Marquette Monthly, published by Model Town Publishing, LLC, located at PO Box 109, Gwinn, MI, 49841, is locally and independently owned. Entire contents Copyright 2024 by Model Town Publishing. All rights reserved. Permission or use of editorial material in any manner must be obtained in writing from the publishers. Marquette Monthly is published 12 times a year. Subscriptions are $65 per year. Freelance material can be submitted for consideration to editor@marquettemonthly.com. Events can be submitted to calendar@marquettemonthly.com. Ad inquiries can be sent to james@marquettemonthly.com or jane@marquettemonthly.com.
About the Cover Artist
Sandi Mager made her living as a nurse, but art has always been her passion. More than 25 years ago, she got together with friends to learn oil painting, which turned into weekly classes to help pass the long winter months, and now her work is in galleries. Find her on Facebook and Instagram under sandimagerart or email her at sandileamager@aol.com.
5 City notes
HigHligHts of important Happenings in tHe area
15 new york tiMes Crossword Puzzle it goes BotH Ways (ansWers on page 60)
17 then & now
Superior View BoB’s Groceries and northwoods outpost in au train
18 feature
KriSti eVanS Grand island offers an escape from civilization
22 lookout Point
John SmolenS a reflection on the place we call home
25 the arts erin elliott Bryan Jeff KreBs and the stumpsitters release ‘consider this’
31 baCk then
larry ChaBot
Gus sonnenBerG was a star in footBall and wrestlinG
34 in the outdoors andie Balenger a trip to macKinac island is a Journey BacK in time
39 lookout Point
Jennifer Champagne houGhton native raJ vaBle is BrewinG chanGe in india
44 baCk then
Jennifer Champagne weBster marBle’s outdoor products put Gladstone on the map
49 the arts pam ChriStenSen an estaBlishment in alston meets the demand for live music
53 sPorting life
Brad giSChia sands speedway presents a summertime spectacle
57 in the outdoors SCot Stewart a natural hiss-tory of u.p. snaKes
63 loCals
Jennifer donoVan calumet celeBrates its 20th annual pasty fest
67 loCals
Jennifer Champagne marquette county innovators emBrace remote worK
72 suPerior reads
ViCtor r. VolKman deBut novelist sets a thriller in st iGnace
74 on CaMPus news from u p universities & colleGes
77 Coloring Page BeCauSe marquette little presque isle
78 Poetry a. lynn Blumer the huron mountains
79 out & about erin elliott Bryan & Carrie uSher auGust events and music; art and museum Guides
Farm Block reunion benefit is Aug. 2-4 in Allouez
The 16th annual reunion benefit for the Dan Schmitt Gift of Music and Education Fund will take place Aug. 2 to 4 on the Parsons family farm at 2239 N. Farmers Block Rd. in Allouez. About 25 local, regional and national musical acts will perform.
The event was started to honor the memory of Dan Schmitt, a 20-yearold musician from Calumet who died in a car accident in 2007. Schmitt played music with his friend Graham Parsons, and the Parsons family considered Schmitt a second son.
Proceeds from the event support the Dan Schmitt Gift of Music and Education Fund, which provides free instruments and music instruction to area youth.
Day and weekend passes are available; parking is not included in the ticket price. For information, visit farmblock.com.
Partridge Creek continues produce program for kids
Partridge Creek Farm’s Power of Produce program will continue from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays through Aug. 24 during the Downtown Marquette Farmers Market. Kids younger than 12 can take part in an activity that encourages them to try new fruits and vegetables each week and will receive a $5 token to spend on the foods of their choice at the market.
The program’s activity schedule will be My Plate Meal on Aug. 3; Smoothie Tasting on Aug. 10; Veggie Art on Aug. 17; and Guess that Veggie on Aug. 24. For information, visit partridgecreekfarm.org.
Ishpeming cemetery tours continue through August
The Ishpeming Area Historical Society continues to host its Ishpeming Cemetery Tour at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Aug. 27. The walking tour will begin at the sexton’s office and last about an hour.
Led by Ishpeming historian Karen Kasper, this year’s tour will focus on a new group of citizens, including Al Quaal, caretaker of the Al Quaal Recreation Area, who helped plan and oversaw the development of the recreation area in the 1930s, and two sisters and wartime nurses, Ethel Remer, who served as a nurse in World War I, and Helen Anderson, who served as a nurse in World War II.
city notes
DID YOU KNOW ...
who was the longest-serving member of the Michigan Legislature?
Dominic J. Jacobetti (July 20, 1920–Nov. 28, 1994) was a Democratic politician from Negaunee. He holds the record as the longest-serving member of the Michigan House of Representatives, serving from 1955 until his death in 1994, representing the state’s 108th and 109th districts in the central Upper Peninsula. He made sure the U.P. got its fair share of funding from the state.
Submitted by Dr. Russell M. Magnaghi, history professor emeritus of NMU and author of several books, including “Classic Food and Restaurants of the Upper Peninsula.”
The tour will be canceled in case of inclement weather. The suggested donation is $5 for students 12 to 17 and $10 for adults; children younger than 12 are free. Proceeds from the tour will benefit the Ishpeming Area Historical Society. For information, call the Main Street Antique Mall at 906-486-8680.
DeVos Art Museum to exhibit historic local photos
NMU’s DeVos Art Museum will feature “Standing Still: Studio Portraits from the Upper Peninsula” Aug. 6 through Nov. 2. This exhibition of historic photos from Jack Deo will feature local legends, friends, neighbors and everyday heroes of the past.
The portraits were taken in U.P. photo studios between 1890 and 1910 by photographers including Charles Cole and Brainard F. Childs at Childs Art Gallery in Marquette and Ishpeming; John William Nara at Nara Studio in Calumet; Gustav A. Werner at Werner Studio in Marquette and Ishpeming; and Theodore Sexton at Sexton Studio in Garden.
Deo began photographing the U.P. when he enrolled in NMU in 1973. From 1978 to 2013, Deo owned and operated Superior View Photography in Marquette.
In 1978, Deo acquired the original negatives and camera equipment from the Childs Art Gallery, which operated from 1868 to 1978. To see a selection of photos in Deo’s collection, visit viewsofthepast.com.
U.P. Notable Book Club to welcome Julie Buchholtz
The Crystal Falls Community District Library in partnership with
the U.P. Publishers and Authors Association will host Julie Buchholtz, author of “Who Am I?” in an online conversation on Aug. 8. The event will take place at 7 p.m. EDT, 6 p.m. CDT, via Zoom.
In her picture book, Buchholtz, a member of the Bay Mills Tribe of Chippewa Indians, offers an Indigenous perspective on the interconnectedness of life.
It is recommended to borrow a copy of the book from a local library or purchase one from a local bookseller in advance. For information about the U.P. Notable Book list, U.P. Book Review and UPPAA, visit upnotable. com.
For Zoom information for the Aug. 8 event, contact Evelyn Gathu in advance at 906-875-3344 or egathu@ crystalfallslibrary.org.
Loonapalooza 2024
is
TAug. 9 in Curtis
he Friends of Seney National Wildlife Refuge will host Loonapalooza on Aug. 9 at the Erickson Center for the Arts in Curtis. This event celebrates common loons and other migratory birds.
The afternoon symposium, which begins at 2:30 p.m., will feature four experts who will share their research and observations about migratory birds. The lectures are free and open to the public. Speakers are David Flaspohler and Jared Wolfe of Michigan Technological University, Alec Lindsay of Northern Michigan University and Joe Kaplan of Common Coast Research and Conservation.
Following the lectures, at 5:30 p.m., the Loonapalooza celebration will include a photo booth, loon calling
contest, live and silent auctions and more. There will be specially brewed beer by Ore Dock Brewery, wine by End of the Road Winery, U.P.-created spirits and appetizers from the Upper Crust Deli.
The celebration is open to Friends of Seney NWR members and their guests. To register for the Loonapalooza lectures, the Loonapalooza Celebration or both, email loonapalooza@friendsofseney.org or call 906-287-6592.
League of Women Voters to gather on Aug. 14
The League of Women Voters of Marquette County will hold its next general membership meeting on Aug. 14 in the George Shiras Room of the Peter White Public Library in Marquette. Social time will begin at 6:15 p.m. followed by the meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Attorney Mark Brewer will speak on “Issues in the Administration of Michigan Elections.” Brewer’s practice primarily focuses on union-side labor, election, campaign finance and nonprofit law. He has been a pivotal figure in numerous election cases since the 1980s, spanning issues such as presidential primaries, recalls and voting rights. Brewer has worked with the League of Women Voters of Michigan on issues such as redistricting.
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
All community members are welcome to attend. For information, email lwvmqtco@gmail.com.
Pasty Fest events kick off Aug. 16 in Calumet
This year’s Pasty Fest will feature a medieval theme and set up a battle between the Kingdom of Ketchup and the Gravy Kingdom. A variety of activities, including foam jousting, a strong-man pasty pull and a pasty eating competition, will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Aug. 17 on Fifth Street in Calumet.
There will be a car show, medieval enactments, music and kids’ activities. Visitors are invited to sport their best red or brown colors to show solidarity with their condiment of choice.
“History on the Rocks: A Pasty Poetry Slam” will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 16 at Eva’s Hideaway in Calumet. Participants can compose a few lines of pasty prose, and one poet will be awarded a winner’s certificate.
‘Big Annie’ gala sells out
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Clemenc, who was known as “Big Annie,” gained notoriety during the Copper Country strike of 1913-14. Gala attendees dressed up in 1913-era attire and enjoyed an ethnic dinner catered by local restaurants, a silent auction, speakers and music. Eighteen of Clemenc’s relatives were in attendance. To learn more, visit facebook.com/biganniestatue. (Photo courtesy of Team Annie)
Pasty Fest is a fundraiser for Main Street Calumet. For more information, visit uppastyfest.com or see the article on Page 63 of this issue of Marquette Monthly.
Art and history day camps open to youth in August
The Marquette Regional History Center will present Hands On! Art and History Day Camp from 10 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, Aug. 19 to 23, at the history center.
In partnership with the Liberty Children’s Art Project, this summer camp for ages 8 to 12 is open to all skill levels of art and those who enjoy museums.
The cost is $50 for the week for museum members and $55 for nonmembers. A sibling discount is available. For information and to register, call 906-226-3571 or visit marquettehistory.org.
Rotary Club’s HarborFest is Aug. 22-24 in Marquette
TheMarquette West Rotary Club will host its annual HarborFest Aug. 22 to 24 in Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park.
This family event, which includes food, beverages and a variety of live music, raises money to support Marquette County nonprofit organizations that provide programs and services to improve the quality of life for residents of all ages.
The Marquette Symphony Summer Strings will perform at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 22. On Aug. 23, live music will be performed by Luke Ogea at 4:30 p.m., Diversion at 6:45 p.m. and Hypnotized, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, at 9 p.m. On Aug. 24, live music will be performed by Charlie Reager Acoustic at 3 p.m., The Reveal at 4:45 p.m., Tom Katlin and Highway 41 at 6:45 p.m. and Urgent, a Foreigner tribute band, at 9 p.m.
Sales from wristbands, beer, wine and seltzer will support the mission of Marquette West Rotary, which has raised more than $700,000 for grants for more than 50 local nonprofits since it was founded in 1984. Carry-ins are not permitted.
Admission is free. Visitors are invited to bring their own chairs or blankets. For information, visit marquettewestrotary.org.
Finn Fun Day to take place in Negaunee Township
Finn Fun Day will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 24 at the Negaunee Township Hall. It is sponsored by the Finlandia Foundation National Lake Superior Chapter, and all are welcome.
Finn Fun Day is a time for Finnish entertainment, a “tori” (marketplace), 50/50 drawings and lots of coffee with “pulla” (Finnish cardamom coffee bread) available throughout the day. Lunch will be provided by The Croa-
Team
the
working
statue of labor leader Anna Klobuchar Clemenc in the historic
of Calumet,
Calumet Theatre
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tian Chicken, owned by Jeff Dahmers.
The day will begin with a welcome by chapter president Ron Hill. The singing of both the American and Finnish national anthems will be led by Tanja Stanaway with Pauline Kiltinen on keyboard. Words to both anthems will be provided.
Performers throughout the day will include Stanaway, Howard Aalto and his six-sided harmonica, Pasi Lautala singing with his two sons and Oscar Forsman playing his accordion. Jim Kurtti, retired director of the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, will talk about his award from the Finnish government and recent doings at the FAHC.
The vendors in the “tori” will be Stanaway with her Heart to Finland traveling store, Tammy Ruppel with her Finnish coffee breads, Colleen Creech and her hand-woven carpets and FinnSight. There will also be a silent auction and white elephant table.
Anyone wishing to join the chapter may do so by paying the $10 annual fee. For information, call 906-2267085 or 906-485-1971.
Choral Society sign-up begins Aug. 26
The Marquette Choral Society will begin its fall 2024 season with its first rehearsal and membership signup at 7 p.m. on Aug. 26 in the Choral Room in the Thomas Fine Arts Building at NMU.
No audition is required. Members may join on Aug. 26, Sept. 9 and Sept. 16. Registration starts at 6 p.m., before rehearsal from 7 to 9 p.m. Fees and music costs are $65; some scholarships are available. Participation is eligible for NMU credit.
This semester’s concerts will be Dec. 7 and 8 in the Reynolds Recital Hall on campus. The featured work will be John Rutter’s “Magnificat,” with soprano soloist Amanda Boundy and chamber orchestra. Other winter-themed works will include “On a Winter’s Night” by Karen P. Thomas; “Ave Maria” by Javier Busto; “The Rune of Hospitality” by Alf Hakoum; “Winter Suite: Six Songs Without Words, Opus 19 … With Words,” based on music by Felix Mendelssohn and text by Laurie Betts Hughes; and “Christmas is Coming” arranged by Mack Wilberg with four-hand piano accompaniment.
Members will also have the opportunity to perform with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra on Dec. 14, as well as at the Community Christmas Sing-along on Dec. 20. For information, visit marquettechoralsociety.org.
Karas Memorial Bandshell rededicated in Escanaba
The Karas Memorial Bandshell was rededicated at a recent Escanaba City Band concert, 68 years after its original dedication. A bronze plaque will be posted on the bandshell to mark the occasion.
A replica of the plaque was presented to Erik Karas, the great-grandson of the late Frank Karas, after Erik served as the guest conductor of the city band. Erik conducted a song titled “His Honor,” a march by Henry Fillmore that the city band played at a fundraising concert to raise money for the bandshell.
Clara Somers, Frank Karas’ daughter, directed a rendition of “God Bless America” at the dedication of the stage on July 4, 1957. The rededication of the bandshell was part of the 100th anniversary of the Escanaba City Band.
Knights of Columbus to help with U.P. State Fair parking
Atthis year’s U.P. State Fair in Escanaba, scheduled for Aug. 12 to 18, the Knights of Columbus will guide visitors to spaces in the fairgrounds parking lots between the hours of approximately 2 and 8 p.m. to help with traffic flow. As people enter the parking lots, the Knights of Columbus will accept a suggested donation of at least $1 per car.
The funds raised will be donated to Pregnancy Services of Delta County to help pay for the maintenance service agreement of the facility’s ultrasound machine, which was recently purchased by the Knights of Columbus. This service agreement keeps the ultrasound unit — including the computer and probes — in good working order.
For more information on the fair, visit upstatefair.net.
DNR
seeks volunteers to mentor youth at fair
TheMichigan Department of Natural Resources is seeking mentors to help staff the agency’s Pocket Park during the U.P. State Fair from Aug. 12 to 18. Volunteers will assist with activities such as helping kids catch and release bluegills in the U.P.-shaped pond, shoot pellet guns or bows and arrows, staffing the fire tower or greeting visitors.
The DNR Pocket Park is a one-acre site located off U.S. 2 within the fairgrounds in Escanaba. The park caters especially to youth who are seeking an outdoor adventure or to learn an outdoor skill.
Businesses, organizations, clubs and groups can sponsor shifts during
the fair by having their employees or members volunteer as a group. Volunteer training is provided for all activities.
Volunteers must be at least 16 years old (unless under preapproved circumstances) and pass a background check. A meal and T-shirt will be provided. Interested volunteers can contact Jo Ann Alexander at 906-786-2351, ext. 0, or alexanderj7@michigan.gov, or Kristi Dahlstrom at 906-226-1331 or dahlstromk@michigan.gov.
U.P. State Fair to offer sensory-friendly midway
Toensure that all visitors have a positive fair-going experience, this year’s U.P. State Fair in Escanaba will offer a sensory-friendly midway with limited lights and noise from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 13. The sensory-friendly hours will apply only to the carnival midway. Fair officials have asked vendors and concessionaires to participate when possible during those hours. For information, visit upstatefair.net.
Rock’s Boogie Fest Too runs Aug. 30 to Sept. 1
The fourth annual Boogie Fest Too will take place Aug. 30 through Sept. 1 at 14069 County Line G Rd. in
Rock. This event will include music from 11 bands; camping; a pig roast; vendors; an ATV, Jeep and truck poker run; and a campground parade. Live music will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30. The weekend’s headline performers will be Foreigner 4 Ever on Friday, The Supertramp Tribute on Saturday and Oz on Sunday. For campsite and ticket information, call 906-351-6191 or visit boogiefesttoo.rocks.
Steve Carlson to join local team against Red Wings
The Yoopers United Hockey Team and the United Way of Marquette County have announced that Steve Carlson, of the fictional Hanson Brothers from the 1977 film “Slap Shot,” will join Yoopers United for their game against the Red Wings Alumni Association on Sept. 13 in Marquette. Carlson is a former Marquette Iron Ranger and retired NHL forward.
Carlson appeared in 66 games for Marquette, recording 34 goals and 53 assists for 87 points in his only season with the Iron Rangers before heading to the Johnstown Jets of the North American Hockey League, where he helped the team win the championship in 1975. Carlson also played five sea-
Classic cars and bikes on Aug. 17
The Marquette Downtown Development Authority is collaborating with the Women’s Center of Marquette and Alger County to host the eighth annual Classic Cars and Vintage Bikes on Third Street show on Aug. 17. The display of vintage cars and bikes will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on North Third Street between Michigan and Park streets. There will also be music, food vendors and activities for kids, as well as a 50/50 raffle and bucket raffle of items donated from local businesses. The Downtown Marquette Social District will be expanded into the street closure, where attendees can view classic cars while enjoying their favorite cocktail or beer. The show will commemorate Jessica Drummond, and all proceeds will benefit the Women’s Center. For information, contact the DDA office at 906-228-9475, ext. 104, or email Mike Bradford at mike@downtownmarquette.org. (Photo courtesy of the Downtown Development Authority)
sons in the World Hockey Association and one season with the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League.
Carlson was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, or SCC, in 2021 and was able to beat his cancer this year. One of the many organizations that the United Way of Marquette County supports is Cancer Care of Marquette County, which will host a showing of “Slap Shot” on Sept. 14 at Blackrocks Brewery to celebrate Carlson’s remission.
The Marquette County Hockey Night on Sept. 13 will raise money for the United Way of Marquette County. Follow the organization on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.
First-ever accessibility summit is Sept. 26-27
The Accessible Keweenaw Initiative has announced that registration is open for the first-ever Upper Peninsula Accessibility Summit.
The summit will take place Sept. 26 and 27 at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. Registration includes lunch, keynote speakers, workshops, demonstrations, vendors and an award ceremony.
The goal of the event is to educate and equip individuals, businesses, organizations, entities and communities
with tools and strategies to create inclusive spaces and recreation opportunities for individuals in need of accessibility amenities and infrastructure. The summit will be an opportunity for community planning and to learn about the benefits of improving accessibility infrastructure in local communities.
The summit will also highlight adaptive sports equipment, adaptive communication methods and accessible transportation features. Organizations focused on accessibility across the U.P. will be featured. For information and to register, visit visitkeweenaw.com/up-accessibility-summit.
CROP Hunger Walk planned for Oct. 6
The Marquette County CROP Hunger Walk is set for Oct. 6. Walkers will collect monetary donations or nonperishable food items to bring awareness of the hunger needs in the community. Packets will be available on Aug. 10.
The Marquette County CROP Hunger Walk has set a goal of 100 walkers to raise $8,000 to help end hunger and poverty through long-term sustainable approaches to significantly reduce or eliminate hunger. Seventy-five percent of the funds raised
Bradford Veley is a freelance cartoonist, illustrator and homesteader in the U.P. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and at bradveley.com.
goes to Church World Service, and 25 percent of the funds raised will be split between Feeding America (sponsored by Silver Creek Church) and the NMU Food Bank.
New CROP T-shirts will also be available for sale. For information, visit crophungerwalk.org/marquettemi.
County to host cohort of Conservation Stewards
Michigan State University Extension’s Conservation Stewards program is now enrolling participants for its fall 2024 events, which will span eight weeks in September through November. In 2024, the program will be offered across four new cohort locations, including Marquette County, the first-ever U.P. host.
During each week of instruction, the hybrid program will combine virtual, self-paced lessons with in-person evening sessions at various locations in Marquette County. This cohort will host its weekly evening sessions from 6 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday from Sept. 11 to Nov. 13.
Additionally, two Saturday in-person field trips within the region will take place focused on wetland butterflies and forests. Participants will also complete applied capstone projects related to restoring and conserving Michigan’s ecosystems with guidance provided by a local mentor.
Partner organizations for the Marquette County cohort include Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, MSU Extension Center for Lakes and Streams, Marquette Conservation District, Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, NMU and Lake to Lake Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area.
The last date to register will be Aug. 18. Scholarship opportunities are available. For information and to register, visit events.anr.msu.edu/micsp2024.
C-CHARM project works to bring communities together
TheCenter for Climate-driven Hazard Adaptation, Resilience and Mitigation, or C-CHARM, a new community-driven project in the Western U.P., is working to bring community members together and examine how best to proceed based on the impacts of abnormal weather events in the past and the impacts of potential extreme weather events in the future.
C-CHARM aims to co-create plans that ensure resilience and prepared-
ness. It currently partners with researchers, community members, business owners, community planners, science communicators and organizations such as Michigan Technological University, Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region, UPPCO, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Argonne National Labs, Keweenaw Economic Development Area and others.
Scientists and project partners have begun expanding and improving flood prediction maps of the area, evaluating local infrastructure and energy systems, and installing weather stations to improve climate monitoring.
For information, visit c-charm.org or contact Dr. Pengfei Xue at pexue@ mtu.edu.
Bridge replacement begins Aug. 5 in Alger County
Contractors have begun site preparation for a bridge replacement project set to begin Aug. 5 along Dorsey Lake Road in Alger County. The bridge is over a tributary to the West Branch of the Whitefish River.
Work on the $265,500 state-funded project will be completed by Triest Forest Products of Bark River. The road will be closed during bridge construction. The project is expected to be completed by Sept. 25.
Department of Corrections offers SkillBridge for vets
TheMichigan Department of Corrections offers internship opportu-
nities for those serving in the Armed Services in its Field Operations Administration through the Department of Defense’s SkillBridge program. This program allows active service members in their final 180 days of military service to gain experience in a variety of civilian occupations through specialized training and internships.
The Department of Corrections is currently the only State of Michigan agency using the SkillBridge platform for this transitional training. The department is offering internship opportunities through SkillBridge to support its parole and probation supervision efforts in nine counties, including Marquette County.
Qualified users can search “probation” or “parole” at skillbridge.osd. mil to find out more about these opportunities.
Any individual interested in a career with the department can find more information at michigan.gov/ corrections/careers.
Parcels of DNR-managed land available via auctions
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is preparing 91 properties for sale in August and early September as part of its next round of surplus land auctions. Auction proceeds will be reinvested in acquiring land for the public to help provide future outdoor recreation opportunities.
Land in Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac counties will be available on Aug. 6 and in Dickinson, Hough-
Bayou ArtWalk set for Sept. 1
The Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy will present the fourth annual Chocolay Bayou ArtWalk and Sale from noon to 4 p.m. on Sept. 1. The ArtWalk, which will include work from local artists and live musicians, is free for all and can be accessed from the Iron Ore Heritage Trail or the south entrance on Main Street in Harvey. The 13-acre Chocolay Bayou Preserve is the site of the first steam sawmill and furnaces in the area and holds part of the boundary of the 1842 Copper Treaty of La Pointe with the Anishinaabe. For information, visit uplandconservancy.org or call 906-225-8067. (Photo courtesy of the U.P. Land Conservancy)
Chocolay
DeVos exhibit winners announced
ton, Marquette, Menominee and Ontonagon counties on Aug. 7. Interested bidders may preregister and get more information about the online auction schedule at tax-sale. info. Bidders must register before the property’s auction date.
For information on the bidding process, available acreage, maps and location information of the properties, visit michigan.gov/landforsale. For information about the sale of surplus state-managed public land, contact Michael Michalek, resource specialist in the DNR’s Real Estate Section, at 517-331-8387.
Partridge Creek Farm gets Trust for Civic Life grant
Anew philanthropic partnership called the Trust for Civic Life has
announced that it awarded one of its first grants to Partridge Creek Farm in Ishpeming as part of an $8 million investment into strengthening communities across rural America.
Partridge Creek Farm will receive $300,000 over three years for its work to provide local food access and education. The funding will be used to ensure long-term sustainable growth to continue serving the Ishpeming community and building a resilient local food system.
The Trust for Civic Life’s first grants support “civic hubs” that are reinventing local civic programs and initiatives to meet the changing needs of their communities. This funding will help the new grantees expand current programs and introduce new civic opportunities and projects.
The DeVos Art Museum at NMU has announced the award winners from its recent exhibit, “North of the 45th.” This annual juried exhibition features artists living in the geographical area north of the 45th parallel in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The exhibit’s Audience Choice Winner was David Berg. Pictured is his piece titled “Rum Runners Cove,” reduction linocut, 2024. The Jurors’ Choice Winner was Emily Weddle for her piece titled “Swept,” Giclee print, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the DeVos Art Museum)
Music duo to play in Munising, Marquette
Four Shillings Short, the husband-wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama, from Cork, Ireland, and Christy Martin, from California, will perform two concerts of Celtic, folk world music. The duo will perform at 11 a.m. on Aug. 10 at Falling Rock Cafe in Munising; admission is by free-will donation. They will also perform a free family concert at 7 p.m. on Aug. 14 as part of Peter White Public Library’s Concert on the Steps in Marquette. Four Shillings Short performs traditional and original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval and Renaissance Europe, India and the Americas on more than 30 instruments. For information, visit 4shillingsshort.com. (Photo by Dominick Maino)
For information on the Trust for Civic Life, visit trustforciviclife.org.
For information on Partridge Creek Farm, visit partridgecreekfarm.com.
‘Jordan D’s Law’ intended to combat online sextortion
State Reps. Jenn Hill (D-Marquette), John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) and Kara Hope (D-Holt) introduced a package of bills, collectively known as “Jordan D’s Law,” aimed at combating the growing threat of online sextortion targeting minors and vulnerable individuals.
The legislation is named in memory of Jordan DeMay, a 17-year-old from Marquette who tragically took his own life in 2022 after falling victim to an online sextortion scheme.
HB 5887 establishes penalties for individuals who intentionally threaten to release sexually explicit material to compel victims against their will. HB 5888 outlines sentencing guidelines for sexual extortion and aggravated sexual extortion. HB 5889 mandates collaboration between school districts, the Michigan Department of Education, Michigan State Police and the Attorney General’s office to implement educational policies on the new law.
Plein Air Painting Festival winners announced Artists from across the region set up their paints and canvases around Marquette to participate in the
seventh annual Fresh Coast Plein Air Painting Festival June 28 and 29. The two painting sessions produced an array of art, which was displayed at a public reception at the Presque Isle Pavilion, where guests voted for People’s Choice awards.
Winning artists in the professional category were Kathy Binoniemi, first place; Steve Wysocki, second place; Todd Darling, third place; and People’s Choice Lynn Anderson. In the recreational category, the winners were Pat Frueh, first place; Leo Barch, second place; Janel Crooks, third place; and People’s Choice Larissa Schmock. The Grow Award for the painting that best depicts this year’s Art Week theme of “Grow” was presented to Steve Hughes. The artwork was judged by guest artist Wendy McWhorter based in Kewadin, Mich.
West End Health Foundation announces grant recipients
The West End Health Foundation recently awarded a total of $50,000 in proactive grants focused on organizations that provide programs and services with an emphasis on food insecurity in Marquette County’s West End.
The grant recipients are Partridge Creek Farms ($12,750) for Growing and Eating for Better Health in Ishpeming; Negaunee Public Schools ($11,840) for Lakeview School Garden; and Greater Ishpeming Commis-
sion on Aging ($25,410) for West End Senior Grocery Getters.
Local business news in brief
• Honor Credit Union has announced the opening of its new Member Center at 105 Co. Rd. 492 in Marquette. The Member Center will feature a full-service lobby, drivethrough service with extended hours, ATM + Video Tellers for face-to-face service, a night deposit drop, a coin counter machine and the 906 Connect Space, a reservable community space with a functional kitchen.
• Slap Shot Sandwiches, owned by Alex Babcock and Jaquelyn Lambert, has announced its grand opening at 400 Iron St., Negaunee. This new eatery offers locally sourced fare with retro diner seating and vintage hockey décor. Slap Shot Sandwiches serves breakfast favorites any time and makes its own corned beef, cudighi, breakfast sausage and chorizo sausage. The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For information, visit eatslapshot.com.
• UP Health System–Marquette has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Stroke SilverPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. UPHS–Marquette also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award, which aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke, and has met specific scientific guidelines as a Primary Stroke Center.
• Keweenaw Title Agency has announced the opening of its new office at 209 Gold St., Ste. 2, Negaunee. Keweenaw Title Agency, already established in Houghton and the western Upper Peninsula, specializes in title insurance, real estate and loan closings, title searches and more. For information, visit kewtitle.com or call 906-232-1570.
• NextHome Superior Living has announced the opening of its new office at 209 Gold St., Negaunee. NextHome Superior Living was founded on ethical principles and a commitment to serving communities near and far with their real estate needs. The new office will be home to Ben Argall, broker/ owner, Stephanie Jones, owner/managing broker and agents Candi Kjellin, James Lilly, Jason Pabian, Jennifer Hendrickson, Melanie Oliver and Ron Hanlon. For information, call 906-2545606 or visit nhsuperiorliving.com.
• Read My Lips Book Shop has opened in downtown Marquette. Located at 131 W. Washington St., Ste. B, the shop is dedicated to offering a curated selection of romance novels, or, as the shop likes to call them, “books that make you blush.” Read My Lips Book Shop is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. For information, visit readmylipsbookshop.com or follow the shop on Facebook and Instagram @ readmylipsbookshop.
• The Cone on Iron Street, operated by sister and brother Amanda and Jesse Degraeve, is now open at 442 Iron St., Negaunee. The business serves Cedar Crest Ice Cream from Wisconsin, and the menu is a mix of hand-dipped cones, sundaes, shakes, floats and a variety of whimsical toppings. The shop also offers free pup cups for dogs and discounts to local sports teams. The Cone on Iron Street is open from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Monday.
News from the desk of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
• Whitmer has noted that the newly passed education budget for next school year will continue providing universally free breakfast and lunch to Michigan’s 1.4 million public school students throughout the school year. It is projected that Michigan schools will have served 76.3 million breakfasts and 135.6 million lunches to students throughout the 2023-2024 school year.
• Whitmer announced Michigan Strategic Fund support for 31 small businesses across the state through the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s Match on Main program. The Region 1 recipients, all of which received $25,000 to support an eligible small business as they seek to launch and grow in core downtown areas and commercial districts, are Negaunee Downtown Development Authority for Slap Shot Sandwiches; Marquette Downtown Development Authority for BODEGA; Lake Superior Community Partnership (on behalf of the City of Ishpeming) for Doozers; and Sault Ste. Marie Downtown Development Authority for UP North Nutrition and Gym 906. MM
HOW TO SUBMIT TO CITY NOTES
The deadline for event and press release submissions for City Notes is the 10th day of the month prior to publication. Send your releases to editor@marquettemonthly.com.
