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GRAND RAPIDS | MUSKEGON | KALAMAZOO | 6.4.23
When we chose the stories for this edition, all the events and dates were accurate. As always, find the mostup-to-date information on the event/activity website, Facebook page or other direct information source.
[LOOK INSIDE] Sweet summertime and Lilac Festival on Mackinac Island
SPONSORED BY Mackinac Island Convention and Visitor Bureau
t Mackinac in
Bloom!
he concept was simple: Invite people to enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride on Mackinac Island while the lilacs are in full bloom. Over the past three-quarters of a century, that original idea for Lilac Day back in 1948 has blossomed into a 10-day celebration with a Lilac Queen and court, a horse-drawn parade and a variety of other fun activities including a 10k run, poster contest, bounce house for kids, walking tours, gardening programs, live music and so much more. Yet, the heart of the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival that marks its 75th anniversary this year remains the same as always – welcoming visitors to see and smell the magnificent, sweetscented lilacs. That’s why people travel from all over the world to Mackinac Island this time of year, year after year! Why not come on up and experience the pageantry yourself? Even though the Lilac Festival is a cherished tradition, perhaps it’s all new to you. Or maybe you’ve heard of it but have never known why it’s such a beloved aspect of Michigan culture. Well, this guide is for you. And we hope you’ll use it to plan an unforgettable visit to the No. 1 Best Island in the Continental U.S. this month, while Mackinac is in bloom!
Why Are There So Many Beautiful Lilacs on Mackinac Island
t
SPONSORED BY Mackinac Island Convention and Visitor Bureau
he story of Mackinac Island’s lilacs goes back much farther than the festival that began in 1949. Lilacs aren’t native to Mackinac Island, nor anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere, for that matter. Instead, they were brought to the island. The earliest documentation of lilacs on Mackinac Island comes from an 1861 journal entry by the writer Henry David Thoreau, who visited the summer before he died of tuberculosis. Another influx of the flowers came when the Hubbard family moved to Mackinac Island from New Hampshire. Many European immigrants brought lilacs to New England and planted them near
of the island, are about 100 years old. And because they are offspring of older stems that were also about 100 years old, it has been about 200 years since lilacs were brought to Mackinac Island, estimates Jeff Young, a master gardener and coauthor of “Lilacs: A Fortnight of Fragrance on Mackinac Island.” During the past two centuries, lilacs have flourished on Mackinac Island. They find good growing their farms for good luck. So, when conditions in the island’s shallow, the Hubbards moved to Mackinac well-drained soil with a high Island and began farming, they pH level due to the underlying planted lilacs. limestone. Adequate rainfall and a Some of the lilac stems near that good hardening each winter have farm, which later was developed strengthened the lilacs to the point into cottages in an area known as that they are the largest in the Hubbard’s Annex on the west side country – with some stems larger
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than two feet across at the base. Horticulturists that visit Mackinac Island are amazed by the size of the lilacs because they don’t see them that big anywhere else. Young knows of no older or larger lilac stems in the United States or Canada. As more people built homes on Mackinac Island in the late 1800s, they brought lilacs with them, too. Then, to attract more visitors, the Lilac Festival was created after World War II. Residents, businesses and the state park planted lilacs everywhere. Now, wherever you go on Mackinac Island, you see beautiful lilacs and enjoy the flower’s pleasing fragrance.
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Telling Michigan’s Best Stories Join us as we explore Michigan to find the best our state has to offer. Follow along as we travel to find and tell stories about Michigan’s best adventures, foods, events, nature, innovations, businesses, and communities. Your source for feel-good, positive Michigan news. Find us on MLive.com/MichigansBest and our social channels.
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