Michigan Cherries by jdurchen

Did you know that Michigan is the largest producer of Montmorency tart cherries, growing 70-75% of the crop? February is National Cherry Month, and the Cherry Marketing Institute (link below) has bushels of info about the history and present state of the cherry industry including growing research showing that antioxidants in tart cherries may relieve the pain of arthritis and gout & help fight cancer and heart disease.

Cherry Facts

• Tart cherries are loaded with antioxidants that are believed to relieve the pain of arthritis and gout and help fight cancer and heart disease. They're also especially high in the antioxidant melatonin, which may help prevent or reduce brain deterioration associated with aging. And to top it off, they're high in vitamin A and beta-carotene.
• Cherries were brought to America by early settlers in the 1600s. Cherry trees, in fact, were part of the gardens of French settlers when they established Detroit.
• Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary on Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City, started modern-day cherry production in Michigan in 1852. Now, Michigan grows about 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries and Traverse City calls itself the cherry capital of the world.
• It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie; enough cherries grow on the average cherry tree to make 28 pies, industry officials say.
• Tart cherries ripen two or three weeks after sweet cherries. Look for them in mid to late July.
• Cherries are a truly ancient delicacy - explorers have found cherry pits from the Stone Age in European caves.
• Tart cherries have fewer calories and more beta-carotene than sweet cherries.
• Michigan grows 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries.

For more tasty cherry info, be sure to check these out!

Cherry Marketing Institute is the best place to go for information about this delicious and healthy fruit!

Absolute Michigan's Cherry Links has all kinds of info about the cherry!

Michigan Cherries from Taste the Local Difference is PACKED with all kinds of information and delicious cherry recipes.

Michigan Cherries from the Department of Agriculture

MSU's Michigan Cherry Information features more cherry information than you can shake a whole tree at!

For all things edible, drinkable and wearable, check out Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor. They are one of the featured supporters of The Daily Michigan and are giving away 5# of cherries today!

The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a celebration of cherries and the cherry industry held every year at the beginning of July.

Video & Photos

Definitely check out the Cherry slideshow from the Absolute Michigan photo group on Flickr. On the video front, we hope you will enjoy 'Cherry Cherry' (circa 1967) by Neil Diamond and also this video of the harvest at an organic cherry farm in Northern Michigan!

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Kenny Svenson of Traprock Valley as Heikki Lunta, Heikinpäivä Festival, Hancock, MI, ca. 2001 (www.csumc.wisc.edu)

Now I’ll sing my song
, to make the snow come down
And I’ll do my snow dance
. Whoops! I almost lost my pants
I’ll holler and yell,
 And really give it ----
It’s Heikki’s snow dance song, 
Heikki’s snow dance song

~from the original Heikki Lunta Snowdance Song

This weekend (January 20-21), the annual Heikki Lunta Winterfest (Hey-Key Loon-ta) takes place on and around Negaunee's Teal Lake. The festival celebrates the legendary (and pretty much made up) Finnish show god who is said to have the ability to perform a dance causing snowfall. I came across the original version of the Heikki Lunta Snowdance Song on a cool blog called Letters for George. In his Heikki Lunta letter, he explains:

There's a little town called Atlantic Mine about five miles away from Houghton where they hold an annual snowmobile race every winter. In 1970 the race was at risk of being cancelled because there wasn’t any snow. The race was sponsored by radio station WMPL in nearby Hancock. With no snow in sight, one of the station’s salesmen, David Riutta, composed a song called the "Heikki Lunta Snowdance Song." It took him about twenty minutes to invent the lyrics. "Heikki Lunta," it turns out, means “Henry Snow” in Finnish, and Riutta chose the name because his favorite musician was country western singer Hank Snow.

Heikki Lunta was said to live in the back woods of a Finnish farming community south of Houghton, and he reportedly had the ability to do a dance which would cause snow to fall from the skies. Riutta’s song asked "Heikki Lunta" to do his dance to make it snow in time for the snowmobile race. They started playing the song on WMLP, it immediately became a local hit, and, lo and behold, it soon began snowing. According to local lore, it snowed and snowed for days. So much so that they had to cancel the snowmobile race.

Click through for lots more including some photos. Now here's Heikki Lunta by  Da Yoopers.

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Frankfort, Michigan Lighthouse and Beach by forestlady

Here's a few highlights of the many events being held around Michigan for the month of January (be sure to click Read More to see them!). A lot of them are out in the snow for snowmobiles, skates, skis and sled dogs, but there's also a chance to heat up with the Ann Arbor Folk Fest, Ferndale Blues and the Detroit Auto Show. The weatherman says there's a 100% chance we didn't get them all so please add links and information for those we missed along with reviews of ones we list in the comments below!

Fast Facts - Wikipedia

• January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, coming from the Latin word for door (ianua) - January is the door to the year.
• January's birthstone is the garnet which represents constancy.
• Its birth flower is the Dianthus caryophyllus or Galanthus.

Quotes

"New Year's Day is everyman's birthday." - Charles Lamb

"January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow." - Sara Coleridge

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." - Edith Sitwell

Things to Do, Places to Go

Also see the Pure Michigan Blog and the UP Travel Calendar for more events!

All Month
Ice Skate Campus Martius Park - Detroit
Skating among the skyscrapers at Campus Martius Park. At 64 feet by 120 feet, it's a bit larger than the Rink at Rockefeller Center and showcases surround-sound music and color-changing lighting. Skaters and visitors can enjoy a warming pavilion for renting and changing skates, as well as outdoor seating. The rink is open daily until March.

January 7
Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race - Newberry
An annual race on pristine trails over beautiful terrain.  Experience the excitement of Sled Dog Racing from professional teams to amateur enthusiasts competing in long distance & sprint events.

January 7 & January 21
Guided Snowshoe Hike at Hartwick Pines, Grayling
Enjoy guided snowshoe hikes through the Lower Peninsula’s largest stand of old-growth white pines. Guided by a park interpreter or historian, participants will learn about the forest in the winter and discover the importance of winter to Michigan’s logging industry in the 1800s, all while getting great exercise.

January 12 - 15
Ultimate Fishing Show, Novi
Michigan's largest fishing show. This show is all about fishing tackle, fishing trips, fishing boats and features: Lake Ultimate, Trout Pond, Seminar Stages, Fish Fry and more. Detroit is the largest freshwater fishing market in the U.S.!

January 14 - January 22
The North American International Auto Show - Detroit
Experience the next generation of transportation at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. See more than 500 vehicles on display, representing the most innovative designs in the world and experience North America's largest and most prestigious automotive showcase.

January 13
Winter Warm-Up Weekend - Traverse City
The Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP) have teamed up with peninsula area businesses for the 2011 Winter Warm Up. Guests can visit the Old Mission wineries between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to purchase a souvenir mug for $10. This mug is your ticket into each participating winery and business on Old Mission Peninsula, allowing you to enjoy warm comfort food and drinks. Some peninsula area restaurants are offering special promotions when you present your mug. Stay at one of the Peninsula's Bed & Breakfast. For information on the B&Bs check out www.oldmission.com.

January 13 - 14 and January 21
Winternational Hillclimb - South Range
The Winternationals Hillclimb at Whealkate Bluff in South Range features snowmobile pro-stock and pro-mod king of the hill, semi-pro/sport, concessions, and awards. On the 21st there are Vintage, Semi-Pro Division, Pro Stock and Pro Mod Division and King of the Hill Runs as well.

January 13 – 15
Hunter Ice Festival, Niles
World Class Master Carvers will transform more than 25 tons of Ice into art in a showcase of 50+ ice sculptures situated all over the downtown area and created on site by well-known ice carvers from near and far. Also enjoy a Murder Mystery Dinner, Frigid 5k Run, History of Ice Carving/Harvesting Exhibit, Warming Center, kids’ crafts, Chillin’ Ice Bar at Riverfront Café, Chili Crawl, Hunter Ice Cream and more!

January 19 - 21
Michigan Winter Dog Classic, Novi
Michigan's largest dog show features seminars, demonstrations and competition with over 7,000 dogs and 150+ breeds throughout the 4-day show, including several breeds getting ready for the country’s premier Westminster Kennel Club Dog show in February, 2012. Dogs will be judged on standards set by the American Kennel Club.