1 J.Lo or J-Law 8
Rock group clashes over album art? 25 Common allergen
Possessive in the Lord’s Prayer
Picked up on
Cartoonist Chast 29 Like one preferring platonic relationships, informally
‘‘Veni, vidi, ____’’ 32 Kind of sauce at a sushi bar
‘‘So cute!’’
44 You might go for a spin in one
48 ‘‘Secret Celebrity Renovation’’ airer
50 Word with high or secret
54 Top score in a dunk contest
55 Director Burton
Doohickey
59 Its sound is mimicked with coconut shells in ‘‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’’
61 Buffalo hockey player
63 Slangy request to a German to play it cool?
70 Big brand in the frozen aisle
72 Greta of ‘‘Grand Hotel’’
73 Brisket cooker
74 What happened when the bust went sideways?
79 Comment that breaks the fourth wall
80 ‘‘You’re ____ luck, my friend’’
81 Place with swinging doors, stereotypically
83 ‘‘The Great Gatsby’’ antagonist
84 ‘‘That’s gotta hurt!’’
87 Fashionable N.Y.C. fund-raiser
91 Origami, e.g.
92 Early invader of Britain
93 Event inspiring many TikTok proposals
95 Creator of the 1980 video game Adventure
97 Calf-length dress
99 Headline regarding a children’s author controversy?
106 Player in a baseball stadium
107 Sucker
108 Post-workout feeling
110 Femur-to-tibia connector, for short
111 Barbecue coating
112 Rile up
116 Progressive competitor
117 Java
118 Voice-activated order for cabbage or soda bread?
Use DraftKings or FanDuel
A person
Inventor who wrote ‘‘Cubed: The Puzzle of Us All’’
____ Blancos, nickname for soccer’s Real Madrid
To’s counterpart
Many a dad joke 45 ‘‘OK, the gloves are off!’’
46 Diadem look-alike
47 After burner?
49 Show that spawned ‘‘MacGruber,’’ for short 51 Abbr. after a series
52 Drinks accompanying finger sandwiches
53 Overly agreeable sort
56 Monotony
57 Mad (about)
58 Chinese dollar
60 Pairs
62 Having mucho dinero
64 Indian honorific
65 Basics
66 ____ Felton, title detective of ‘‘The Puzzle Lady Mysteries’’
67 Japanese dog breed
68 Unfairly enticed
69 Krispy ____
71 Money paid for a hand
75 A.B.A. member: Abbr.
76 Early polytheists
77 In the style of
78 Conventions
123 Actress Ortiz
124 Hard to pin down
125 Mammal seen in Monterey Bay
126 Traveling caller, perhaps 127 Pair in a telescope
128 Subjects of many evening photographs
1 Character’s development path 2 Certain flat-screen, for short
Aid in recovering a lost pet 4 ‘‘Don’t freak out!’’ 5 ‘‘Bear with him, Brutus; ____ his fashion’’: Cassius
6 Idyllic spot for two
7 Try again from the top
8 They might hang around the house during the holidays
9 In the buff
10 Activist Hampton of the Black Panthers
11 Intl. alliance that includes Canada and
82 First name in soul
84 Covert ____
85 Nabisco treat with ice cream and cookies
86 Unlike a shamrock
88 Fighting
89 Muscle worked by a pulldown machine, for short
90 Shapiro of NPR
92 Forms from a mold
94 Flavor enhancer, for short
96 Guts
98 Singer ____ Lipa
100 Garment worn with a choli
101 Harden (to)
102 Groundbreaking vet legislation of 1944
103 Airport area
104 Devices that often get swiped
105 Certain Muslim
109 ‘‘Great’’ or ‘‘snowy’’ bird
110 Just barely open
112 ‘‘The way things are going .?.?.’’
113 Cry ‘‘Uncle!’’
114 Skinny pieces of clothing
115 Son of Isaac and Rebecca
119 Bird with four W.N.B.A. titles
120 QVC alternative
121 Snookums
122 Org. with a return policy?
Bob’s Groceries in Au Train offered a variety of products and services, including gasoline, tourist information, sporting goods and food items. It was located on the west side of Arbutus Street just south of M-28.
Photos provided by Superior View Studios, located in Art of Framing, 149 W. Washington St. Marquette viewsofthepast.com
The Bob’s Groceries building at N7627 Arbutus St. in Au Train is now occupied by a business called Northwoods Outpost. Its offerings include pizza, pasties, subs, firewood and propane — but not gasoline.
‘A true escape from civilization’ ‘A true escape from civilization’
By Kristi Evans
GOutdoor enthusiasts treasure Grand Island for its
beauty,
solitude and cultural history
rand Island, situated about a half-mile from Munising, is an ideal day trip or camping destination for outdoor enthusiasts who seek the rewarding trifecta of pristine natural beauty, intriguing cultural history and peaceful solitude. Its massive 300-foot, wave-cut sandstone cliffs are an extension of the geologic strata of nearby Pictured Rocks
National Lakeshore, which is visible to the east. The breathtaking overlooks are complemented by serene sandy beaches, inland lakes, deep hardwoods, varied wildlife and trails for hiking and biking. Once home to Lake Superior Chippewa, followed by fur traders and early Euro-American settlers, Grand Island later served as a wilderness retreat and then a logging operation under the ownership of Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. It was
acquired by the U.S. Forest Service in 1990 and designated a protected National Recreation Area.
“We are trying to maintain its rustic character, amazing scenery and historical and cultural significance while striking an effective balance between resource concerns and public use,” said Brian Hinch, Grand Island National Recreation Area manager with the Forest Service. “It has definitely grown in popularity in recent years,
fueled by some spillover effect from increased tourism at Pictured Rocks. Grand Island was originally inhabited around 3000 B.C., based on artifacts discovered, and we are still learning more about that cultural history and significance, conferring with local tribes on how to best preserve that history and relay the story of the land to visitors.”
Munising is derived from “Minissing,” an Ojibwe name meaning “place
Grand Island near Munising is the largest island on Lake Superior ’s south shore. (Photo by Kristi Evans)
of the Great Island.” At 13,500 acres, the largest island on Lake Superior’s southern shore was once home to a segment of Chippewa who “lived in harmony with the land and each other” for many generations. They quickly found the fisheries surrounding Grand Island to be a resource for seasonal and year-round living.
“They also trapped beaver, otter and bear,” according to a Hiawatha National Forest historic overview. “July was the Berry Moon. These were the days of plenty, and they lived with a delicious improvidence, which learned no lessons from the thrift of the red squirrels. In the winter, they clung closely to their lodging and told and retold the legends they loved. In March, the Snow Crust Moon, it was time to harvest the maple sugar. The Chippewa fought bravely and with minds trained to see personality in every force of nature.”
Distinguished historian and author Loren R. Graham said the Grand Island Chippewas’ tragic demise began early in the 19th century, when fellow tribesmen from the mainland goaded them into waging war against rival Sioux. The war party was decimated and only Powers of the Air — formerly Little Duck — survived. Graham spent more than 40 years reconstructing the legend after learning about the Chippewa village on Trout Bay that had vanished, and also the weathered rock carving near Au Train that depicts Power of the Air’s image. His research resulted in a 1995 book, “A Face in the Rock: The Tale of a Grand Island Chippewa.”
Graham completed the manuscript at the island’s North Light, where he said Powers of the Air first heard the Longfellow poem “The Song of Hiawatha” read aloud by one of the early keepers. Loren and his wife, Patricia Albjerg Graham, whose grandfather met Powers of the Air and shared kernels of the story with descendants
who summered on the island over the years, had purchased the abandoned lighthouse in 1972. They lovingly restored it as a seasonal retreat where they could bring daughter Marguerite and one of her classmates, and devote time to distraction-free writing.
“It was a wreck,” Loren said during a recent phone interview. “Not a pane of glass remained, not a door was left attached. The kitchen floor was falling through, ceilings were caving in, it was infiltrated by animals, and hunters had shot guns at the stove and left beer cans. But nonetheless, we thought we could repair it and we did.
Much of the work was completed by us or a local friend. We got some help during the winter when it was more accessible via snow machines. We lived very happily in it for 34 years before maintaining it became too much and we had to give it up.”
Now in their late 80s to early 90s, Loren and Pat retired from careers in academia, which included stops at Columbia, Harvard and MIT. Loren specialized in the history of science in Russia and the Soviet Union. Pat was a prominent historian of American education. In the mid-’70s, she served as a visiting professor at Northern Mich-
igan University, which awarded her an honorary degree years later. Pat humorously recalled the first summer of the lighthouse project. She had to make repeated trips on a Honda motorbike in her renovation work clothes to the other end of the island, where she would change into a skirt and top — required for women who taught at NMU back then — before retrieving her car and commuting to Marquette. When she was done at NMU, she typically stopped to purchase paint or other needed supplies. Then she drove back, dropped off her car, changed clothes again and rode
The geology of Grand Island is reminiscent of nearby Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. (Photo by Kristi Evans)
her motorbike back to the lighthouse, often with paint cans dangling from both handlebars.
After the couple occupied the property, Loren discovered within it a yellowed newspaper clipping from the Detroit Free Press dated June 15, 1908. It read: “Slain and Set Afloat: Grand Island Lighthouse keeper and his assistant are believed to be victims of brutal murder and robbery. Mutilated body of one found in boat. Keeper George Genry missing from his isolated post and thought to have met same fate.” His long-term effort to dissect what happened resulted in another book, “Death at the Lighthouse: A Grand Island Riddle.” Despite the scintillating stories that circulated, Graham determined that the government’s version of events was most probable. It was also less nefarious, concluding that the two men went out with fishing nets, got caught in a storm and died of “exhaustion as a result of exposure in an open boat on Lake Superior.”
One of Pat’s most unique experiences in the lighthouse was a surprise encounter while she was alone. She heard a noise coming from the kitchen and discovered a big black bear standing on its hind legs, reaching for a cereal box above the stove. “At the top of my voice, I yelled, ‘Mr. Bear, get out of there!’” she said. The animal returned to all fours and lumbered out the open doorway; it had ripped off the screen door to enter.
Pat was well acquainted with Grand Island and its wildlife through many summers spent at a family cottage on Trout Bay as a child and young adult. She invited Loren for his first visit in 1954, shortly after their engagement.
“It was a magical place — unlike anything else I had ever experienced,” he said. “It was a largely untouched area, and the cabin had kerosene lanterns with light reflecting on the golden wooden walls. We have returned
there each summer after we left the lighthouse and still enjoy a rather primitive existence without electricity that’s very different from where we reside the remainder of the year. It’s a beautiful spot. Some of my fondest memories are hiking with Pat on beautiful trails, making our own lunches,
fixing fires on the beach and having such a good time together.”
“I agree with all of that,” Pat added, “but for me, it’s also been a wonderful opportunity to develop long-term friendships with others who summer on the island. I’ve known some since childhood. They lead different lives than the people we’ve been friends with at the places we worked, so it’s rewarding to have a whole different network that is very dear to us. I also love foraging in the forest for mushrooms, raspberries and blueberries.”
Voyageurs, fur trappers and traders had passed through Grand Island since the 1600s, but the first permanent Euro-American settlers were Abraham and Anna Williams. The couple and their 10 children made the journey from Decatur, Illinois, in July 1840. Abraham had accepted an invi-
tation from a local chief to establish a trading post on the south end of the island. He claimed log cabins left by the American Fur Co. and employed his impressive skills to build more structures, including the Stone Quarry Cabin that still stands. He also established the island cemetery. Abraham’s death in 1873 marked the end of an era. The development of mainland communities and arrival of more settlers erased the need for a lone frontier trading post, according to a “Superior History” column in The Mining Journal.
Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. assumed ownership of the island at the end of the 19th century. Its president, William Mather, turned it into a wilderness retreat. He had a large log lodge, surrounded by a mock frontier stockade, constructed on the western shore of the island. It is largely intact today. Later, a second lodge and a boathouse were built on an interior lake. For guest use, Mather restored the structures remaining from the trading post days and built a resort hotel and 20mile perimeter road for buggy rides. He also created a nationally renowned game preserve stocked with imported moose, woodland caribou, elk, pronghorn antelope, albino deer and exotic game birds from other countries. Not all persisted through the challenging climate.
After Mather’s death, the company logged about 80% of the virgin timber he had tried to preserve. It sought a buyer for Grand Island in 1984 and sealed a deal with the U.S. Forest Service six years later for $3.5 million. In August 1990, the island was officially dedicated as part of Hiawatha National Forest and saved from private development. There are no year-round residents on the island, Hinch said, but families like the Grahams who had leased land for about 17 private cabins with Cleveland-Cliffs were granted special-use permits from the
Grand Island features a wide variety of wildlife, including many bird and mammal species. (Photo above by Kristi Evans) At left, Loren and Patricia Albjerg Graham owned and restored the island’s North Light. (Photo courtesy of the Grahams)
Forest Service for seasonal use.
Visitors can travel from the mainland via personal boat or kayak — weather permitting — or the Grand Island Ferry Service. The private concessionaire also offers bus tours of the southern end and rents the Merchant and Sunset cabins on the west side. Owner Dean Seaberg is a Munising native who fished near Grand Island as a boy.
“The uptick in tourists is a double-edged sword,” Seaberg said. “More people obviously means more revenue for us, but I worry it’s taking away from the main reasons people go to Grand Island: It’s remote, quiet and you sometimes feel like you’re the only one on there. We took over in 2014 and started with about 4,000 travelers per year. That has increased to 10,000 or so in recent years. Pictured Rocks’ proximity helped bring many here to check out the island, and once they did, that’s it; they’re coming back every year. This is one of the last things locals have that isn’t built up; there are no paved roads or stores. The island is a true escape from civilization and into nature.”
Other enterprises provide boat tours that pass by or circumnavigate the island, offering the best water
IT WAS A MAGICAL PLACE, UNLIKE ANYTHING I HAD EVER EXPERIENCED. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL SPOT. “
views of the cliffs, along with East Channel Light and North Light, which are currently inaccessible to the public from the island’s shore. The Forest
Service manages the 21 designated campsites. Hinch confirmed some campsites were closed in July because of bear activity, so proper food storage is essential for the sake of both camper safety and bears that may become habituated to obtaining food where humans are present.
“Our primary roles are to preserve Grand Island’s scenic, cultural and historic values and maintain public access for camping, hiking and biking,” Hinch said, adding that e-bikes are not allowed. “We also manage the island from an interdisciplinary standpoint in terms of wildlife, botany and other resources. There are a variety of avian species, including peregrine falcons on the western rim; you can hear them screech occasionally. In addition to black bears, other animals reported include beaver, raccoon, red fox, coyote and white-tailed deer.”
Find more visitor information at grandislandup.com or follow “U.S. Forest Service — Hiawatha National Forest” on Facebook.
Kristi Evans is a public relations professional, writer and hobby photographer who spends much of her free time outdoors.
Stone Quarry Cabin is located on the southern end of Grand Island. Visitors have multiple options for camping, including 21 campsites managed by the U.S. Forest Service and two cabins operated by a concessionaire. (Photo by Kristi Evans)
lookout point
North
A reflection on the land we call home
By John Smolens
What is north? We sport clothing that touts Up North! Our local university is geographically identified, and often simply referred to, as Northern. Drive out Route 41 and you’ll see numerous local businesses that incorporate North or Northern in their names.
The word north derives from the Old High German word nord, which has also taken root in Catalan, Danish, French, Italian, Norwegian and Swedish. In some languages, the word north stems from the concept of the direction that is “to the left of the sun.” Not surprisingly, north often — but not
always, particularly in the Southern hemisphere — means “up.” When a situation isn’t improving, we might say it’s going south; sadly, glad tidings are never described as going north.
In Greek mythology, Boreas is the purple-winged god of the north, whose cold winds descend from the mountains of Thrace. When Ulysses finds himself stranded on Æolia, a floating island, Æolus, Keeper of the Winds, offers him wind in a bag tied with silver string. After nine days of sailing toward home on a favorable breeze, Ulysses’ crew unwisely opens the bag while their captain sleeps, releasing a wind that drives their ship back to the island, where Æolus, exasperated by their imprudence, declines
to assist them a second time. Qebui, the Egyptian god of the north wind, often appears as a man with four rams’ heads or a winged ram with four heads. The god of the wind in Norse mythology is Njord. According to Sir James George Frazer’s “The Golden Bough,” a study of folklore, magic and religion, it was Finnish wizards who profited by selling wind to mariners. They enclosed the wind in three knots; if a sailor undid the first knot, a fresh breeze was released; if the second, there ensued a gale; if the third, a hurricane.
The compass rose on most maps will employ a large N to denote north, which also represents the 0-degree. North is a variable concept; there’s geo-
Illustration by Mike McKinney
detic north (true north), magnetic north and celestial north, which all differ by a matter of a few degrees. In the second century A.D., the Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy studied the skies and created maps, work that was lost for centuries and rediscovered during the Renaissance. He’s responsible for the notion of cartographic latitude and longitude, of the meridians that slice the globe up into measurable portions. To indicate north, maps produced before 1700 often used the word Septentrion (which refers to the seven stars in Ursa Major that constitute the Big Dipper). Here in the northern hemisphere, when we gaze up at the night sky, we usually find our bearings by looking for the fixed point of Polaris, the North Star. (Though it’s not actually fixed; because of variations in the earth’s rotation, Polaris appears to move in a tiny arc that takes approximately 25,000 years to complete.)
Residing
in the Upper Peninsula, it’s impossible to lose track of the fact that we live up north. From friends and relatives who live elsewhere, we frequently field questions about how we can live way up there — it’s so far north. Yet often, when they visit (if they do visit, and if they do it’s rarely in February), they — and we — are surprised to discover that they’re reluctant to leave. Forget a New York state of mind, Up North is the real deal, more than a figment of the imagination or the hook in a Billy Joel song. It’s the land of flannel (plaid, preferably), of long johns, of the Stormy Kromer; the place where
the United States and the Indianlands — the country west of this not having been ceded by the Indians.” Penny’s account also delights in the view from the top of what was first called Tatosh (then renamed Schoolcraft Mountain, before it was given its current moniker of Sugarloaf) and the fishing in the River Des Morts: “The water over some portion of the rock was shallow so that we could walk through it. On these rocks we found quantities of carp or suckers, and we immediately soused in and began to catch them with our hands. It was grand sport.” In one session, they caught “thirty-five of the largest kind.”
a good pair of boots and a winter coat are your best friend. Wool caps that would look dopey elsewhere make a style statement in Marquette. Bet you can’t count the number of scarves and pairs of gloves you have tucked away in drawers and closets.
In his essay “Walking,” Henry David Thoreau declares, “We go eastward to realize history and study the works of art and literature, retracing the steps of the race; we go westward as into the future, with a spirit of enterprise and adventure.” North, apparently, isn’t so easily defined, which for some has made it more appealing — it’s a direction that represents the unknown. Explorers, such as Étienne Brulé and Pere Marquette, couldn’t have “discovered” this northland had not the region’s Indigenous people shown them the way.
In 1840, three years after Michigan achieved statehood, 28-year-old Charles W. Penny accompanied the state-appointed geologist Dr. Douglass Houghton on an expedition to the Upper Peninsula. (More than a century later, Penny’s journal found its way to publication with the assistance of John Voelker, a.k.a. Robert Traver.) By the time they reached the shore between the Chocolate (Chocolay) River and the River Des Morts (now the Dead River), Houghton’s expedition had packed six and a half barrels with rock samples. Succeeding northern expeditions came in search of natural resources, primarily lumber, iron and copper. Penny notes that the Chocolate River was at the time an international border, as it was “the boundary between
Fishing and the U.P. waters are but two reasons to venture north. One may occasionally wonder why some stay while others head south within a year or so. Winter certainly is the primary culprit. If you like winter, you remain up north. You ski and hike and ice fish and snowboard in what are frequently ideal conditions. You deal with the cold by dressing in layers. For warmth, you go to a hockey rink. Earl Hilton, longtime professor of English at Northern, was fond of walking across the ice at Middle Island Point and camping for days in the snowbound woods of Partridge Island. My preference is to sail north from the Lower Harbor and anchor in the lee of the island for a summer’s night, preferably when the air off the lake is warm and calm.
I’m sometimes asked, “How can you live way up there?” (I’ve been tempted to say, “How can you live way down there?” but this would be too smart alecky.) Fact is, I don’t have a satisfactory answer. North is the most extreme, most mercurial direction. North has its own spirit; it possesses a soul with elusive qualities that defy definition. We are in the presence of something so vast, so enigmatic that each day, whether we’re following a snowy path through the woods or watching the colors on the lake, we hope that this might be the day which brings us closer to discovering its secrets. Could this be why we live way up here? I only know it’s where I want to be, where I need to be. When I’m north, my inner compass says I’m here. When I’m elsewhere, I’m away, and long to return north.
MM
John Smolens, NMU professor emeritus, has published 12 novels and a short-story collection. His most recent novel, “A Cold, Hard Prayer,” has been named a Michigan Notable Book. He lives in Marquette.
Illustration by Mike McKinney
the arts
Summertime music around a fire
‘Consider This’ by Jeff Krebs and the Stumpsitters blends Americana, rock and folk
By Erin Elliott Bryan
In the early part of last year, Marquette musician Jeff Krebs attended an informal jam session, sometimes known as Whiskey Fridays, at the home of his friends and fellow musicians John Gillette and Sarah Mittlefehldt. Krebs had been writing some original music and asked the group for help “flushing out” one of the songs.
What eventually came of that evening was a collaboration known as the Stumpsitters featuring Krebs, Gillette, Mittlefehldt, Sven Gonstead and Stephanie Whiton. The group gathered on June 24, 2023, to record a full album of eight of Krebs’ songs, a mix of Americana, rock and folk titled “Consider This,” which was released in March. The album was celebrated with a special concert at The Fold, the Hiawatha Music Co-op’s music-making space, on March 20.
“We were trying to accomplish a
very informal acoustic sound,” Krebs said. “It’s late at night, summertime, sitting around a fire. I’ve done that with all of these people.”
“Consider This” is available digitally on various platforms, but Krebs encourages fans to download the album for $7 through his Bandcamp site (jeffkrebs.bandcamp.com), which is “a little more friendly for artists.” The album’s cover photograph was taken in France by Marquette artist Kristine Granger.
Krebs was raised in Escanaba in a musical family. His grandfather Bill LaVallie Sr. was a musician and songwriter, and Krebs said he learned to play music from him. He’s been writing songs since he was about 10 years old. Krebs left the area and lived in San Francisco before returning to the U.P. about 20 years ago, choosing to be closer to home. “It’s a theme I’ve seen many times,” Krebs said. “You go away when you’re young and come back when you’re older.”
Jeff Krebs and the Stumpsitters recorded “Consider This” in one day at Dead River Studios in Marquette. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Krebs)
Krebs, who primarily plays guitar and ukulele, is the co-owner of Yooptone Music on Third Street in Marquette (with Jake Kuhlman). He also performs children’s music as Papa Crow and is part of The Union Suits, an old-timey folk and bluegrass band. For all of his music, Krebs said he prefers “honest songs” with “wellthought-out lyrics.”
In a review of “Consider This” for WNMU-FM, music journalism intern Andy Hansz wrote, “The folk project plays into numerous aspects of natural beauty in life. This includes the whiplash of feelings from heartbreak and missing someone you once loved, even tying this to the compelling nature of birds. I had a great time diving into this album, and with each listen came more and more meaning.”
Gillette, who plays banjo, ukulele, acoustic guitar and sings on the album, said it was a “no-brainer” for him and Mittlefehldt to be part of this collaboration. Mittlefehldt plays upright bass and sings on the record. “I love the songs,” Gillette said. “Jeff was mostly playing kids music as Papa Crow, and I didn’t know that side of him as an adult performer.”
And as a fellow songwriter, Gillette appreciated the opportunity to understand the processes and inspiration behind Krebs’ music. “As you learn a song, you appreciate it more,” he said.
Gillette is a native of Virginia and developed a love of music at a young age. He began piano lessons at the age of 7 but admitted that he “ended up hating practicing piano.” His brother then showed him some chords on the guitar, and he eventually switched to stringed instruments.
In 2004, Gillette met Mittlefehldt, who grew up in Minnesota, at a “pickin’ party” at a friend’s home in Boston. “We’ve been playing together ever since,” he said. The two married and have a young daughter, Sylvia. They originally settled in Vermont where Mittlefehldt taught at Green Mountain College, but they relocated to Marquette in June 2015. Mittlefehldt is a professor at NMU in the Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences programs, and Gillette teaches third and fourth grades at Powell Township Schools in Big Bay. While in Vermont, Gillette and Mittlefehldt formed the Poultney Bluegrass Society. When they arrived in
The Stumpsitters are made up of Sven Gonstead, foreground above, Stephanie Whiton, background, as well as, on the next page, Sarah Mittlefehldt and John Gillette. (Photos courtesy of Jeff Krebs)
Marquette, they organized the Yooper Bluegrass Society as a way to meet and play with fellow local musicians.
“We acquired musician friends and embedded in [the local music community] pretty quickly,” Gillette said.
He first met Krebs through mutual friend Doug Kitchel when they were both invited for an ice-fishing outing and began playing music together. “I love playing with Jeff,” Gillette said. “He’s creative, he has a great sense of humor and he’s just a kind guy.”
The Stumpsitters practiced for a few months and played a handful of gigs before recording “Consider This.” “It came together quickly and easily,” Gillette said.
The album was recorded in one day at Dead River Studios in Marquette, which is owned by Ryan Staples. “Ryan is such a professional recording engineer and the best resource for musicians in Marquette. He’s such a good asset,” Gillette said. “He has a great set of ears, and he really wants to capture what the artist wants to capture. And we had a lot of fun.”
Stephanie Whiton, who is married to Staples, played drums on the album. Whiton is an NMU alumna and moved back to Marquette in 2018 to be closer to Staples’ family. She is a
registered nurse at UP Health System–Marquette and said the couple “built their house around the recording studio.”
Whiton is also a member of Cloverland — together with Gillette, Mittlefehldt and Kerry Yost — which performs a distinctive mix of bluegrass, country and rock music. She first met Krebs through Yost at last year’s Rockestra benefit where the two played a couple of songs together.
Whiton said there were four songs for which Krebs wanted drums, and she said it was an opportunity to use different percussion elements, including shakers, brushes and root sticks. She said it was easy to work with the other members of the group. “As soon as we sat down, it was easy. It came naturally,” Whiton said, adding that recording the album live added a unique layer to its sound. “It preserves the energy of the group and the songs.”
Whiton feels the same about performing live for an audience, noting that live performances are different every time. “Performing live is a good way to bring the community together and bring musicians together,” she said. “I would do live music all the time if I could.”
Sven Gonstead plays square neck resonator guitar, or Dobro, and sings on “Consider This.” He agrees with
AS SOON AS WE SAT DOWN, IT WAS EASY. IT CAME NATURALLY. “
Whiton, particularly in the age of digital media. “There’s a connection that happens during live shows,” he said. “In this age of conscious disconnection, when we’re all in the moment and can’t be interrupted, it’s a beautiful thing that’s needed now more than ever.”
Gonstead grew up near Beloit, Wisconsin, and said he fell in love
Jeff Krebs and the Stumpsitters rehearsed Krebs’ songs for a few months and played a handful of gigs before recording “Consider This.” (Photo courtesy of Jeff Krebs)
available for download at jeffkrebs.bandcamp.com. (Photo
with blues music when he attended an Albert King concert in St. Louis when he was 16 years old. He began collecting more records and started playing the electric guitar as a college freshman in 1989, eventually transitioning to folk music and acoustic instruments.
He moved to the U.P. in 1999 and said it was the “best decision I’ve ever made.” He is the planner and recreation coordinator for Marquette County and does extensive volunteer work in and around Big Bay, including establishing the Big Bay Pathway and the Big Bay Concert Series.
He said his “best guess” is that he met Krebs during a bluegrass jam at the former Upfront and Co., and the two have played together off and on for many years. “I always appreciate his love of instruments,” he said. “And he’s such a wonderful songwriter.”
Gonstead said Krebs’ songs on “Consider This” strike a balance between a vintage and contemporary sound. “A couple songs feel like an old, dusty waltz while others are like modern rock songs with acoustic instruments,” he said. “They’re very real, very palpable. You can relate to them on different levels.”
Gonstead is a member of Wisconsin-based blues band The Organ Grinders and plays locally with other musicians including Ray Little and
Tyler Dettloff. In the early 2000s, he toured with blues bands Lost Creek and Frostbitten Grass.
He said he “really enjoyed” playing with the Stumpsitters. “They’re so respectful and always listening to each other,” Gonstead said. “When we’re on stage, it’s like a conversation. We’re talking to each other in our own musical way.”
While the Stumpsitters captured each song live in only four or five takes and tout that there is no overdubbing, Krebs did allow one instance of an overdub on the album. On his Bandcamp site, he offers $5 to the first person who can find it — but no one has claimed the prize so far.
Krebs is slated to perform with The Union Suits outside of Yooptone Music during Downtown Marquette’s Music on Third series on Sept. 19.
“We found out during [the coronavirus pandemic] how important it is to get out and see live music,” he said.
And Krebs added there are more original songs he’d like to record. When he does, Gillette is ready: “I hope Jeff contacts me again,” he said. For information and to download “Consider This,” visit jeffkrebs.bandcamp.com.
MM
Erin Elliott Bryan grew up in Ishpeming. She is a freelance writer and an MM calendar editor.
“Consider This” is
courtesy of Jeff Krebs)
back then
A sportsman for the ages U.P. native was a world champion wrestler and football star
By Larry Chabot
Here’s a sportsman for the ages: All-American college football player, five-time all-pro in the National Football League and sensational wrestling star who not only mastered his sport but changed it forever while still playing football. Wouldn’t you know, it was a Yooper who pulled this off: Gustave “Gus” Sonnenberg, born in Ewen in 1898 to Fred and Caroline Sonnenberg.
After his family moved to a farm in Green Garden, Sonnenberg played for four years on Marquette High School’s football team, whose undefeated 1915 squad outscored the opposition 211 to 7. He also starred on the school’s basketball team.
Moving up a level, Sonnenberg played college football at Northern Michigan, Dartmouth in the Ivy League and the University of Detroit, where he was an All-American lineman and placekicker. In those pre-scholarship years, according to the site legacyofwrestling.com, Sonnenberg paid for his schooling with labor jobs and scrubbing floors at 20 cents an hour.
He was just getting warmed up. Pro football beckoned, leading Sonnenberg to six years in the NFL with Buffalo, Detroit, Columbus and finally the Providence Steamrollers. (He had rejected an offer from the Green Bay Packers.) Voted to the all-pro first team five times as a tackle and kicker, Gus tallied 93 points in his career on 18 field goals, 33 extra points and one touchdown.
Hey, there’s more!
While still on Providence’s football roster in 1928, Sonnenberg tried wrestling for something to do in the offseason, but then returned to help Providence win the league championship. After honing his wrestling skills in warmup matches, he boldly challenged four-time world heavyweight champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis, noted for his paralyzing headlock hold. Lewis won that first match, but he would see a lot more of Gus Sonnenberg.
Sonnenberg was only 5 feet, 7 inches but weighed 233 pounds, almost square as a refrigerator and hard as a brick from banging around on the gridiron for 14 years. He soon created a radical new move: He would chug across the ring and launch himself at his opponent’s stomach like an artillery shell. The victim could barely groan an “ooof” before flying out of the ring.
Sonnenberg’s signature move, called the flying tackle, was described by wrestling historian Tim Hornbaker like this: “He exploded in the ring like a bomb, as quickly as his reputation preceded him everywhere he went.” A
frequent victim was Strangler Lewis, who was sent flying seven times in one match.
The year 1929 was both dramatic and traumatic, with victories and setbacks. He began the year by beating Lewis once again for the world heavyweight title. After Lewis was repeatedly knocked from the ring, battered and bloody, he refused to come back. They were destined to meet again. Sonnenberg fought on, winning in Philadelphia, Georgia and Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Then setbacks: The Pennsylvania athletic commission stripped Son-
nenberg of his world title in May for “wrestling unworthy opponents and refusing to give logical contenders a chance to wrestle him.” Sonnenberg ignored the demotion (as did other states) and beat the Strangler again in July before 25,000 fans in Boston’s Fenway Park. Still, Pennsylvania stripped him of his title once again “for refusing to meet worthy contenders.” So how did this plucky Yooper respond? He routed the Strangler another time before 10,000 fans in Los Angeles, then re-whipped him a few weeks later. Sonnenberg was world champ more than once.
