If you’re like me, you’re too broke to go anywhere for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. You, again like me, have become intimately familiar with neologisms like “staycation” as well as old standbys like “on sale,” “free,” and “Stop! Thief!”

Luckily there are a number of activities that go well with beer happening around town to help you have fun while you drink away the pain of poverty. Money-saving tips for happy fun weekend follow the jump.

Ypsi-centric Fun

Tonight (aka Thursday, Sept. 3) at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti is the kickoff party for this weekend’s Jamboree at Riverside Park (about which more below). Enticements include live music from funky soulsters Third Coast Kings and the release of a special brew called Ypsitucky Bourbon Ale. Festivities begin at 7pm.

Jamboree? What? This brand-spanking-new event is described on its Web site as “Washtenaw County’s only outdoor, family-friendly Music Festival highlighting Bluegrass, Roots, Americana and other Regional Acts.” Among the many performers are perennial local faves Laith Al-Saadi, the Macpodz, Dick Siegel, and Chris Bathgate. Local arts and crafts, food, and—most importantly—beer will also figure prominently. The event runs from 4-11pm Friday, Sept. 4, and 11am to whenever they kick you out Saturday, Sept. 5. Tickets are $15 and $20 for Friday and Saturday, respectively, or $10 and $15 if purchased beforehand at Corner Brewery, Aubree’s, or other fine Depot Town establishments. See the-jamboree.com for (lots) more information.

Closer to Home

Something’s going on in Ann Arbor Saturday, too. What is it? Oh, right, it’s the first game of a new Michigan football season! The Western Michigan Broncos will be loose from the ’zoo, and for several hours the population of Tree Town will approximately double.

Thanks to a generous friend, I’ll actually be at the game. But in the interest of, uh, paying it forward or whatever, here are a few quick and dirty money-saving tips for throwing an unrefined but acceptable TV tailgate party without compromising your principles (which, whatever they are, ought to include refusing to drink crappy brew).

Beer: You notice how expensive beer’s gotten these days? Me too. But before you consider picking up that case of Budmillercoors because you just can’t afford the good stuff, check out Trader Joe’s. They have a number of their own beers (contract brewed by Gordon Biersch)—including a vienna, dunkelweizen, bock, and kolsch—that are excellent and, at $6 a sixpack of bottles, easy on the wallet. For even cheaper but still better than mass-produced swill beer, check out the Simpler Times lager or pilsner, which each sell for $5 a sixer (bottles) or $4 in cans. You can’t beat that with a stick. Optionally, if you’re more of a hophead, Meijer almost always has good prices (< $8) on sixpacks of Sierra Nevada IPA, Goose Island Honker’s Ale, and Red Hook ESB and/or IPA, the latter of which is actually under $7 a sixpack. All are solid go-to brews for the sophistamacated beer drinker.

Food: Meijer has Johnsonville brats on sale. Mmm, brats. Optionally, Kroger’s breaded deli wings are tasty and usually a good deal. Also at the Kroger deli, cocktail shrimp are just $5 a pound. Sides? Bush’s baked beans also on sale at Meijer. Potato chips: Try Trader Joe’s salt and pepper ridge cuts. They are awesome in an addicted-to-crack way and at $3 a bag, less expensive than just about any Lay’s product. As a dedicated carnivore, I’ll leave it to others to figure out where the best cheap veggies can be found.

Entertainment: Forget those ludicrously expensive licensed bean bag and ladderball games and stick with beer pong. It’s fun, it’s cheap, and it involves beer. ‘Nuff said.

Music: To counteract the low-brow nature of beer pong, go to MGoBlog.com and download this classy lounge version of “The Victors.” Your guests will either demand their own copy or threaten to kill you if you don’t turn it off. Either way, you’re the center of attention and that’s what counts, right?

Supplies: Again, skip the branded Michigan stuff and head straight to the nearest Dollar Tree. Buy one 20-pack of blue plates and one 20-pack of yellow plates. Do likewise with blue and yellow napkins and blue and yellow plastic utensils. Throw in a blue or yellow plastic tablecloth, if you need one. Total cost: $7. Done.

Now the only thing needed is a Michigan victory. Go Blue!

Oh, And One More Thing…

If football isn’t your thing but bad movies are, consider ducking out of the madness to meet up with the Ann Arbor Area Smith-ka-teers at the Corner Brewery at 5pm Saturday for “Dinner and a Smithee.” These guys put on an annual bad movie awards show in April, and this is your chance to see them at work during the offseason. (For more on the Smithee Awards, see my recap from this year's event.)

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy your weekend, drink beer, and have fun!

David Bardallis is a freelance writer and editor, blogger, bon vivant, and man about town. Visit his Web site, DavidBardallis.com, to engage his services or read his latest ramblings insights. Email your beer-related thoughts to annarborbeer@gmail.com.