January 20 - 22
Caro 150 Winter Fest & Snowmobile Races, Caro
In addition to pro and amateur snowmobile races, enjoy a special downtown open house, live entertainment, restaurant specials, contests, fireworks and more in a classic Michigan winter festival.

January 20 - 22
Plymouth Ice Festival, Plymouth
Michigan’s largest ice sculpture display is the backdrop for a winter celebration with outdoor sports demonstrations, ice carving displays, food, fun activities for all ages, live music and more! It is the largest free winter festival in Michigan and is celebrating 30 years in 2012.

January 21 - 22
Heikki Lunta Festival, Teal Lake, Negaunee
The annual Heikki Lunta (Hey-Key Loon-ta) Winterfest is a festival of winter fun held on and around Negaunee's Teal Lake celebrating Heikki Lunta, the legendary (and pretty much made up) Finnish show god who is said to have the ability to perform a dance causing snowfall.

January 22 - 24 and 29 - 31
Tip Up Town USA - Houghton Lake
It's hard to put into words how Tip Up Town USA has come to be the very description of winter fun and enjoyment for the whole family at Houghton Lake. Thousands of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and neighboring residents return each year to see this largest Winter Festival in Michigan, held annually the last two weekends in January. Whatever the weather, TUT will be fun, fun, fun all the way. There will be all the usual popular attractions - the carnival, parade, Polar Bear Dip, Family Fun Tent, Beverage Tent, crazy games and more! Plus, the Ice Fishing contests will be bigger and better than ever and we're adding Broomball this year!

January 25 - 30
Zehnder's Snowfest - Frankenmuth
Zehnder's Snowfest has been host to one of the top snow sculpting events in North America for the past 20 years. Visitors have enjoyed larger-than-life snow sculptures and beautifully detailed ice carvings each year. Once again they will dazzle and excite you with snow and ice sculptures created by professional ice and snow carvers from around the world. Zehnder's Snowfest is also host to the National Collegiate Ice Carving Championship and the High School Snow Sculpting Competition. In addition, Zehnder's Snowfest will have entertainment for the entire family in the warming tent, a fireworks display, petting zoo and children's activities.

January 26 - 29
Michigan International Auto Show, Grand Rapids
West Michigan’s largest consumer show returns to DeVos Place, with manufacturers from around the world and some 300 new sedans, vans, SUVs, trucks, hybrids and sports cars on display. Attendees will once again have the opportunity to get an up close look at a handful of exclusive luxury automobiles in the twelve vehicle Million Dollar Motorway. An impressive s, each sporting an individual price tag of more than $100,000 – with a cumulative value of more than $2.5 million.

January 27 - 28
Ann Arbor Folk Festival - Ann Arbor
In keeping with the Festival's longstanding reputation, each night will feature a blend of renowned and up-and-coming performers, providing audiences with the opportunity to hear popular artists working at the top of their field while discovering terrific new talent. All funds raised through the Festival benefit The Ark, Ann Arbor's non-profit home for folk, roots, and ethnic music.

January 27 - February 4
Ferndale Blues Festival - Ferndale
Get your Blues on! The Ferndale Metro Blues Festival has been a hugely popular and wildly successful event. In fact, it was an official sanctioned event of Super Bowl XL in 2006. The Ferndale Metro Blues Festival averages more than 60 concerts held over nine days at two dozen locations in the region.

January 27 - 29
International 500 Puck-A-Palooza Hockey Tournament, Sault Ste Marie
The Original Hockey Town USA invitesyou to enjoy the first Puck-A-Palooza 4 on 4 track hockey tournament. Hockey played on the world’s fastest, longest and oldest endurance racing straight-away surface.

January 28
Subaru Noquemanon Ski Marathon and mBank Half Noque - Marquette
The MGH Noquemanon Ski Marathon and mBank Half Noque, both in their eleventh year, continue to attract cross country skiers from around the nation and around the world. Thousands of skiers have taken the 51K or 25K trek from Ishpeming, the birthplace of organized skiing and home to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame to Marquette's Superior Dome, the world's largest wooden domed stadium along the shores of Lake Superior.

January 28
Heikinpaiva - Hancock
Heikinpäivä is set for January 29, 2011, with events throughout the week leading up to the primary festival day, as well as the days immediately following. Organizers keep a watchful eye on the celebration's uniquely ethnic flavor and it features Finnish crafts, music, food, films and games. Although a Hancock City event, the Heikinpaiva spirit has spilled into neighboring communities from Calumet to South Range.

January 28
Winter Beer Fest, Royal Oak
Winter Beer Fest, presented by Westborn Market, returns to the Royal Oak Music Theatre for its third year. Beer lovers will be able to sample over 80 craft beers from around the globe - including at least fifteen brand-new beers making their Michigan debut - while enjoying beer-inspired cuisine and live music by Detroit folk favorites Petal Shop. The event runs from 8 pm – Midnight, and ages 21+ are welcome to attend. Tickets are just $35 in advance ($40 at the door) and include 25 beer samplings. Proceeds will benefit Michigan-based nonprofit Camp Casey, a horseback-riding program for children with cancer.

January 28 - 29
Orchid Show at Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids
Enjoy hundreds of exquisite orchids featured in lush displays in the Grand Room. Members from the Grand Valley Orchid Society will answer your questions and point out some of the most unique orchids. Shop early for the best selection and find the perfect orchid for your home. The “orchid pyramid” offers photo opportunities. Kids will have fun on an “orchid hunt” and can express their creativity at the art station

January 28 - 29
Chilly Fest 2012 , Port Huron
What goes better with winter than ICE and CHILI?! In the City of Port Huron you'll find ice carvings, a chili cook-off, snowmobile drag races, Silver Sticks Hockey Tournament, horse & carriage rides, live animals, Knowlton Ice Museum exhibits, kids activities and a special appearance from form Red Wing, Chris Chelios!

January 28 – 29
Winter White-Out, St. Clair
St. Clair is closing the streets for winter fun featuring winter games, live music, entertainment and plenty of celebration as the community of St. Clair competes against four other Michigan cities to make the most snowmen in two hours. Competing cities are Saline, Sault Ste. Marie and Zeeland.

...and don't miss in the first week of February

• I-500 Snowmobile Race (Sault Ste Marie)
• Leelanau Taste the Passion Wine Tour (Traverse City)
• North American Snow Festival (Cadillac)

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Soo Aerial by Marge Beaver

Pasty.com's Day in History for October 4th says that Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan was founded on this day in 1641. Michigan History Magazine expands on this, relating that French Jesuits Isaac Jogues and Charles Raymbault held the first Christian services in Michigan at Sault Ste. Marie on that date. As you'll see in a moment, it's not really possible to get a date for the founding of the Soo, but everyone has to have a birthday, right?

Of course the Soo Locks are the first thing most people think of when they think of the Soo. You can see a webcam of the locks, and while your browser may have a problem with the secure certificate they use, it's a US government certificate and site so you're probably safe. saultstemarie.com relates that that the first lock was built way back in in 1797 by the Northwest Fur Company. It was just 38 feet long and remained in use until it was destroyed in the War of 1812, forcing boats again to portage around the rapids. Read on for much more.

The history page on on the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan website:

Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in Michigan, and among the oldest cities in the United States. Over the course of history, the flags of several sovereign nations have flown over the Sault.

Over 2,000 years ago, Native Americans began to gather here for the wealth of fish and fur found along the rushing waters of the wide, turbulent river that linked the Great Lakes of Superior and Huron. Spring and fall were important seasons for these original settlers, and they called the area “Bahweting,” or “The Gathering Place.”

...In the 1600s, French missionaries and fur traders began to venture into the beautiful territory. The traders began calling the wild area Sault du Gastogne. In 1668, the legendary Jesuit missionary and explorer Fr. Jacques Marquette renamed this burgeoning European settlement Sault Ste. Marie, in honor of the Virgin Mary—the first "city" in the Great Lakes region.