And then this happened … In July 1932, after Sonnenberg reportedly shared eight quarts of beer with two friends at an Elks Club in Massachusetts (according to a club steward), his car slammed into one driven by policeman Richard Morrissey, who died of his injuries. Sonnenberg was charged with drunk driving, fined $100 and sentenced to three months in jail — but was later acquitted. Sonnenberg suffered severe injuries that hardly delayed his return to the mat; the rigors of his first match landed him in a hospital with blood poisoning. He returned to the ring full time in Philadelphia that September.
A year before the car accident, Sonnenberg wooed and wed movie actress Judith Allen, a veteran of 33 Hollywood films who had survived her own car accident. While Sonnenberg was hospitalized, his wife divorced him. He married again, but that wife also left him because, according to Gus, she hated his staggering home all beat up from wrestling. Along the way, Sonnenberg had the chance to act in a 1937 Spencer Tracy film, “The Big City,” with Jim Thorpe and other famous athletes.
In 1938, when Sonnenberg’s mother, Caroline, was 67, her son Carl drove her to Milwaukee to see her first, and last, wrestling match. “She was in agony and couldn’t bear to watch,” according to geni.com. “She had pictures of him all over the living room … and in a corner one of his vio-
Illustration by Mike McKinney
lins, waiting for his return home.” She said, “Every time he writes, he sends money home.” Wait! This roughhouse athlete played the violin? With his gnarled fingers?
Anyway, Sonnenberg often returned to the U.P. to see his parents and his sister and brother-in-law, Anna and Carl Wittler, who had places in Marquette and Au Train. He continued wrestling until joining the Navy in World War II, serving Stateside. After an eight-month illness, Sonnenberg died of leukemia in Maryland on Sept. 9, 1944, at age 46. His father, Fred, a native of Poland, had died in 1939, while his mother also passed away in 1944. All three are buried in Marquette’s Park Cemetery.
Sonnenberg was in the first group enshrined in the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame, in 1972, joining well-known athletes and coaches such as hockey star Taffy Abel, Notre Dame footballers Hunk Anderson and George Gipp, hockey pioneer Doc Gibson and Michigan Tech hockey coach John MacInnes.
Hornbaker, the wrestling historian, figured “Sonnenberg may have loved football more than wrestling, but wrestling made him an international hero and trendsetter, and his actions on the mat changed the sport forever.”
Sonnenberg won hundreds of matches and seldom lost during his career, and he had the last word: “I have met and defeated the best.” MM
Author’s note: Sonnenberg was one of the many male and female athletes from the small towns of southern Ontonagon County, stretching from Trout Creek to Merriweather, who won state titles and went on to collegiate and professional careers. How could this be? One local observer had an explanation: “It must be the water!”
Larry Chabot, a native of Ontonagon, is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in several publications. This is his 199th piece for Marquette Monthly.
Illustration by Mike McKinney
in the outdoors
Past meets present on Mackinac Island
Jewel of the Great Lakes
By Andie Balenger
The summer months leave many folks itching for a vacation far from their daily neighborhood. As some seek lounge chairs on sandy southern beaches, others may opt for a road trip through western mountain ranges. Yet a journey beyond Michigan may seem unnecessary to some of the state’s residents — especially when one of America’s most popular tourist destinations lies just off the coast of St. Ignace.
Mackinac Island is a quaint, historic destination noted for its automobile-free streets, military structures and world-famous fudge. Positioned in the northwest tip of Lake Huron in the Straits of Mackinac, the island is celebrated for its ornate architecture, museum displays and commitment
to cultural preservation, transporting visitors to a bygone era of American history.
While the number of annual visitors has yet to be officially recorded, the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau estimates that more than 1 million people arrive via ferry or plane yearly. One of those visitors was Sophia Murphy, the Michigan Capitol correspondent for WZMQ 19 News, who explored the Grand Hotel in May while reporting on the 2024 Mackinac Policy Conference.
“[The Grand Hotel] was a part of the island that I had never seen before,” Murphy said. “I am not someone who usually goes on big, expensive vacations, but it felt like a level of luxury that I am not used to. I am a big building person, so I loved looking at all the gorgeous architecture.”
As a former Girl Scout, Murphy first visited the roughly 4-squaremile island with her troop when she was around 12 years old. She recalls a feeling of freedom when romping with her friends and enjoying the proximity to open water. Since her initial visit, Murphy has returned to Mackinac Island several times with her family, describing the island’s vibe as “anachronistic,” belonging to an earlier period.
“I am a wanderer … and [the island] is so quiet once you get up and away from the main road where many of the shops are,” Murphy said. “Being able to take your time to stroll around and see everything is usually one of my favorite moments when I visit.”
Like most tourist destinations, the number of visitors fluctuates with the changing seasons. Due to warm
weather and endless outdoor activities, the island’s peak season stretches from late May to early September. While spring and autumn attract less foot traffic, many sights remain, as colorful flowers bloom beneath April showers and persist until red, orange and yellow hues overtake the trees in the fall. Although the freezing temperatures of Upper Michigan winters prevent many from voyaging across the icy Straits during the cold season, about 500 residents inhabit the island year-round.
“[The island] is a spot in the U.P. where there is something for everyone to do,” Murphy said. “There are so many unique restaurants and little shops, and there is the opportunity to be on the water. If you don’t want to hike, you can ride a horse, and there are still so many things you can do
Fort Mackinac overlooks Mackinac Island’s downtown harbor area. (Photo courtesy of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau)
outside of that. There is a different adventure for whatever reason you want to visit.”
But how did Mackinac Island become a tourist attraction in the first place? Before European settlers colonized the Americas, Mackinac Island was sacred land for the Anishinaabe Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi bands of Indigenous peoples.
According to the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, the isle’s name is derived from the Anishinaabe word “Michilimackinac,” which means “Big Turtle.” As French settlers arrived on the island in the late 1600s, they interpreted the name as “Place of the Great Turtle.” They eventually established Fort Michilimackinac (in present-day Mackinaw City) to oversee the bustling fur trade they maintained in the area.
The British took over Fort Michilimackinac in the mid-1700s, claiming the island and its assets for several years. Between American independence and the War of 1812, the British moved Fort Michilimackinac from the mainland to Mackinac Island’s elevated bluffs — where it stands today as Fort Mackinac. Control of the island flip-flopped between British and U.S. forces for a few years, eventually resting in U.S. hands due to the outcome of the War of 1812.
As the military presence on the island diminished, the late 1800s ushered in Mackinac Island’s tourism era. Its designation as a national park, the newly constructed Grand Hotel and old-world cottages attracted vaca-
IT REALLY DOES FEEL LIKE YOU ARE GOING BACK IN TIME. “
tioners from across the continent to its remote location.
The sweet treats enjoyed by tourists eventually came to define the island as well, as downtown shops crafted the now-iconic Mackinac Island fudge in front of customers for entertainment. Fudge continues to be a driving force behind the tourism industry on Mackinac Island. If that claim seems outlandish, the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau estimates that 10,000 pounds of handmade fudge is made daily during the summer.
When U.P. native Sandy Sovey first visited the island for her senior class trip many years ago, she was in awe while observing the confectioners at work. “I remember thinking how cool it was to watch them make fudge,” Sovey said. “I don’t have a favorite fudge spot, but I really enjoy
watching them make it.”
Sovey has visited the island eight times since finishing high school, mainly to show the area to friends and family who have never been there before. On one visit, she completed the 8.2-mile walk around the island’s perimeter with her daughter and niece — a popular activity among visitors. The path taken is designated as State Highway M-185, the only state highway in the United States with a strict ban on motor vehicles.
For those looking to visit the island, the primary transportation method from the mainland is a brisk ferry ride. Shepler’s Ferry and Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry have locations in St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, and both companies provide accommodations for bicycle transport. In addition, some residents and visitors fly to the Mackinac Island Airport via private or charter plane.
“The ferry ride is super fun, and now you can take a ferry ride that goes under the Mackinac Bridge, which is something new,” Sovey said. “It is just beautiful scenery and a different experience. I mean, you never go anywhere else without cars.”
Once on the island, there are activity options for every kind of tourist. If you want outdoor recreation opportunities, more than 70 miles of hiking and biking trails loop about the island. Notable landforms include Arch Rock, a limestone arch tucked into the island’s southeast corner that stretches more than 50 feet wide.
Those interested in physically immersing themselves in the island’s
Tourism officials estimate that about 1 million people visit Mackinac Island each year. The peak season stretches from late May to early September. (Photo courtesy of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau)
history can consider a horse-drawn carriage ride past its iconic locations. With the automobile ban in 1898, horses continue to rule the island’s transportation system. Whether visitors opt for a private tour in an antique carriage or independently operate a single-horse buggy, a trip to the island may seem incomplete without some horsepower assistance.
“It really does feel like you are going back in time in such a cool and unique way,” Murphy said. “It is the most picturesque place, and there is so much to look at and explore. I feel like every single time I go, I see or do something new.”
History buffs will be satisfied on Mackinac Island, where momentous sites can be found at every turn — from the location of British forces landing in 1812 to the intricate architecture of Sainte Anne’s Catholic Church. Several of the eight dedicated museums on the island contain original artwork and imagery that encapsulate the various thematic elements of Mackinac Island’s history and culture.
Arguably, the most iconic site is Fort Mackinac. The renowned fort walls continue to protect 14 buildings, each equipped with interactive displays, weaponry demonstrations, historical reenactments and furniture stylings of old. The fort’s educational programming includes discussions of Mackinac’s military past, influential women on the island and the area’s evolution through time.
“I really enjoy walking around and seeing all the history there, especially at the fort,” Sovey said. “Some people are dressed up, and you can watch them shoot off a cannon. That is a fun thing to watch.”
What is a vacation without souvenirs? Mackinac Island’s downtown shopping district offers a variety of
boutiques and outlets for visitors of all ages. Handcrafted jewelry, fine artwork and commemorative attire are all within walking distance of each other. Additionally, downtown dining boasts diverse cuisine for any mealtime, from a quick breakfast pastry at a cozy cafe to a fresh fish dinner at a lakeside lounge.
And, of course, there are fudge shops galore. “I am a big fan of fudge,” Murphy said. “I always have to go to Joann’s [Fudge on Mackinac Island]. That is my family’s spot. I know there are plenty of fudge places and that it’s a whole thing, which is the fudge place. But for me and my family, it is Joann’s.”
If a day trip is not enough time to enjoy all the island’s offerings, there are several unique hotels, bed and breakfasts and grandiose cottages to settle in for a night of rest. The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau has compiled a complete list of hotel accommodations, including in-depth descriptions of each location’s offerings. More travel information can be found at the tourism bureau’s website, mackinacisland.org.
As the summer season wanes, U.P. residents in search of a quick getaway can consider a day trip or long weekend to Mackinac Island.
“The island is part of the U.P. It is the 906,” Murphy said. “You can really tell because the people on the island are so nice, and talking to the people who work there is so fun because they are so kind. You can tell that it is part of the Yooper niceness.”
Andie Balenger is a native of Gladstone. She is a graduate student at Northern Michigan University studying the administration of outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism.
Because of the architecture and ban on cars, a visit to Mackinac Island can feel like a trip back in time. (Photo courtesy of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau)
Houghton native Raj Vable and Young Mountain Tea are transforming an industry in India
Bridging cultures, brewing change
By Jennifer Champagne
Raj Vable, founder of Young Mountain Tea, has a story that spans continents and generations, weaving a narrative as intricate as the tea leaves his company cultivates. Born and raised in Houghton, Vable traces his roots back to India, where his parents were born before embarking on a journey to America in search of better opportunities. This blend of American upbringing and Indian heritage has deeply influenced Vable, shaping his identity and inspiring his groundbreaking work in the tea industry.
Vable’s mother is from southern India, where Kannada is spoken, and his father is from the north, where Hindi is the predominant language. Their primary mode of communication was English, influenced by British colonialism. Vable’s parents were among the early wave of Indian immigrants to the United States in the 1970s.
His mother, a pioneer, was one of only 10 women in her university during a time when higher education for women in India was still in its nascent stages. She completed her undergraduate studies at Delhi University and her master’s at IIT Kanpur before moving to Providence, Rhode Island, to pursue her Ph.D. at Brown University. Meanwhile, his father moved to Ann Arbor a year later to pursue his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan.
Vable’s father’s adviser had a connection to Michigan Technological University, which led to his father’s faculty position there. Remarkably, Vable’s parents maintained a long-distance relationship for about seven years before settling in Houghton in 1984.
‘That place my parents come from’ Born and raised in Houghton, Vable has one older sister, Anusha, who lives with her family in California, where she’s a public health researcher. “My mom and dad didn’t really have the same mother tongue,” Vable said. “My mom could speak a little Hindi because it’s more of a national language, but the main times I heard Hindi growing up were when they talked about our birthday presents in front of us or how much to tip the waiters.”
Vable did not feel a strong connection to India during his childhood in the U.P., viewing it as “the place that my parents come from, that we get dragged to every couple of summers where I don’t understand the language.” He remembers feeling disconnected during these trips, where he would often get his cheeks pinched by relatives. “I didn’t have a connection really,” he said.
Houghton native Raj Vable, right, and his company, Young Mountain Tea, work to empower the farmers of the Asian tea industry. (Photo courtesy of Raj Vable)
Vable’s academic path was impressive and diverse. After graduating from Houghton High School, he enrolled at the University of Michigan to pursue electrical engineering, a field that honed his problem-solving abilities. It was there that Vable’s character and commitment to helping others began to shine. Rob Cerato, chief financial officer of Whitmor Inc., a close friend of Vable’s and a financial adviser to Young Mountain Tea, said, “In a highly competitive electrical engineering program, everyone was highly guarded when it came to helping others. That is, everyone except Raj. Raj was focused on mastering the material, helping others where he could, saying any help provided would come back around someday.”
It wasn’t until his first project in college that Vable delved deeply into his Indian ancestry. “A question that plagues a lot of first-generation communities is, ‘Am I American or am I Indian? Am I both? Am I neither?’ I spent a lot of time wrestling with that,” he said. His involvement in solar projects in southern India illustrated the disparity in opportunities. “The electricians installing the solar panels were so smart, talented and ambitious,” Vable said, “but there was no
“
THE BIGGEST THING WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS CREATE AN ALTERNATIVE. FARMERS DON’T OWN THE LAND, THE FACTORIES OR EVEN THEIR HOMES.
real way to convert that ambition into a livelihood.”
This experience made Vable realize the privilege of his position and his responsibility to use it meaningfully.
“I felt very excited about the idea that I can maybe do something,” he said. Vable views his work as a bridge between cultures, fostering relationships and connections while understanding both sides: “We’re not really either, and we’re not both; we’re the connection between the two.”
A serendipitous meeting
Vable’s journey took a significant turn when he attended the Uni-
versity of Oregon, earning his master’s in environmental studies. This period deepened his understanding of sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. His academic pursuit culminated in his receiving a Fulbright Fellowship, which led him back to India. It was during this period that he met Rajnish Jain, cofounder of Avani Bio Energy. Their meeting was serendipitous, unfolding in the cozy warmth of Rajnish’s home. Vable said, “The idea of Young Mountain Tea started quite literally in Rajnish’s kitchen, with a conversation with his wife, Rashmi.”
Jain reflects on this meeting with
fondness. “Raj came as a young man, and I sometimes jokingly tell him that he almost refused to leave,” he said. “His presence was very welcomed, and our meandering conversations over tea must have planted the seeds for what would become Young Mountain Tea. His determination and genuine interest in making a difference were evident from the start.”
Jain is a trustee for the tea farmers’ trust that co-owns the tea company initiated by Young Mountain Tea in India. He played a crucial role in capacity building for the tea farmers, organizing them into cohesive groups to take charge of their operations. Initially, the farmers were dependent on a government-funded, time-bound project, which leased their land and provided limited wages, creating uncertainty about the future of their tea gardens when the government eventually withdrew its support. Recognizing this vulnerability, Young Mountain Tea, with Jain’s guidance, began working with the farmers to enhance their productivity and establish ownership stakes in the tea factory.
“The idea is to bring some amount of ownership of the tea farmers into the tea factory by bringing some equity to the trust, which is working for
the welfare of the farmers,” Jain said. The factory that is currently being built and set up is unique, as it marks the first time a specialty tea factory in India is owned by the community, specifically the farmers themselves. This initiative not only ensures better financial returns for the farmers but also instills a sense of pride and ownership. This idea demonstrates Jain and Vable’s shared vision for sustainable tea farming and empowerment of the local community.
Addressing the colonial legacy in the Indian tea industry, Vable is leading an initiative to transform the sector where smallholder farmers see little benefit from their work. When the British introduced tea to India, they established a system that marginalized farmers. Today, as Vable engages with new communities and brings farmers on board to create products for global consumption, questions arise about the right to work in these communities. By building strong relationships with farmers and partnering with nonprofits that provide essential training, Vable ensures that solutions are rooted in farmers’ needs and benefit them directly.
A paradigm shift Vable is shifting the paradigm in the Indian tea industry, aiming to dismantle the colonial legacy. “The biggest thing we’re trying to do is create an alternative because, right now, farmers don’t own the land they work on, the factories they process in or even their own homes,” he said. “They depend on estate owners for food subsidies, health care and education, leaving them with little incentive to stay in tea farming.”
Vable’s vision is to transfer ownership of the value chain into the hands of farmers. “We’re working with farmers who own the land and the tea bushes they grow on,” he said. “With the factory we’re setting up with the support of the United States Agency for International Development, this is the first time, as far as we can tell, that a specialty tea factory in India is owned by the community.” Notably, 90% of the farmers they work with are women, who will be paid five times the industry average for their harvest and will also receive a share of the profits from the factory. “Beyond the numbers,” Vable said, “empowerment for us means a personal commitment to the well-being of the people we serve.”
Vable emphasizes the transformative nature of this shift, noting that it requires a significant mindset change for farmers to understand what ownership means. “For the last two and a half years, we’ve had a nonprofit partner supporting these farmers in transitioning to become owners of a facility,” he said. “This is so different from anything that has existed before.”
Young Mountain Tea was founded with an ambitious mission rooted in social impact: to create a market for high-quality, responsibly grown tea sourced directly from Himalayan farmers. Over the past decade, this mission has evolved to include moving production and processing to the region itself, providing an additional revenue stream for farmers and ensuring they have an ownership stake in the business.
Young Mountain Tea celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Laura Fieselman, head of operations at Salient
After graduating from Houghton High School, Raj Vable earned degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of Oregon. (Photo courtesy of Raj Vable)
and a board member at Young Mountain Tea, highlights this shift. “Young Mountain Tea,” she said, “is achieving the impact that many aspiring social enterprises dream about — building value and long-term ownership for women whose livelihoods depend on smallholdings.”
Working with Vable and his team has been a transformative experience for many in the tea industry. Mo Sardella from The G.S. Haly Co., one of the first specialty tea importers in the United States, speaks highly of Vable’s innovative approach. “Raj is doing something unique in the tea industry,” Sardella said. “He’s creating new paths of distribution from the source and highlighting the importance of direct feedback from consumers to growers. This is not common in the tea industry. It’s rare for tea producers to have that kind of feedback loop access. Raj is helping to innovate the communication chain and increase awareness of quality in tea consumption.”
Vable’s commitment to social impact and sustainability is reflected in every aspect of Young Mountain Tea’s operations. The company has modeled regenerative agricultural practices from the beginning.
“Regenerative agriculture is now a buzzword,” Fieselman said, “but the company has modeled regenerative principles from the beginning: Tea plants are perennial bushes planted and tended by farmers paid fair wages when they work with Young Mountain Tea. It’s a company and brand that honors and uplifts the people who grow our food and drink.”
The company’s groundbreaking
model includes profit sharing with tea farmers and the establishment of a farmer-owned tea production facility in India. This model was born out of Vable’s understanding of the struggles faced by small-scale tea farmers, particularly women, in the Himalayan region. Jain said, “The Young Mountain Tea team has done serious work in organizing farmers into a cohesive group and investing in capacity build-
ing. This has empowered farmers to take charge of their operations and improve productivity.”
The impact of Young Mountain Tea’s work is profound. It not only provides economic opportunities for farmers but also fosters a sense of ownership and pride within the community. “We spent time together in some of the very tea gardens that Young Mountain now supports,” Cerato said. “During this time, we discussed the many ways Young Mountain could have an impact in the region. It’s amazing to see how those conversations have turned into real, impactful actions.”
Creating lasting change
Five years into Young Mountain Tea’s existence, Vable met his future wife, Mitra Nite, at a pop-up event the night before the first Portland Tea Festival. Nite, now Young Mountain Tea’s creative director, was handling the festival’s branding, including designing the logo and managing all marketing. Their initial, somewhat awkward, business card exchange blossomed into a fruitful collaboration and partnership. “I think of her as my muse,” said Vable, reflecting on her influence as a graph-
About 90% of the farmers Young Mountain Tea works with are women. They are paid five times the industry average for their harvests. (Photo courtesy of Raj Vable)
ic designer and artist. Nite’s creative approach, involving mood boards and inspirational elements, has deeply inspired Vable. He emphasizes that Young Mountain Tea wouldn’t be the same without her. Beyond her creative contributions, Nite provides invaluable support, helping Vable navigate challenges and stay grounded and optimistic. “She helps me step back and look at the situation from the outside,” he said.
Vable’s background in electrical engineering has uniquely equipped him to tackle the challenges of the tea industry. “Raj is the best listener that I know,” Cerato said. “This skill, paired with the deep interest he takes in others’ lives, has made him an excellent and caring manager for all the employees of Young Mountain Tea. His superb analytical skills have aided in his ability to problem solve and drive system change.”
The collaborative efforts of Vable and his team extend beyond the immediate community of tea farmers. Sardella notes the broader implications of their work: “The reality that Raj has almost a fully functional tea factory in this remote area, owned partially by the people who are living and working on the tea garden level, mostly women, is mind-boggling. It’s reshaping how we think about the tea trade.”
Looking ahead, Vable and his team are focused on expanding their impact and continuing to innovate within the tea industry. They are exploring ways to integrate sustainable energy solutions into their operations, such as using biochar and solar energy to make the tea production process more efficient and environmentally friendly. This aligns closely with Jain’s expertise at Avani Bio Energy. “We’ve had conversations about using energy from pine leaves to power the factory while utilizing biochar for the eco-
system,” Jain said. “It’s a kind of zero-waste cycle.”
Vable’s journey from a young student in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula to a social entrepreneur in India is proof of his vision, determination and ability to bring people together. His story is not just about tea; it’s about creating lasting change and building a better future for farming communities in India.
As Cerato put it, “The concept of a farmer-owned tea production facility, gifted to farmers via philanthropic investments, grants, legal structures and trusts, all for the betterment of these farmers and the human condition, has never existed before. This innovative model is purely a product of Raj’s grit, determination, creativity and unique ability to problem solve and connect disparate entities to work toward a common goal and better future.”
Currently working with 2,500 farmers spread across five regions of India, Young Mountain Tea aims to expand this model to benefit more communities. “Our hope is that this becomes a model we can replicate in other parts,” Vable said. “We think roughly 500 farmers to one factory will be the blueprint. India is the world’s second-largest tea producer, so if we get this right, the opportunity for scaling to millions of farmers is immense. We’re developing a blueprint for system change and want to share it transparently, including the financial aspects and operational details, to help other regions adopt this model.”
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Jennifer Champagne is an accomplished entertainment and visual effects writer with a passion for storytelling. When she’s not crafting articles on industry giants, you’ll find her enjoying life with her family.
Raj Vable’s Young Mountain Tea currently works with 2,500 farmers across five regions in India — with plans to expand. (Photo courtesy of Raj Vable)
back then
Inventing the outdoors Webster Marble created products noted for innovation and quality
By Jennifer Champagne
Webster Marble, a pioneering inventor and outdoorsman, left an indelible mark on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with his remarkable innovations and dedication to quality craftsmanship. Born in 1854 in Milwaukee, Marble later moved with his family to Vassar, Michigan, and then to Frankfort, Michigan, a small town on the shores of Lake Michigan. Marble’s journey from these humble beginnings to becoming a prolific patent holder and a key figure in the outdoor industry showcases his ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit.
Marble’s early life was shaped by his father, Lansing Marble, also an inventor, who instilled in him a love for the outdoors and a keen sense of curiosity. This foundational influence would guide Marble throughout his life and career. After spending his formative years exploring the wilderness and learning essential survival skills, Marble ventured into various trades, honing his craft as a machinist and blacksmith. These early experiences laid the groundwork for his future as an inventor.
Marble’s entrepreneurial journey began in 1892 with the founding of Gladstone Manufacturing Co. in Gladstone, a town in Delta County in the Upper Peninsula that would become the heart of his business empire. The company primarily produced gunsights. Despite his ongoing work on various inventions, the Panic of 1893 caused a recession, forcing Marble to return to timber cruising to support his family.
His breakthrough came with the Marble Safety Axe Co., where his Safety Pocket Axe with its retractable blade shield became a blockbuster product. Success at the New York Sportsmen’s Show confirmed the product’s popularity, prompting a name change that closely associated the company with the Safety Axe and Marble himself. With an expanding range of successful outdoor products like the Ideal Knife, which reinvent-
ed hunting knives, the Waterproof Match Safe and the Game Getter Gun, Marble rebranded the company one final time as Marble Arms and Manufacturing Co. to reflect its broaden-
ing scope. The company’s location in Gladstone was strategic, providing access to abundant natural resources and a community that valued outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing.
Marble’s innovative spirit created a range of outdoor tools and equipment that revolutionized the industry. These products were designed with the outdoorsman in mind, emphasizing safety, durability and practicality. Marble’s keen understanding of the needs of outdoor enthusiasts set his products apart from competitors. His ability to anticipate and meet the demands of outdoor adventurers cemented his reputation as a pioneering inventor and businessman.
Marble was a prolific inventor who held more than 60 patents throughout his career. His commitment to quality was unwavering, and he insisted on rigorous testing and meticulous craftsmanship for every product that
bore his name. This dedication to excellence earned Marble Arms a reputation for reliability and innovation.
Ahead of his time
One of Marble’s most significant contributions to the business world was his progressive approach to labor relations. At a time when he employed 400 to 500 workers, he welcomed unionization and implemented profit-sharing programs long before these practices became widespread. Marble believed that happy and motivated workers were essential to maintaining the high standards of his products. This forward-thinking approach fostered a loyal and skilled workforce, further enhancing Marble Arms’ reputation for quality.
Marble’s marketing strategies were also groundbreaking for his time. He was the first to utilize celebrity endorsements, recognizing the power
Inventor and business pioneer Webster Marble, pictured at left in the 1920s, established an outdoor products company that put Gladstone on the map. At its peak, his factory employed about 500 people. (Photos courtesy of Dennis Pace)
of influential figures in promoting his products. Notable endorsements came from famous explorers, hunters, military figures and even American aviator and military officer Charles Lindbergh. Marble personally wrote all the copy for his catalogs, infusing them with his passion for the outdoors and his products.
An astute marketer, Marble employed innovative techniques to track the effectiveness of his advertising campaigns. He used different addresses in his magazine advertisements to identify which publications generated the most interest and sales. This data-driven approach allowed him to refine his marketing strategies and maximize their impact.
Marble’s understanding of consumer psychology was ahead of his time. He recognized that people often desired his products not just for their utility but also for their aesthetic appeal and the sense of adventure they embodied. This insight guided his product design and marketing efforts, ensuring that Marble Arms products were both functional and desirable.
Honoring Marble’s legacy
The legacy of Webster Marble extends beyond his inventions and business acumen. His influence is preserved and celebrated at the Webster Marble: Inventing the Outdoors Museum in Escanaba. The museum, located in the Visit Escanaba/Chamber building, showcases Marble’s life, his inventions and their impact on the outdoor industry.
The exhibit was initially showcased at the Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing. It all began when Dennis Pace, a private collector of Webster Marble’s work, brought his collection to share with Sandra Clark, the museum’s director. Clark, who had not heard of Marble before, was inspired by Pace’s extensive collection and the compelling story behind it.
“Just as I was formulating the thought of asking him to loan these items to the museum for an exhibit, he asked if we would like to have them for our collections,” Clark said. This serendipitous moment led to the creation of an exhibit that not only highlighted Marble’s exceptional contributions but also aligned with the museum’s mission to tell personal and impactful stories from Michigan’s rich history.
The exhibit’s journey to Escanaba was a collaborative effort fueled by community pride. Pace played a crucial role in the initial inspiration for the exhibit, but it was Vickie Micheau, executive director of the Del-
Webster Marble was awarded more than 60 patents for innovative outdoor products such as the Safety Pocket Axe, which fueled his early success. (Image courtesy of Dennis Pace)
ta County Chamber of Commerce, whose dedication brought the exhibit to fruition in Escanaba. Her passion for Marble’s legacy and advocacy to return his work to its roots were instrumental in securing the exhibit’s permanent home.
The Michigan History Center, recognizing the exhibit’s significance, collaborated to make it a lasting feature in Delta County. “Webster Marble’s story is a cornerstone of our local heritage,” Micheau said. “Bringing this exhibit to Escanaba ensures that future generations understand the profound impact he had on the outdoor industry and our community.”
The establishment of the museum
was not without its challenges. Micheau’s ability to mobilize community support was crucial in overcoming obstacles. Her efforts, alongside those of Ann Jousma Miller, curator of the U.P. Military Museum, and Pace’s contributions exemplify the community’s commitment to honoring Marble’s legacy. “We were determined to bring Webster Marble home to Delta County,” Micheau said. “The community’s response and support have been overwhelming, and it’s a reflection of the pride we have in our local history.”
Building the museum involved significant financial contributions from various sources. The John and Melissa Besse Foundation donated $1 mil-
In addition to innovation in its product line, Webster Marble’s company was known for its groundbreaking marketing strategies. (Images courtesy of Dennis Pace)
lion to construct the new Commerce Center, providing a substantial foundation for the project.
Additionally, the community engaged in successful crowdfunding efforts through Michigan’s Patronicity program, raising $50,000, which was matched by the state. The U.P. State Fair Authority also supported the project with a loan of more than $400,000. The Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation contributed more than $200,000. Furthermore, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. contributed a grant for $500,000 through the work of State Rep. Beau LaFave. In total, these efforts have amassed about $2.2 million to date.
The Webster Marble Museum has become a significant attraction, drawing visitors from near and far. It has contributed to the region’s tourism and economic activity, with regular visits by tour buses, school groups and scouting organizations. The ex-
hibit’s appeal extends beyond local residents, captivating tourists and cruise ship passengers who explore the Upper Peninsula’s rich history and natural beauty.
The museum is more than just a collection of artifacts; it is a celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking that defined Marble’s life. It serves as an inspiration to future generations, showcasing the
impact one individual can have on an industry and a community.
Marble’s name lives on
WhenMarble died in 1930, there was no chief innovation officer to fill his shoes. On top of that, his company faced a series of challenges that threatened its survival. The onset of the Great Depression meant that few people had the money to
buy Marble’s products. World War II brought another set of challenges: The government needed hundreds of thousands of combat knives and chose Marble’s Ideal Knife design. However, Marble Arms could not produce the required quantity alone, so other companies like Utica, Case and Pal were enlisted to help. Additionally, all of Marble’s patents expired, allowing other manufacturers to produce similar products.
After the war, two major factors further affected the company. First, a flood of army surplus goods returned to the market, available for pennies on the dollar. Second, low-priced imports from Europe and Japan began to compete with Marble’s products. Despite attempts to innovate — venturing into boats, electric generators and more — the company struggled and was bought and sold several times. Nevertheless, Marble Arms still exists, continuing to produce high-quality outdoor products.
In fact, the original Marble Arms building still stands in Gladstone, symbolizing Marble’s lasting influence. The business has changed hands over the years but remains a reflection of Marble’s impact on the industry. Current owner Craig Lauerman acquired the company through an interesting turn of events.
