Best Festivals in the Western Upper Peninsula
Michigan has many unique festivals, and many of the best are scattered throughout the various Upper Peninsula towns. Whether you’re looking to enjoy live music, fantastic food and drinks, adventure, or something different altogether, you’ll find no shortage of options in the Western U.P. With this in mind, here are some of the festivals that you don’t want to miss when visiting Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Plaidurday
Plaidurday occurs every year on the first Friday in October. Although Plaidurday events are held in various locations around the globe, none of the others even come close to the experience of celebrating it in Ironwood. Deck yourself out in plaid colors and head downtown to enjoy music, food, and fun. The event is sponsored by Stormy Kromer, the world-famous hat brand, and offers you the chance to win a prize package full of all kinds of great gear.
Check out the Farmers and Artisans Market in Depot Park or head downtown to browse the many art vendors. A live concert is held in Downtown City Square, and you also have the chance to gather with other attendees in front of the Historic Ironwood Theatre Marquee for the world’s biggest Plaidurday photo.
Emberlight Festival
Ironwood is considered one of the best towns in the Upper Peninsula, and a lot of this has to do with its many amazing festivals. Held every summer, the Emberlight Festival is a massive celebration of music, art, film, and culture. The festival runs from the beginning of July through the end of August and is two months packed full of live concerts, art performances, and other entertainment. Throughout the festival, visitors have the chance to see world-famous opera singers, Broadway stars, cabaret shows, and much more.
Another highlight is the weeklong Emberlight International Film Festival held in late August. Every year hundreds of films from across the globe are submitted, with the best ones being selected and screened at Theater North. No matter what time you attend the Emberlight Festival, you will find no shortage of things to do in Ironwood, MI.
Festival Ironwood
If you’re in the UP in early July, you definitely want to check out Festival Ironwood. Held from Wednesday to Saturday, this festival allows you to take in live music from great local bands. All concerts are held under the Big Top, located near the county fairgrounds. In addition to daily concerts, there are also many other fun activities, including car shows, eating contests, sand castle building competitions, outdoor pool tournaments, arts and crafts shows, and so much more.
Menominee Giant Pumpkin Festival
Held every fall at the Menominee Historic Waterfront Downtown, the Giant Pumpkin Festival is finally set to return in 2023 after a several-year hiatus. The event features a large number of food and arts and crafts vendors, as well as competitions and games for all ages. Some contests include Jack-O-Lantern carving, pumpkin pie eating, and pumpkin seed spitting.
However, the highlight of the festival is undoubtedly the Giant Pumpkin Boat Race, where farmers and businesses from around the area put their skills to the test in a race to be first across the finish line. The only catch? Instead of boats, racers must hollow out a giant pumpkin, hop inside and paddle it a full lap around the course.
Copper Harbor Trails Fest
Copper Harbor is another of the most popular Upper Peninsula towns due to its amazing views overlooking Lake Superior and its many activities. Held every year over Labor Day Weekend at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, the Copper Harbor Trails Fest promises terrific food, beer, and live music. Visitors are also treated to the thrill of watching mountain bikers and trail runners flying down the trails in a race against the clock. The event features a 10K and several mountain bike races for various ages and skill levels.
At the end of the race, the man and woman with the fastest combined times in all three mountain bike races are named the King and Queen of the Mountain. The fastest people in both the mountain bike races and the 10K trail run are given the coveted Beast Mode award for their success. Whether you want to race or watch the excitement as a spectator, the Copper Harbor Trails Fest is not to be missed.
U.P. Fall Beer Festival
Craft beer enthusiasts will want to head to Marquette in September for the U.P. Fall Beer Festival. This one-day event takes place outdoors by the water at Mattson Lower Harbor and gives you the chance to taste a vast array of tasty brews from across Michigan. The event also often draws in other craft breweries from around the country.
The event is only for people 21 and over, and your entry ticket includes 15 beer tokens. Additional tokens are available for purchase, and various food vendors are also in attendance. Designated drivers are entitled to discounted tickets so you can still enjoy all of the fun even if you’re not drinking.
Bessemer Pumpkinfest
Toward the end of September, Bessemer holds Pumpkinfest. This is a fun event where you can enjoy free carnival rides, live music, and food. There is even geocaching, a kiddie parade, a tractor pull, and a pet costume contest. As you can imagine, there are many activities involving pumpkins like pumpkin bowling, a pumpkin pie eating contest, a pumpkin pancake breakfast, pumpkin decorating, and a pumpkin seed spitting contest.
SISU Ski Fest
Another one of the best things to do in Ironwood, MI, is to attend the SISU Ski Fest. Proceeds from this festival are used to help promote and support cross-country skiing and other recreational opportunities in the area. The festival features 5K, 10K, and 30K cross-country ski races. The event is held in conjunction with First Friday; a monthly event held downtown.
Once the racing is over, you can head downtown to browse vendors and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate by the large fire ring in City Square. Pocket Park also has a large campfire where children and adults can enjoy tasty s’mores. The event continues on Saturday evening with Party at the Theatre, held at the Historic Ironwood Theatre. You can dance away to live music while sipping on beer, wine, or soft drinks and munching on popcorn.
Marquette Area Blues Fest
If you’re a fan of blues music, you might want to book a trip to visit Marquette over Labor Day Weekend. The event features three days packed full of performances from world-famous blues musicians. All concerts are held by the waterfront at Mattson Lower Harbor Park, where you will also find a variety of food and drink vendors, workshops, and arts and crafts. Although the Saturday and Sunday concerts are ticketed, Friday’s concert is free and open to all.
Humongous Fungus Festival
Held yearly in Crystal Falls to celebrate its biggest resident, the Humungous Fungus Festival is another UP event like no other. The event has been held for the past three decades, ever since a massive subterranean Armillaria gallic fungus covering more than 37 acres was discovered in the area. The festival usually features a humongous mushroom pizza for you to sample and local mushroom tours. Other highlights include a parade, live music, lots of local vendors, rummage sales, and a mushroom cooking contest. You even have the chance to watch an entertaining and informative documentary on mushrooms at the Crystal Falls Theatre.
Jack Frost Festival
Ironwood’s own Jack Frost Festival kicks off with a tree lighting ceremony mid-November. Get ready with your best to show off in the Jack Frost Festival of Lights Parade in early December. Entry is open to all. With only 200 raffle tickets and prizes totaling $10,000, you’ll want to claim your ticket early. You can follow the Jack Frost Festival Facebook page for updates. Bundle up and enjoy festivities through the end of the year. The festival ends with a “Light Up the Night” Christmas Tree Burning Event at the end of January.
As you can see, there is no end to the wonderful things you can do and see in the UP. In fact, this list is truly just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to festivals and events. No matter what time you plan on visiting or what you’re into, you’ll have endless ways to spend your time with no shortage of fun.