While there is some debate on the exact meaning of "Sault," scholars of early French note that the word translates into jump, referring to the place where one needs to "jump", or put into the St. Mary’s River. This translation relates to the treacherous rapids and cascades that fall over 20 feet from the level of Lake Superior to the level of the lower lakes. Hundreds of years ago, this prohibited boat traffic and necessitated an overland portage from one lake to the other. This is how Portage Avenue, the main street running along the river, acquired its name.

Ashmun Street in 1888 courtesy Seeking Michigan

Some other good sites for area history include Sault Historic Sites,  the History & Culture of the Sault Tribe, and Sault Ste Marie, Michigan in Wikipedia. You can get links to Sault businesses and website and also articles for the Soo at absolutemichigan.com/Sault including Sault Ste. Marie: The Gathering Place, which offers more in depth history and a larger version of the photo above. Other good sites for modern day information are the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce,  Sault Ste Marie at michigan.org, the Soo Evening News and the EUP News blog.

You can see some pictures from the Soo at saultstemarie on Michigan in Pictures. Seeking Michigan has some great old photos of the Soo from the Archives of Michigan, but the best I found were from the Facebook page of I Love Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, particularly the History of Sault Ste Marie Michigan in Photographs and this gallery from Soo photographer Glenn W. Gregg. There's also 200+ Soo photos in the Absolute Michigan group on Flickr.

If you grew up in the Soo (which I didn't) I bet you'll love this video featuring photos & Bob Seger's Main Street from ILovetheSoo. While I enjoyed that one a lot, the one below features some of those great photos from Glenn Gregg.

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october day by PepOmint

A sampling of Michigan festivals & events for the month of October. As usual, there's no way we'll get them all, so please add links and information about those we've missed (or reviews of ones we have here) in the comments below. Don't forget that one of Michigan's big attractions is fall color touring - click that link for tours and photos from Absolute Michigan!

Quotes

"How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days."
- John Burroughs

"October's poplars are flaming torches
lighting the way to winter."
- Nova Bair

"On the motionless branches of some trees, autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads,
as in those fabled orchards where the fruits were jewels . . ."
- Charles Dickens

"I saw old Autumn in the misty morn
Stand, shadowless like Silence, listening
To Silence."
- Thomas Hood

Fast Facts - Wikipedia

• October's birthstone is the opal. The opal is thought to have the power to predict illness. This is because the opal responds to heat. If you are sick your temperature increases before signs of illness appear. The increased body heat causes the opal to loose its shine, leaving it dull and lacking color. It is also said that the opal will crack if it is worn by someone who was not born in October.
• Its birth flower is the calendula.

Things to Do and Places to Go

Be sure to also check out the Absolute Michigan Calendar for even more Michigan events, October Events from the Pure Michigan blog, and the Upper Peninsula Calendar of Events from the Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association.

through October 9
ArtPrize - Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids' radically open art competition awards the world's largest art prize and transforms the city into an amazing canvas for creation. Part arts festival, part social experiment - this international art contest is decided solely on a public vote. Art is the focus of the competition, but the main event is community. Artists take over the city, visitors explore and new relationships form. This event has Absolute Michigan's highest rating and is not to be missed!

Thru October 30
Chrysanthemums & More - Grand Rapids
This annual celebration of autumn at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park highlights thousands of flowering chrysanthemums in both interior and exterior venues. New this year, a spectacular display in the Seasonal Display Greenhouse features vertical columns four to six feet high. The redesigned and renamed Chrysanthemums and More! exhibition (formerly called ColorFall) is the largest display of its kind in Michigan.

Saturdays and Sundays in October
The Famous Pumpkin Train - Coopersville & Marne Railway
Saturdays and Sundays in October passengers are entertained with music, jokes, songs and dance written especially for the youngest riders and performed by The Great Pumpkin, Scarecrow and Little Crow.

September 30 - October 1
The Red Flannel Festival - Cedar Springs
The Red Flannel Festival is held the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October, attracting between 30 and 40 thousand visitors. The first “RED FLANNEL DAY” was held in the fall of 1939. The love, pride and support of the community has kept the rich tradition alive! It has continued to be an annual event for 71 YEARS, making it the 15th oldest festival in the State of Michigan!

September 30 - October 2
Scarecrow Festival - Trenton
The Trenton Scarecrow Festival is one of the best of its kind in the Southeast Michigan area. It is a family fall festival for all ages featuring a Scarecrow Contest, Dog Costume contest, children's area with games/rides, a carnival, local and national musical acts, a karaoke Scarecrow Idol contest, and many other events.

October 2
Oktoberfest - Douglas
Beery Field in Douglas, while it's not Germany, it does have a festive atmosphere with beer, brats, prizes galore, parade, 35 piece German Band, Strudel Meisters 12 piece band, Kinderplatz kids games, games for grownups, and Best Dressed Herr & Fraulein Competition and lots more from noon to 8 PM.

October 1-2 & 8-9
Benzie County Fallfest - Benzie
Enjoy a scenic chair lift ride, taste the great soups in the Fall Soup Contest, get your "once a year chance" to get a piece of Cherry Hut's apple cinnamon pie, watch the pumpkin carving of Ed Moody and Pat Harrison the "Lord of Gourd" Carvings, all kinds of kids & family fun, pumpkin launching abd giant pumpkin weigh off and car drop! Enjoy the parade, or canoe or kayak while enjoying the beautiful colors of Fall!

October 2 - 8
Blue Water Film Festival - Port Huron
Each year the Blue Water Film Festival selects films from the State of Michigan and the Sarnia/Lambton area that represent the best in quality and performance, are visually stunning, thought-provoking and compelling to an audience.

October 6
Marquette Art Stroll - Marquette
Downtown Marquette & the Third Street Village offer an evening of art, entertainment, and exploration. Shops, restaurants, and galleries feature local artists, complimentary hors d oeuvres, and beverages.

October 6-9
Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival - Alpena
The four day event provides activities for the young and old including lighthouse tours (aerial, boat or personal vehicle), entertainment, and vendors. The 2011 festival features tours, talks from noted Great Lakes lighthouse experts including noted author & photographer Terry Pepper and boasts over 100 maritime related vendors including lighthouse preservation groups, artists, authors and more.

October 6 - 8
Pumpkinfest - Zeeland
The Zeeland Pumpkinfes is a family festival featuring very cost-effective and FREE activities, games and events to be enjoyed by all ages including a chili cook off, 5k and fun run, pet contest, costume contest, pumpkin hunt and the Pumpkinfest bake-off.

October 7 - 9
Color Cruise & Island Festival - Grand Ledge
See the fall colors and 60 foot sandstone ledges on the Grand River from the Princess Laura riverboat or rent a canoe. You can also take a trip back in time with an old-fashioned covered wagon ride, demonstrations of black kettle caramel corn, apple cider pressing, blacksmithing, weaving, spinning, wood carving and other old time activities. Visit a fur trader encampment, enjoy good food and live entertainment and take a covered wagon or boat ride. Children can visit the petting zoo, paint a pumpkin or dip a candle for a small fee.

October 7 - 9
Sandhill Crane & Art Festival - Baker Sanctuary
More than 6,000 cranes are expected to greet more than 5,000 CraneFest visitors again this year. With autumn color predicted to be near its peak the same weekend, everyone should consider making CraneFest 2010 part of their fall color tour.

October 8
New Buffalo Harvest and Wine Fest - New Buffalo
Join your favorite local wineries and microbrews at New Buffalo's Lions Park for some harvest time fun. Celebrate the season's harvest with a Farmers Market, wine tasting, cuisine, and live music. Bring the kids for hayrides through town and pumpkin painting. $5 suggested donation benefits local charities.

October 8
Leif Erikson Viking Days Fall Festival - Norway
An annual fall festival on Columbus Day weekend featuring a Viking themed parade, crafts, variety of ethnic food booths. Enjoy the Taste of Norway, music, business specials, lots of activities for children and other special events.

October 14 - 16
Applefest - Charlevoix
Experience the magic of Autumn in northern Michigan at Charlevoix's Apple Fesitval. Northern Michigan’s cool temperatures are said to produce tastier and more colorful fruit than those grown in warmer climates, and the festival honors local orchards who bring the fall harvest to you. Enjoy over 30 varieties of apples, hot food, and fresh cider. A fine art & craft show takes place in East Park too, along with a petting zoo and pony rides for the kids!