Pace shared the story of how Lauerman came to acquire the business. Both Lauerman and his father are CPAs. The family that owned Marble Arms wanted to sell it, and Lauerman’s father was called in to analyze the books for a potential buyer. They found a few minor issues but determined it was a small, profitable company. However, the buyer backed out. Lauerman and his father then decided to buy the company themselves. Lau-
erman has been running it for more than 25 years, ensuring that Marble Arms continues to produce high-quality products that honor its founder’s legacy.
As Pace explained, “Marble Arms makes premium quality, old-school iron sights. If you buy a Winchester, Remington, SIG Sauer or any sort of long gun or handgun and want the best iron sights in the world, you ask for Marble sights. It’s a smaller company now, with a couple dozen employees, but they are surviving and flourishing.”
Pace reflected on how Marble’s story exemplifies the sense of innovation, community and pioneering spirit that defines the U.P.: “Acquiring Marble Arms was about more than just preserving a business. It was about safeguarding a piece of our history and continuing Webster Marble’s tradition of innovation and quality. We are proud to carry on his legacy in Gladstone and beyond.”
MM
Jennifer Champagne is an accomplished entertainment and visual effects writer with a passion for storytelling. When she’s not crafting articles on industry giants, you’ll find her enjoying life with her family.
The Webster Marble: Inventing the Outdoors Museum is located in the Visit Escanaba building, 1001 N. Lincoln Rd., Escanaba. (Photos courtesy of Dennis Pace)
the arts
A congregation of music lovers
Great Alston Music Festival meets local demand for live performances
By Pam Christensen
Tim Johnston proudly proclaims that Church in the Valley Bar is “absolutely the best live music venue in Alston.” Of course, Johnston often fails to mention that Church in the Valley Bar is the only bar and, for that matter, the only place to enjoy live music in Alston, Michigan.
Since Johnston purchased the Village Bar with his wife, Heather Williams, in April 2022 and reopened it under the official name Church in the Valley Bar on Oct. 15, 2022 — their second wedding anniversary — the establishment has become not only a music and comedy venue but also a community gathering place for resi-
dents, hosting birthday and anniversary parties, holiday parties, showers, funerals, wakes and other celebrations. The bar has also been the site of at least one engagement.
Alston, in rural southern Houghton County, was founded in 1887. It was once a thriving community that boasted schools, churches, farms, a movie theater, three bars, a pulp and paper mill, railroad station and post office. The present-day Church in the Valley Bar occupies a site that has housed
Heather Williams, left, Tim Johnston and Gretchen Williams are proud of the fact that Church in the Valley Bar is a family operation. (Photo by Pam Christensen)
drinking establishments for over 100 years — a century of tales of legend and lore typical of many U.P. landmarks.
“Legend has it,” Williams said, “that one Sunday, upon dropping his wife and children off at an Alston church, a man called on one of his nearby friends and asked if he wanted to go to church too. He explained he was jokingly referring to the bar, so they went and drank at the bar while their families were at church, and a new tradition and code name was born.”
The men’s Sunday tradition may account for another legend, that of a fire that destroyed the bar during the Prohibition era. “While never proven to be arson,” Johnston said, “the fire was supposedly set by members of the Temperance League of Nisula in protest of the bar’s controversial-at-the-time alcohol sales. … Not to be thwarted, the owners moved the bar to their home adjacent to the bar and reopened as a ‘club.’ The owners were certain, because it was the family home and children lived there, that those responsible would not dare to set fire to a home where a family lived.”
Following the fire, the bar was rebuilt with brick — which the owners hoped would be fireproof — and it still exists in this form today. Williams and Johnston painted the building in the colors “peace yellow” and “fine wine.” The new paint job restored the colors used during the bar’s 1970s heyday. Church in the Valley Bar was painted across the front, establishing the traditional nickname as the official monicker of the reborn business, which had been closed for almost three years.
Johnston, a Canadian, was living
in Windsor, Ontario, and Williams in Dearborn when they met. A commercial banker and nonprofit manager, the two survived a seven-month lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic and decided that to continue their relationship, due to Canada’s strict pandemic policies, they would get married. Once married, they looked at relocating and toyed with the idea of purchasing a restaurant or bar and running it until retirement. They first started looking in South Dakota and other areas, but their attention eventually turned to Michigan. Williams’ grandmother Lempi Tuominen Allen was born and raised in Painesdale, and because of that connection and her frequent childhood visits to the Copper Country, she started looking for properties in the U.P.
The selection of Alston for their new business may have its roots in a tale Williams and Johnston both tell. Early in their relationship, Johnston relayed a dream he had many years before they met. In the dream, he saw a neon sign blinking “church” and “bar” over and over again. “Tim rarely has dreams he can remember, so this one always stayed in his mind,” Williams said. They shared a private laugh about that dream and decided that one day, many years in the future, they would open a bar and call it “Church.”
Fast forward to the moment when Williams found the listing for the Village Bar, locally known as the Church, and it seemed like fate. She said, “It looked like Tim’s dream was about to come true, a little quicker than we expected.” The two visited, looked over the property and decided it was the place they would start their new life together.
“When we first bought the bar,
The Wild Honey Collective is set to play on the first night of the Great Alston Music Festival, Aug. 23. (Photo courtesy of The Wild Honey Collective)
we questioned whether there were enough people in the area to support what we wanted to do,” Johnston said. Williams added, “It was always about developing a music venue. We really underestimated the community’s love and connection to this building. We have met five families who owned or are related to former owners of the bar at one time or another, and they are regular visitors. They appreciate we brought the bar back.”
In all of their discussions, Johnston and Williams said they wanted to be highly involved in every aspect of operating the bar. “We met later in life and missed our opportunity to have children together. The Church is our baby,” Johnston said. “It is a big commitment and one we have accepted. Our goal is to raise, protect and nurture this business together, just as if it were our own child. We take pride in our real-life children, but we are also very proud of how nicely our new baby is growing up here in Alston.” Church in the Valley Bar is a family operation. In addition to Johnston and Williams, the staff includes Williams’ children, Gretchen and Pete, and one unrelated but “adopted” rock-star bartender, Chris. “It is a family operation,” Williams said. “It is unusual to come in and not find at least one of us here.”
For the grand opening, the pair hired the band Old No. 7, based on customer feedback. The event was such a success that they “sold out of Busch Light before the end of the night — and we had a lot of Busch Light,” Johnston said, recounting the only calamity of the evening. Wil-
IT WAS
ALWAYS ABOUT
DEVELOPING
A MUSIC VENUE. “
liams added, “We had five bartenders behind the bar. The parking lot was full, and cars were parked up to the township hall and along M-38.” After that evening, the pair realized they had made the right decision. The audience was there.
The grand opening was only the beginning. Comedy shows arranged with Pub and Grub Comedy, Music Mondays, Sundays at the Church and special band events followed. The Church also celebrates various holidays. New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, St. Urho’s Day, both weekends during firearm deer season, Halloween and Christmas parties are annual events.
In another community-building event, Church in the Valley’s trivia team won the 2024 championship in the Lac Vieux Desert and Y-101 triv-
ia competition held from February to October each year.
Over the past two years, some new legends and lore have been born at the Church. It is not uncommon for people to arrive by car, motorcycle, sideby-side, ATV or snowmobile, but on a mild day this February some patrons visited on horseback. The horses patiently waited outside while their riders took advantage of a drink.
One of the things that sets the bar apart from other venues is the social media presence the business has built. Their postings not only feature what is happening at the establishment but serve to inform locals of missing persons, deaths, lost pets, celebrations and community events. They also capture much of the live action taking place in the bar during comedy and music shows. These posts raise the visibility of the bar but also promote the artists who perform there. This exposure helps build an appreciation of and following for local musicians.
Music festival returns
In order to expand musical offerings in the area, Johnston and Williams staged the Great Alston Music Festival on the last Saturday in August 2023. The event was such a success that they have expanded the festival this year to include an additional day of music on Friday and artisan vendors selling soap, wood products, jewelry and other items. In addition, several food trucks will participate in the event scheduled for Friday, Aug. 23, and Saturday, Aug. 24, on the bar’s property at 11370 M-38 in Alston.
Chad Borgen and the Collective is scheduled to perform again at the Great Alston Music Festival on Aug. 23 in Alston. (Photo courtesy of Chad Borgen and the Collective)
Clint Kyro, a local musician who has a solo act and also plays with the Super Suits, Canal Crew and Chad Borgen and the Collective, participated in the first festival and is looking forward to the event this year.
“Tim and Heather have done an excellent job with the Church,” he said. “They have arranged so many opportunities for musicians to perform. They have put Church in the Valley on the map as a venue. It has been a huge endeavor, and they take such care to promote musicians and bands prior to a show, during a show and after a show. They also pay such attention to details of each performance. I can’t think of any other place in the U.P. that has developed such an active schedule of music events.
“The layout of the Church also provides great interaction with the audience. The stage is only 10 feet away from the bar in some places, and the venue is one big room, so the audience is engaged with the musicians. It is a fun place to play.”
Kyro has nothing but compliments for the Great Alston Music Festival. “I was amazed when I got to the festival last year,” he said. “The stage was ginormous — three or four times what I expected. I was also just blown away by the turnout” as ticket sales exceeded 400.
Kyro will serve as the festival’s master of ceremonies on Saturday, a role he played at last year’s event. He said the job of the emcee is to entertain the crowd while bands change over between sets. “It is a lot of fun to emcee,” he said. “You get to play a little, talk to the audience and keep people entertained. It is so much fun, and the opportunity to work with the
other bands is great.”
The festival’s music offerings trend toward country on Friday and rock on Saturday. Tickets for the event are now available at the bar. A one-day advance ticket is $20 per person. The weekend advance pass is $40. At the gate on the day of the event, a one-day pass will be $25 and a two-day pass will be $50. There are also a limited number of rustic camping sites adjacent to the venue.
The band lineup on Friday will be emceed by longtime local favorite Jack Joliff and includes headliners Chad Borgen and the Collective. Also playing on Friday will be Belinda Maki, Gypsy Soul Food, Lightning Ridge, Rewind and The Wild Honey Collective.
On Saturday night, the headliner will be Oz from Iron Mountain. Also taking the stage that day will be Stevie Pohto, Casey, Sons of Legend, Nolium, Old No. 7 and Millennial’s Falcon.
Music will begin at 1 p.m. EDT on Friday and noon on Saturday, with gates opening one hour prior on both days. Attendees are invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs.
“The best live music venue in Alston” is open every day except for Wednesdays and some holidays. Information on the bar, events and festival are available on the bar’s Facebook page.
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Pam Christensen holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s in the science of librarianship. She loves to write and do research about the people, places and events that make the U.P. a special place.
Millennial’s Falcon, which bills itself as the Keweenaw’s premier throwback party band, will play the Great Alston Music Festival on Aug. 24. (Photo courtesy of Millennial’s Falcon)
sporting life
Sands Speedway offers a summertime spectacle Sunday is race day
By Brad Gischia
Summertime Sundays are the picture of what a Sunday should be. Perhaps a trip to church in the morning followed by a leisurely brunch. Maybe a long breakfast with several cups of coffee on a sunny porch with a newspaper or a good book. Possibly cutting the lawn with the promise of a ball game and a glass of lemonade or a cold beer afterward.
Or, if you’re looking to change things up, you could go to Sands Speedway.
Tucked into the woods off M-553 in Sands Township, just east of the Marquette County Fairgrounds, sits
Sands Speedway presents racing in five classes. (Photo by Brad Gischia)
a quarter-mile loop of asphalt where most Sundays from June through August, weather permitting, a group of racers get together to pit themselves against each other and the track.
When you drive in, the speedway looms up out of the woods. There are signs at each turn off of 553 on race day so newcomers will be able to find their way in and out. You drive past the pit, where all of the racers wait for their turn, and up around to the back side of the track.
The track itself is situated at the bottom of a hill on which there are poured concrete steps, wide enough to set up your own lawn chairs. In the center of the steps there are also wooden benches. A covered area provides shade from the sun.
Race day starts early for the people who run the track. Victoria Hawley is a second-generation racer whose father, Bob Goodwin, is one of the current owners of the speedway.
“We get moving pretty early on race days,” Hawley said. “We’re up washing vehicles early. We bring four cars to the track along with the tow and sweep trucks. We get to the track around 11 or 11:30 and hustle the rest of the day.”
Several races happen each Sunday. There are time trials starting at 2 p.m. Drivers run what they hope are their best two laps alone. The resulting times determine their placement at the start of the main event race at the end of the day.
Racing begins at 3 p.m. and ends when it ends, usually by around 7 p.m., depending on the number of cars, weather and special events during the intermission.
There are five different classes that currently race at Sands Speedway: four cylinder street tire, four cylinder modified, street stock, late model and fuel injected. The fuel-injected class is fairly recent, having been added five years ago.
That was when Hawley, a former snocross racer, decided to jump into the driver’s seat. “The idea was to take it back to the old days,” she said. “Take a car from the junkyard, build it into a race car for relatively cheap and race it.” Hawley and company did that, and she now races a Mustang in that class. This year, a Camaro and a Charger have been added to the fuel-injected group.
“We try to keep the rules pretty simple,” Hawley said. “The idea was to use a street-legal car, put a roll cage in it and race it. Of course everybody is coming up with ways to make the suspension and brakes better, but right now you can race any fuel-injected car in that class.”
Goodwin, Hawley’s father and part owner of Sands Speedway, has been racing there since the 1970s. “In the spring of 1970, a whole gang of us went to the races for the first time,” he said. “Halfway through, we went home and started building a car. I’ve
Sands Speedway’s season runs from June through August. Most Sundays, weather permitting, gates open at 1 p.m. followed by time trials at 2 and races at 3. (Photo courtesy of Sands Speedway)
raced ever since.”
The racing then was a lot different than it is today. “We all had a car to beat on back in the day,” Goodwin said. “Back then it was pretty plain. You used any kind of car you wanted. We kept the rules vague so you could get cars on the track, and then once they were on there we could start thinning them out.
“We drove to Ironwood one time, bought a ’55 Ford at the junkyard, got pulled over by the cops on the way home and two weeks later we were on the track.” That kind of car building isn’t as easy as it once was. “Now everything is computers; everything has to be programmed,” Goodwin said. “We thought we’d be able to make these Mustangs cheaply, but the average guy can’t do it anymore.”
Kyle McMahon has been racing at Sands Speedway for over a decade. “I got into it through my dad and Bob Goodwin mostly,” McMahon said. He purchased a street stock car and has since changed out most of the mechanical parts on it. “I’ve put in a couple of engines, a couple of transmissions, on top of the regular main-
tenance like tires and oil changes.”
McMahon estimates that during a full racing season, without getting hit or having a major wreck, he puts in between 20 and 30 hours of maintenance. “Most of it I do myself with help from friends,” he said. “Unless you wreck, most of it is for peace of mind, so you know that the car you’re bringing to the race is safe.”
In the old days, races were run on some Thursday nights and every Sunday. Goodwin said that when he was racing there were so many cars that they wouldn’t fit in the pits. “They were spilling out into the parking lot,” he said. “It’s not like that anymore.”
Goodwin said one reason for this is that racing worldwide isn’t as popular as it once was. There was also a community built around the sport that doesn’t exist in the same way. “Not that many people are building cars anymore,” he said. “Everyone had a race car back in those days. Some raced and some didn’t. Everyone knew someone who raced. You go to see the people you know.”
Hawley said they had a couple of
Racing at Sands is a family affair. The track’s co-owner, Bob Goodwin, front, has been involved in the sport since the 1970s. Now his grandson Evan Hawley, back, is also a driver. (Photo courtesy of Victoria Hawley)
great attendance days last year. “It’s really cool to see the grandstand full and overflowing onto the lawn,” she said.
Goodwin remembers a different time. “I asked Paul Smith [who owned the track from 1970 to ’73], and he said there were 40 late models and 100 six-cylinders. They were racing twice a week then,” he said. “Smith told me there were 1,500 to 2,000 fans on the hill. He said he got tired of counting the $5 bills.”
Could racing out at the speedway be like that again? It’s possible, but only if people head out there and determine it’s worth it.
Because the track is only a quarter-mile long, spectators can see every turn, every bump and hear the whine of the motors. It’s not overly loud, though if you have sensitive ears you might consider ear protection. The smells of exhaust, hot asphalt and barbecue mingle in the air. There is anticipation as well, with fans eagerly watching the time trials and commenting among themselves on each vehicle’s laps.
“It’s a really exciting sport to watch,” Hawley said. “But if you ever get a chance to come out to the speedway, I encourage you to stand in the grandstand area over by corner one, to see those cars coming at you at 70 to nearly 100 miles per hour depending on the class. It’s a real adrenaline rush.
“The racers make it look easy. You don’t realize how fast they’re going, but if you have a chance to be in a car, you’ll realize that they’re traveling all of these laps with inches between them. It’s pretty amazing.”
Evan Hawley, Victoria’s son and
Goodwin’s grandson, is racing now as well. “Evan hopes to race his grandpa at least once this year,” Hawley said. “I might get a little teary watching that. My brother raced through high school. Evan is racing my dad’s car this year. Having three generations race is pretty cool.”
There are opportunities to get involved even if you don’t have a pit crew or a race car of your own. “They have spectator races throughout the summer,” Hawley said. “You bring in your street car and race a lap against another. That’s pretty fun.”
McMahon encourages people to get out and see the racing. “At any small track in the USA you’ll find that grassroots racing is a family atmosphere,” he said. “You’ll know the drivers, have friends racing and you can go out and meet and hang out with the racers.”
Volunteer opportunities at the track are also available. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students and free for kids under 12. Fans are welcome to bring their own drinks and food, but there is also food available for purchase. Sands Speedway offers a family event that won’t break the bank.
“There’s no other track like it,” McMahon said. “The way it’s built into the side of the hill and the way the corners and the hill on the track are laid out make for some competitive driving.” MM
Brad Gischia is a writer and artist native to Upper Michigan. He has published two children’s books and done illustrations for both comic books and novels.
Kyle McMahon has been competing at Sands Speedway for over a decade. (Photo by Brad Gischia)
A natural hiss-tory of U.P. snakes Michigan is home to 18 snake species, one of which is poisonous
Story and photos by Scot Stewart
It’s tempting to have bad thoughts about snakes. Those thoughts have been around a long time. After all, the whole idea of temptation in some circles dates back to a snake in a garden. Some snakes are poisonous, they move around really fast, without any legs, and at the very least they do stick out their tongues — a lot.
In Michigan, there are 18 species of snakes that have been found, several with very small ranges near the state borders. Eight or nine (depending on who is counting) are found in the Upper Peninsula. They are the eastern garter snake, the smooth green snake, the northern water snake, the northern red-bellied snake, the ring-necked snake, DeKay’s brown snake, the northern ribbon snake and fox snakes. Some authorities separate fox snakes into eastern and western, based on the number of dark markings they have.
The northern red-bellied snake is one of the species found in the Upper Peninsula. (Photo by Scot Stewart)
Others lump the two types together as eastern fox snakes. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recognizes both. Only one snake found in Michigan is poisonous — the eastern massasauga — and it has not be found in the U.P.
Snakes can create a huge variety of reactions in individuals. People who found snakes as children, picked them up and examined those flicking red and black tongues are often excited and intrigued by them. Some have come to be so attached to snakes that they keep them as pets. Others, however, may have a fear, even a morbid fear, of them. Psychologists have identified four main causes of this fear, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The first cause may come from a genetic phobia of snakes. Some fear of snakes comes from cultural sources that date back to that snake in the Garden of Eden or other age-old fears, like Medusa in ancient Greek mythology.
Two other sources creating fear of snakes can come from early experiences in an individual’s life. Watching scary films or television shows about snakes or the reaction of adults to the sight of snakes can instill that fear in others. Nothing is more memorable than watching someone scream in terror, then pound a snake to death with a heavy shovel to develop negative feelings for the reptiles. The other is a traumatic experience with snakes, like being unsure about the facts and being chased by someone holding a snake in their face.
A number of studies have been conducted to examine the reactions people have toward animals like snakes, turtles and even large spiders (such as tarantulas) on roadways. Experiments
have looked at how drivers deal with plastic models of the animals placed on remote roads. While far more drivers did not try to avoid running over snakes than turtles, drivers intentionally drove over both kinds of the models. More drivers stopped to assist living turtles crossing the road than snakes, especially painted turtles. Snapping turtles, seen by some as predators of young ducks, got less assistance. By the way, no one stopped to help the spiders cross the road. Snakes get a lot of publicity, even today, but most of it is not positive. They are rarely recognized for their abilities to control rodent populations near farms, where mice can cause major damage to crops and stored grain. Little is said about the part snakes play in many ecosystems, both as controls for some animals and the food they supply for larger animals. They do come up in conversations when a poisonous snake is found in someone’s crawl space or bites a child. They get lots of publicity when the population of accidentally introduced Burmese pythons explodes in the Everglades, throwing the system into serious trouble. It is a difficult place for snakes to be. Fortunately, as people learn more about them, the pendulum has begun to swing in their favor.
Snakes for the most part have a low profile in Michigan. They are reptiles, covered in smooth, dry scales. Their close relatives are turtles and lizards. They lay waterproof eggs and are cold-blooded. They shed their entire skin up to a dozen times a year. The eastern garter snake is probably the best known, but after that, most people are relatively unfamiliar with the rest.
When it comes to behavior, eastern
The eastern garter snake is the most common snake in Michigan. (Photo by Scot Stewart)
hognose snakes are among the most interesting of the Michigan snakes. Hunting takes them into sandy openings as they search out toads, a favorite food. Their forays often bring them into contact with other predators, such as raccoons and foxes. These encounters bring out a truly amazing array of displays as they try to avoid being eaten themselves.
Hognose snakes have mottled patterns of black, dark brown and tan-colored bodies that can help them go unnoticed by casual eyes. But if one is confronted, its first move may be to flatten out its head and lift it up, creating the look of a cobra. Although mild-mannered, they do have two teeth in the rear of their upper jaws and can produce a very mild toxin used to calm their prey. But bites are rare and are usually received when the snake is
handled. This can be particularly true if the snake handler has also recently handled frogs or toads and their hands smell like food to the snake.
If an encounter continues, the hognose may try another imitation to help it avoid further danger by waving the tip of its tail back and forth. If there are dried leaves or other materials nearby, it may be able to create a rattling sound. Combined with its brown patterned scales, it may give the impression it is a rattlesnake and discourage confrontation from continuing. If the cobra and rattlesnake acts fail, the snake may release a foul-smelling fluid to further discourage an attack. As a last resort, it may literally roll over and play dead. Some predators can lose interest in pursuing this potential meal and leave. Flipping it over and revealing its belly may show
If confronted, the eastern hognose snake may flatten and lift its head, creating the look of a cobra. (Photo by Scot Stewart)
how successful these behaviors are, as an array of old wounds and scars may be seen as the remnants of past challenges. Most reports of eastern hognose snakes in the Upper Peninsula have been near the Wisconsin border.
For snake lovers spending a lot of time on water, there are occasionally highlights with passing snakes. In the central and eastern U.P., northern water snakes are always a possibility. They can be seen swimming across the surface of ponds and smaller quiet waters of the region. During the summer, they are on the lookout for their dinnertime favorites, frogs and fish. They are most common in the southcentral and southeastern Upper Peninsula. Younger snakes are light brown with dark brown or black spots, but older snakes are usually darker, even nearly black. Unless spotting a water snake from underwater looking up, an observer will miss the snake’s orange half-circle spots on its belly.
Because they are good-sized snakes, up to 4 1/2 feet long, they are easy to spot swimming across the top of the water or sunning themselves at the water’s edge. Unlike the cottonmouth and water moccasin snakes in the southern U.S., the northern water snake is completely harmless.
One of the smallest snakes found in the U.P. is the most colorful, the northern red-bellied snake. True to its name, its underside is often fire-engine red, but sometimes pink or orange. They are quite small, often thinner than a pencil and between 8 and 16 inches long. They have dark brown
heads and sometimes white spots on their necks. Occasionally these spots connect to form a ring, which can lead to a misidentification as they resemble ring-necked snakes.
Red-bellied snakes are one of the most docile of all snakes — right down to their diet. They like areas with wet soil where they look for small worms and beetle larvae. These snakes can sometimes be found under pieces of bark or discarded boards near bogs and swamps.
Northern ring-necked snakes are a little bit larger than red-bellies, getting up to 2 feet in length. They are dark brown with yellow bellies and a distinct yellow ring around their neck. Like the red-bellied snakes, they are secretive, spending most of their days under logs. Their diet is a little bit more robust than the smaller snakes, but not much. They too eat worms but may catch and eat small salamanders as well. Their habitat is cool woods with moist soils, where their prey lives.
DeKay’s brown snake is tiny, often just over 9 inches long. Because of their brown color with a faint stripe, they are sometimes mistaken for earthworms covered in dirt. They are rare and most frequently seen in the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula. Their young are about the size of a quarter when curled up. They eat small insects and slugs.
Another unique, small Michigan snake is the smooth green snake. It is the only all-green snake in Michigan. They are the brightest green right af-
Answers for the crossword puzzle on Page 15
ter they molt their old skin. They can be active in the fall right up to the first snow in October or November, and their diets are among the most diverse for small snakes. They eat a variety of insects, slugs, spiders, centipedes and even small frogs and salamanders. They spend much of their foraging time in fields where they blend in well with green plants.
Fox snakes are the largest of the U.P. snakes. They can grow up to 5 feet or longer. They are divided by some into two separate species — eastern and western — based on the number of blotches on their backs or by their location. The Michigan DNR notes the eastern fox snake is found in the southeastern part of the Lower Peninsula and is considered endan-
gered in the state. Both can be light brown or yellowish with dark spots.
Western fox snakes are found in the Upper Peninsula, according to the state, where they are sometimes called pine snakes. They are constrictors and feed on mice, voles, bird eggs and even larger animals like small rabbits that they catch and squeeze until they stop breathing. They, like most snakes, prefer to move away from danger, but fox snakes will strike out when cornered. They have small teeth to hold prey but do not have fangs. While they are occasionally found during the day, most fox snakes are found on the roadways after they have been run over.
There are three similar black-andyellow-striped snakes in Michigan.
Eastern garter snakes often grab their prey from behind, as in the case of this American toad. (Photo by Scot Stewart)
The northern red-bellied snake acquired its name for obvious reasons. (Photo by Scot Stewart)
The eastern garter snake is the best known and is by far the most common of all snakes in the state. At lengths up to 4 feet, it is also the biggest of the three. The other two are Butler’s garter snake, found only downstate in Michigan, and the northern ribbon snake. Both reach a maximum length of about 3 feet. In the U.P., the northern ribbon snake is distinguished by white cheek scales and its more slender body. The eastern garter snake can be identified by its black-tipped red tongue.
All three are shy snakes, anxious to escape when detected. Those who have handled garter snakes frequently know about two behaviors they employ as they attempt to get free. They have small teeth to grab and hold slippery fish, worms, frogs and toads. Handlers who grab one of these snakes and get a finger or the edge of a hand near their mouth may feel these teeth. The snakes are also able to release an extremely smelly liquid that will not wash off easily, which encourages their release.
Presque Isle Park in Marquette is a great place to look for eastern garter snakes. A trip through the Bog Walk may reveal a snake out fishing. They may rest and sun in the shallow water at the edge of one of the pools, then start weaving back and forth underwater as they look for tadpoles, minnows and small frogs. They are quite at home in the shallows but are able to swim across longer, deeper stretches of water too. Occasionally they can be found crossing the backwaters of the Dead River.
As they cool in the water, they may return to a log to catch some more sun and warm up. They are exothermic (cold-blooded), meaning their tem-
perature is regulated by the ambient temperature of their surroundings. As they warm up, their metabolism ramps up. They can move faster and digest meals better.
Another way to find a garter snake is a little more exciting and for some a bit grizzlier. Frogs and toads are able to vocalize during the breeding season. Toads in particular have a loud, trilling call. When they are attacked by snakes, they can create a different loud, wheezy sound, which alerts all nearby. Because frogs and toads try to escape when confronted, the snakes often grab their prey from behind. This approach makes it extremely difficult to swallow. Snakes have the ability to unhinge their lower jaw to expand the size of their open mouth. They use a seesaw motion to slowly swallow their often larger prey. Even more impressive, they can lift a toad half their own weight 3 inches off the ground and move away while holding their food. It may take them 15 minutes or more to consume a meal.
Snakes are incredible animals, impressive to see and important to the environment and their food web. Snakes amaze as they move, often faster than animals with four legs. Their meals may take a week or more to digest, leaving them in a position to just hang out for long periods of time. Their lifestyle does sometimes make snakes hard to appreciate, but they are definitely animals that need more love.
MM
Scot Stewart is an educator, writer and photographer with an inherent love of the natural world. He is active with the MooseWood Nature Center at Presque Isle Park in Marquette.
The smooth green snake spends much of its foraging time in fields, where it blends in well with its surroundings. (Photo by Scot Stewart)
locals
Signature food of the Keweenaw provides a good reason for a party
Celebrating the pasty
By Jennifer Donovan
Cornish miners brought pasties with them when they came to the Keweenaw Peninsula to work in the copper mines. The hearty dish traditionally contained seasoned meat, potatoes and rutabagas wrapped in pastry dough and baked. Easily carried, pasties stayed hot in miners’ lunch pails, making them a perfect, filling meal to take with them into the mines. Today, pasties are a signature food in the Keweenaw, containing all manner of things, from meat and vegetables to chocolate.
Each year the Keweenaw celebrates the pasty and its Cornish roots at Pasty Fest. The 20th annual Pasty Fest will be held on Aug. 17. Main Street Cal-
umet sponsors the event. Pasty Fest draws more than 2,000 community residents and visitors to downtown Calumet, where they wear colorful costumes, listen to music, admire and purchase the work of crafters, watch competitions and — of course — taste and buy handmade pasties.
“Pasty Fest is Main Street Calumet’s main fundraiser of the year,” said Leah Polzien, executive director of the organization. But its goal is not just to gather funds. “We aim to generate interest and foot traffic in our community, to celebrate our heritage and just have fun,” she said. “The idea is to attract people to the area and showcase our pasty pride.”
Main Street Calumet is a nonprofit organization founded to promote eco-
nomic development in downtown Calumet. It sponsors events such as Pasty Fest, the CopperDog 150 and the Main Street Calumet Farmers Market.
Visit Keweenaw, a nonprofit that promotes tourism to the area, partners with Main Street Calumet on Pasty Fest. One thing Visit Keweenaw’s event coordinator Jesse Wiederhold said he loves about Pasty Fest is seeing “how obsessed Yoopers are with these meat pies. We talk about them, we eat them, but to come out and just spend a whole day celebrating pasties is great,” he said.
What happens at Pasty Fest
PastyFest hosts a batch of competitions, including a pasty bake-off and a pasty-eating contest. There are
pasty art prizes, a classic car show and competition and a pasty pull.
Last year’s contest winners include: pasty bake-off, Slim’s Cafe (third consecutive year); pasty-eating contest, John “The Hammer” Bates (second consecutive year); and pasty pull, William Jahns.
Pasty art prizes went to Eeva Räisänen for “Midsummer Pasty Fest,” Tony Hatala for “Grandma’s Love Language” and Benjamin Mitchell for “The Pasty Pack.”
Pasty Fest features some new events this year, including a pasty poetry slam on Friday, Aug. 16 at Eva’s Bar and live music at the Calumet Theatre by popular Marquette Celtic group The Knockabouts on Aug. 16 and the Red Hot Chili Pipers on
The 20th annual Pasty Fest is set for Aug. 17 in Calumet. The event draws about 2,000 attendees. (Photo courtesy of Main Street Calumet)
Aug. 17. Local live action role playing, or LARP, groups will put on foam sword-fighting demonstrations while wearing medieval dress.
What participants say Sandra Isaacson, owner of prize-winning Slim’s Cafe in nearby Mohawk, believes that making and eating pasties brings people together. “Pasty Fest is a great way to bring people into historical Calumet and to celebrate something that the U.P. prides itself on, the pasty,” she said. “This is the goal — to bring back Calumet and to see all the people here.”
