U.P. MICHIGAN REGION

U.P. Michigan

Region EVENTS July 10-11 July 14-18 July 16-17 July 31-Aug. 1 Crystal Falls – Bass Festival Ironwood – Festival Ironwood Iron River – UP Championship Rodeo Crystal Falls – Humongous Fungus Fest

It’s a U.P. Holiday Weekend Like No Other

By Dennis Ferson There is something special about holiday weekends in a small town, when quiet little villages burst to life. Moving here from the big city 25 years ago this was one of the most striking differences in my new Yooper life. In Chicago a holiday was an excuse to put one’s feet up and unwind from the daily hustle bustle. Here in Wakefield, as I’m sure in many of the Upper Peninsula’s small towns, there is an unusual excitement in the air as each committee puts the final touches on their piece of the “action.” The July 4 holiday weekend will be starting early this year, with the Historical Society’s “Hometown Variety Show” beginning at 6 p.m. on July 1. This local talent show, which has lead off the festivities for more than 30 years, will occur out of doors, on the school’s lakeside lawn for the first time.

The early kickoff will eliminate conflict with other nearby community’s preholiday plans. To our west, on Friday, July 2, Ramsay Township plans an evening of street activities followed by fireworks over Ramsay Park. That same evening, to the east, Gogebic Lodge’s fireworks will start at dusk. The Lodge is located on the west shore, eight miles north of U.S. 2. You can bring a lawn chair, but many will watch from boats. By early morning on July 3 much of Wakefield’s Sunday Lake shoreline along the highway will be filled with the parked cars and pickups of the “sooners” securing the best spots for the “Lightning Over the Lake” fireworks display that night. The town picnic in Eddy Park will fill the afternoon with music, food and beverage, bingo and the like. Then, at the conclusion of the Range Band’s evening “Concert in the Park,” all will find comfortable spots near the shore, or return to reclaim their staked out spaces along the road, to watch the traditionally spectacular display. There isn’t a bad place to set your chair or blanket and watch this remarkable show.

On July 4, a cannon salute will awaken much of the town at 6 a.m. Following the fireworks on Sunday Lake many have simply moved their folding chair, or other token of claim, to their favorite spot for viewing our true hometown Independence Day parade. Before the kid’s parade steps off from the firehouse, Wakefield’s business district curb will lined elbow to elbow with spectators. Shady viewing spots will be hard to come by when the Vintage Warbirds, a trio of World War II fighters, fly over, and back again, signaling the 1 p.m. start. Marching bands, classic cars, fire engines, one or two things drawn by a horse, logging trucks, and a dozen or so floats from local organizations vying for prizes will complete the pageant. The kids, first to have finished the parade, will reassemble at the high school track for races and games. Many of the other units head down the road or climb back onto their busses to appear in another small town’s parade, supporting the illusion that each is bigger than its britches. I, on the other hand, will likely end up sitting on the museum’s steps with a hot dog and a bag of chips, reassured that I don’t miss the big city, and pondering whether or not to go to Bessemer for a third night in a row of fireworks. You should come and try out a weekend! Bessemer’s Fourth of July festivities returns this year with a full panoply of events, including Fourth of July parade, fireworks, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, polka dance, chalk drawing contest, street bowling, food and music. For more information, go to facebook.com/Bessemer4th. U.P. Michigan Region

Crystal Falls Celebrates Summer and One Very, Very Big Mushroom

CRYSTAL FALLS – You can’t keep a good mushroom down, and 2021 brings back the Humongous Fungus celebration in Crystal Falls. But before we get you to that event, there’s another one in this Yooper city worthy of note. The annual Bass Festival will return the weekend of July 10-11. This Crystal Falls tradition hosted by the local Lions Club offers a lot to visitors and locals looking for fun events. They include volleyball games, baseball games, fishing contest, craft fair, music and the 40th annual Run Your Bass Off race. The road race will be Sunday at 9 a.m. CST at Runkle Lake Park. For overall event details visit iron.org or the Crystal Falls Business Association’s facebook page. Then beginning July 31 and going for another two days is the 30th annual Humongous Fungus Fest. It honors what the locals say is the largest (continuous) and oldest living (2,500 years) organism on earth, Armillaria bulbosa, a giant honey mushroom covering