October 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30
Hallowe'en in Greenfield Village - Dearborn
Step back in time to a turn-of-the-20th century Hallowe'en. Follow an endless path of hand-carved jack-o-lanterns and meet colorful characters along the way. Feel the whoosh as the headless horseman rides by, banter with a clever witch, and make stops at several treat stations spread throughout Greenfield Village. It's frightfully fun for the whole family!

Saturday October 15th
Hoptoberfest - Grand Rapids
An amazing party that you definitely shouldn't miss. From 2PM-11PM Hopcat will be serving up beers from in an around Grand Rapids in two beer tents along with some smokin' hot blues from headliner Lonnie Brooks.

October 16
Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon - Detroit
Get down to Motown for the 2010 Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon! They're celebrating their 33rd anniversary with an exhilarating, world-class, international marathon. With a unique course crossing the U.S./Canadian border twice and great musical entertainment along the way, there's no end to the excitement of running this race!

October 17 - 18
Ann Arbor Art Walk - Ann Arbor
The annual Art Walk gives visitors a chance to walk through galleries, artists' studios, and exhibition spaces in the greater Ann Arbor area including the Ann Arbor Art Center, the U-M Museum of Art, and the U-M School of Art and Design.

October 21 - 22
Made-in-Michigan Film Festival - Lapeer
The 4th annual festival will be held at the Pix Theatre, in historical downtown Lapeer, and MiMFF is accepting films in every category & genre – short, feature, academic, documentary, narrative, comedy, drama, horror, experimental, whatever – just as long as there's a material connection to the State of Michigan.

October 21 - November 21
Northern Michigan C.S. Lewis Festival -
An award-winning, month-long celebration of the man who created the celebrated children?s series, The Chronicles of Narnia. This annual nonprofit collaboration between local arts organizations, area schools, and faith-based groups offers children's programs, theater performances, literary discussion and world-renowned speakers.

October 28
Food, Wine and All That Jazz - Grand Rapids
Join WGVU and D&W for more than 300 domestic wine and beer selections from throughout North America. In addition, tempt your tastes with over 25 tables of select gourmet foods and live jazz.

Also be sure to check out Absolute Michigan keywords "haunted", "maze", "apple" and "harvest"!

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at Mackinac :: a composite from -3 and -43 by Emery Co Photo

Sea Monster of the Straits

The authorities tried hard to convince the public what they saw were only giant catfish, but even the oldest, orneriest cats would be hard-pressed to attain a length of forty-five feet! The owner of a resort along the Cheboygan lakefront reported seeing something of just that size, and two of them, frolicking in the Mackinac Straits on Lake Huron in front of his property, about 600 feet from shore, according to an article in the June 25, 1976 Grand Rapids Press. The day after the resort owner called authorities about it, Cheboygan County Sheriff Stanley McKervey stopped by to have a look for himself. To his surprise, he also was able to observe one of the creatures. "I went down to the beach, and sure enough, I'm looking at something 20, maybe 30 feet long, swimming just below the surface," he said in the article. "I was amazed. I didn't know what it was, but it sure wasn't a publicity stunt."

The sheriff continued watching the creature through binoculars. It only rose about an inch above water level, he said, but any disturbance on shore would cause it to dive deeper again. And that's exactly what happened when the sheriff ordered a couple of deputies to surveil the thing in a canoe. It was gone long before the pair got there. Unfortunately, rough water conditions set in the next few days and no one could go out for another look. It wasn't observed again, and other experts theorized that perhaps it was a giant eel or carp. But neither of those sound like what the sheriff and the resort owner saw!

Lake Leelanau Monster

The story of an early 20th Century sea monster sighting was sent to The Shadowlands Web site by a reader whose great-grandfather was the witness. The boy was fishing for perch one day in 1910 in the shallows of Lake Leelanau in Leelanau County. The lake had been dammed in the late 1800's to provide water power for the local mill and to enable logging. The dam also flooded much surrounding area, turning it into swamps and bogs punctuated by dead, standing trees.

On that particular day, the young great-grandfather, William Gauthier, rowed out to a new fishing spot near the town of Lake Leelanau. Looking for good perch habitat, he paddled up close to a tree that he estimated to stand about five feet tall above the water, with a six-inch trunk. He was in about seven feet of water, and after deciding this would be a good place to stop and cast a line, began tying the boat to the tree.

That's when young William discovered the tree had eyes. They were staring him dead in the face at about four feet above water level. The boy and serpent exchanged a long gaze, then the creature went, "Bloop" into the water. Gauthier said later that the creature's head passed one end of the boat while the tail was still at the other end, though it was undulating very quickly through the water. The writer noted that Gauthier always admitted to having been thoroughly frightened by his encounter, and that the event caused him to stay off that lake for many years.

The writer added that his great-grandfather came from a prominent area family and was very well-educated, and that he knew others who would admit privately but not publicly that they, too, had seen the creature. No sightings have been reported in recent times, but who knows how many people have believed they were passing by a rotting old cedar when in fact they had just grazed the Leelanau lake monster?

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A recent example is Day 63: Laketown Beach, in which Holland Area Regional Director Mike Guisinger writes:

Laketown is a bit off the beaten path but it’s worth finding. (For directions, click here.) It is sandwiched between two long stretches of private beachfront, so it is small, but rarely crowded. The beach may lack a lot of space, but it definitely makes up for it in serenity.

...Probably one of the biggest draws to Laketown isn’t actually within its boundaries however, but what is known locally as “The Bowl.” The Bowl is an gigantic sand bowl, resembling a sort of concave desert. Along with the other dunes and Lake Michigan itself, The Bowl was carved out of the earth by glaciers millions of years ago and was likely a small lake before drying up. Standing at the center of The Bowl and being surrounded on all sides by enormous walls of sand is quite breathtaking. The landscape is truly like no other.

So tune into Awesome Mitten, and if you like them, you can even show your support with some Awesome Mitten clothing!

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Expanse by g. s. george

You don't have to travel far when you live in Michigan to find a whole lot of fun. We encourage you to support the festivals, events, cities and businesses that are making all the cool things happen around the state. So get out this summer and have some fun and create some great memories in the process. Carpe diem!!

As usual we by no means have listed all the events happening around Michigan. Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

July Quotes

"Many public-school children seem to know only two dates: 1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don't know what happened on either occasion. - Mark Twain

"Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." - Mark Twain

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." Henry David Thoreau

"You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook's year. I get more excited by that than anything else." - Mario Batali

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard

Fast Facts - via Wikipedia's July entry

• The second half of the year commences in July
• The birthstone for July is a red ruby
• July was renamed for Julius Caesar... Previously, it was called Quintilis...

Also be sure to check out Pure Michigan's July Event Round-up and our Absolute Michigan Event Calendar for more great Michigan events!

July 2 - 9
National Cherry Festival Traverse City
The National Cherry Festival features over 150 events including free air shows over the Bay, colorful parades & marching bands, music shows, sporting events, rides & carnival games on the midway, pie-eating contests, clean blue skies, warm sunshine, crowds of smiling faces, and loads of luscious cherries prepared every way you can imagine!

July 8 - 9
Michigan Elvisfest Ypsilanti
The world-renowned Michigan Elvisfest began in 2000 in Ypsilanti, Michigan's Historic Depot Town. Beautiful Riverside Park is the place where Elvis fans flock by the thousands every July to pay homage to the King of Rock & Roll and to hear the most award-winning professional Elvis Tribute Artists in North America, as well as other talented Legend Tribute Artists.

July 8 - 10
Blissfest Cross Village
The 30th Blissfest Music Festival will be a celebration of music, culture, art and community featuring a world of diverse and innovative folk and roots music and dance at the Festival Farm in picturesque rural northern Michigan. It is truly a blissful musical weekend to be shared with families, friends and music-lovers of all ages. The annual event is a showcase of the many musical styles that define American roots and world music. Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Celtic, Folk, Jazz, Latin, Ethnic, World music and dance all share the stage.