Slim’s Cafe has been both a vendor and a contestant for the past three years. They sold about 600 pasties as a vendor and entered their mini pasties for judging, taking first place all three times.
“We stick with a traditional pasty,” Isaacson said. “We use whole vegetables that we peel and dice, beef and pork, and only real butter in the crust. We pride ourselves on making everything from scratch and using real ingredients, not only for our pasties but for everything we offer on our menu and in our bakery case.”
East Fork Pasty Co. was another contender last year, placing second in the pasty bake-off. Lacking a home of its own, the pasty makers bake and sell their pasties out of Ramona’s Cafe in Calumet two days a week — Sunday and Monday — when the cafe is closed. But they’re building themselves a commercial kitchen. They plan to make pasties there and sell them from a food truck.
They need a place of their own because the East Fork Pasty Co. has acquired quite a crowd of customers in the year they’ve been open. At first, they sold the crusty turnovers on a first-come, first-served basis, and lines were out the door, according to owner Henry Hahn. “We sold out 220 pasties in less than 30 minutes,” he said.
Henry and his wife, Loretta, took
a tremendous leap when they opened East Fork Pasty Co. Born and raised in Calumet, Henry moved to the West Coast, where he worked as a train engineer for 23 years. And he hated it. When he brought his family to the Copper Country on vacation, they took what Henry calls a pasty tour, making a point of tasting every pasty they could find.
Back in Washington state, they decided to try making pasties of their own. “The first batch was so bad we had to throw it in the garbage,” Henry recalled. But they kept honing their pasty-making skills. Six months later, they had a pasty that they were ready to share with family and friends. Then requests started pouring in. “Soon we were making pasties by the hundreds,” he said.
Henry and Loretta saw a fledgling pasty-making business growing before their eyes. Henry quit his job and they sold their house and moved back to the Copper Country — “where pasties belong” — to open a pasty shop.
East Fork Pasty Co. uses all fresh ingredients to make a variety of pasties: traditional, jalapeno, vegetarian and sometimes bratwurst and southwest chicken. The key to a great pasty, Henry said, is the right amount of salt and pepper, especially pepper: “Original Cornish pasties were very peppery.”
Henry loves Pasty Fest. “It’s such a cool event,” he said. “It’s a blast. … It brings so many people out. It’s always good fun, so many activities — the parade, music.” He recalls attending the first Pasty Fest two decades ago: “It was awesome. I’m so glad to be back for it.”
MM
Jennifer Donovan is a freelance writer based in Houghton. She has decades of experience as a newspaper reporter, magazine writer and university communications specialist, most recently as director of news and information at Michigan Tech.
The pasty was introduced to the Upper Peninsula by Cornish miners. (Photo courtesy of Main Street Calumet)
locals
A remote work revolution comes to Marquette County Innovators in the U.P.
By Jennifer Champagne
Marquette County is home to a unique blend of individuals who leverage remote work opportunities to contribute to the global economy while enjoying the serene beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where a quiet revolution is under way.
Far from bustling tech hubs and corporate skyscrapers, a growing number of innovators is leveraging the tranquility of Marquette County to pioneer advancements with global impact. These local entrepreneurs exemplify the unique phenomenon of living in Marquette while contributing to the broader global economy, integrating remote work and travel into their professional lives. Three such innovators — Ryan Iacovacci, Dhruv Patel and Jacob Soter — demonstrate this trend.
Ryan Iacovacci:
Cultivating a future with fungi Iacovacci is a dedicated advocate for sustainable agriculture and community development. With a background that spans more than 15 years in agriculture, Iacovacci has developed an expertise in permaculture and local food distribution.
In 2016, he and his wife established their roots in the Upper Peninsula, homesteading at Moon Mtn, a regenerative food forest. Here, they cultivate a diverse array of plants and edible mushrooms. Iacovacci’s commitment to environmental sustainability extends beyond homesteading; he co-founded MycoNaut, a Marquette-based startup focused on leveraging fungi for environmental and community benefits.
MycoNaut’s journey began with the support of Joe Thiel and Innovate Marquette SmartZone, which helped launch the company. Iacovacci’s admiration for Thiel underscores the impact of their collaboration. “Joe was like a rocket, propelling us forward with his energy and enthusiasm,” Iacovacci said. “We brought a really radical idea to him, and he immediately was like, ‘Yes, 100%.’ His support
and belief in our mission have been invaluable.”
MycoNaut stands at the forefront of using fungi for innovative applications such as PFAS remediation.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, “Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products around the world since about the 1950s.”
The company gained recognition when it won the March 7 Pitch Night competition at the Traverse City Opera House in 2023, securing a $500 award
for its presentation on using mushrooms to degrade harmful chemicals. The startup’s primary goals include developing technologies for toxin remediation, educating the public on wild foraging and supplying gourmet mushrooms to local eateries. “We’re working to hasten the transition to a bioeconomy that heals people and the planet,” Iacovacci said.
Iacovacci’s collaboration with business partner Joe Lane has been instrumental in MycoNaut’s success. Lane, who runs the gourmet mushroom production farm, shares Iacovacci’s passion for fungi. “Ryan and I
have been friends since we met at the wild mushroom foraging certification back in 2016,” he said. “We have a long-standing friendship that is at the core of what makes MycoNaut a great company. Our mutual love and admiration for the intricacies of nature have guided our friendship into a really cool up-and-coming biotech business.”
The technological advancements at MycoNaut allow Iacovacci to work remotely while maintaining a robust connection to his projects. The company collaborates with the University of Minnesota and NMU to research how fungi can break down PFAS. This partnership has led to significant funding, including a $275,000 National Science Foundation grant. “We’re just beginning,” Iacovacci said. “The grant is the catalyst to raise serious funds. We’re looking to raise the first million over the summer to build our official laboratory here in Marquette.”
Iacovacci’s ability to travel for work is essential, given the numerous sites across the Midwest where MycoNaut conducts its research. He frequently visits locations such as Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor and Oscoda to study different opportunities for PFAS remediation. This flexibility demonstrates the company’s innovative approach and its commitment to addressing environmental challenges wherever they arise. “There are sites all over the Midwest, and we’re kind of looking at different opportunistic locations,” Iacovacci said.
Lane’s insights into their dynamic partnership highlight how they balance their roles to drive the company’s vision forward. “Ryan is more of the business and vision side, and I am more of the fungal liaison,” he said. “I do a lot of the physical work with fungi, collecting and maintaining our library, as well as running some of our tests in the lab.” This division of labor allows them to innovate and push the boundaries of what fungi can achieve. Through their efforts, Iacovacci and Lane have created a company that not only aims to solve critical environmental issues but also fosters a deeper understanding of the role fungi play
Ryan Iacovacci is co-founder of MycoNaut, a Marquette-based startup pioneering the use of fungi in environmental cleanup. (Photo courtesy of Ryan Iacovacci)
in our ecosystem. MycoNaut’s innovative use of fungi for environmental remediation and health demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to contemporary challenges, with Iacovacci’s ability to travel and work remotely being a key component of their ongoing success.
Dhruv Patel:
Innovating for a better tomorrow Patel, born and raised in Chicago, is the founder and CEO of Syncurrent Inc., a company dedicated to guiding individuals in becoming entrepreneurs through a step-by-step platform. Patel’s journey is rooted in his family’s history of perseverance, as his father left Gujarat, India, for the United States with just a few rupees and built a successful career. This background inspired Patel to pursue his own ambitious goals.
Originally attending Northern Michigan University to study physics, Patel discovered his passion for understanding group dynamics and created his own major in organizational science. This interdisciplinary approach led him to a pivotal moment when he met Thiel, CEO of Innovate Marquette SmartZone, whom he likened to a real-life Tony Stark. This meeting sparked the creation of Patel’s first company, HIVE, and eventually led to the formation of Syncurrent alongside its co-founder, Matthew Jaquez.
Syncurrent began as a platform to educate people worldwide on entrepreneurship but soon found a niche in providing educational resources to Native American tribal communities. Through numerous cold calls and persistent efforts, Patel and Jaquez secured partnerships with six tribes across the United States.
Currently, they are developing technology aimed at enabling small governments to operate more efficiently, focusing on financial management. Syncurrent is raising a $2.5 million seed round with a Michigan-based venture capital fund.
The key to Patel’s ability to manage Syncurrent while traveling extensively lies in robust communication and remote work tools. Jaquez, Syncurrent’s COO, ensures day-to-day operations run smoothly in Patel’s absence. “One of the biggest tenets we hold here is communication,” Jaquez said. “We use Slack to keep everyone connected, even when we’re miles apart. Over-communicating is essential to maintaining continuity.”
Patel’s travel and outreach efforts are supported by his strong network and the relationships he has built over the years. Bazile Panek, founder and CEO of Good Sky Guidance, a consulting firm specializing in integrating Indigenous Knowledges into environmental projects, advises institutions on respectful tribal community en-
As a student at Northern Michigan University, Dhruv Patel created his own major in organizational science. (Photo courtesy of Dhruv Patel)
gagement and acts as Syncurrent’s tribal educator and liaison.
“I’ve used this software, and it has been really helpful in building my consulting business,” Panek said. “It helps me identify the real purpose and what I’m trying to solve in this world. I’ve heard success stories from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes about entrepreneurs starting their businesses as a result of Syncurrent, and it’s amazing to see it working right away.”
Patel’s drive and vision for Syncurrent are evident in his dedication to expanding the company’s impact. “Dhruv is driven and motivated, and it’s inspiring,” Bazile said. “His dedication to growing Syncurrent and getting it into as many communities as possible is remarkable.”
This commitment to building relationships and empowering underserved communities is at the heart of Syncurrent’s mission. “Dhruv’s strength is getting people in rooms together and explaining the vision of Syncurrent,” Jaquez said. “He’s the sales guy, the one who speaks the gospel truth about Syncurrent and gets people on board.”
Thiel, the CEO of Innovate Marquette SmartZone and executive director of Invent@NMU, reflected on Patel’s progress: “Dhruv’s drive has now surpassed where I can help him much. He just signed up with the World Bank and has so much going on with Syncurrent. … His achievements are truly impressive.”
Patel himself emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting tribal trust. “Building trust within tribal communities is paramount,” he said. “Respecting their traditions and ensuring our technology supports their unique needs is crucial to our success.”
Through effective communication, strategic partnerships and a clear vision, Patel and Syncurrent are breaking down barriers to entrepreneurship and making a significant impact on communities across the country.
Jacob Soter: Revolutionizing beach safety
Soter, the founder and manager of SwimSmart Technology, is on a mission to enhance beach safety through innovative technology. The company, established shortly after Soter graduated from Michigan Technological University, designs and installs high-tech safety systems at beaches, aiming to prevent drownings and improve public safety.
The company has gained significant traction, receiving substantial support and recognition, including a $20,000 Business Accelerator Fund grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the 2024 SmartZone Best Small Business Award. SwimSmart is in final negotiations with multiple pre-seed funds in Michigan to raise significant capital, having recently secured support from the Outdoor Innovation Fund to further its mission.
The technology behind Swim-
Jacob Soter developed the technology behind SwimSmart Warning Systems as a student at Michigan Technological University. (Photo courtesy of Jacob Soter)
Smart’s safety systems began as Soter’s senior design project at MTU under the guidance of Professor Andrew Barnard. The project has since evolved into a sophisticated system that uses real-time weather data to communicate water conditions through an intuitive traffic light system.
“Originally, I was Jacob’s adviser at Michigan Tech,” Barnard said. “We worked closely together on the original concept and customer discovery to refine our value proposition. Jacob is responsible for most of the detailed engineering in our current products.”
The system displays green, yellow, red and double-red lights to indicate varying levels of hazard conditions, replacing outdated flag systems and providing clear, real-time information to beachgoers.
SwimSmart’s warning systems are connected to the National Weather Service, allowing the lights to change color automatically based on weather conditions. This system has been installed at several busy beaches along Lake Michigan and beyond, and SwimSmart towers are coming to several Marquette beaches this summer.
The impact of these systems is profound, especially in small communities that previously had no beach safety protocols. “SwimSmart Warning Systems are educational tools for beach managers to convey risk conditions to beachgoers,” Barnard said. “The most important feature is they look like a safety system, which attracts attention from patrons.”
Despite the company’s rapid growth, Soter remains committed to his roots in Marquette. His ability to work remotely is a testament to the integration of technology into his business operations. “I travel a lot,” he said. “I often drive to different beaches for maintenance and installations. The nice thing about our equipment is it’s all connected to the internet. So once that site’s online, I can manage it remotely from my home office in Marquette.”
Thiel has been a significant mentor and supporter of Soter’s journey. “Jake is a die-hard entrepreneur,” Thiel said. “He’s bootstrapped everything. He’s always on top of new reports, technologies and research. His passion and dedication are unmatched.”
Soter’s vision for the future of SwimSmart Technology is ambitious. He envisions the systems becoming hubs for multitasking beyond swim safety, including environmental monitoring and providing better connectivity for remote work.
“We hope that in the future, the SwimSmart Warning System is
“
WE HOPE THE SWIMSMART WARNING SYSTEM IS KNOWN AS THE GOLD STANDARD.
known as the gold standard, combined with lifeguards, for providing safe beaches,” Soter said. With plans to leverage the talent pipeline from Michigan Tech and partnerships with researchers at the Great Lakes Research Center, Soter is committed to driving advancements in water safety technology.
As SwimSmart Technology continues to grow and evolve, Soter’s dedication to saving lives and improving beach safety remains at the forefront of his mission.
Embracing remote work and travel Patel, Iacovacci and Soter exemplify a growing trend in Marquette County: local entrepreneurs who leverage the environment of the Upper Peninsula while contributing to the global economy. Their stories highlight the advantages of living in Marquette while working remotely and traveling as part of their professional endeavors.
They demonstrate how the combination of a supportive community, robust local resources and the ability to work from anywhere can lead to significant achievements.
The success stories of Patel, Iacovacci and Soter serve as inspiration for others to explore the possibilities of remote work and the impact it can have on both their personal and professional lives.
MM
Jennifer Champagne is an accomplished entertainment and visual effects writer with a passion for storytelling. When she’s not crafting articles on industry giants, you’ll find her enjoying life with her family.
superior reads Debut novelist sets thriller in St. Ignace
Review by Victor R. Volkman
“Father Marquette’s Trail of Bones” is the debut crime thriller satire by Mike Cronan. This book introduces the protagonist, Joseph LaVake, a former felon-turned-sheriff and an elder in the Chippewa Tribe. Cronan’s novel is set in St. Ignace, Mackinac Island and their surrounding waterways and forests.
The plot centers around the looting of Indigenous burial mounds and the sale of Indigenous remains on the dark web. The action begins rather dramatically with the murder of one notorious Father Kaczynski, who is standing in for Father Jacques Marquette in the annual reenactment of Marquette’s arrival in St. Ignace in 1671. Kaczynski is shot by a sniper from long range during this infamous event also known as the Black Gown Tree Pageant. Simultaneously, the theft of the 350-year-old bones of Father Marquette from the Ojibwe Museum also happens, leaving one Bobby St. Onge dead as collateral damage.
Although Joe LaVake is the protagonist, he is not the storyteller in “Father Marquette’s Trail of Bones.” Instead, first-person narration falls to Jim Matthews, a grizzled former police reporter with the Los Angeles Times for 30 years. He is now retired and has purchased the weekly St. Ignace newspaper and runs it like a hobby business. Matthews, born in St. Ignace, has known LaVake since grade school, and they have the kind of rapport you only get with your childhood friends. You could say he is acting like a reporter here in this buddy story of Matthews and LaVake, but really he’s the interlocutor to ask the dumb questions needed so the reader can follow the increasingly arcane technical questions required to solve the concomitant crimes.
Assisting LaVake and Matthews are a colorful cast of locals including LaSalle High School chemistry teacher and DNA expert Elenore Bing; Professor Alice Bissonnette, an expert in computational paleogenomics at
Lake Superior State University; Doc Herbert, the only medical doctor in the county; and LaVake’s mysterious cousin Billy Merchand, recently retired from the NSA. The latter reminded me of the character Charlie Eppes, the oddball genius math professor in the CBS crime series “NUMB3RS.”
There aren’t many books I’ve read twice for a review, but “Father Marquette’s Trail of Bones” is one of them. This is because of the huge cast of characters with new names appearing seemingly on every page. Like a good U.P. trout stream, it wanders through light and shade and has little eddies that spin around. Cronan is a master of semi-historical anecdotes that mix true stories with folklore and sometimes surreal fabrications such as this passage:
“‘It’s historically inaccurate to claim Father Marquette came here in 1671 to Christianize the Indians,’ Miss Bing said, squinting at me through a haze of cigarette smoke. We were sitting in her living room with Miss Saxton drinking martinis out of a large pitcher. ‘He actually came here to bring fudge to the Indians in exchange for their land.’ She paused to make sure I understood the point she
Mike Cronan
was making. ‘Did you know, Matthews, that the Ojibwe tribe sold Mackinac Island to the British for 2,000 pounds of fudge packed in four birch bark canoes?’”
Tonally, this first book in the Sheriff Joe LaVake Mystery series (whose length is not yet known) reminds me of nothing so much as Elmore Leonard’s saga of Raylan Givens, which started in 2011 with “Pronto.” Raylan is best known from the TV series “Justified” that catapulted both Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins to fame as the titular character and his nemesis, Boyd Crowder, respectively. Transpose eastern Kentucky’s Harlan County for Michigan’s Mackinac County, and the themes all line up: a quick-witted lawman born in his territory and a cast of bumbling, half-comedic bad guys.
Cronan has a long personal history with St. Ignace. He is 79 and lived in St. Ignace from 1947 to 1968. He twice braved the Straits to swim to Mackinac Island. In the summer of 1970, he was the acting editor of the Republican News and St. Ignace Enterprise (established in 1883) prior to starting the MFA program in fiction at the University of California, Irvine (1970-72). His “Yooper novels” are a blending of history, fiction, fact, Yooper culture and humor grounded in the St. Ignace he knew growing up, including working summers on Mackinac Island.
I was personally aghast to read in the novel about a putative tourist site in St. Ignace featuring exhumed Indigenous bones. I asked Cronan if this was history or fiction. He responded:
There are plenty of nods to local businesses in and around St. Ignace, such as the venerable Lehto’s Pasties on U.S. 2 west of town, the Driftwood Bar, Dick and Charlie Hagen’s fishery, Java Joe’s Café, Massey Fish Co., Bentley’s Café, Manley’s Fish Market, Homestead Café, The Yooper Pasty Co. of the Soo and others. If I have any complaint, it would be that LaVake and cronies subsist almost entirely on whitefish in its many forms: cedar planked whitefish, whitefish stew, smoked whitefish pasties, whitefish and chips, whitefish omelet, whitefish caviar, whitefish subs and, well, you get the idea here. By a bizarre coincidence, I am polishing off this review from a hotel room in St. Ignace today. To test the author’s hypothesis, we did dine on the whitefish omelets at Java Joe’s this morning, and my wife and I concur they are to die for.
“The ‘Real Indian Burial Ground’ opened around 1955. There were Indigenous burial mounds where we played in the woods — Cedar Hill, appropriately named. We were always spooked when we went there. Then one day we noticed that diggers had come in and dug up the Indigenous graves, which were then put on display for viewing by tourists [below], where you could also buy popcorn and fudge to munch on while viewing the remains, and trinkets as memorabilia. Nobody gave this much thought back then, at least anyone with any influence. Seventy years later, I can still visualize the burial mounds on Cedar Hill. Like Faulkner said, ‘The past is never dead; in fact, it is not even past.’ That pretty much captures growing up in St. Ignace.”
In another conversation, Cronan revealed the real-life inspirations for his characters:
“St. Ignace in the 1940s and 1950s was an interesting melding of stories and mythologized history. For me, I am not only writing about a magical time in my life in a mythologized St. Ignace that no longer exists, but there are people who lived there that de-
serve to be remembered and honored. For example: Miss Elenore Bing in the novel is my beloved high school chemistry teacher Elenore King, a major in the WACs in World War II, long dead; Billy Merchand is Joe Merchant, my friend since we were 3 and an NSA mathematical genius in combinatorics, who died in 1996; Joe LaVake is fictionalized, but I needed to connect to the genealogy of the LaVake families in the area; Jim Ryerse, Navy diver, was my nephew, and I use his real name because his family loved the stories about him in the book. One 83-yearold man emailed me and said he had bought copies of ‘Father Marquette’s Trail of Bones’ and given them as Christmas presents to his children and grandchildren ‘so they know what I told them about growing up in St. Ignace was true.’”
If you’re looking for a crime thriller with a storyline ripped from today’s headlines, a wry comedic bent and chock-full of the local color of Mackinac County, you’ll love Mike Cronan’s “Father Marquette’s Trail of Bones: A Sheriff Joseph Francois LaVake Mystery.” You need not understand quantum superposition to enjoy the plot. Just let it wash over you like a wave on the sandy beach of Lake Michigan off U.S. 2 west of St. Ignace. And keep your eyes peeled for the second book in the series, “The Yooper Murders of Mackinac County,” currently being revealed a chapter at a time on Cronan’s Facebook page.
Victor R. Volkman is a graduate of Michigan Technological University (Class of ’86) and is the current president of the U.P. Publishers & Authors Association. He is senior editor at Modern History Press and publisher of the U.P. Reader.
HOW TO SUBMIT A BOOK
Send Upper Peninsula-related book review suggestions to victor@LHPress.com. Books submitted for review can be sent to: MM Book Reviews, 5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.
Parents of ‘Stix’ Honch honor his memory with gifts to NMU
Todd “Stix” Honch, who passed away suddenly in early 2019, was a skilled drummer who played in all Northern Michigan University bands and an enthusiastic supporter of Wildcat sports teams. His dedication is symbolized by three items still on display in his basement bedroom at his parents’ house: a set of gold drumsticks; a “golden ticket” for free lifetime admission to athletic events — sadly, he only used it for one year; and the inaugural Wildcat Fan of the Year Award he received with friend Lindsay Griffith, which now bears their names.
Dennis and Pat Honch have honored their son’s memory and passions by contributing to upgraded NMU athletics facilities. They previously endowed a scholarship for marching band members.
“Music and sports often go hand in hand because bands typically play at home games; it was a combination Todd loved,” Dennis said. “He joined Northern’s marching, pep and jazz bands shortly after we moved here. From that, he became interested in Wildcat sports. Doctors said he shouldn’t participate, but he liked being a spectator. Todd watched his first volleyball match ever in Vandament Arena and really enjoyed it. He be-
“
MUSIC AND SPORTS OFTEN GO HAND IN HAND. IT WAS A COMBINATION TODD LOVED.
came a fixture there and at basketball games — always sitting right across from the team — and attended hockey and lacrosse as well.”
“Todd liked the smaller teams. He got to know the players and coaches well and they got to know him and just treated him so nice,” Pat said with tears welling in her eyes. “And they treated us so well after he died. The entire hockey team came to the funeral. They were among 600 who showed
Dennis and Pat Honch honor the memory of their son, Todd, by contributing to Northern Michigan University athletics and music programs. (Photo courtesy of NMU)
up in a snowstorm because Todd was very friendly, upbeat and well-liked on campus and in the community. I just felt we had to do something to give back to Northern.”
The couple supported locker room renovations for hockey and men’s and women’s basketball, along with new court chairs for women’s volleyball. Their gifts were mostly funded by applying required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from their retirement accounts to a qualified charitable distribution through the NMU Foundation.
Dennis retired from the Michigan State Police after 27 years, and Pat worked primarily in retail. The family moved to Marquette from Grand Blanc, where Todd displayed a sense of rhythm at a young age and played in school bands.
“He was always pounding on something; early on, it was wooden spoons on pots and pans,” Dennis said. “He always had that beat going. Even when he was walking, his hands were moving to the song in his mind. It was middle school before he played drums. He went through a summer music camp, and they were surprised at what he could do without having a drum set at home. So we bought him a drum set and kept adding to it, of course. We gave it to NMU’s music department after he died. As I said at the funeral, music was in his soul.”
By virtue of his drumming skills, Todd had opportunities to travel with NMU ensembles. He accompanied the marching band to London, England, for the city’s annual New Year’s Day parade, established in 1987 and billed as “the world’s greatest street spectacular.” He was also a member of the pep band that traveled by bus to St. Paul, Minnesota, where the hockey Wildcats defeated Boston University 8-7 in three overtime periods to win the 1991 NCAA championship.
Dennis and Pat said they recently added to the Todd “Stix” Memorial Scholarship they previously endowed in 2020. The fund awards financial support to one student annually from any class level and major who is a member of the NMU marching band.
“We heard from many, many people who saw how much Todd enjoyed playing; even we didn’t realize how many lives he had touched,” Pat said. “He lived for music, so we felt this would be a good way to honor his memory.”
Pat expressed appreciation to retired music professors Steve Grugin and Rob Engelhart, along with percussion professor James Strain and athletics director Rick Comley, for “going above and beyond” to help
“Stix” Honch was a fixture in NMU music and athletics programs. His dedication to the university is symbolized by his gold drumsticks and his “golden ticket” granting lifetime admission to Wildcat sporting events. (Photos courtesy of NMU)
Todd thrive as an NMU band member and super fan.
Following a recent interview, the couple guided a visiting NMU staff member downstairs to Todd’s bedroom to show her his NMU memorabilia and visual clues to his other interests: reading and writing; collecting maps of different countries; and Middle-earth, the fantasy world setting for J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings.”
They also leafed through photo albums that preserve fond memories. These include family trips to various U.S. destinations and Todd’s extended journeys with his dad on mountain bikes, a motorcycle and later as the shotgun rider/navigator in a 1995 Montego blue Mazda Miata convertible. The images provide a source of comfort amid the lingering void that is still palpable five years after the loss of their only child.
For more information on how to positively impact NMU students and programs, as Dennis and Pat Honch have, through RMDs or other charitable giving options, connect with the NMU Foundation at foundtn@nmu. edu or visit nmu.edu/give.
MM
This article was provided by Northern Michigan University.
Todd
MTU recognized for value and career preparation
Michigan Technological University has been recognized as one of the nation’s best colleges for students seeking a great education with excellent career preparation.
The Princeton Review named Michigan Tech as one of its Best Value Colleges for 2024. The education services company reports seven categories of ranked lists. Among the nation’s public colleges and universities, Michigan Tech was named No. 2 on the list of Best Schools for Internships, No. 9 for Best Career Placement and No. 18 for Best Schools for Financial Aid. In the Best Value Colleges category, solely based on return on investment, Michigan Tech was ranked No. 33.
The Princeton Review gave Michigan Tech a return on investment rating score of 90/99. In Tech’s profile, the company’s editors praised the university for having an “atmosphere that nurtures learning” and for how MTU “puts students first when it comes to their learning experience by providing hands-on opportunities and pathways for career development and professional advancement.”
MTU’s director of admissions, Beth Fitzpatrick, said, “We are honored to be named one of The Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges for 2024. This recognition reflects our
dedication to providing students with an affordable, high-quality education that equips them for successful careers.”
The Princeton Review chose 209 schools for its 2024 lists based on data from surveys of administrators at more than 650 colleges in 202324. Topics covered everything from academics, cost and financial aid to graduation rates and student debt. The company also factored in surveys of current students as well as PayScale surveys of alumni about their starting and mid-career salaries and job satisfaction. In all, The Princeton Review crunched more than 40 data points to tally the ROI ratings that the Best Value College selections were based on.
“The schools we chose as our Best Value Colleges for 2024 are a select group: They comprise only about 8% of the nation’s four-year undergraduate institutions,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “We commend their administrators, faculties, staff and alumni for all they are doing to educate their students and guide them to success in their careers. These colleges are also exceptional for the generous amount of financial aid they award to students with need and/or for their comparatively low cost of attendance.”
Michigan Tech is known for its emphasis on creating opportunities for students to gain hand-on experience. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Technological University)
The Huron Mountains
By A. Lynn Blumer
Bug bites &cuts, dug-earth trails for wayward creatures, dead beds of pine cushion an outlying adventure of rough underbrush— Spiderwebs &dried blood, forty-plus mosquitos p u l l from each limb. A tick, or two, digs in &your brief existence is diminutive to these five-hundred-year-old trees— billion-year-old mountains.
Every thick inhalation ripe with ferns &dank detritus, I ceded for hours dis/ connected from the Hectic-Human-Hive &fed to the insects.
Go on, take the blood, the flesh, &the sweat—
It’s a small sacrifice.
A. Lynn Blumer lives in Marquette, where she indulges in the northern woods and being involved in her local art and poetry scene. Besides writing in her free time, she runs a DIY press called Pyre Press. Her personal work has appeared in “Maiden Voyage” and “Superior Voyage” by Gordon Publications, “Horror Sleaze Trash: Poems” and the anthology “Prose in Poor Taste.” Her first chapbook, “Wayward Creatures,” was released by Between Shadows Press, and her latest chapbook, “In The Grid,” was released by Two Key Customs.
This poem is from the 10-year anthology, “Superior Voyage,” which is available for purchase.
All proceeds benefit Peter White Public Library.
“Superior Voyage” was selected as a 2023 U.P. Notable Book by the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association.
out & about
Out & About is a free listing of Upper Peninsula events. Events included must cost $25 or less (except fundraisers).
All events are free and in Eastern time unless noted. We print information sent to us by a wide variety of people and organizations. It pays to double check the date, time, place and cost before heading out.
E-mail your September events by Saturday, August 10 to: calendar@marquettemonthly.com.
end of july events
31 WEDNESDAY sunrise 6:29 a.m.; sunset 9:23 p.m.
Calumet
• Almost Elvis and the TCB Mafia. Part of the Summer Concert Series
7:30 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre. com.
Curtis
• Music in the Park. Featuring ’60s and ’70s music by The Front Porch
Trio. 6:30 p.m. Erickson Center for the Arts, N9224Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Escanaba
• Lunch on Ludington Concert Series. Music will be performed by The House Blues Band. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
• Farmers Market. 3 to 6 p.m. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
• Escanaba City Band Concert. 7:30 p.m. Karas Memorial Bandshell, Ludington Park.
Ishpeming
• Taylor Swift Music Bingo. Intended for children ages 10 and older, teens
Guts Frisbee Presentation | July 31 | Marquette
Photo courtesy of MRHC
on the town
Baraga
• Ojibwa Casino–The Press Box.
- Saturday, Aug. 3: Left of Center. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
- Saturday, the 17th: Tom Katalin & Hwy 41. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
- Saturday, the 24th: Chad Borgen and the Collective. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 16449 Michigan Ave. 906-353-6333.
Escanaba
• Upper Hand Brewery.
- Friday, August 2: Ethan Bott.
- Sunday, the 4th: Alex Teller.
- Tuesday, the 6th: Jeff & Niles.
- Friday, the 9th: Corey & Chasey Williams.
- Tuesday, the 13th: Driftless Revelers.
- Friday, the 16th: Anna p.s.
- Tuesday, the 20th: Stu Selesky.
- Saturday, the 24th: Tie Dye Fundraiser. 2 to 6 p.m.
- Sunday, the 25th: Jack Neumann.
- Tuesday, the 27th: The Make-Believe Spurs.
- Friday, the 30th: The Make-Believe Spurs.
Tuesday and Friday, music from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, music from 4 to 7 p.m 3525 Airport Rd. 906-233-5005 or upperhandbrewery.com.
Gladstone
• Dewdrop Family Restaurant.
- Saturday, Aug. 3: Reflections Band.
- Saturday, the 10th: Wingin It.
- Saturday, the 17th: Reflections Band.
- Saturday, the 24th: George Sailer.
- Saturday, the 31st: Reflections Band. Music, 6 to 9 p.m. unless noted. 916 Delta Ave. 906-420-8578.
Gwinn
• Hideaway Bar.
- Mondays: The Hideaway All-Stars. 7 p.m.
741 M-35. 906-346-3178.
• Up North Lodge.
- Sunday, the 4th: Groove Candy.
- Sunday, the 11th: Lost Cause.
- Sunday, the 18th: Dano Keller Band.
