PARADES, POW WOWS, PICNICS ... AND FUN

2008 SUMMER EVENTS ON LAKE HURON ISLANDS

MACKINAC ISLAND
Like Sara Lee, nobody doesn't like Mackinac Island. Just a visit with bike riding around island, fudge eating, touring the old fort and watching butterflies is always a treat.
But during the summer, something special is going on every week. Here's a sampling.

June 6-15 -- Lilac Festival. This 10-day event is a big deal on the island with, of course, lots and lots of lilacs.
But it also includes a grand parade, free outdoor concerts, wine tasting, A Taste of Mackinac (each restaurant passing out tidbits) and, yes, a dog and pony show called The Epona and Barkus Parade.
You might even look for purplish fudge, the color of lilacs.

JULY 4 -- The Annual Stoneskipping and Gerplunking Club contest at 10 a.m. at Windermere Point. Bring some flat round stones and see how you do.
Fireworks at 9:45 p.m.

JULY 12-16 The annual Port Huron to Mackinac Yacht Race by the Bayview Yacht Club. Plan to hang out at the Painted Pony Bar with the yachties. They don't talk like swabbies, but they drink like them.

JULY 19 -- Vintage Baseball. Never mind million-dollar salaries, this is baseball as it was originally played in the 19th century -- barehanded with lots of dropping moustaches, a second baseman with a cigar in his teeth and the crowd yelling "Huzzah! Huzzah!" In case you are wondering, the emphasis is on the second syllable hu-ZAH. Now you can join in. The game will be played at the diamond behind the fort.

JULY 19-23 -- The 100th Annual Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. Think blue and white. Those are yachtie colors. Starting from the city of big shoulders (not to mention big wallets), the yachties will be arriving sunburned, exhausted and, yes, ready to party.

JULY 24-26 -- Mackinac-Manitoulin Yacht Club Race. Same deal, shorter distance. This time between Little Current on the northeast corner of Manitoulin Island to Mackinac.

AUGUST 19-21 -- Mackinac Island Music Festival. So you say you like both kinds of music -- country AND western. Well there's that and a whole lot more -- jazz, R&B, you name it. Some of it's free, some you need to buy a ticket for. Look for Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.

AUGUST 22-23 -- Fourth Annual Mackinac Island Fudge Festival. This is a big family deal. The Children's Ballet Theater of Michigan will perform. Also look skyward for the Great Kite Ascension and closer to the earth for National Dog Walk Day.

Details and information about lodging, restaurants and so on: check Mackinac Information or Mackinac Island Information.

LES CHENEAUX ISLANDS

AUGUST 9-10 -- The 25th Annual Antique Wooden Boat Show and Festival of Arts. If you love wooden boats -- old resort runabouts, canoes and sailboats, this is the place to ogle and take a bazillion photos. Some 120 entries this year at the Hessel Marina. To get to Hessel, take I-75 north from the Mackinac Bridge, turn east at Rte 359, drive about 16 miles and listen for the oohs and aahs.

MANITOULIN ISLAND

You don't have to drive to Oklahoma to see real Indian dancing, drumming contests and eat fry bread. It's all on Manitoulin, the world's largest fresh water island.
You can visit a real pow wows virtually every weekend of the year on the island. Not only that you'll be able to see and buy native arts and crafts. Amazing stuff, and very different from what comes from the American Southwest.
For a complete listing, check Circle Trail.

Also during the summer ...

JULY 4-6 -- The Wikwemikong Rodeo. If you have any question that Indians can't cowboy as well as cowboys, check this out on the Wikwemikong Rez in Thunderbird Park.

JULY 5-AUGUST 4 -- See Works by Indian Carvers and Wood Shapers at the Centennial Museum at Sheguiandah.

JULY 24-AUGUST 16. The De-Ba-Jeh-Mu-Jig Theatre Group. The name means "storytellers'' and this is Canada's oldest touring aboriginal theater group. See them at the Main Stage at Mission Ruins at Wikwemikong.

JULY 25-26 -- Gore Bay Summer Festival. Music, family fun and a beer garden under a tent. Don't want the suds sippers to get too tanned. Music from Jack McQuarrie and Jackson Edwards Band from Waco, Texas.

JULY 26 -- Kagawong Summerfest. Kagawong, with its lovely water falls nearby, is one of Ontario's prettiest villages. At least that's how people who judge such things think of it. The Fest will have a pancake breakfast, a silent auction and the ought-to-be famous Mudge Bay Float and Boat Parade.

AUGUST 8-9 -- THE MANITOULIN COUNTRY FEST II. If you lo-o-ove country music, Little Current is the place to be. Expect lots of country music stars. Also food and clothing vendors, kids activities, a beer garden (natch) and, for those you never made it to Dallas, a mechanical bull.
Yeeeehaw.
For details, contact Manitoulin Tourism.

DRUMMOND ISLAND
This is a quiet place for fishing, bike riding, boating and hanging out.

Every Saturday through the summer -- Tours of the DeTour Reef Lighthouse.

JUNE 28 -- The Second Annual Drummond Island Walleye Classic. Gentlemen, set your reels and ... cast.

JULY 4 -- A parade at noon and fireworks at dusk. Clip-clop and then sissss boom.

AUGUST 3 -- Arts & Crafts Show and Sale at the Elementary School.

LABOR DAY -- The 12- and 24-Hour Mountain Bike Endurance Race.

For details, contact the Drummond Island Chamber of Commerce.