July 9 - Aug 7
Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire Battle Creek
Neither heat, rain nor scary beast will shut their gates that hold jousting and performances and all manner of medieval fun. The Faire is also West Michigan's premier Artisan Marketplace with over 100 vendors selling their wares and crafts, you will find everything from turkey legs to wood-carving, leather to silks, and blacksmiths to fairy wings.

July 14 - Aug 7
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival Jackson
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival has been presenting the timeless themes and glorious language of William Shakespeare since 1995, growing each year into a premier regional event that draws respected actors from across the nation, and satisfied audiences from throughout the Midwest.

July 14 - 17
Venetian Festival St. Joseph
The name implies gracious glides on a glowing river and the gentle sounds of water rippling as gondoliers pole their slender boats and sing soft love songs to couples snuggled in the bows. Such were the hot days and long nights in Venice, Italy, where Venetian Festivals started so many years ago. In St. Joseph, they still celebrate hot July days and long summer nights with boat rides and love songs and couples holding hands. The Venetian Festival on the St. Joseph River is all of that plus music, fine food and fun for all ages!

July 14 - 17
Concert of Colors Detroit
The Concert of Colors is metro Detroit's free annual diversity music festival. It is presented by ACCESS/Arab American National Museum, New Detroit Inc. and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) with the goal of bringing together metro Detroit's diverse communities and ethnic groups by presenting musical acts from around the world. Over its 17-year history, the festival has become a beloved highlight of metro Detroit's summer festival season.

July 15 - 16
Michigan Storytellers Festival Flint
It’s free fun for all INSIDE the Flint Public Library. Don’t miss our master storytellers who bring the oral tradition to life. As always there will be several workshops and storytelling concerts during the day on Saturday with storytellers in concert beginning at 7PM on Friday and Saturday.

July 16 - 17
Quake on the Lake Waterford
Over the past 10 years, the "Quake" has become on of Oakland County's must-attend events and is the North American Inboard Hydroplane Championship. The event is the proud holder of 17 American Power Boat Association (APBA) world speed records being set in 5 different racing classes making Pontiac Lake one of the fastest one-mile race courses in the country! There's also music from Rare Earth, the Verve Pipe and others.

July 16 - 17
Ragtime Street Fair Dearborn
Savor an American original -Ragtime music. You'll hear Scott Joplin rags like "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer" along with  much, much more as scores of other musicians travel from all over the country to perform on nearly a dozen stages throughout Greenfield Village. It's syncopated, jazzy, hot and live. Fresh summer food, too, and dancing in the streets!

July 20 - 23
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair Ann Arbor
Established in 1960, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is the Original of the now four award-winning Ann Arbor Art Fairs: The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original, The State Street Area Art Fair, The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and the Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair. Together, the fairs attract over a half a million attendees from across the nation. The Original Fair was named the Number One Art Fair in the country by AmericanStyle magazine readers survey (October 2004) and has made the Top Ten Fairs and Festivals list every year since.

July 22 - 23
Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival Ypsilanti
The Summer Beer Festival is the Michigan Brewers Guild's oldest and largest of our four annual festivals. The festival takes place outside in a lovely riverside setting and will feature more than 300 different beers from more than 50 different Michigan breweries. A variety of tasty food items are available for purchase from independent food vendors inside the festival and there will be a diverse selection live music from a variety of local bands.

July 26 - 31
Traverse City Film Festival Traverse City
The Traverse City Film Festival has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, and one of the most respected in the country. Last year, there were over 80,000 admissions to nearly 100 screenings, a number of them U.S. or world premieres. A special emphasis is given to foreign films, American independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of a public starved to see a good movie.

July 29 - 31
Yale Bologna Festival Yale
Every July Yale plays host to the Yale Bologna Festival, a 3 day weekend event that closes the streets and transforms this small community of just under 2,000 to a gathering of over 20,000 Bologna starved party-goers! A tradition in Yale since 1989, this festival has grown considerably since its humble beginnings. The festival draws people from all around Michigan as well as other states, eager to see who will be the next King and Queen of Bologna. The Bologna Festival includes such events as the famed outhouses races, a street dance, fireworks and a parade down Main Street that continues to grow each year.

July 29 - Aug 7
Coast Guard Festival Grand Haven
The United States Coast Guard has a long and prestigious history in Grand Haven and around the world. Celebrate the Coasties with activities, events, and attractions for all ages. Many are free, and you will find plenty of fun and choices from Kid's Day to the Street Dance and Cruise-In Car Show, to carnival rides, picnics, parades, fireworks and ship tours.

July 30 - 31
Art On The Rocks Marquette
Located in a beautiful wooded area on the shore of Lake Superior in north Marquette, the annual Art On The Rocks at Presque Isle Park features a huge variety of artwork in all media for show & sale.

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Surfing Michigan by farlane

We've pulled together a great collection of Great Lakes & Michigan surfing videos with a few links:

• The photo was taken on Lake Michigan at Leland. You can see more surfing photos on Michigan in Pictures and also on Northern Michigan Surf on Facebook and in the Surfing slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool!
• The best of the bunch is below, a TV special on Grand Haven filmmaker Vince Deur's movie Unsalted. the 7 minute short introduces you to the history and present day of Great Lakes surfing. There's also a couple of outtakes that take you to surfing hot spots like Michigan's Lake Superior shore in winter! Last December we ran Michigan Film: Unsalted: A Great Lakes Experience that has all the details (including where to get it!) and tons of clips from the definitive work on riding the freshwater wave.
• The Roxy Get Outside Tour recently visited Grand Haven, Michigan with a couple pro female surfers. They also answered the "Michigan question" and visited the Great Lakes Surf Association (more Michigan footage including waterskiing at the Roxy blog)
• Surfing isn't just for lakes any more, there's also the Grand River Surf (featuring some cool Police tunes...)
• If surfing isn't fast enough (or the waves aren't big enough) there's always kiteboarding. Boarding Lake Michigan Waves from South Beach in South Haven shows you highlights of surfers, kiteboarders and windsurfers. Every September, the King of the Great Lakes Kiteboarding Competition is held in Grand Haven. You can visit Mackinac Kites for information on the event.
• Pure Michigan gets in the act with the Fresh Water Surfing page.
• Check out Absolute Michigan keyword surf for surfing articles and surfing-related businesses! Might as well try Absolute Michigan keyword kiteboard too!

Did we miss something? Of course we did!! Tell us and/or add a link in the comments.

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Hamtramck's Pazcki Day page gives you all kinds of lore and legend on these traditional Polish doughnuts which are also known as Bismarcks or plain old jelly doughnuts. They explain:

PÄ…czki is the plural form of the word pÄ…czek in Polish, but many English speakers use paczki as singular and paczkis as plural. A pÄ…czek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere and filled with Plums or other sweet filling...

Pączki have been known in Poland at least since the Middle Ages. Jędrzej Kitowicz has described that during the reign of the August III under influence of French cooks who came to Poland at that time, pączki dough baked in Poland has been improved, so that pączki became lighter, spongier, and more resilient Pączki Day Traditionally, the reason for making paczki has been to use up all the lard, sugar and fruit in the house, which are forbidden during Lent.

I guess that if you're facing 40 days without sugar & fruit, a plateful of paczki makes a lot more sense. Dig in with the links below!

• The photo to the right comes from Wikipedia's PÄ…czki entry.
• Forgot to buy your paczkis? Vina at recipezaar has an Authentic Polish Paczki recipe that she found handwritten in her Polish grandmother's cookbook!
• The Paczki Headquarters at the Hamtramck Star is packed with paczki goodness including photos of paczki as big as your head!
• Your Diet Is About To Meet It's Nemesis (or why it's called Fat Tuesday in Detroit) by Detroit Derek on Michigan in Pictures got this big ball of dough rolling!
• You can get even more photos at Flickr Hive Mind: Paczki
• There's a bunch more Pazcki Day info at Kitchen Chick including audio of the correct pronunciation of paczki and the story of   THE FAMOUS PACZKI THAT SAVED EUROPE!
• If you need a sound track to get going, head over to paczkiday.com.
• ArborWiki has a Paczki entry that includes a list of the best bakeries in Hamtramck.
• Absolute Michigan has more Hamtramck links for you to snack on.
  