- Sunday, the 25th: Boots and Sandals. Music, 4 to 8 p.m.
215 S. CR-557. (906) 346-9815.
Marquette
• 906 Sports Bar and Grill.
- Wednesdays: Trivia. 6:30 p.m.
145 W. Washington St. 906-273-0706 or 906barandgrill.com.
• Blackrocks Brewery.
- Mondays: Trivia. 7 to 9 p.m.
- Wednesdays: Open Mic. 6 to 9 p.m.
424 N. Third St. 906-273-1333 or blackrocksbrewery.com.
• Drifa Brewing Company.
- Mondays: Musicians’ Open Mic. 6 to 8 p.m.
- Thursdays: Trivia. 7 p.m. 501 S. Lake St. 906-273-1300.
• Flanigan’s.
- Mondays through Saturdays: Karaoke. 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
- Tuesdays: Open Mic. 7 to 10 p.m.
429 W. Washington St. 906-228-8865.
• Kognisjon Bryggeri.
- Friday, Aug. 2: The Palestras. 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, the 8th: Tavern night with MarQuest LARP. 6 p.m.
- Saturday, the 10th: Lillian Manceau. 7 p.m.
- Saturday, the 24th: Eastwood Starkie. 7 p.m.
- Saturday, the 31st: Sycamore Smith
7 p.m.
- Mondays: Vinyl Night. Noon to 11 p.m.
- Tuesdays: Trivia. 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
- Thursdays: Game Night. 6 to 11 p.m.
- Sundays: Open Mic. 6 to 10 p.m. 1034 N. Third St. 906-273-2727.
• Lake Superior Smokehouse Brewpub.
- Friday, Aug. 2: Lillian Manceau.
- Saturday, the 3rd: Big Lake.
- Friday, the 9th: Jim and Ray.
- Saturday, the 10th: DayDreamers.
- Friday, the 16th: Chris Valenti. -Saturday, the 17th: Derrell Syria Project.
- Friday, the 23rd: Vinyl Tap.
- Saturday, the 24th: Delta Duo.
- Friday, the 30th: Exploders. Music, 6 to 9 p.m. 200 W. Main St. 906-273-0952.
• Ojibwa Casino.
- Saturday, Aug. 3: Superior Sound.
- Saturday, the 10th: Reveal.
- Saturday, the 17th: Eddie and the Bluesers.
- Saturday, the 31st: Money 2 Burn. Music, 8 p.m. to midnight. 105 Acre Trail. 906-249-4200.
• Ore Dock Brewing Company.
- Friday, Aug. 2: The Make-Believe Spurs. 4 p.m.
- Tuesday, the 6th: Euchre Tournament. 7 p.m.
- Thursday, the 8th: Noah Bauer Album Release. 8 p.m.
- Friday, the 9th: The Daydreamers. 8 p.m.
- Saturday, the 10th: Adam Carpenter and the Upper Hand, 5 to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, the 10th: Slowfoot. 9 p.m. to midnight.
- Friday, the 16th: Ryan Curtis Band.
8 p.m.
- Saturday, the 17th: Mark Lavengood. 4 p.m.
- Tuesday, the 20th: Euchre Tournament. 7 p.m.
- Thursday, the 22nd: Queen City Running Co. Pub Run. 6 p.m.
- Thursday, the 22nd and Friday, the 23rd: Nathan Malton and The Remedy. $5. 8 p.m. Ages 18 and older.
- Sunday, the 25th: Books and Brews with Snowbound Books. 1 to 6 p.m.
- Sunday, the 25th: Literary Trivia. 6 p.m.
- Friday, the 30th and Saturday, the 31st: Blues Fest After Party. All shows are free unless noted. 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888 or oredockbrewing.com.
• Rippling River Resort.
- Thursday, Aug. 1: Chris Valenti. 6 to 9 p.m.
- Friday, the 2nd: Troy Graham. 6 to 9 p.m.
- Saturday, the 3rd: Beechgrove and
(continued on page 81)
Ryan Curtis Band | August 16 | Ore Dock Brewing Company, Marquette
on the town
(continued from page 80)
Blacksmith. 6 to 9 p.m.
- Sunday, the 4th: The Wallens. 5 to 8 p.m. 4321 M-553. (906) 273-2259 or ripplingriverresort.com.
• Superior Culture.
- Tuesdays: Open Mic night. 8 to 10 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 31: Jakey Thomas. 9 to 11 p.m. 717 Third Street. 906-273-0927 or superiorculturemqt.com.
Republic
and adults, participants can put their Taylor Swift song skills to the test in a session of music bingo. 1 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
• Adult Horror Book Club. The selection will be “Mister Lullaby” by J.H. Markert. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 3 to 5:30 p.m. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older and their spouses. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.
• Wednesday Night Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers, and artisans. 5 to 8 p.m. 100 Block of Washington Street. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Guts Frisbee Presentation. In conjunction with the exhibit “50 Years of Guts Frisbee in Marquette,” Steve “Desi” DesJardins of the Queen City Flyers and Dennis “Wally” Walikainen, curator of the International Frisbee/ USA Guts Hall of Fame in Calumet, will discuss the origins of Guts Frisbee in the Keweenaw in the 1950s and Marquette’s entry into the sport in the 1970s. 6:30 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906226-3571 or marquettehistory.org.
• Concert on the Steps. Singer/songwriter Chris Valenti will perform an evening of original songs and rock ’n’ roll favorites. 7 p.m. Front Street Steps, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
• “A Midsummer Night’s Dream. ” Presented by Superior Shakespeare, this show is one of the most enduring and intriguing comedies. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults,
$15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre. com.
Negaunee
• Drop-in Storytime. Children of all ages can listen to a story or two at this casual drop-in program hosted by Negaunee Public Library staff. 9 a.m. Miner’s Park, Maas Street and U.S.-41. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Teen Brunch. Teens ages 13-18 can drop in and stay as long as they wish. An optional activity will be available. Coffee and tea will be provided by the library; food donations will be accepted with the library’s coordination. 10 a.m. to noon. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-4757700, ext.18.
• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• “Wings of Fire” Interest Group. Youth ages eight and older are invited to discuss the series, write fanfiction, make crafts and other activities. 3 p.m.
Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Farmers and Crafters Market. Offering local farmers’ and artisans’ goods and creations. 4 to 7 p.m. Jackson Mine Park, 199 Tobin St.
• Negaunee City Band Concert. Seating is limited; bring a chair. 7:30 p.m. Breitung Park Bandshell, east end of Iron Street.
9:21 p.m.
• Kids Movie Magic. The film selection will be “The Jungle Book.” $1.
Calumet
7 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.
Chassell
• Keweenaw Brewgrass. The group will perform a mix of bluegrass, Texas swing and rock classics on acoustic instruments, blending with three- and four-part harmony vocals. 7 p.m. Chassell Heritage Center, 42373 Hancock Ave. 906-523-1155 or chassellhistory.org.
Copper Harbor
• Performances in the Park. Featuring Uncle Floyd. A farmers market is also on site. 7 to 9 p.m. Donny Kilpela Memorial Park, 240 Gratiot St. 906-289-4020 or performances.in.the. park@gmail.com.
Gwinn
• Modeltown Farmers and Artisans Market. Featuring live music until 6 p.m. 3 to 7 p.m. Peter Nordeen Park, 115 N. Pine St. 906-361-4843 or modeltownmarket@gmail.com.
Ishpeming
• Feeding America Food Distribution Drive-Thru Site. 8:30 to 10 a.m. North Iron Church, 910 Palms Ave. feedwm. org.
• Book Club. This month’s selection will be “The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight” by Andrew Leland. 11 a.m. Ishpeming Senior Center, 121 Greenwood St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
• Weekly Volunteer Day. Volunteers will actively engage in farm activities, such as planting, weeding, watering and harvesting crops. All ages are welcome. 2 to 4 p.m. Partridge Creek Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org/volunteer.
• Cookie Decorating with Doozers: Taylor Swift Edition. Swifties will decorate themed sugar cookies with royal icing frosting in a guided class. Open to teens and adults. Registration required. 5:30 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. To register, 906-486-4381.
• Summer Concert Series. Featuring acoustic favorites from Kim and Kurt, Les Rockwell and Toni Saari. Bring a chair. 7 p.m. Old Ish Park, Main Street.
L’Anse
• Lakefront Concert. Featuring classic music by Lightning Ridge. 7 p.m. Lakefront Park, Broad Street at the lake.
Marquette
• Bubble, Bubble, Splash! Families and youth of all ages are welcome to enjoy bubbles, car wash, sprinklers, kiddie pools and more. Dress to get wet. 10 a.m. to noon. Front lawn, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m.
Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Marquette City Band Concert. 7:30 p.m. Bandshell at Presque Isle Park. marquettecityband.com.
• “A Midsummer Night’s Dream. ” Presented by Superior Shakespeare, this show is one of the most enduring and intriguing comedies. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre. com.
Negaunee
• Walk and Read. This group will meet at the Negaunee Public Library and walk through Old Town while enjoying bookish conversations with other enthusiasts. Takes place pending weather conditions. 5 p.m. facebook. com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906475-7700, ext. 18.
• Irontunes. Featuring live music and bean bags. 6 to 10 p.m. Iron Street. 02
Gwinn
• Storytime in the Park. Preschoolage kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks. This week’s event may also include a butterfly release. 10:30 a.m. Peter Nordeen Park, 115 N. Pine St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary. org.
Hancock
• Canal Rock. SuperSuits will perform and food trucks will be on site. 6 to 8 p.m. Porvoo Park. cityofhancock. com.
Ishpeming
• Taylor Swift Friendship Bracelets. Attendees can make friendship bracelets in preparation for the library’s Taylor Swift Eras Party. Open to ages eight and older. 1 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.
Marquette
• Book Fair No. 3. Youth who are registered for the library’s Summer Reading program and who have tracked their reading can stop by to choose their last free book of the summer. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Eyes of the Earth: Witnessing and Responding to Nearby Nature. The Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, Peter White Public Library and U.P.
Poet Laureate Foundation will host this time of art meditation and the images, words and stories will be collected and edited into a book. All ages and media are welcome, including photography, painting, drawing, poetry and writing. 2 p.m. Chocolay Bayou Nature Preserve, Harvey. 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
• “A Midsummer Night’s Dream. ” Presented by Superior Shakespeare, this show is one of the most enduring and intriguing comedies. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre. com.
Negaunee
• Building Storytime. Children ages three and older can listen to a story or two and be inspired to build with LEGOs and other blocks. Older youth are welcome to hang out quietly and build. 10:30 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-4757700, ext. 18.
community. Noon to 2 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-9342228 or info@calumetartcenter.com.
• Ragtime Pianist Bob Milne. Bob Milne is considered the best ragtime/ boogie-woogie pianist in the world. Students, $15; Real People Media members, $20; general public, $25. 7:30 p.m. Keweenaw Storytelling Center, 215 Fifth St. 906-934-2346 or realpeoplemedia.org.
Curtis
• 906 Festival. This family-friendly event celebrates the U.P. and will include food, live music, art and retail vendors, entertainment, games and activities, demonstrations and more. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Erickson Center for the Arts, N9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906-586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Escanaba
• Farmers Market. 9 a.m. to noon. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
• Ink Society Local Writers’ Group. Intended for ages 16 and older. 10:30 a.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.
Ishpeming
• Upper Peninsula Gem and Mineral Show. The event will include local and exotic gems, jewelry, fossils and displays, as well as a silent auction, kids’ table and door prizes. 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ishpeming Elks Club, 597 Lakeshore Dr. ishpemingrocks.org.
• Taylor Swift Eras Party. The party will include themed treats, trivia, blackout poetry, a photo booth and more. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their favorite Taylor Swift merch and costumes; prizes will be awarded. Open to ages 10 and older. 1 to 3 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to noon. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
Calumet
• U.P. Prop N’ Swap. Buy, sell and swap your plants with those in your
• Rock the Dock. Live music will be performed by Croven (hard rock), Angels and Outlaws (country) and Sit Down Francis (’80s and ’90s). There will also be food vendors and kids activities. 4 to 9:45 p.m. Municipal Dock. escanaba.org.
• U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament. Teams will throw and catch flying discs at 85 miles per hour to win the Buck Buchanan Memorial Guts Frisbee National Championship trophy. Presented by the Marquette Guts Frisbee Association. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tourist Park, 2145 Sugar Loaf Ave. 906-362-5878 or gutsplayers. com.
• Farmers Market. Includes farmers,
growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Book Fair No. 3. Youth who are registered for the library’s Summer Reading program and who have tracked their reading can stop by to choose their last free book of the summer. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4323 or pwpl.info.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.
• Pottery Demonstration. Attendees can enjoy a pottery wheel demonstration and the opportunity to test their skill at bowl making, either with the wheel or by hand. Younger visitors can make pinch pots. Pottery will also be for sale. Noon. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. moosewood. org.
• Marquette Township Community Day. Activities will include family fun, live music by Troy Graham and The Maynards, bike decorating and parade, cookie decorating and more. Scouting America will host recycled raingutter regatta building and racing. 2 to 9 p.m. Lion’s Field. winslow.linda@ gmail.com.
04 SUNDAY
Ishpeming
• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.
Marquette
• U.S. National Guts Frisbee Tournament. Teams will throw and catch flying discs at 85 miles per hour to win the Buck Buchanan Memorial Guts Frisbee National Championship trophy. Presented by the Marquette Guts Frisbee Association. 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tourist Park, 2145 Sugar Loaf Ave. 906-362-5878 or gutsplayers.com.
• Story Time at MooseWood. The book “Fly, Monarch, Fly” by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace will be read followed by an activity. Suggested donation, $5 per child or $10 per family. 11 a.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.
Sands
• Stock Car Racing. Cars race on a quarter-mile asphalt-paved tri-oval track built into the base of a hill. Special events will include a Power Puff race and pit party. Bring a blanket or chairs. Kids 12 and younger, free; seniors and students, $10; adults, $15. Gates open,
1 p.m.; time trials, 2 p.m.; races, 3 p.m. Sands Speedway, 675 Old Co. Rd. 553. sandsspeedway.com.
05 MONDAY
sunrise 6:35 a.m.; sunset 9:16 p.m.
Escanaba
• Music Mondays. Featuring Sit Down Francis. A food truck will be on site. 7 to 9 p.m. Karas Bandshell, Ludington Park, Lake Shore Drive.
Marquette
• Craft Magic Series: Felt Magic with Jody Trost. Participants will learn basic needle felting and create a felted Splat Cat bookmark. Felting starter kits and wool will be provided; bring a small pair of scissors. 6:30 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322 or machatz@pwpl.info. To register, pwpl.info.
Negaunee
• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
06 TUESDAY
sunrise 6:37 a.m.; sunset 9:14 p.m.
Escanaba
• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.
• Lunchtime Live! Music will be performed by Reflections featuring Cindy Collins, Michelle Czygan and Miah Barteld. There will be a food truck on site. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bay College Courtyard, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. events@baycollege.edu.
Ishpeming
• Geocaching 102. Attendees with some geocaching experience can learn how to advance in the sport. Children should attend with an adult. Noon. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
• Cemetery Tour. Led by Ishpeming historian Karen Kasper, this weekly walking tour will highlight citizens such as Al Quaal and two sisters who were wartime nurses, Ethel Anderson Remer and Helen Anderson. Proceeds benefit the Ishpeming Area Historical Society. Suggested donation, $5 for students 12 to 17 and $10 for adults. 6:30 p.m. Ishpeming Cemetery (meet at sexton’s office), Second Street. 906-486-8680.
Little Lake
• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open, 5 p.m.; early
bird games, 6:30 p.m. American Legion Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.
Marquette
• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.
• Director Chat. Stop in to chat with Library Director Andrea Ingmire. 11 a.m. to noon, and 5 to 6 p.m. Circulation Lobby, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4303 or pwpl.info.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Historic Marquette Bus Tours. This 90-minute tour on an air-conditioned Checker bus will offer local history through stories told by historical reenactors. $25. 1 p.m. Depart from the Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org.
• Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public
Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655.
• “To Be Marquette” Reading. Author Sharon Dilworth, winner of the Iowa Award in Short Fiction and Pushcart Prize, will read from “To Be Marquette,” which follows NMU freshman Molly as she uncovers layers of lies and misunderstandings about campus life, Project ELF and her time in Marquette. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Stories in the Park. Children of all ages are welcome to listen to a story or two at this casual drop-in program.
• Tuesday Afternoon Program. Author David Gelwicks will present “Michigan Mining Scrip.” 2 p.m. Auditorium, Michigan Iron Industry Museum, 73 Forge Rd. 906-475-7857.
Norway
• Norway City Band Concert. 7:30 p.m. CDT. Jake Menghini Historical Museum, 105 Odill Dr.
07 WEDNESDAY
sunrise 6:38 a.m.; sunset 9:13 p.m.
Calumet
• Heather Evans. Part of the Summer Concert Series 7:30 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.
Curtis
• Music in the Park. Featuring rock and country music by Three Wheel Drive. 6:30 p.m. Erickson Center for the Arts, N9224Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Escanaba
• Lunch on Ludington Concert Series. Music will be performed by Troy Graham. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
• Farmers Market. 3 to 6 p.m. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
• Escanaba City Band Concert. 7:30 p.m. Karas Memorial Bandshell, Ludington Park.
Ishpeming
• Popcorn and a Movie: “Beetlejuice.” The 1988 movie “Beetlejuice” will be shown. Rated PG. Popcorn will be provided; bring a beverage. 4:30 p.m. Ray Leverton
Community Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
• Farm Stand. This is an opportunity to shop for local produce. Snap/EBT, Senior Project Fresh and Food as Medicine accepted. 4:30 to 6 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm’s Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org.
• Skill Share. Participants will create floral art with locally grown flowers. 5:15 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm’s Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 3 to 5:30 p.m. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older and their spouses. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.
• Senior Visual Art Classes: Plein Air Painting with Gene Bertram. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents ages 50 and older. 1 p.m. Bertram Seaside Studio, 2433 M-28 E., Harvey. To register, 906-225-8655.
• Wednesday Night Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers, and artisans. 5 to 8 p.m. 100 Block of Washington Street. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Historic Marquette Bus Tours. This 90-minute tour on an air-conditioned Checker bus will offer local history through stories told by historical reenactors. $25. 6 p.m. Depart from the Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org.
• NCLL: The Automobile Check Engine Light: What Is It and Why Do We Have It? Steve Stiles, a retired GM electrical engineer, will discuss the check engine light and provide an in-vehicle demonstration of a commercially available OBD scan tool. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 6 p.m. Room B101, NMU Superior Dome. 906-361-1919 or lisajstasiuk@gmail. com.
• Marquette County Quilters Association Meeting. All skill levels are invited for socialization, program events and show and tell. Yearly membership fee, $20. 6:30 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. marquettequilters.org.
• Concert on the Steps. Music will be presented by jazz saxophonist and composer Kenji Lee and his Fortune Teller Trio. 7 p.m. Front Street Steps, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
art galleries
Calumet
• Calumet Art Center. Works by local and regional artists. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228. calumetartcenter. com.
• Copper Country Associated Artist. Works by members and workshop participants in watercolor and oil, drawings, photography, sculpture, quilting, wood, textile, clay, glass and other media. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 205 Fifth St. 906-337-1252 or ccaartists.org.
• Gallery on 5th. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Call or visit Facebook for up-to-date store hours. 906-299-0118 or galleryon5th. com.
• My Story Gallery at Keweenaw Storytelling Center. Presented by Real People Media, the gallery shares stories of ordinary residents through multimedia exhibits. Upon viewing the exhibits, RPM encourages visitors to share their comments or reflections via interactive stations. Contact for updated hours. 215 Fifth St. 906-9342346 or realpeoplemedia.org.
Curtis
• Erickson Center for the Arts–Waterfront Gallery.
- Vision between the Lakes, featuring landscape oil paintings by John Evans and blown and carved glass sculptures by Alex Fekete, will be on display through Sept. 5.
- 22 Egg-citing Bird Nests: An Exhibit by Helga Flower, a collection of watercolor paintings, will be on display through Sept. 5.
The gallery also features unique work from local artists, including photography, pottery, jewelry, woodworking, paintings and more. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. N9224 SawWa-Quato St. 906-586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Copper Harbor
• EarthWorks Gallery. Featuring Lake Superior-inspired photography by Steve Brimm. Daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 216 First St. 906-231-6318.
Escanaba
• Besse Gallery.
- Celebration of Student Success: Winter 2024 Student Art Exhibition, will be on display through August 31. Days and hours vary. Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.edu.
• Hartwig Gallery. Featuring works by local, regional and national artists. Days and hours vary. Bay College, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.edu.
• William Bonifas Fine Arts Gallery.
- Bonifas Membership Show, featur-
ing work by professional and emerging artists, will be on display through the August 7.
- “50 Years in the Making: Past | Present | Future, commemorating 50 years of the Bonifas, will be on display Aug. 22 through Oct. 17 with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on August 22.
- Vicki Shirley: A Retrospective will be on display through August 7 with a closing reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on the 2nd.
- Artwork by the winner of the Bonifas Featured Artist Award given out at the Bonifas Membership Show will be on display Aug. 22 through Oct. 17.
Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
700 First Avenue South. 906-7863833 or bonifasarts.org.
Garden
• Village Artisans/Garden Gallery. The gallery has approximately 50 consignors each year featuring paintings, photography, quilting, stained glass, woodwork, pottery, jewelry and more. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. 6367 State St. 906-644-2025 or villageartisansofgarden.org.
Hancock
• Finandia Art Gallery. The Folk School at Midsummer, featuring work of the folk school instructors and students, will be on display through Sept. 18. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy St. 906-487-7309 or gallery@finlandiafoundation.org.
• Kerredge Gallery. Featuring works local and regional artists. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Copper Country Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or coppercountryarts.com.
• Youth Gallery. Featuring works by local students. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or coppercountryarts.com.
Houghton
• The Rozsa Galleries. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 to 8 p.m. Rozsa Center, 1400 Townsend Dr. mtu.edu/ rozsa.
Manistique
• Lake Effect Community Arts Center.
- Fiber Vision: Fiber Work Invitational with Explorations in Fiber by
U.P. Artists, including work by Carol Kasun-Dixson, Amber Dohrenwend, Martha Fieber, Carol Irving, Ruthanne Harmes, Mary Penet, Danita Rast, Teresa Ross and Christine Worley, will be on display Aug. 2 through 29 with an opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. on the 2nd. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 244 Cedar St. info@lakeeffectarts.org.
Marquette
• Art—U.P. Style. Art by Carol Papaleo, works by local artists, gifts, classes and more. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. 130 W. Washington St. 906-225-1993.
• DeVos Art Museum.
- Standing Still: Studio Portraits from the Upper Peninsula, featuring historic photos from Jack Deo, will be on display Aug. 6 through Nov. 2. Monday through Wednesday, and Friday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday, noon to 8 p.m. Corner of Seventh and Tracy streets. NMU. 906227-1481 or nmu.edu/devos.
• Graci Gallery. Works by Ruth Lague, who finds inspiration in the vastness and beauty of the natural world, will be on display through August 30. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 110 N. Third St. gracigallery. com.
• Huron Mountain Club Gallery.
- Wimmelbilder, featuring works by Elijah Haswell will be on display through Sept. 30 with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on August 8. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472.
• Lake Superior Photo and Gallery. The studio features landscape photographic art by Shawn Malone, including naturescapes of the Lake Superior region. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 211 S. Front St. 906-228-3686 or lakesuperiorphoto.com.
• Marquette Arts and Culture Center Deo Gallery.
- Alchemize: On Bodies and Clay, featuring works by Niikah Hatfield and Marissa Marquardson, will be on display through Sept. 30, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on August 8. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-228-0472.
• Presque Isle Station. This working pottery studio features pottery by Michael Horton and Terry Gilfoy, along with works by local artists. Days and
(continued
times vary. 2901 Lakeshore Blvd. 906-225-1695.
• The Gallery Marquette. Works by local and regional artists. Monday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Suite U7, 130 W. Washington St. thegallerymqt.com.
• The Studio Gallery at Presque Isle. Works by local and internationally acclaimed artists. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 2905 Lakeshore Blvd. 906-3604453.
• Wintergreen Hill Gallery and Gifts. Photography by Hunter Wade will be on display through August 30, with a public reception at 5 p.m. on the 8th. Wintergreen Hill Gallery strives to create an immersive art experience for visitors who are looking
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
to buy or just looking for inspiration. Local art by local artists. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 810 N. Third St. 906-273-1374 or wintergreenhill.com.
• Zero Degrees Gallery.
- Works by student artists Leo Barch (multimedia painting), Anna Rayhorn (linocut printmaking) and Isabelle Lagrou (multimedia painting) will be on display through August 31 with a reception from 1 to 4 p.m. on the 10th.
- Wood sculptures by Dan Ferrentino will be on display through Sept. 30 with a reception from 1 to 4 p.m. on the 10th.
The gallery features works in oils, watercolors, mixed media, jewelry, photography, metals, woods, recycled and fiber arts and more. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 525 N. Third St. 906-228-3058 or zerodegreesgallery.org.
• Drop-in Storytime. Children of all ages can listen to a story or two at this casual drop-in program hosted by Negaunee Public Library staff. 9 a.m. Miner’s Park, Maas Street and U.S.-41. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Farmers and Crafters Market. Offering local farmers’ and artisans’ goods and creations. 4 to 7 p.m.
Jackson Mine Park, 199 Tobin St.
• Negaunee City Band Concert. Seating is limited; bring a chair. 7:30 p.m. Breitung Park Bandshell, east end of Iron Street.
Munising
• UP-Scale Art. Featuring works by local and regional artists. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. 109 W. Superior Ave. 906-387-3300 or upscaleart.org.
Rapid River
• Ritch Branstrom’s adhocWORKshop. Specializing in award-winning found object sculpture. By appointment or chance. 10495 S. Main St. 906-399-1572 or adhocworkshop. com.
Sand River
• Aurelia Studio Pottery. Featuring high fire stoneware, along with functional and sculptural pieces inspired by nature, created by potter and owner Paula Neville. Open by appointment or chance. 3050 E. M-28. 906-3436592.
Skandia
• Farmers and Crafters Market. 4 to 7 p.m. 9271 U.S. Hwy. 41 S.
08 THURSDAY
sunrise 6:39 a.m.; sunset 9:11 p.m.
Calumet
• Kids Movie Magic. The film selection will be “The Emperor’s New Groove.” $1. 7 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.
Ilah Wilson | Yellow Perch in Profile | Wintergreen Hill Gallery and Gifts, Marquette
Chassell
• Remembering the Copper Range Railroad. Glenn Bugni will present photos and memories of his time as a fireman/section worker on the Copper Range Railroad during the warm months of 1966-1968. 7 p.m. Chassell Heritage Center, 42373 Hancock Ave. 906-523-1155 or chassellhistory.org.
Copper Harbor
• Performances in the Park. Featuring Heather Evans. A farmers market is also on site. 7 to 9 p.m. Donny Kilpela Memorial Park, 240 Gratiot St. 906-289-4020 or performances.in.the. park@gmail.com.
Crystal Falls
• U.P. Notable Books Club (Zoom). The guest will be Julie Buchholtz, of the Bay Mills Tribe of Chippewa Indians, author of “Who Am I?” The picture book for children promotes pride in one’s heritage and the importance of stewardship for the Earth. 7 p.m. EDT, 6 p.m. CDT. Via Zoom. 906875-3344 or egathu@crystalfallslibrary.org. upnotable.com.
Curtis
• Daddy’s Boys Live! Daddy’s Boys, featuring Bryce and Pete, will present improv. Ticket prices vary. 7 p.m. The Pine Performance Center N9224SawWa-Quato St. mynorthtickets.com.
Escanaba
• Live on the Lawn at Lunch! This live music series will feature the Marrier Orchestra. Lunch will be available from the Curious Pig food truck. 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.
Gwinn
• Modeltown Farmers and Artisans Market. Featuring live music until 6 p.m. 3 to 7 p.m. Peter Nordeen Park, 115 N. Pine St. 906-361-4843 or modeltownmarket@gmail.com.
Ishpeming
• Weekly Volunteer Day. Volunteers will actively engage in farm activities, such as planting, weeding, watering and harvesting crops. All ages are welcome. 2 to 4 p.m. Partridge Creek Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org/volunteer.
• Summer Concert Series. Featuring The Make-Believe Spurs. Bring a chair. 7 p.m. Old Ish Park, Main Street.
L’Anse
• Lakefront Concert. Featuring smooth jazz, rock and country by Black Pearl. 7 p.m. Lakefront Park, Broad Street at the lake.
Marquette
• Downtown Development Authority Board Meeting. 8 a.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. downtownmarquette.org.
• Geoff and Jon’s Record Show. Thousands of new and used vinyl records, CDs, posters, cassettes, books and T-shirts will be available. This allages event is presented by the NMU Vinyl Record Club. Noon to 11 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Second Thursday Creativity
Series. This month’s theme is “National Happiness Happens Day.” Guests can enjoy hands-on craft activities and free Culver’s frozen custard. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-2263911 or upchildrensmuseum.org.
• Marquette Art Muses Meeting. Open to the public. 5:30 p.m. The Courtyards, 1110 Champion St. lbuckmar2@yahoo.com or 906-399-9824.
• Yarn Winders Fiber Guild of Marquette. 6 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St.
• Marquette Poets Circle. Local poets, writers and poetry enthusiasts gather to workshop their current work, followed by an open mic. New and experienced poets are welcome for either or both events. Workshop, 6:30 p.m.; open mic, 7:15 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
• Marquette City Band Concert. 7:30 p.m. Bandshell at Presque Isle Park. marquettecityband.com.
• “The Prom ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Walk and Read. This group will meet at the Negaunee Public Library and walk through Old Town while enjoying bookish conversations with other enthusiasts. Takes place pending weather conditions. 5 p.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary or
906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Irontunes. Featuring live music and bean bags. 6 to 10 p.m. Iron Street.
Sands
• Marquette County Fair. Includes carnival rides, exhibits, interactive petting zoos and activities, live entertainment, specialty foods, and more. Prices vary. Gates open at 10 a.m., carnival opens at 1 p.m. Marquette County Fairgrounds, 715 M-553. (906) 2494111 or marquettecountyfair.org
09 FRIDAY
sunrise 6:40 a.m.; sunset 9:10 p.m.
Calumet
• “Across the Alley” Organ Concert. Featuring Kathy Arten. Suggested donation, $5. 2 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228 or info@calumetartcenter.com.
Curtis
• Loonapalooza 2024. This afternoon symposium will include educational lectures and a celebration featuring an art auction, loon calling contest, photo exhibit and more. Presented by the Friends of Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Registration requested. Lectures, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Loonapalooza Celebration, 6 p.m. Erickson Center for the Arts, N9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. To register, 906287-6592 or loonapalooza@friendsofseney.org. friendsofseney.org.
Gwinn
• Storytime in the Park. Preschoolage kids can enjoy stories and light snacks as well as an obstacle course. 10:30 a.m. Peter Nordeen Park, 115
N. Pine St. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.
Houghton
• Gem and Mineral Show. Includes gems, minerals, fossils and copper mining artifacts, as well as door prizes, displays and a silent auction. Geologist and Author Nathalie Brandes will speak at 4 p.m. 1 to 8 p.m. Houghton Elementary School, Bridge Street. ccrmc.info.
Marquette
• Geoff and Jon’s Record Show. Thousands of new and used vinyl records, CDs, posters, cassettes, books and T-shirts will be available. This allages event is presented by the NMU Vinyl Record Club. Noon to 11 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Building Storytime. Children ages three and older can listen to a story or two and be inspired to build with LEGOs and other blocks. Older youth are welcome to hang out quietly and build. 10:30 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-4757700, ext. 18.
Sands
• Marquette County Fair. Includes carnival rides, exhibits, interactive petting zoos and activities, live entertainment, specialty foods, and more. Prices vary. Gates open at 10 a.m., carnival opens at 1 p.m. Marquette County Fairgrounds, 715 M-553. (906) 249-4111 or marquettecountyfair.org.
