black Rose Rentals delivers, installs, and strikes all equipment, and staffers are backed by the confidence of full item insurance, a million-dollar liability, and a pat on the back from Bacchus.