• The Freep is supposed to be posting the results of their Paczki Limerick Contest this morning but haven't ... maybe they're in a food coma.
• What kid can resist Paczki Pals & Bobbleheads?

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Charlevoix - Mushroom House by ktylerconk

In the "things I found while looking at other things" category comes Quirky cottages in Charlevoix are winter delights from the Detroit Free Press.

Earl Young tourism is a Charlevoix specialty. The quirky builder erected 30 stone homes in town between 1918 and the 1950s, all so unusual they are often compared to works of art. Some look like mushroom houses, with undulating roofs capping boulder walls. Some are tiny. Some are enormous. Most have incredible detail -- doorways of stone, window frames made of boulders, chimneys that look frosted by a giddy cake decorator. The early houses are arts and crafts or chalet style, but the later homes are rounded and organic, part Tolkien, part Keebler elf.

More about Earl Young's cottages at the Freep including a number of Earl Young houses that are available as vacation rentals including Charlevoix's fixture The Weathervane. View more Earl Young House photos from the Charlevoix Historical Society, check out the Earl Young Guidebook and take a video tour of the Earl Young Hobbit Houses in Charlevoix with MyNorth.

Postcard: Weathervane Terrrace Inn & Suites,
Charlevoix, MIchigan by fantomaster

The best resource is the Earl Young Collection at the Charlevoix Library. With everything from the ad for Earl's first development, Boulder Park and the opening of the Weathervane to an article on his book Charlevoix the Beautiful, there's some great stuff to be explored! Let's close with a bit from another  article from the Freep on Young, this one from July 29, 1973 that begins:

Stone houses seem to sprout as naturally as dandelions from the soil of this pleasant Lake Michigan resort community.

And they do because of an already legendary 84-year-old man named Earl A. Young, who built them all.

For more than half a century Young has combed lonesome fields and dusty quarries searching for the odds and ends of nature. He blends stones and timber with an architect's skill and a geologist's respect for his raw material, and so far he has fitted more than 40 local landscapes with his art.

"l have a very strong feeling for stone," Young explained recently as he sat in his wood-paneled office on the lower level of one of his most flamboyant creations, the Weathervane Inn, a local restaurant.

"Stones have their own personalities. People say I'm crazy when I say so, but they really do. Why I found a stone that weighed 160 tons. It was formed 350 million years ago at the bottom of a warm sea and was carried here 10,000 years ago by glaciers."

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~wine~ by an EyE for perspective

It's probably fitting that the first app we review is from our friends over at Michigan By the Bottle. Their new Michigan By the Bottle app was released yesterday (Dec 14) for iPhone/iPad. The app was developed by Sutro Media and is available for download for $2.99 in the iTunes store.

At the heart of this app are profiles of all of Michigan's 75+ wineries that feature maps, photos, MBTB- ­â€recommended wines, contact information, tasting room policies and links to related articles, videos and podcasts on the MBTB website. One of the coolest features is that via the map, you can see what wineries are near you, check them out to see if they've got what you're looking for and then easily navigate to them using the iPhone's GPS. My company manages the Leelanau Peninsula wine trail, and with all the twists and turns of our trail, that feature alone is worth the $3!

Click the photos below for screen shots...

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Lansing, Michigan, USA by Mario.Q

Next American City partnered with IBM and its SmarterCities initiative to encourage citizens across the nation to share how their cities are addressing the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. The prize for the city with the most posts to the SmarterCities Scan was a profile on their website, and Lansing, Michigan, blew the competition away. Their profile of Lansing by Ivy Hughes is a great read and shows why Lansing just might be Michigan's most overlooked success story.

For years, various groups have been trying to change the Greater Lansing Region's image as another Rustbelt city, but these efforts have really taken off in the last few years. Kiplinger recently ranked Lansing as one of the “10 Great Cities for Young Adults”; several Greater Lansing Region businesses have made Inc. magazine's 5,000 fastest-growing companies; Michigan State University (MSU) was chosen as the home base for a the $500 million Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and is ranked only second to MIT in nuclear physics; and, in 2009, MSU made Entrepreneur magazine's list of “Top Colleges for Business.”

penthouse by TerryJohnston

The author lists some of the factors that make Lansing worthy of this honor including Development, Culture, Ideas, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, saying:

Changing a city best suited for cars into a walkable, bikeable community is, at the very least, a challenge but several organizations are working to increase the number of bike lanes, walkways and shared use paths. The region's bus system, CATA, is one of most effective transportation systems among communities similar in size to the Greater Lansing Region and is a major player in the effort to shift the ratio of cars to people on the street. Discussions regarding the incorporation of a light rail system into the region's long-term transportation plan have just begun.

Sustainability is the driving force behind these transportation efforts and is the catalyst for the region's vast community garden network and the inspiration for the city's first urban garden — Urbandale farm. Many neighborhood organizations are working to increase the visibility and viability of sustainable eating in the region.

They close with:

...a big thank you to the groups continuing to make the Greater Lansing Region a place we all want to be. They are: #lovelansing, Capital Area Michigan Works!, Accelerate Lansing, YSG Lansing, Capital Gains Media, Keep Learning, LEAP, Grand River Connection, Mid-Michigan Tweet Ups, Prima Civitas, Impression 5, City of East Lansing, NOISE, MSU Catalyst, Walk and Bike Lansing; Greater Lansing Business Monthly; Help Make Mid-Michigan Walk and Bike Friendly!; Lansing Walking & Bicycling Task Force; Arts Council; Lansing Happy Hour Club; and a plethora of hardworking neighborhood associations.

Read more at Next American City and also check out the Lansing tag at Smarter Cities for some of the Capital City's many assets! There are videos there highlighting all kinds of things about the Greater Lansing area such as the many festivals which draw over 1/2 million people a year to the region and this one from Greater Lansing. While it's definitely idealized, it shows the amazing range of offerings the region holds.

Greater Lansing from Leap, Inc. on Vimeo.

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Skyline: Lansing, Michigan, USA by Mario.Q

Spotted in the Lansing State Journal today, Kiplinger magazine Lansing has been identified as one of 10 great cities for young adults. Ranking right along side the notable locations of Austin, TX, Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, IL, Kansas City, MO, New York, NY, Portland, OR, Salt Lake City, UT and Washington, D.C.. The criteria used to identify the cities were 6 key questions.

1. Will I find good work there?
2. Who lives there?
3. What colleges and universities does the city offer?
4. How much is rent?
5. How is the commute?
6. Will I have fun there?

From LSJ.com:

The "Love Lansing" contingent is growing, with a well-known financial group touting the Michigan city as one of the best places for young people.

Lansing has been named one of "10 great cities for young adults" by financial news organization Kiplinger.

They promote their town on Twitter with the keyword "#LoveLansing," talk about it during networking events and defend their decision to live here to their peers in other cities.

And now, they have something to back it up.

Kiplinger's made note of Lansing's cheap rent well below the national average, a respectable bar and club scene, high-paying job opportunities in bio and Internet technologies and an average commute of only 20 minutes.

Michigan's capital is a little-known hotbed for young professionals," Kiplinger said. "Granted, this Great Lakes community can't quite compare to the larger cities on our list in terms of job prospects or things to do. But it has a relatively low cost of living. And its youthful population, downtown renewal projects, and emerging technology sector make Lansing a stand-out in mid-sized cities.

Read the entire article here.

The Grand Rapids Press at mlive.com also has an article on the ranking: Is Lansing the coolest city for young people in Michigan? Kiplinger says so

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Pretty clouds distract me
as I drive by merebearlandon

Memorial Weekend is the launch of the summer travel season. AAA Michigan estimates that 1.1 million Michigan residents will travel on state roads this Memorial Day weekend, paying 11 1.2 cents less per gallon of gasoline as compared to last week (and maybe even less by the weekend).

They list the top 10 Michigan destinations as reported by their members - check the links to read about what there is to see and do from Absolute Michigan and feel welcome to post where you're going!