10 SATURDAY
Big Bay
• Big Bay Concert Series. The band 7 Foot Drift will perform. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. 7 p.m. Draver Park. bigbaymichigan@ gmail.com.
Curtis
• True North Quartet Chamber Music Concert. The True North Quartet will perform “Land and Sea,” which tells the story of how the indigenous people of New Zealand found
their homeland. Donations appreciated. 7 p.m. The Pine Performance Center, N9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Escanaba
• Farmers Market. 9 a.m. to noon. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
• LEGO Club. This month’s theme is “Fair Fun.” 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-7897323 or escanabalibrary.org.
Houghton
• Gem and Mineral Show. Includes gems, minerals, fossils and copper mining artifacts, as well as door prizes, displays and a silent auction. Geologist and Author Nathalie Brandes will speak at 4 p.m. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Houghton Elementary School, Bridge Street. ccrmc.info.
Ishpeming
• Buzz the Gut Car Show and Parade. The Show and Shine will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Cliffs Shaft Mining Museum, 501 W. Euclid St., followed by the parade through Ishpeming and Negaunee. A dance featuring the band Swampberry Moonshine will then take place at the Ishpeming Elks, 597 Lakeshore Dr. Food and refreshments will be served. 906-485-1234
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to noon. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
• Farmers Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Ore to Shore: Short Rock Start. Cheer on bikers as they leave for the 10-mile race. Prices vary. 8 a.m. Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair Ave. oretoshore.com
• Puzzle Mania. In the library’s firstever jigsaw puzzle competition, teams will compete for bragging rights and the title of PWPL Puzzle Champion. 10 a.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4322 or machatz@pwpl.info. To register, pwpl.info.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.
• Geoff and Jon’s Record Show. Thousands of new and used vinyl records, CDs, posters, cassettes, books and T-shirts will be available. This allages event is presented by the NMU Vinyl Record Club. Noon to 11 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring St. 906-228-8888.
• Ore to Shore: Junior Rock
Start. Cheer on bikes as they begin the 4-mile race. Prices vary. 4 p.m. Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair Ave. oretoshore.com
• Ore to Shore: Littlest Rock Start. Cheer on youth ride in half-mile course. Prices vary. 5 p.m. Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair Ave. oretoshore. com
• Ore to Shore: Little Rock Start. Cheer on as youth ride the onemile course. Prices vary. 5:15 p.m. Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair Ave. oretoshore.com
Munising
• Four Shillings Short. This concert will feature Celtic, folk and world music. Admission by free will donation. 11 a.m. Falling Rock Café, 104 E. Munising Ave. 906-387-3008 or fallingrockcafe.com.
Negaunee
• Ore to Shore: Soft Rock Start. Cheer on bikes as they begin the 28-mile race. Prices vary. 9 a.m. Lakeview Elementary School, 200 Croix St. oretoshore.com
• Ore to Shore: Hard Rock Start. Cheer on bikes as they begin the 48mile race. Prices vary. 10 a.m. N. Silver and Iron streets. oretoshore. com
Sands
• Marquette County Fair. Includes carnival rides, exhibits, interactive petting zoos and activities, live entertainment, specialty foods, and more. Prices vary. Gates open at 10 a.m., carnival opens at 1 p.m. Marquette County Fairgrounds, 715 M-553. (906) 249-4111 or marquettecountyfair.org.
11
Calumet
• The Tamburitzans. This group performs a variety of folk dance and music representing international cultures with elaborate costumes and versatile musicians, singers and dancers. Ticket prices vary. 3 p.m Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.
Houghton
• Gem and Mineral Show. Includes gems, minerals, fossils and copper mining artifacts, as well as door prizes, displays and a silent auction. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Houghton Elementary School, Bridge Street. ccrmc.info.
Marquette
• Geoff and Jon’s Record Show. Thousands of new and used vinyl records, CDs, posters, cassettes, books and T-shirts will be available. This allages event is presented by the NMU Vinyl Record Club. Noon to 5 p.m. Ore Dock Brewing Company, 114 W. Spring
St. 906-228-8888.
• Gems and Jewelry. Attendees can join resident jewelry artisans to create their own necklaces, bracelets or earrings. Bring existing jewelry pieces for cleaning and examination by a graduate gemologist. Suggested age is middle school and older. Costs will vary depending on the selected components. Noon to 3 p.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 3 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Rock
• Senior Dance. Music will be provided by Ron Jays. The event will raise money for the Rock Senior Corporation. 1 to 4 p m. Rock Senior Center, 3892 W. Mapleridge 37 Rd.
12 MONDAY
Curtis
• Fraudway. This new vaudeville show will put a comedic spin on some of the most memorable Broadway show moments featuring local talent and live and “not so live” acts. In advance: 10 and younger, $5; students, $10; adults, $20. At the door: 10 and younger, $10; students, $15; adults, $25. 7 p.m. The Pine Performance Center, N9224SawWa-Quato St. mynorthtickets.com.
Escanaba
• U.P. State Fair. Events include carnival rides, petting zoo, bingo, live entertainment, exhibitions and displays, livestock shows, and more. The day’s events will include Escanaba Motor Speedway racing and the queen court crowning. Prices vary. 5 to 10:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. N. 906-786-4011 or upstatefair.net.
Marquette
• Senior Theatre Experience: Monthly Theatre Workshop and Discussion. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents ages 50 and older. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.
Negaunee
• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
13 TUESDAY
sunrise 6:46 a.m.; sunset 9:03 p.m.
Curtis
• Fraudway. This new vaudeville show will put a comedic spin on some of the most memorable Broadway show moments featuring local talent and live and “not so live” acts. In advance: 10 and younger, $5; students, $10; adults, $20. At the door: 10 and younger, $10; students, $15; adults, $25. 7 p.m. The Pine Performance Center, N9224SawWa-Quato St. mynorthtickets.com.
Escanaba
• U.P. State Fair. Events include carnival rides, petting zoo, bingo, live entertainment, exhibitions and displays, livestock shows, and more. The day’s events will include a white dove release and cornhole tournament. Prices vary. 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. N. 906-786-4011 or upstatefair.net.
• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.
• Strings on the Bay. This summer chamber music series will feature Land, Sea and Air. Students, $7; adults, $15. 7 p.m. Besse Theater, Bay College Campus, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. baycollege.tix.com.
Gwinn
• Literature at the Lodge. This month’s selection will be “Things You Save in a Fire” by Katherine Center. 7 p.m. Up North Lodge, 215 S. Co. Rd. 557. 906-346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.
Ishpeming
• Cemetery Tour. Led by Ishpeming historian Karen Kasper, this weekly walking tour will highlight citizens such as Al Quaal and two sisters who were wartime nurses, Ethel Anderson Remer and Helen Anderson. Proceeds benefit the Ishpeming Area Historical Society. Suggested donation, $5 for students 12 to 17 and $10 for adults. 6:30 p.m. Ishpeming Cemetery (meet at sexton’s office), Second Street. 906-486-8680.
Little Lake
• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open, 5 p.m.; early bird games, 6:30 p.m. American Legion Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.
Marquette
• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested
U.P. Weather and the Northern Lights
August 14 | Ishpeming
Photo by Vincent Guth via Unsplash
players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• NCLL: Harlow Lake Mini HikeEasy. This will be a leisurely walk/ hike of about two and a half miles over flat, though sometimes uneven, terrain. Dress for bugs, mud and the weather. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 1 p.m. Cabin 4-5 Parking, Harlow Lake Road, north of Marquette off Co. Rd. 550. 906-345-9295 or elizabethjbates@hotmail.com.
• Lake Superior Knitters. Students eight and older are invited to visit or join the group to learn a new art form. The group mentors all age groups and skill levels. Bring a skein of lighter color yarn and a size 7, 24-inch circular needle to make a hat or cowl. Suggested donation, $1 to $5 to the MRHC for the study and preservation of the fiber arts. 1 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. beedhive47@yahoo.com.
• Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655.
• Senior Dance Class. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents ages 50 and older. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.
• Art After Loss: Painting Memorial Stones. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice welcomes anyone struggling with grief and loss to paint memorial stones. All paint supplies will be provided; attendees should bring stones of various shapes and sizes that speak to them. 5 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-7760.
• Evening Lighthouse Tour. Tour the Marquette Habor Lighthouse. This hour-long tour covers the grounds and lighthouse. There are 45 steps ito get nto the lighthouse. Proceeds benefit the Marquette Maritime Museum. $15. 7 p.m. 300 Lakseshore Blvd. (906) 226-2006.
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Photo by Carrie
Usher
Negaunee
• Stories in the Park. Children of all ages are welcome to listen to a story or two at this casual drop-in program. 9 a.m. Negaunee Township Hall, 42 M-35. 906-475-7700, ext. 18 or facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary.
• Tuesday Afternoon Program. Hunter Laing, of the Marquette Regional History Center, will present “Getting to the Source: Researching Misinformation and Disinformation in U.P. Lore.” 2 p.m. Auditorium, Michigan Iron Industry Museum, 73 Forge Rd. 906-475-7857.
14 WEDNESDAY
sunrise 6:47 a.m.; sunset 9:02 p.m.
Calumet
• Uncle Pete’s BBQ Blues Band. Part of the Summer Concert Series 7:30 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.
Curtis
• Music in the Park. Featuring Americana rock by The Whiskey Charmers. 6:30 p.m. Erickson Center for the Arts, N9224Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906-586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Escanaba
• U.P. State Fair. Events for Senior Day will include carnival rides, petting zoo, bingo, live entertainment, exhibitions and displays, livestock shows, and more. The grandstand performer will be Tracy Byrd. Prices vary. 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. N. 906-786-4011 or upstatefair.net.
• Farmers Market. 3 to 6 p.m. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
• Escanaba City Band Concert. 7:30 p.m. Karas Memorial Bandshell, Ludington Park.
Ishpeming
• Storytime at the Park. In partnership with the Great Start Parent Coalition Playgroup from 10 a.m. to noon, the Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library will host storytime for ages five and younger (older children are welcome). 11 a.m. National Mine Recreational Area, 7455 Co. Rd. PB. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.
• Farm Stand. This is an opportunity to shop for local produce.
Snap/EBT, Senior Project Fresh and Food as Medicine accepted. 4:30 to 6 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm’s Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org.
• Skill Share. Presented by Plant Daddy Ashley. 5:15 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm’s Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org.
• U.P. Weather and the Northern Lights. Matthew Zika from the
National Weather Service in Marquette will discuss recent U.P. climate trends and space weather, including information about the northern lights. 5:30 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 3 to 5:30 p.m. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older and their spouses. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.
• Senior Visual Art Classes: Plein Air Painting with Gene Bertram. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents ages 50 and older. 1 p.m. Bertram Seaside Studio, 2433 M-28 E., Harvey. To register, 906-225-8655.
• Wednesday Night Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers, and artisans. 5 to 8 p.m. 100 Block of Washington Street. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Community Knit/Crochet Club. 5:30 p.m. Alley Kat’s Quilt Shop, 1010 W. Washington St. 906-315-0050.
• Historic Marquette Bus Tours. This 90-minute tour on an air-conditioned Checker bus will offer local history through stories told by historical reenactors. $25. 6 p.m. Depart from the Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org.
• League of Women Voters of Marquette County Meeting. Attorney Mark Brewer will present “Issues in the Administration of Michigan Elections.” All interested community members are welcome. Social time, 6:15 p.m.; meeting, 6:30 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. lwvmqtco@gmail.com.
• Concert on the Steps. Music will be presented by Four Shillings Short featuring Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland, and Christy Martin, from California, performing traditional and original music from the Celtic lands, Medieval and Renaissance Europe, the Americas and India. 7 p.m. Front Street Steps, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Drop-in Storytime. Children of all ages can listen to a story or two at
this casual drop-in program hosted by Negaunee Public Library staff. 9 a.m. Miner’s Park, Maas Street and U.S.-41. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Farmers and Crafters Market. Offering local farmers’ and artisans’ goods and creations. 4 to 7 p.m. Jackson Mine Park, 199 Tobin St. Skandia
• Farmers and Crafters Market. 4 to 7 p.m. 9271 U.S. Hwy. 41 S.
15 THURSDAY
sunrise 6:48 a.m.; sunset 9:00 p.m.
Calumet
• “Across the Alley” Organ Concert. Featuring Jan List. Suggested donation, $5. 2 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228 or info@calumetartcenter.com.
Chassell
• Bill Kautto and Friends. The group will perform country music favorites, old and new. 7 p.m. Chassell Heritage Center, 42373 Hancock Ave. 906-5231155 or chassellhistory.org.
Copper Harbor
• Performances in the Park. Featuring Jan Arnold. A farmers market is also on site. 7 to 9 p.m. Donny Kilpela Memorial Park, 240 Gratiot St. 906-289-4020 or performances.in.the. park@gmail.com.
Escanaba
• U.P. State Fair. Events for Honored Citizens Day will include carnival rides, petting zoo, bingo, live entertainment, exhibitions and displays, livestock shows, and more. The grandstand performer will be Hailey Whitters. Prices vary. 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. N. 906-786-4011 or upstatefair.net.
Gwinn
• Modeltown Farmers and Artisans Market. Featuring live music until 6 p.m. 3 to 7 p.m. Peter Nordeen Park, 115 N. Pine St. 906-361-4843 or modeltownmarket@gmail.com.
Ishpeming
• Weekly Volunteer Day. Volunteers will actively engage in farm activities, such as planting, weeding, watering and harvesting crops. All ages are welcome. 2 to 4 p.m. Partridge Creek Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org/volunteer.
• Crochet Club. This is a time to
gather with fellow crafters to socialize. Supplies and instruction will be provided for those who are interested in learning how to crochet. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
• Adult Fantasy Book Club. This month’s selection will be “The House in the Cerulean Sea” by TJ Klune. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
• Summer Concert Series. Featuring Union Pacific. Bring a chair. 7 p.m. Old Ish Park, Main Street.
L’Anse
• Lakefront Concert. Featuring favorite hits by One Voice. 7 p.m. Lakefront Park, Broad Street at the lake.
Marquette
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• NCLL: NCAA Rules and Regulations. NMU Athletic Director Rick Comley will discuss new NCAA rules and regulations. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 1:30 p.m. Room B101, NMU Superior Dome. 906-227-2979.
• Mill Creek Live and Learn. Jeremy Hansen from Fassbender
Funeral Home will discuss funeral pre-planning. 2 p.m. Mill Creek Clubhouse, 1728 Windstone Dr. 906-225-7760.
• Death Cafe. Modeled after deathcafe.com, Jennifer Aldrich-Boyle, Nancy Irish and Ann Russ will facilitate a no-agenda group discussion about death over cake and tea. 6 p.m. Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St.
• Music on Third. Local musicians will perform along the sidewalks of Third Street. 6 to 8 p.m. downtownmarquette.org.
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Walk and Read. This group will meet at the Negaunee Public Library and walk through Old Town while enjoying bookish conversations with other enthusiasts. Takes place pending weather conditions. 5 p.m. facebook. com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906475-7700, ext. 18.
• Irontunes. Featuring live music and bean bags. 6 to 10 p.m. Iron Street. cityofnegaunee.com
Calumet
• “Across the Alley” Organ Concert. Featuring Kathy Arten. Suggested donation, $5. 2 p.m. Calumet Art Center, 57055 Fifth St. 906-934-2228 or info@calumetartcenter.com.
• History on the Rocks: A Pasty Poetry Slam. Participants can compose and read aloud a few lines of pasty prose. Prizes will be awarded. Part of Pasty Fest. 5 to 7 p.m. Eva’s Hideaway, 211 Seventh St. info@mainstreetcalumet.com or uppastyfest.com.
Caspian
• History Happy Hour. Darlene Walch will present “Mushing in the U.P.” Visitors can enjoy drinks and socializing in Toti’s Tavern, the museum’s vintage taproom, before and after the presentation. 6 p.m. CDT. Iron County Historical and Museum Society, 100 Brady Ave. 906-265-2617 or info@ironcountymuseum.org.
Crystal Falls
• The Tamburitzans. This group performs a variety of folk dance and music representing international cultures with elaborate costumes and versatile musicians, singers and dancers. Students, $5; adults, $23. 6 p.m CDT. The Crystal Theatre, 304 Superior Ave. 906-875-3208 or thecrystaltheatre.org.
Escanaba
• U.P. State Fair. Events for Ladies’ Day and Men’s Night will include carnival rides, petting zoo, bingo, live entertainment, exhibitions and displays, livestock shows, and more. The grandstand performers will be Fuel and Dorothy. Prices vary. 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. N. 906786-4011 or upstatefair.net.
Gwinn
• Storytime in the Park. Preschoolage kids can enjoy stories, crafts and light snacks, as well as sno-cones and a water balloon toss. 10:30 a.m. Peter Nordeen Park, 115 N. Pine St. 906346-3433 or forsythtwplibrary.org.
Ishpeming
• Tai Chi Class. Certified instructor Irina Tarbeeva will lead this Tai Chi class for adults at beginning and intermediate levels of practice. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
Marquette
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Bike Prom. This group bike outing
will ride from Marquette Commons to NMU’s Northern Center. There will be music and raffles, the proceeds from which will purchase bike lights for local students and youth. Participants are encouraged to dress their best. Hosted by the Marquette Sustainability Coalition. 6:30 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St
• Paranormal Lighthouse Tour. Tour the Marquette Habor Lighthouse. This tour is for those age 18 and older. Proceeds benefit the Marquette Maritime Museum. $30. 7 p.m. 300 Lakseshore Blvd. (906) 226-2006..
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Building Storytime. Children ages three and older can listen to a story or two and be inspired to build with LEGOs and other blocks. Older youth are welcome to hang out quietly and build. 10:30 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-4757700, ext. 18.
17 SATURDAY
sunrise 6:51 a.m.; sunset 8:57 p.m.
Calumet
• Pasty Fest. This year’s festival will feature a medieval theme and activities will include opening ceremonies, music, foam jousting, a car show, strong-man pasty pull and pasty eating competition. The event is also a fundraiser for Main Street Calumet. Noon to 4 p.m. Fifth Street. uppastyfest.com.
• Red Hot Chili Pipers. This band combines guitars, keyboards, drums and bagpipes to fuse traditional pipe tunes and contemporary rock music Ticket prices vary. 7:30 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.
Copper Harbor
• Author Signings. There will be a parade of local authors on the porch. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Grandpa’s Barn, 340 Fourth St. 906-289-4377.
Escanaba
• Farmers Market. 9 a.m. to noon. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
• U.P. State Fair. Events will include carnival rides, petting zoo, bingo, live entertainment, exhibitions and displays, livestock shows, and more. The grandstand performer will be Parmalee. Prices vary. 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. N. 906-786-4011 or upstatefair.net.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to noon. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
• UPAWS Benefit Sale. Proceeds from this multiple-family sale will support the Upper Peninsula Animal Welfare Shelter (UPAWS). There will be a collection box for wish list items. 9 a.m. to noon. 305 E. Prospect St. 906-225-0595.
• Farmers Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.
• Classic Cars on Third. A variety of vintage cars and bikes will be on display. There will also be music, food vendors, kids activities and raffles. The show will commemorate Jessica Drummond and proceeds will benefit the Women’s Center of Marquette and Alger County. Presented by the Marquette Downtown Development Authority. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. North Third Street, between Michigan and Park streets. 906-228-9475, ext. 104, or mike@ downtownmarquette.org.
• Tree Trek. Attendees can take part in a tree identification hike around Presque Isle Park and learn about the ecology of U.P. forests. Recommended age range is 10 years and older. Suggested donation, $5 per child or $10 per family. Noon. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.
• Marquette Roller Derby. This double header will feature MidWisconsin versus the Lansing B team and Marquette versus the Lansing A Team. Ticket prices vary. 6 p.m. Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair Ave. marquetterollerderbyinfo@gmail. com.
• “The Prom. ” Directed by Leslie Parkkonen, this show captures the magic of high school and promotes love and acceptance. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Escanaba
• U.P. State Fair. Events for Scout Day will include carnival rides, petting zoo, bingo, live entertainment, exhibitions and displays, livestock shows, and more. All Scouts get in free when wearing their uniforms. Prices vary. 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds, 2401 12th Ave. N. 906-786-4011 or upstatefair.net.
Ishpeming
• Bingo. Doors open at noon. Ishpeming VFW, 310 Bank St. 906-486-4856.
K.I. Sawyer
• Country Dance. Entertainment is TBD. All are welcome. $10. 1 to 4 p.m. K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum, 402 Third St. 906-346-2251.
Sands
• Stock Car Racing. Cars race on a quarter-mile asphalt-paved tri-oval track built into the base of a hill. Special events will include Big Wheel races for kids. Bring a blanket or chairs. Kids 12 and younger, free; seniors and students, $10; adults, $15. Gates open, 1 p.m.; time trials, 2 p.m.; races, 3 p.m. Sands Speedway, 675 Old Co. Rd. 553. sandsspeedway.com.
19 MONDAY sunrise 6:53 a.m.; sunset 8:53 p.m.
Hancock
• Buellwood Weavers and Fiber Arts Guild Meeting. All fiber artists are welcome. Bring your show-andtell projects. 1 p.m. Fiber Arts Studio (Room 105), Finnish American Folk School, lower level, Skyline Commons, 200 Michigan St. jegale@att.net or 906-221-5306.
Marquette
• Concert on the Steps. Music will be presented by Ramble Tamble, which will offer a night of surfer rock. 7 p.m. Front Street Steps, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl. info.
• Superior Memories: Legends and Lore. Presented by Jack Deo and Jim Koski. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
18 SUNDAY sunrise 6:52 a.m.; sunset 8:55 p.m.
Copper Harbor
• Author Signings. There will be a parade of local authors on the porch. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Grandpa’s Barn, 340 Fourth St. 906-289-4377.
• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
20 TUESDAY
sunrise 6:54 a.m.; sunset 8:52 p.m.
museums
Big Bay
• Big Bay Lighthouse. Big Bay Lighthouse is an active aid to navigation monitored by the U.S. Coast Guard. The light is the brightest on Lake Superior and provides a beam that is visible 20 nautical miles. Guided tours offered Sundays at noon and 2 p.m. $12. 3 Lighthouse Rd. 906-345-9957.
Calumet
• Copper Country Firefighters History Museum. View displays dedicated to the history of fire fighting in the Copper Country, including photo exhibits, fire trucks and equipment dating to the 1850s. Ages 16 and younger, free; ages 17 and older, $5. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m. 327 Sixth St.906-281-8822.
• Coppertown USA Mining Museum. View exhibits relative to the copper mining industry and community life. The museum is a Keweenaw National Historical Park Heritage Site. Children five and younger, free; children ages six to 15, $2; adults, $4. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 25815 Red Jacket Rd. 906-337-4354 or uppermichigan.com/coppertown.
• International Frisbee/USA Guts Hall of Fame and Museum. Learn about the history of Guts Frisbee. Days and hours vary. Open when events are held. Second floor ballroom, Calumet Colosseum, 110 Red Jacket Rd. 906-281-7625.
Caspian
• Iron County Historical Museum. The Iron County Museum is one of the largest outdoor museum complexes in the U.P. and is the designated “Log Cabin Capital of Michigan.” Exhibits include the Carrie Jacobs-Bond House, Stager Depot, St. Mary’s Church, Toti’s Tavern, Pioneer School House, Giovanelli Studio and Gallery, and Lee LeBlanc Memorial Art Gallery. Children five and younger, free; students. $10; adults, $15. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 100 Brady Ave. 906-265-2617 or ironcountymuseum.org.
Copper Harbor
• Fort Wilkins State Park. Built in 1844, this fort is a well-preserved 19th-century military post and lighthouse complex. Through museum exhibits, audio-visual programs and costumed interpretation, visitors can explore the daily routine of military service, experience the hardships of frontier isolation and discover another era. Park store, bookstore, concession stand and campsites are on site. $17 per car, per day for
Michigan residents, $9 for nonresidents. 8:30 a.m. to dusk. US-41 (one mile east of Copper Harbor). 906-289-4215.
Covington
• Covington Historical Museum. Located in the historic 1905 Township Hall, a Michigan Historic Site, the museum houses exhibits, photographs and artifacts focusing on the life of early Finnish residents of Covington Township. The museum contains the township’s only jail cell. The Genealogy Room has family history files and early township records. Saturdays through the 31st, 1 to 3 p.m. Center Street. 906-355-2169.
Eagle Harbor
• Eagle Harbor Life Saving Museum. View displays of early wooden rescue boats, surfboats, lifecars and more. Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. End of Marina Road. keweenawhistory.org.
• Eagle Harbor Light Station Museum and Lighthouse. The original lighthouse was built in 1851, which was replaced by the present red brick structure in 1871. The U.S. Coast Guard continues to operate the light at the top of the tower as an active navigational aid. Children 16 and younger and KCHS members, free; adults, $8. Daily, noon to 5 p.m. 670 Lighthouse Rd. keweenawhistory.org.
Eagle River
• Eagle River Museum. The museum focuses on four themes: the Cliff Mine, the town of Eagle River, the town and mine of Phoenix, and the Crestview amusement area. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. M-26. keweenawhistory.org.
Escanaba
• Upper Peninsula Military Museum and Honor Flight Legacy Museum. The museum honors Upper Peninsula veterans, and features exhibits and dioramas portraying the Upper Peninsula’s contribution to U.S. war efforts from the Civil War through the Afghanistan wars. Learn the history of the honor flight trips. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request. Inside the Delta County Chamber of Commerce, 1001 N. Lincoln Rd.
Garden
• Fayette Historic Townsite. This site was once one of the Upper Peninsula’s most productive iron smelting operations. A town of nearly 500 residents grew up around two blast furnaces, a large dock
and several charcoal kilns. It now includes a visitor center, museum exhibits, a 26-station walking tour and a scale model of the original townsite. $17 per car, per day for Michigan residents, $9 for nonresidents. 9 a.m. to dusk. 14785 II Road. 906-644-2603 or michigan.gov/mhc/ museums/fayette.
Grand Marais
• Lightkeeper’s House Museum. Step back in time to the early 1900s and discover the life of the early lightkeepers. Operated by the Grand Marais Historical Society. Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. On Coast Guard Point next to the inner range light. grandmaraismichigan.com/ historicalsociety.
• Old Post Office Museum. The history of Grand Marais is on display, from the earliest peoples to the present day. A memorial rose garden is at the rear of the museum overlooking the water. Operated by the Grand Marais Historical Society. Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. Lake Avenue. grandmaraismichigan.com/ historicalsociety.
• Pickle Barrel House Museum. This 16-foot-high barrel has been restored to its condition as a cottage, built for author and illustrator William Donahey, who created the Teenie Weenie characters. Operated by the Grand Marais Historical Society. Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. Northeast corner of Lake and Randolph streets. grandmaraismichigan.com/historicalsociety.
Greenland
• Adventure Mining Company. The mine opened in 1850 and remains one of the best-preserved sites of its time. Although the mine closed in 1920, many of the shafts are still open for touring. Tours range from surface walking tours to underground rappelling down a mineshaft. Prices vary. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 200 Adventure Ave. 906-883-3371 or adventureminetours.com.
Hancock
• Quincy Mine Hoist and Underground Mine. There are two options for touring the site. On both the surface tour and the full tour, visitors will see the museum, inside the No. 2 Shaft House and the Nordberg Steam Hoist and ride the cog rail tram car to the mine entrance. On the full tour, visitors will take a tractor-pulled wagon into the mine, seven levels underground. Prices vary. Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 49750 US-41. 906-4823101 or quincymine.com.
Houghton
• A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum. New exhibit on Yooperlites, sodalite-bearing syenites that possess fluorescent properties. View the largest collection of minerals from the Great Lakes region and the world’s finest collection of Michigan minerals. Prices vary. Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1404 E. Sharon Ave. museum.mtu.edu or 906-487-2572.
• Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw. New exhibits are “Message in a Bottle,” featuring artifacts long buried beneath Houghton’s streets that were found during excavations in 2021; and “Celebrate the Lift Bridge,” which includes building activities and the 1960s-era video about building the Lift Bridge. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 105 Huron St. 906-482-7140 or carnegiekeweenaw.org.
• MTU Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections. Features a variety of historical memorabilia, highlighting life in the Copper Country. Open by appointment. Lower level of the J.R. Van Pelt Library, MTU. 906-487-3209.
Iron Mountain
• Cornish Pumping Engine and Mining Museum. The 725-ton Cornish Pumping Engine, the largest steam-driven pumping engine ever built in the United States, is famous for dewatering Iron Mountain’s Chapin Mine, one of the wettest mines ever worked and the largest producer of iron ore on the Menominee Iron Range. The museum also displays underground mining equipment. Children five and younger, free; students, $5; seniors and veterans, $7; adults, $8. 300 Kent St. 906-774-1086 or menomineemuseum.com.
• World War II Glider and Military Museum. During World War II, the Ford Motor Company’s Kingsford plant built the CG-4A gliders for the U.S. Army. View one of seven fully restored CG-4A G World War II gliders, military uniforms from the Civil War through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, memorabilia, restored military vehicles and more. Prices vary. Children five and younger, free; students, $5; seniors and veterans, $7; adults, $8. 302 Kent St. 906-7741086 or menomineemuseum.com.
Ishpeming
• Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum. View local historical artifacts of miners and mines, past and present, safety equipment, blasting and diamond drilling equipment and more. Guided tours of the tunnels are available. Prices vary. Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to (continued on page 98)
Escanaba
• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.
• Lunchtime Live! Music will be performed by Meg Rae. There will be a food truck on site. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bay College Courtyard, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. events@baycollege.edu.
Ishpeming
• Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is “Warrior Girl Unearthed” by Angeline Boulley. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.
museums
(continued from page 97)
4 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 501 W. Euclid St. 906-4851882 or cliffsshaftminemuseum.com.
• Ishpeming Area Historical Society Museum. Information and displays about the legends of Ishpeming–John Voelker, Kelly Johnson and Glenn Seaborg–early city documents, “Anatomy of a Murder,” Gossard artifacts, military uniforms, VASA and other organizations, the Blue Notes Drum and Bugle Corps and more. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gossard Building, Suite 303, 308 Cleveland Ave. ishpeminghistory.org.
• U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum features more than 300 Hall of Fame inductees, presented in photographs and biographies, and displays and exhibits of skiing history and equipment, an extensive library, video show, gift shop, special events and more. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. US-41 and Third Street. 906-485-6323 or skihall.com.
K.I. Sawyer
• K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum. The museum promotes and preserves the aviation history the air base brought to the area. Air Force-related materials are on display, including photographs, flags, medals and more. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment. 402 Third St. (906) 236-3502 or kisawyerheritageairmuseum.org.
Lake Linden
• Houghton County Historical Museum. Exhibits include local Copper Country mining, logging and cultural history. Outdoor exhibits include a working Calumet & Hecla Mining Company train. Admission by donation. Daily, noon to 4 p.m. 53102 M-26. 906-296-4121 or houghtonhistory.org.
info.
• Cemetery Tour. Led by Ishpeming historian Karen Kasper, this weekly walking tour will highlight citizens such as Al Quaal and two sisters who were wartime nurses, Ethel Anderson Remer and Helen Anderson. Proceeds benefit the Ishpeming Area Historical Society. Suggested donation, $5 for students 12 to 17 and $10 for adults. 6:30 p.m. Ishpeming Cemetery (meet at sexton’s office), Second Street. 906-486-8680.
Little Lake
• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open, 5 p.m.; early bird games, 6:30 p.m. American Legion
Marquette
• Baraga Educational Center and Museum. View artifacts and tools used by Venerable Bishop Baraga. Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment. 615 S. Fourth St. 906-227-9117.
• Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center. “Extraordinary Women of the U.P.” is on display through the 3rd. The museum promotes and preserves the history and culture of the U.P. and collects and preserves artifacts related to the history of NMU. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 11 to 4 p.m. Corner of Seventh and Tracy streets. NMU. 906-227-1219 or nmu. edu/beaumier.
• Marquette Maritime Museum. Exhibits on shipwrecks in Marquette and Lake Superior, early life-saving and U.S. Coast Guard, the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Henry B. Smith, and more. Guided tours of the Marquette Lighthouse are available. Prices vary. Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 300 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-226-2006 or mqtmaritimemuseum.com.