more than 37 subterranean acres in the forest near Crystal Falls. According to Smithsonianmag.com, a researcher has revised his earlier estimate and now says the whole thing weighs more than 440 tons! Take that you skinny brontosauruses (who each weighed a diminutive 33 tons). The event sponsors will serve up a full menu of fun as they celebrate the fungus and other mushrooms under this year’s theme, “What a

long, strange trip it’ been!” On both Friday and Saturday, search out the “finds” during the citywide rummage sales, take the kids to the sidewalk chalk event and everybody to the strawberry social from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at Harbour House. Friday’s offerings wraps up with the Fungus Fest parade at 6 p.m. on Superior Avenue; live music from 7-10 p.m. in the lot behind Crystal Theatre; women’s softball at 6:45 p.m. and men’s softball at 8 p.m. at Runkle Lake Park. In addition to the two-day events, Saturday’s line-up includes the Methodist Church pie social, Vendor Village behind the theater; mushroom documentary showing at Crystal Theatre at 1 & 7 p.m.; and buckboard tournament at Runkle Lake. Discover the interesting characters and notables resting in peace during the 10 a.m. cemetery tour on Sunday. If you didn’t catch the other showings, the mushroom documentary returns to the theater at 1 p.m.

You can also tube down the Paint River and chow down on pasties and delicious bratwurst. No giant mushroom pizza this year, but check out local restaurants for their mushroom dishes.

Come UP to Festival Ironwood

IRONWOOD – On July 14-17, Ironwood will host its popular Festival Ironwood located on the grounds of the Historic Old Depot Park in downtown Ironwood. Billed as a mid-summer celebration, Festival Ironwood features a variety of fun activities and entertainment that will appeal to all ages and interests. Festival Ironwood offers a wide array of exhibits, games, bicycle rides, contests and other activities, as well as vendors, free live music and food (Thursday’s Yooper style wood-fired chicken feed is outstanding). The “World’s Largest Duck Pick” takes place on both Friday and Saturday. Friday’s lineup will be especially attractive to children. Scheduled are a kids woodchip scramble, watermelon eating contest, ACA Jumps 50-foot obstacle course, trike & bike kids show, clown show and H.O.P.E. animals display. Throughout the Festival they will certainly enjoy the giant moonwalk jumper. Saturday debuts the 29th annual arts/crafts/trade show at Depot Park with over 60 artists and vendors exhibiting from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday’s awesome Old Depot car show includes classic cars and motorcycles, vintage snowmobiles and tractors. You won’t want to miss the performance by Marty’s Goldenaires at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Also on Saturday is the Walk, Run & Roll with two mile (walk/ fun run) and five mile (run) course options. It starts at 8:30 a.m. from Old Depot Park. Awards and door prizes presented after the event. Check out the full schedule by going to the Ironwood Chamber of Commerce webpage: ironwoodchamber.org/festival-ironwood.

4th of July Activiti

Wake eld - e Wake eld 4th of July Sunday Lake Fireworks D play on Saturday, July 3, at 10:00 pm. e Wake eld 4th of July Parade on Sunday, July 4, at 12:30 p.m. in Wake eld. Lake Gogebic - Fireworks over Lake Gogebic will be on July 2 (Friday), from 9:45 – 11:15 pm. N9600 State Highway M64, Maren co, MO www.lakegogebicarea.com/events/ reworks-over-lake-gogebic/

B semer, MI - Fireworks are at 10pm on July 4th, and parade being at 7:00 p.m

Ironwood Chamber of Commerce

150 N Lowell St. Ironwood, Michigan 49938 1-906-932-1122 chamber@ironwoodchamber.org ironwoodchamber.org facebook.com/IronwoodChamber/

Lake Gogebic Chamber of Commerce

PO Box 114 Bergland, Michigan 49910 1-888-464-3242 info@lakegogebicarea.com lakegogebicarea.com facebook.com/lakegogebicarea

Wake eld Chamber of Commerce

M-28 at US-2 Wakefi eld, Michigan 49968 PO Box 93 1-906-224-2222 chamber@wakefi eldmi.org wakefi eldmi.org

Travel Ironwood

213 Marquette St. Ironwood, Michigan 49938 1-906-932-5050 info@travelironwood.com travelironwood.com