1. Traverse City
2. Mackinaw City
3. Petoskey
4. Frankenmuth
5. Munising
6. Sault Ste. Marie
7. Boyne Mountain
8. Saugatuck/Douglas
9. Dundee
10. Lansing

Speaking of summer travel, here's a classic video that we get sent all the time!

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t p mann would like you to Ride the Breezeway along Country Rd C48 from US 31 in Atwood through Ellsworth & East Jordan and ending in Boyne Falls. With scenic overlooks, farms, orchards, restaurants, galleries and shops, it's a great motorcycle or bicycle ride.

Check out this photo of a farm near Boyne City bigger and see more in his sets including Favorites, Sunsets and Sites Along the Breezeway (slideshow).

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In our first Absolute Michigan Radio feature co-sponsored by Traverse Legal, we talk with Traverse City Chamber of Commerce director Doug Luciani about Pure Michigan and its impact on Business.

If you're supportive of Pure Michigan, please call your lawmakers today! Here are links to the Michigan House of Representatives, Michigan Senate and Michigan Governor!

Childs Play by Arace

Play: AbsoluteMichigan Radio - TC Area Chamber of Commerce President Doug Luciani on Pure Michigan Campaign Funding
(click title to listen)

With: Doug Luciani

Sponsored by: Absolute Michigan , Traverse Internet Law

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perch by Jon DeBoer

Time's 'Assignment Detroit' project roots for city, CEO says in the Detroit News talks with Time Inc. Chairwoman and CEO Ann Moore who says:

Every American has a stake in the health of Detroit," Moore said. "Detroit holds lessons for all of us."

Assignment Detroit -- which has recently spawned a profile on Mayor Dave Bing in Sports Illustrated, Detroit public schools in Time and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in Essence -- aims to bring more positive national exposure to the city.

"We're taking a stake in Detroit," Moore said, acknowledging that journalistic ethics traditionally prohibit blurring the lines between journalism and advocacy.

"It's official. We're rooting for you."

Read on and check out Assignment Detroit from TIME, where recent features include Marketing 101: Fear of 'Detroit'?, Pistons and Red Wings: Could One of These Teams Be On The Move? and Hero or Villain? A Look at Detroit's History.

While you're at it, let us know what you think about an old media stalwart like TIME actively working on the behalf of its subject.

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Michigan is truly a winter state. The snow brings much beauty and allows us to enjoy seasonal activities such as skiing, ice skating and snowmobiling. Of course, along with this comes some occasional extra work.

The photo to the right depicts Negaunee's Iron Street on March 13, 1899. These men have partially completed a Herculean shoveling task. You can see the “J. Trathen Saloon” in the background, so perhaps that was their eventual stop.

Negaunee, located in Marquette County, is a renowned Upper Peninsula mining town. According to Walter Romig's book Michigan Place Names (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1986), the Jackson Iron Company first settled the town in 1846. It was given a post office in 1858. It incorporated as a village in 1865 and as a city in 1873. Romig also notes that “Negaunee” is a Chippewa word meaning “pioneer.” The 2003-2004 Michigan Department of Transportation map provides a recent population figure of 4,576.

Play the video below to see footage of an Armstead Snow Motors Company concept snow vehicle. The original film, completed in 1924, is permanently stored within the Archives of Michigan collections. It represents further proof that Michiganians have found inventive ways to deal with the snow!

Armstead Snow Motors from Seeking Michigan on Vimeo.

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dot to dot by powerbooktrance

The phenomenal ArtPrize returns to Grand Rapids for a second year. The dates will be September 22 - October 10, 2010 with a top prize of $250,000.

Speaking of Grand Rapids and ArtPrize, Rob Bliss had an interesting editorial that I think holds a lesson (as does ArtPrize itself) for the whole state of Michigan:

Here is my theory: Grand Rapids can be anything it wants to be. The proof lies in the pivotal year of 2009. There are people flying below the radar right now who are re-imagining this city to be as it never has been before. Movements to restore white water rapids to our river and take back our name, groups like ACTIVESITE who are rethinking downtown space, are quietly proving this city to the citizens who doubt it.

There are some who have attributed to me some sort of special ability to move people with my events, but I disagree. All I have done is put great faith in the largely unsatisfied idea that we are a people with a hunger for new, exciting ideas. My events simply work to dust off the diamond that always has been hidden beneath us. We are a people eagerly waiting what is coming around the bend, because we collectively feel the same electricity that coursed through this city in 2009.

Tons and tons about ArtPrize 2009 from Absolute Michigan including this video:

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Check out this cool YouTube preview:

Get Google Earth right here and check out Google Earth Blog for tons more about Google's amazing 3D browser.

Photo: Planet Detroit by paulhitz

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It's Lansing's Birthday! by Eridony

2009 is the Sesquicentennial of the City of Lansing. The Lansing 150 Grand Finale is next Friday (Nov 20) immediately following Silver Bells in the City from 8-11 PM in the Lansing Center. This event concludes Lansing's year long Sesquicentennial Birthday Party and will include free entertainment and a free reception.

As part of the celebration they are holding an "I AM LANSING" contest. Area residents, businesses and organizations can submit photos, videos and/or essays about Lansing and judges will decide the Best Lansing Story. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize and you can enter until midnight this Friday! Head over to lansing150.com for all the details!

The City of Lansing history page (and the City of Lansing) begins:

In the winter of 1835, two brothers from Lansing, New York plotted the area just south of downtown Lansing, naming the territory "Biddle Town." Most of this land was in a floodplain and underwater for much of the year. Despite the condition of the land, the brothers returned to New York to sell the plots to unsuspecting individuals wanting to test their fortunes in a new land. The group of settlers arrived to Mid-Michigan only to find their plots submerged under several feet of water. Nevertheless, many in the group chose to stay and established what is now Metropolitan Lansing. They christened the town "Lansing Township" after their home village in New York.

You can get a ton more great old photos of Lansing from Seeking Michigan, check out a sweet view of Lansing from the Lansing standpipe in the late 1800s on Michigan in Pictures and learn lots more about Lansing at absolutemichigan.com/Lansing!

Photo: Bird's eye view of the city of Lansing (Mich.); 1866. Courtesy Seeking Michigan.

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Autumn Pathways by pentax hammer (gary syrba)

The crowds and traffic have subsided, the harvests are bountiful and the mosquitoes are few and far between. What we're trying to say is that autumn is perfect time to get out and enjoy a color tour, take in a late season festival or event, go camping or hit some of Michigan's numerous wineries and pick up a few bottles for holiday gifts or get-togethers.

MyNorth.com produced a great video a while back that takes you on a tour of Northern Michigan's wine country and we think it is worth a watch and will entice you to plan a visit. On that note we should point out that Absolute Michigan is giving away a pair of tickets for the Toast the Season wine trail event which takes place on the Leelanau Peninsula on November 14 & 15.

MyNorth.com Video: Sit Back and Tour Northern Michigan's Wine Country

Hoping to get one more wine tour in this summer? Or maybe you're envisioning those glorious fall days when wine is an excellent excuse to drive through our wine country. Sit back and get some ideas as we visit Chateau Grand Traverse (cgtwines.com) on the Old Mission Peninsula; Traverse City's urban wineries, Left Foot Charley (leftfootcharley.com) at The Village in Grand Traverse Commons (old state hospital grounds) and Black Star Farms (blackstarfarms.com) in the Mercato, also in the Commons (Black Star also has its winery just south of Suttons Bay); and Shady Lane Cellars (shadylanecellars.com) near Suttons Bay.

Enjoy watching the lush landscape as the vintners each tell us what makes them unique and what it is like growing and selling wine in Northern Michigan.

Also be sure to check out our monthly calendars on Absolute Michigan's home page as well as keywords Halloween, maze, pumpkin, cider and more!

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Not the Upper Peninsula, but the Northern Peninsula. by Jenna Belle

NPR ran a special series a few weeks back exploring the culture, traditions and economy of Michigan's Upper Peninsula that we felt was worth bubbling back up. In addition to the articles there are also audio pieces worth checking out in - Michigan's Upper Peninsula: A Trip U.P. North.