• Marquette Regional History Center. “50 Years of Guts Frisbee in Marquette,” which tells the story of Guts Frisbee from its origins in the Keweenaw Peninsula in the late 1950s to its inclusion in the World Flying Disc Federation, is on display through Sept. 7. The museum also includes interactive displays as well as regional history exhibits. Youth 12 and younger, $2; students, $3; seniors, $6; adults, $7. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 145 W. Spring St. 906-226-3571 or marquettehistory.org.
• Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum. A variety of interactive exhibits offer learning through investigation and creativity. Prices vary. Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 123 W. Baraga Ave. 906-2263911 or upchildrensmuseum.org.
Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.
Marquette
• NCLL: NCTA Trail HikeModerate. There will be some moderate up and down at the start of the trail with views of Lake Lavasseur and conclude at Lakenenland. Total hike will be about 3.2 miles one way. Dress for bugs and the weather. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 10 a.m. NC Trailhead Lake LaVasseur on the North Country Trail. 906-360-2859 or mouserhouse@gmail.com.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W.
Michigamme
• Michigamme Historical Museum. The museum has a collection of more than 125 years of history through artifacts, antiques and memorabilia, including the “Anatomy of a Murder” display. The museum also has an exhibit devoted to the Ford story and a 1900 steamer on display. Guided tours or special showings by appointment. Noon to 5 p.m. 110 W. Main St. 906-323-9016 or 906-3236608, or michigammetownship.com/ michigamme-museum.
Menominee
• West Shore Fishing Museum. Experience the life of an early 20th-century pioneer fishing family at this stop on the Great Lake Fisheries Heritage Trail. Tour the restored home and surrounding gardens. Walk the shoreline nature trails. View exhibits of boats, equipment and practices of commercial fishermen and Native Americans who lived on the west shore of Green Bay. Saturdays and Sundays (through Sept. 1), 1 to 4 p.m. 15 miles north of Menominee or eight miles south of Cedar River on M-35. Turn at Bailey Park entrance. 715-923-3511.
Mohawk
• The Delaware Mine. Explore the mine with self-guided tours of veins of copper exposed in the walls of the mine, as well as indoor and outdoor train displays. Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 7804 Delaware Rd. 906-289-4688.
Munising
• Alger County Historical Society Heritage Center. Exhibits include the Grand Island Recreation Area, Munising Woodenware Company, barn building, homemaking, sauna and more. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 1496 Washington St. 906-387-4308.
Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655.
• Senior Dance Class. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents ages 50 and older. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.
• Superior Memories: Franklin Park Band. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m.
Negaunee
• Michigan Iron Industry Museum. In the forested ravines of the Marquette Iron Range, the museum overlooks the Carp River and the site of the first iron forge in the Lake Superior region. Museum exhibits, audio-visual programs and outdoor interpretive paths depict the largescale capital and human investment that made Michigan an industrial leader. The museum is one of 10 museums and historic sites administered by the Michigan Historical Center. Michigan Recreation Passport required for parking. Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 73 Forge Rd. 906-475-7857.
Painesdale
• Painesdale Mine and Shaft Inc. Tours of the ground level are free and visitors can see the hoist house, the captain’s office and the ground levels of the shaft house. Guides can provide interpretive information. Private tours can be arranged online. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. 42634 Second St. 906-3695358 or painesdalemineshaft.com.
Phoenix
• Phoenix Church. The church, originally built in 1858, and located in the town of Cliff was dismantled and reassmbled in its current location in 1899. The last mass was held in 1957. Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Junction of US-41 and M-26. keweenawhistory.org.
South Range
• Copper Range Historical Museum. Exhibits recreate life from the early 1900s to the mid-1950s of the immigrants who built the towns and villages of the area. Collections include photographs, books and artifacts. The museum is a Keweenaw National Historic Park Heritage Site. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m. 44 Trimountain Ave. 906-4826125, 906-487-9412. MM
Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Stories in the Park. Children of all ages are welcome to listen to a story or two at this casual drop-in program. 9 a.m. Negaunee Township Hall, 42 M-35. 906-475-7700, ext. 18 or facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary.
• Tuesday Afternoon Program. Ph.D. Candidate Allie Penn will present “Company-Centered Culture: Paternalism and Welfare Capitalism on the Marquette Iron Range.” 2 p.m. Auditorium, Michigan Iron Industry Museum, 73 Forge Rd. 906-475-7857.
21 WEDNESDAY
sunrise 6:56 a.m.; sunset 8:50 p.m.
Calumet
• Mr. Cesar and the Lucha Tones. Part of the Summer Concert Series
7:30 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre. com.
Curtis
• Music in the Park. Featuring soul and rock music by Nathan Walton and the Remedy. 6:30 p.m. Erickson Center for the Arts, N9224Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906-586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Escanaba
• Farmers Market. 3 to 6 p.m. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
Ishpeming
• Farm Stand. This is an opportunity to shop for local produce. Snap/EBT, Senior Project Fresh and Food as Medicine accepted. 4:30 to 6 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm’s Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org.
• Adult Book Club. This month’s selection is “Warrior Girl Unearthed” by Angeline Boulley. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 3 to 5:30 p.m. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older and their spouses. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.
• Senior Visual Art Classes: Plein Air Painting with Gene Bertram. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring
township residents ages 50 and older. 1 p.m. Pavilion, Presque Isle Park. To register, 906-225-8655.
• Wednesday Night Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers, and artisans. 5 to 8 p.m. 100 Block of Washington Street. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Concert on the Steps. Up-andcoming local band Joy Ride will perform classic rock and original tunes. 7 p.m. Front Street Steps, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
Negaunee
• Drop-in Storytime. Children of all ages can listen to a story or two at this casual drop-in program hosted by Negaunee Public Library staff. 9 a.m. Miner’s Park, Maas Street and U.S.-41. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Farmers and Crafters Market. Offering local farmers’ and artisans’ goods and creations. 4 to 7 p.m. Jackson Mine Park, 199 Tobin St.
Skandia
• Farmers and Crafters Market. 4 to 7 p.m. 9271 U.S. Hwy. 41 S.
22 THURSDAY
sunrise 6:57 a.m.; sunset 8:48 p.m.
Chassell
• The Finnish American Heritage Center in Transition. Jim Kurtti, former director of the Finnish American Heritage Center and editor of “The Finnish American Reporter,” will reflect on the past and future of the center and its historical archive, which is now under the leadership of the Finlandia Foundation. 7 p.m. Chassell Heritage Center, 42373 Hancock Ave. 906-523-1155 or chassellhistory.org.
Copper Harbor
• Performances in the Park. Featuring Lily Behm. A farmers market is also on site. 7 to 9 p.m. Donny Kilpela Memorial Park, 240 Gratiot St. 906-289-4020 or performances.in.the. park@gmail.com.
Gwinn
• Modeltown Farmers and Artisans Market. Featuring live music until 6 p.m. 3 to 7 p.m. Peter Nordeen Park, 115 N. Pine St. 906-361-4843 or modeltownmarket@gmail.com.
Hancock
• Houghton County Fair. Events include the Whispering Pines mobile zoo, motocross, poultry and rabbit show, sheep and goat show, and
carnival rides and entertainment. 2 to 10 p.m. Prices vary. Houghton County Fairgrounds, 1500 Birch St. (906) 4826200 or houghtoncountyfair.com.
• Artist Talk. Visiting artist Allison Clarke will speak about her experiences as a teen artist in residence and returning artist in residence at Isle Royale National Park. She will share photos of Isle Royale and of her own artwork. 6 p.m. Copper Country Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy St. 906-482-2333 or ccarts@coppercountryarts.com.
Ishpeming
• Weekly Volunteer Day. Volunteers will actively engage in farm activities, such as planting, weeding, watering and harvesting crops. All ages are welcome. 2 to 4 p.m. Partridge Creek Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org/volunteer.
• Graphic Novel Book Club. Students in fourth through eighth grades will discuss “The Nameless City” by Faith Erin Hicks. 4 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
• Great Lakes Great Books Club. Students in fourth and fifth grade will discuss “How to Stay Invisible” by Maggie C. Rudd. 5 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.
• Summer Concert Series. Featuring Country Fest. Bring a chair. 7 p.m. Old Ish Park, Main Street.
L’Anse
• Lakefront Concert. Featuring Gypsy Soul Food with Cathy Bolton and Paul Smith. 7 p.m. Lakefront Park, Broad Street at the lake.
Marquette
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Marquette Rug Hookers Meeting. Anyone interested in the art of rug and art hooking can gather for technique and resource sharing, instruction, show and tell, and fellowship. Participants may bring dinner. 4 p.m. Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-360-8700.
• HarborFest. Entertainment will be provided by Marquette Symphony Summer Strings. Sales from wristbands, beer, wine and seltzer support the mission of Marquette West Rotary. No carry-ins; bring chairs or blankets. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park. marquettewestrotary.org.
• Superior Memories: Franklin Park Band. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Walk and Read. This group will meet at the Negaunee Public Library and walk through Old Town while enjoying bookish conversations with other enthusiasts. Takes place pending weather conditions. 5 p.m. facebook. com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906475-7700, ext. 18.
23 FRIDAY
sunrise 6:58 a.m.; sunset 8:46 p.m.
Hancock
• Houghton County Fair. Events include the Whispering Pines mobile zoo, motocross, poultry and rabbit show, sheep and goat show, and carnival rides and entertainment. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Prices vary. Houghton County Fairgrounds, 1500 Birch St. (906) 4826200 or houghtoncountyfair.com.
Marquette
• A Spielberg Summer: “Jurassic Park.” The library will screen Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park.” Rated PG-13. Noon. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• HarborFest. Entertainment will be provided by Luke Ogea, Diversion and Hypnotized, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band. Sales from wristbands, beer, wine and seltzer support the mission of Marquette West Rotary. No carry-ins; bring chairs or blankets. 4:30 to 11 p.m. Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park. marquettewestrotary.org.
• Beethoven and Banjos: “The Space Between.” Northwoods Music Collaborative will present an original film and live music interactive experience. Artists from Lake Superior Art Association will present an exhibit in the lobby. Pay What You Can tickets. 7 p.m. Forest Roberts Theatre, NMU. beethovenandbanjos.org.
• Superior Memories: Broadway to Blues. Presented by Tony Beacco, Ann Berchem and Keith Cahoon. Youth, $7.50; seniors and students, $12; adults, $15. 7:30 p.m. Lake Superior Theatre Boathouse, 270 N. Lakeshore Blvd. 906-227-7625 or lakesuperiortheatre.com.
Negaunee
• Building Storytime. Children ages three and older can listen to a story or two and be inspired to build with LEGOs and other blocks. Older youth are welcome to hang out quietly and build. 10:30 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-4757700, ext. 18.
24 SATURDAY
sunrise 7:00 a.m.; sunset 8:44 p.m.
Crystal Falls
• Humongus Fungus Festival. Activities include the annual parade, mushroom forage groups, a cooking competition, a soap box derby and more. Times and locations vary.
• That ’70s Music ’24. Mia Brown and the Nashville Hitmen will perform iconic songs of the 1960s and ’70s. Students, $5; adults, $23. 7 p.m CDT. The Crystal Theatre, 304 Superior Ave. 906-875-3208 or thecrystaltheatre.org.
Curtis
• Curtis Show and Shine Car Show. Erickson Center for the Arts invites all to show off their classic ride, “souped-up” truck or pride and joy showpiece. Entry fee per vehicle is a $5 donation to benefit Marcy’s Pantry. 2 p.m. Erickson Park, N9224Saw-WaQuato St. 906-586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Escanaba
• Farmers Market. 9 a.m. to noon. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
Hancock
• Houghton County Fair. Events include the Whispering Pines mobile zoo, motocross, poultry and rabbit show, sheep and goat show, and carnival rides and entertainment. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Prices vary. Houghton County Fairgrounds, 1500 Birch St. (906) 4826200 or houghtoncountyfair.com.
• Beethoven and Banjos: “The Space Between.” Northwoods Music Collaborative will present an original film and live music interactive experience. Artists from the Finnish American Heritage Center will present an exhibit in the lobby. Pay What You Can tickets. 7 p.m. Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy St. beethovenandbanjos.org.
Ishpeming
• The Society for Creative Anachronism. The local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) will hold a panel discussion and demonstration on a variety of topics. There will also be arts and crafts displays. Intended for teens and adults. Noon to 4 p.m. Ray Leverton Community Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary.info.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to noon. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Little Lake
• American Legion Riders Bike
Show. Open to the public. 2 to 6 p.m. American Legion Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.
Marquette
• Farmers Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St. superiorland_bridge.tripod.com.
• HarborFest. Entertainment will be provided by Charlie Reager Acoustic, The Reveal, Tom Katlin and Highway 41, and Urgent, a Foreigner tribute band. Sales from wristbands, beer, wine and seltzer support the mission of Marquette West Rotary. No carry-ins; bring chairs or blankets. 3 to 11 p.m. Ellwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park. marquettewestrotary.org.
Negaunee
• Blacksmithing Demonstration. Hobbyist blacksmith Morgan Ray will discuss and demonstrate pre-industrial techniques, tools used and how blacksmithing changed over the industrialization period. 10 a.m. East lawn, Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-4757700, ext. 18.
• Finn Fun Day. There will be Finnish entertainment, a “tori” (marketplace), 50/50 drawings, silent auction, coffee with “pulla” (Finnish cardamom coffee bread) and food from The Croatian Chicken. Sponsored by the Finlandia Foundation National Lake Superior Chapter. All are welcome. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Negaunee Township Hall, 42 M-35. 906-226-7085 or 906-485-1971.
• Irontown Classics Car Show. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jackson Mine Park, Tobin Street. 906-475-5549.
25 SUNDAY
sunrise 7:01 a.m.; sunset 8:43 p.m.
Crystal Falls
• Beethoven and Banjos: “The Space Between.” Northwoods Music Collaborative will present an original film and live music interactive experience. Artists from Borderland Arts will present an exhibit in the lobby. Pay What You Can tickets. 2 p.m. CDT. Crystal Theatre, 304 Superior Ave. beethovenandbanjos.org.
Hancock
• Houghton County Fair. Events include the Whispering Pines mobile zoo, motocross, poultry and rabbit show, sheep and goat show, and carnival rides and entertainment. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prices vary. Houghton County Fairgrounds, 1500 Birch St. (906) 4826200 or houghtoncountyfair.com.
Marquette
• Story Time at MooseWood. The book “Secrets of Animal Camouflage” by Carron Brown will be read followed by an activity. Suggested donation, $5 per child or $10 per family. 11 a.m. MooseWood Nature Center, Shiras Pool Building at Presque Isle Park. To register, moosewoodnc@gmail.com.
• Amtryke Try Day. The Marquette Chapter of AMBUCS will host this event for children to try an Amtryke tricycle, which can provide therapeutic benefits and be operated by riders of all abilities. 1 to 4 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. ambucs.org
Sands
• Stock Car Racing. Cars race on a quarter-mile asphalt-paved tri-oval track built into the base of a hill. Special events will include a Power Puff race and pit party. Bring a blanket or chairs. Kids 12 and younger, free; seniors and students, $10; adults, $15. Gates open, 1 p.m.; time trials, 2 p.m.; races, 3 p.m. Sands Speedway, 675 Old Co. Rd. 553. sandsspeedway.com..
the same time. 1 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-4757700, ext. 18.
27 TUESDAY
sunrise 7:03 a.m.; sunset 8:39 p.m.
Escanaba
• Tech Tuesday. Appointments or walk-ins are welcome. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.
• Lunchtime Live! Music will be performed by Singe featuring Jim Hanke and Susan Hanke. There will be a food truck on site. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bay College Courtyard, 2001 N. Lincoln Rd. events@baycollege.edu.
• Author Talk. Mixologist Angie Jackson will discuss her book “Drink the Wild: Recipes from a Kitchen Witch for the Spirited and Sober Soul.” 5:30 p.m. Escanaba Public Library, 400 Ludington St. 906-789-7323 or escanabalibrary.org.
Ishpeming
Marquette
• Senior Theatre Experience: Monthly Theatre Workshop and Discussion. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents ages 50 and older. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.
• Mixology with Angie Jackson. Angie Jackson, author of “Drink the Wild: Recipes from a Kitchen Witch for the Spirited and Sober Soul,” will discuss the origins of various drinks and provide samples of a free “elixir” featured in the book. 7 p.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
Negaunee
• All-Ages Online Storytime. Miss Jessica will lead stories, songs and rhymes on Facebook Live. 11 a.m. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Aging U.P. Part 3: Exercise Your Brain. Licensed speech pathologist Chris Harkness, MS-CCC-SLP, will discuss strategies to help strengthen attention, memory and more. 12:30 p.m. Negaunee Senior Citizens Center, 410 Jackson St. 906-225-7760.
• Mixology Workshop. Angie Jackson, author of “Drink the Wild: Recipes from a Kitchen Witch for the Spirited and Sober Soul,” will discuss the origins of various drinks and provide samples of a non-alcoholic “elixir” featured in the book. There will also be a slime-making program for youth at
• Cemetery Tour. Led by Ishpeming historian Karen Kasper, this weekly walking tour will highlight citizens such as Al Quaal and two sisters who were wartime nurses, Ethel Anderson Remer and Helen Anderson. Proceeds benefit the Ishpeming Area Historical Society. Suggested donation, $5 for students 12 to 17 and $10 for adults. 6:30 p.m. Ishpeming Cemetery (meet at sexton’s office), Second Street. 906-486-8680.
Little Lake
• Bingo. A concession stand will be available. Doors open, 5 p.m.; early bird games, 6:30 p.m. American Legion Post 349, 1835 E. M-35. 906-346-6000.
Marquette
• Tech Coaching for Seniors. Learn how to make your electronic devices work with the help of retired teacher and librarian Christine Ault. Ensure your device is charged and bring passwords with you. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Heritage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-226-4311.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Lake Superior Knitters. Students eight and older are invited to visit or join the group to learn a new art form. The group mentors all age groups and skill levels. Bring a skein of lighter color yarn and a size 7, 24-inch circular needle to make a hat or cowl. Suggested donation, $1 to $5 to the MRHC for the study and preservation of the fiber arts. 1 p.m. Marquette Regional History Center, 145 W. Spring
St. beedhive47@yahoo.com.
• Oil Painting, Pastels and Drawing Classes with Marlene Wood. Bring your own supplies. $20. 1 p.m. Marquette Arts and Culture Center, Lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-8655.
• NCLL: Overview of the Marquette Conservation District. Staff from the Marquette Conservation District will provide an overview of its programs and offer information on invasive species, native pollinator plantings, forestry issues and more. NCLL members, $5; nonmembers, $10. 3 p.m. Shiras Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-204-8845 or bbrayden@consultant.com.
• Senior Dance Class. Free for City of Marquette and neighboring township residents ages 50 and older. 4 p.m. City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center, lower level, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. To register, 906-225-8655.
• Concert on the Steps: Bluesday Tuesday. The Marquette Area Blues Society will present this performance from Flat Broke Blues Band. 7 p.m. Front Street Steps, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-2264322, machatz@pwpl.info or pwpl. info.
• Evening Lighthouse Tour. Tour the Marquette Habor Lighthouse. This hour-long tour covers the grounds and lighthouse. There are 45 steps ito get nto the lighthouse. Proceeds benefit the Marquette Maritime Museum. $15. 7 p.m. 300 Lakseshore Blvd. (906) 226-2006.
Negaunee
• Stories in the Park. Children of all ages are welcome to listen to a story or two at this casual drop-in program. 9 a.m. Negaunee Township Hall, 42 M-35. 906-475-7700, ext. 18 or facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary.
28 WEDNESDAY
sunrise 7:05 a.m.; sunset 8:37 p.m.
Calumet
• Tapestry. Part of the Summer Concert Series 7:30 p.m. Calumet Theatre, 340 Sixth St. 906-337-2610 or calumettheatre.com.
Curtis
• Music in the Park. Featuring a fusion of Celtic folk, rock and pop by The Knockabouts. 6:30 p.m. Erickson Center for the Arts, N9224Saw-WaQuato St. 906-586-9974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Escanaba
• Farmers Market. 3 to 6 p.m. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
Ishpeming
• Farm Stand. This is an opportunity to shop for local produce.
Snap/EBT, Senior Project Fresh and Food as Medicine accepted. 4:30 to 6 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm’s Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org.
• Skill Share. Botanica Quetzalli will present a plant class. 5:15 p.m. Partridge Creek Farm’s Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org.
• Adult Horror Book Club. This month’s nonfiction selection will be “All the Living and the Dead” by Hayley Campbell. 6 p.m. Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-486-4381 or ishpeminglibrary. info.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 3 to 5:30 p.m. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
• All Booked Up. Elizabeth Peterson and Tia Trudgeon of “Upper Michigan Today,” along with library staff, will host an on-air, in-person book discussion of “The Women” by Kristin Hannah. 9 a.m. Community Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-226-4322, machatz@ pwpl.info or pwpl.info.
• Congregate Meals for Seniors–Dine in or Curbside Pickup. Meals available to those age 60 and older and their spouses. Call to reserve a meal. $3.50 suggested donation. Noon to 1 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.
• Wednesday Night Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers, and artisans. 5 to 8 p.m. 100 Block of Washington Street. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
Negaunee
• Drop-in Storytime. Children of
domra (mandolin) expert Misha Litvin. 7 p.m. The Pine Performance Center, N9224 Saw-Wa-Quato St. 906-5869974 or ericksoncenter.org.
Gwinn
• Modeltown Farmers and Artisans Market. Featuring live music until 6 p.m. 3 to 7 p.m. Peter Nordeen Park, 115 N. Pine St. 906-361-4843 or modeltownmarket@gmail.com.
Ishpeming
• Weekly Volunteer Day. Volunteers will actively engage in farm activities, such as planting, weeding, watering and harvesting crops. All ages are welcome. 2 to 4 p.m. Partridge Creek Intergenerational Farm, 550 Cleveland Ave. 906-376-4171 or partridgecreekfarm.org/volunteer.
• Summer Concert Series. Featuring Reverend Robert and Da Bones Man. Bring a chair. 7 p.m. Old Ish Park, Main Street.
L’Anse
all ages can listen to a story or two at this casual drop-in program hosted by Negaunee Public Library staff. 9 a.m. Miner’s Park, Maas Street and U.S.-41. facebook.com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Knitting Group. Those interested in crocheting, knitting and other fiber arts are welcome to bring their projects and share with others. Coffee provided. 1:30 p.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. 906-475-7700, ext. 18.
• Farmers and Crafters Market. Offering local farmers’ and artisans’ goods and creations. 4 to 7 p.m. Jackson Mine Park, 199 Tobin St.
Skandia
• Farmers and Crafters Market. 4 to 7 p.m. 9271 U.S. Hwy. 41 S.
29 THURSDAY sunrise 7:06 a.m.; sunset 8:35 p.m.
Chassell
• Life with a Team of Sled Dogs. Tom Bauer will discuss his more than 20 years of experience living with a kennel of Alaskan Huskies and the activities that go along with it, including racing, touring and hosting the Mushing Club at Michigan Tech University. 7 p.m. Chassell Heritage Center, 42373 Hancock Ave. 906-523-1155 or chassellhistory.org.
Copper Harbor
• Performances in the Park. Featuring Tapestry. A farmers market is also on site. 7 to 9 p.m. Donny Kilpela Memorial Park, 240 Gratiot St. 906289-4020 or performances.in.the. park@gmail.com.
Curtis
• The Stas Venglevski and Misha Litvin Duo. The duo features master accordionist Stas Venglevski and
• Lakefront Concert. Featuring the Chad Borgen Collective, a rock ’n’ roll country band. 7 p.m. Lakefront Park, Broad Street at the lake.
Marquette
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
Negaunee
• Walk and Read. This group will meet at the Negaunee Public Library and walk through Old Town while enjoying bookish conversations with other enthusiasts. Takes place pending weather conditions. 5 p.m. facebook. com/NegauneePublicLibrary or 906475-7700, ext. 18.
Norway
• Dickinson County Fair. Events include livestock shows, carnival rides, food, and more. Times and prices vary. Dickinson County Fairgrounds, N1476 US-8. dickinsoncountyfair.com.
30 FRIDAY
sunrise 7:07 a.m.; sunset 8:33 p.m.
Marquette
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. 12:30 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. superiorland_bridge.tripod. com.
• Marquette Area Blues Fest Concert. This free show will feature performances from Flat Broke Blues Band and Ghost Town Blues Band. 6 p.m. Mattson Lower Harbor Park. marquetteareabluessociety.org.
Dickinson County Fair | August 30 - September 4 | Norway
Photo by Jason Leung via unsplash
Negaunee
• Building Storytime. Children ages three and older can listen to a story or two and be inspired to build with LEGOs and other blocks. Older youth are welcome to hang out quietly and build. 10:30 a.m. Negaunee Public Library, 319 W. Case St. facebook.com/ NegauneePublicLibrary or 906-4757700, ext. 18.
Norway
• Dickinson County Fair. Events include livestock shows, carnival
support groups
• Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families— Marquette. Sundays, 7 p.m. Use the parking lot entrance. Downstairs meeting room, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Ridge St. adultchildren.org/meeting.
• Alano Club—Marquette. Twelvestep recovery meetings daily. Monday through Saturday, noon and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. 3000 US-41 (back side of mall).
• Al-Anon/Alateen Family Groups. A fellowship offering strength and hope for friends and families of problem drinkers. al-alon.org or 888-425-2666.
• Al-Anon—Ishpeming. Friends and family who have loved ones dealing with alcohol issues are invited. Mondays, 6 p.m. Wesley United Methodist Church, 801 Hemlock St. 906-361-9524.
• Alcoholics Anonymous. Meetings throughout Marquette County, open daily, at many locations and times. Twenty-four-hour answering service. aa-marquettecounty.org or 800-605-5043.
• Open AA Meeting—Gwinn. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. Basement, Gwinn Community Building, 165 N. Maple St.
• Open AA Meeting—K.I. Sawyer. Fridays, 8 p.m. 906 Community Church, 315 Explorer St.
• Men’s AA Meeting—Gwinn. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church, 280 Boulder St. (entrance to the right of main entrance).
• ALZConnected. This is a free, online community for everyone affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other memory loss diseases. alzconnected.org.
• American Legacy Foundation. Smoking quit line for expectant mothers and cessation information for women. 800-668-8278.
• Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Checks. Cholesterol checks are $5. Call for Marquette County schedule. 906-225-4545.
• Caregiver Support Group — Gwinn. Opportunities to share
rides, food, and more. Times and prices vary. Dickinson County Fairgrounds, N1476 US-8. dickinsoncountyfair. com.
31 SATURDAY
sunrise 7:08 a.m.; sunset 8:31 p.m.
Escanaba
• Farmers Market. 9 a.m. to noon. Escanaba Marketplace, 1501 Ludington St. escanabadda.org.
L’Anse
• Baraga County Farmers Market. Shop from local farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to noon. Meadowbrook Pavilion.
Marquette
• Farmers Market. Includes farmers, growers, food producers and artisans. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Marquette Commons, 112 S. Third St. mqtfarmersmarket. com.
• Superiorland Duplicate Bridge
Club. Games open to all interested players. $5 for games. Lessons, 10 a.m. Games, 11:30 a.m. Citizens Forum, Lakeview Arena, 401 E. Fair St.
Norway
• Dickinson County Fair. Events include livestock shows, carnival rides, food, and more. Times and prices vary. Dickinson County Fairgrounds, N1476 US-8. dickinsoncountyfair.com.
MM
feelings, develop friendships and learn about available community resources. Aug. 13. 1:30 p.m. Forsyth Senior Center, 165 Maple St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.
• Caregiver Support Group— Ishpeming. Family, friends and others caring for a person with a chronic illness or disability can share their feelings, develop friendships and learn about available community resources. Aug. 20. 2 p.m. Ishpeming Multi-Purpose Senior Center, 121 Greenwood St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.
• Caregiver Support Group— Marquette. Family, friends and others who are caring for a person with a chronic illness or disability can share their feelings, develop friendships and learn about available community resources. Aug. 14. 2 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.
• Celebrate Recovery—Gwinn. Wednesdays. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. First Baptist Church of Gwinn, 195 N. Billings St.
• Gamblers Anonymous. This group is for those who have or think they have a problem with gambling. Thursdays, 7 p.m. Library Room, First Presbyterian Church, 120 N. Front St., Marquette.
• Grief Support Group— Ishpeming. U.P. Home Health and Hospice offers support for those caring for a loved one with a life-limiting diagnosis or who recently experienced the loss of a loved one. Second and fourth Thursdays. 2 p.m. Ray Leverton Room, Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library, 317 N. Main St. 906-225-4545.
• Grief Support Group—Gwinn. People dealing with grief and loss are encouraged to attend. Individual grief counseling is available. Aug. 14. 2 p.m. Forsyth Senior Center, 165 Maple St. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.
• Grief Support Group— Marquette. People dealing with grief and loss are encouraged to attend. Individual grief counseling
is available. Aug. 21. 5:30 p.m. Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice, 914 W. Baraga Ave. 906-225-7760 or lakesuperiorhospice.org.
• Grief Support Group— Marquette. U.P. Home Health and Hospice will offer support for those caring for a loved one with a life-limiting diagnosis or who recently experienced the loss of a loved one. First and third Thursdays. 3 p.m. Dandelion Cottage Room, Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St. 906-225-4545.
• iCanQuit. Smokers are invited to learn more about quitting with the help of a quitting coach. 800-480-7848.
• Internet and Technology Addicts Anonymous. Tuesdays, 12:05 p.m. Upstairs, The Crib Coffee House, 401 N. Third St., Marquette. ITAAMQT@ zohomail.com.
• Michigan Tobacco Quit Line. This free quit smoking coaching hotline provides callers with a personal health coach. 800-784-8669.
• Nar-Anon Meetings—Ishpeming. Family and friends who have addicted loved ones are invited. Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Mission Covenant Church, 1001 N. Second St. 906-361-9524.
• Narcotics Anonymous Meetings— Marquette. Family and friends who have addicted loved ones are invited. Open meetings on Wednesdays and Sundays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Closed meeting on Fridays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Downstairs Social Room, Marquette Hope First Campus, 111 E. Ridge St. (use Ridge Street entrance).
• National Alliance on Mental Illness—In-Person Support Group. Individuals living with mental illness and friends or families living with an individual with mental illness are welcome. Aug. 12 and 15 (email ckbertucci58@charter.net to confirm meeting). 7 p.m. 1025 W. Washington St., Suite C, Marquette. 906-360-7107 or namimqt.com.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness—Zoom Support Group.
Individuals living with mental illness and friends or families living with an individual with mental illness are welcome. Aug. 8 (Zoom date may be subject to change). 7 p.m. Email ckbertucci58@charter.net or call or text 906-360-7107 before 6:45 p.m. the day of the meeting to receive the Zoom invitation. namimqt.com.
• Nicotine Anonymous. 415-7500328 or nicotine-anonymous.org.
• Parkinson’s Support Group. Open to people living with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. Aug. 21. 2 p.m. Marquette Senior Center, 300 W. Spring St. 906-228-0456.
• Sexual Health and Addiction Therapy Group. Call Great Lakes Recovery Centers for more details. Dates, times and locations vary. 906-228-9696.
• SMART Recovery—Calumet. A self-help group for alcohol and substance abuse and other addictive behaviors. Mondays, 7 p.m. Copper Country Mental Health, 56938 Calumet Ave. smartrecovery.org.
• SMART Recovery—Hancock. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7 p.m. Conference Room No. 5, U.P. Health Systems–Portage Hospital, 500 Campus Dr. smartrecovery.org.
• Take Off Pounds Sensibly. This is a non-commercial weight-control support group. Various places and times throughout the U.P. 800-932-8677 or TOPS.org.
• Virtual Caregiver Support Group. U.P. family caregivers are welcome to join. A device with an internet connection, webcam, microphone and an email address are required. Advanced registration required. Second Tuesday of each month. 2 p.m. 906-217-3019 or caregivers@upcap.org.
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Food Program. Clinics include nutritional counseling and coupon pick-up. Appointments required. Call for Marquette County schedule. mqthealth.org or 906-475-7846.