Articles

Often Left Out, U.P. Ducks Michigan's Worst Woes

If there's a Michigan map in your mind, it probably looks like a mitten. The Upper Peninsula — separated from the rest of the state by the Great Lakes — often gets left off the map entirely. While that can be irksome, the remote nature of Michigan's northern section can also insulate it from the rest of the state's economic distress.

Initially, Michigan's Upper Peninsula

This week's puzzle is in honor of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Because U.P. is short for Upper Peninsula, each answer has "U" and "P" in it. The first clue is: "U" and "P" are the initials of a common two-word phrase naming something holding a street lamp. What is it?

Pasties: The Meaty Center Of 'Yooper' Food

The meat turnovers were brought to Michigan's Upper Peninsula by immigrant miners from Cornwall, England. "Yoopers" — the local population — are very opinionated about them. A pasty isn't just a meal — it's a heritage. Here's the recipe, too.

In Michigan's U.P., Visitors Welcome, Just Don't Stay

Folks from Michigan's Upper Peninsula — or "Yoopers," as they call themselves — want you to know how lucky they are to live in such a beautiful place, how hard it is to do that, how their jokes about themselves are funnier than anything you've heard — and why you shouldn't move there.

Audio and transcripts from the series

What's A Yooper? [5 min 20 sec]

The people of Michigan's Upper Peninsula are nicknamed Yoopers. Weekend Edition Host Liane Hansen explores what defines the Yooper identity.

U.P. TV Anchor Moonlights At Target [4 min 39 sec]

Host Liane Hansen profiles TV Anchor Vicki Crystal of Marquette, Michigan. Crystal not only works as a full time anchor and reporter, but she also works part-time at Target.

Iron Mine At Core Of U.P. History, Culture [7 min 52 sec]

Host Liane Hansen visits the Cliffs Natural Resources iron ore mining operation near Ishpeming Michigan. Mining has long been a part of the U.P. economy, and Cliffs has been operating there since 1847.

U.P. County Tops State Unemployment Rate [3 min 56 sec]

Michigan's Baraga County has the state's highest unemployment rate, and at around 25 percent it's the third highest in the nation. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Baraga Village Manager Roy Kemppainin.

The Civil War That You Never Heard About [2 min 15 sec]

Stories about war are common. Unusual is the true story of an American war with no casualties. One of the spoils of the Toledo War was the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. And the early 19th century combatants were the Michigan and Ohio militias. Host Liane Hansen talks to State Representative Mike Lahti about the often-forgotten war.

In Contrast, This U.P. Town Is Thriving [6 min 30 sec]

In a country that's seen its share of downtown decay, central Marquette seems to be thriving. There's a bustling farmer's market, and along Washington Street there are coffee shops and quirky businesses including hockey and bingo supply stores. Host Liane Hansen pays a visit to Getz's Clothiers, a business dating from the 1880's that now draws 80 percent of its sales from online business.

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Local Apples by nasunto

Fall is here and that means it is once again time to enjoy Michigan's largest and most valuable crop - the apple. With temperatures unseasonably flirting with the freezing point, the race is on to harvest the prized fruit. Adding to this challenge is the fact that Michigan is enjoying it's largest crop in nearly 10 years with an expected crop of 26 million bushels compared to the typical crop of 20 million bushels. The uptick in the number of bushels has been attributed to this year's cool temperatures and more than average rain.

Michigan Farms & Mills

Fresh is the air in the orchards. Fresh are the fruits and vegetables we pick ourselves. Fresh is the fun we have with our families on a visit to Michigan's farms and mills. This is the refreshing way to answer questions like “Mom, where do apples come from?” This is where open-air markets and u-pick farms enliven our recipes. This is the true meaning of the phrase: farm fresh. So let's visit the farms and mills. Because nothing refreshes our lives like Pure Michigan.

Check out the huge list of Michigan farms and mills from PureMichigan.org.

Some Michigan Apple Quick Facts - check out more at the Michigan Apple Committee website.

• Apples are Michigan's largest and most valuable fruit crop, with a value of about $100 million annually to the apple grower.
• Value-added marketing and processing enhance the economic contribution of Michigan Apples up to $700 million of economic impact annually.
• There are over 7.5 million apple trees in commercial production, covering 37,000 acres, on 950 family-run farms throughout Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
• Small family farmers who operate their own orchards dominate the Michigan apple industry. According to statistics, 99 percent of Michigan orchards had fewer than 100 acres in apples.
• Longtime favorite varieties still dominate Michigan's orchards. The most prevalent variety remains the Red Delicious, followed closely by the Golden Delicious. The Gala is rapidly gaining on tradition, however.
• The Honeycrisp variety is continually growing in popularity. Look for it in September and October, and enjoy it while you can, as it will most likely be gone by mid-November! A growing number of Honeycrisp tree plantings still aren't in pace with its popularity among consumers! Honeycrisp has a crisp, juicy bite and a sweet flavor. They are best for fresh eating and also a great addition to salads!

New Kid on the Branch

A newcomer to Michigan's apple varieties is the SeeTango. MyNorth.com takes a at this much anticipated arrival in their article - The SweeTango Apple Makes Its Northern Michigan Debut.

Five Northern Michigan apple growers were among the first in the country to plant and harvest the world's newest designer apple, the SweeTango. The apple, developed at the University of Minnesota, is a cross between the crispy, juicy Honeycrisp (the must-have apple of the last decade, also developed by the University of Minnesota) and the sweet flavored Zestar apple. The SweeTango is "a fabulous piece of fruit," says Mark Evans of Evans Brothers Fruit Company in Frankfort, one of the five Northern Michigan members of the Next Big Thing, the SweeTango growers' cooperative.

SweeTango - A Sneak Preview

Find out all kinds of interest information about apples at the Michigan Apple Committee's website including the history of apples, the growers and the most popular varieties.

Little do most people realize that there are actually thousands of apple varieties and Michigan has many antique apple farms who strive to preserve them. Absolute Michigan's own Andrew McFarlane took note of one such orchard, Christmas Cove Farm in Leelanau in his article - Antique Apples.

Over on Michigan in Pictures there's a cool old apple picking photo from Old Mission in the 1890s courtesy the Archives of Michigan.

Check out more apple related information and websites using Absolute Michigan keyword apple.

Michigan Apple Recipes

Honey Crisp Apple and Endive Salad with Maple Apple Vinaigrette - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Double Apple Galette - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Barbeque "Mopping" Sauce W/Apple Cider Vinegar, Maple and Jalapeno - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Ginger Apple Stir Fry - via Taste the Local Difference

Grilled Chicken with Apples and Feta - via Taste the Local Difference

Apple Lime Salsa - via Taste the Local Difference

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The Nature Bar by SCOTTS WORLD

Time, Inc. bought a house in Detroit:

Why would we ever do such a thing? Because we believe that Detroit right now is a great American story. No city has had more influence on the country's economic and social evolution. Detroit was the birthplace of both the industrial age and the nation's middle class, and the city's rise and fall — and struggle to rise again — are a window into the challenges facing all of modern America. From urban planning to the crisis of manufacturing, from the lingering role of race and class in our society to the struggle for better health care and education, it's all happening at its most extreme in the Motor City. (Read TIME's Detroit stories.)

As a story, Detroit has been misunderstood, underreported, stereotyped, avoided and exploited for decades. To get it right, we decided to become stakeholders. Over the next year, we intend to flood the D-zone with journalists, photographers, videographers and bloggers from TIME and TIME.com, Fortune and Fortune.com, CNNMoney.com, Money, even Sports Illustrated. Some will live in the house — dubbed the "D-Shack" after Detroit-area native Kid Rock dropped by with a housewarming gift of a Gothic D (for the mantel) plus a keg of his Badass Beer — and others will stay there while reporting.

Beautiful View - MCS by MikeRyu

With questions such as "How do you survive in Detroit" (below) and What do you love or hate about Detroit answered by city residents and profiles from the Telway Diner's 85 cent burgers to urban farming supported by the kind of in-depth reporting (and national audience) that one of the world's largest news organizations can bring, I really think we'll find Assignment Detroit to be a phenomenal boon for Detroit and all of Michigan.

Be sure to visit Assignment Detroit to watch and read and explore Michigan's largest city through fresh eyes.

You might also stay tuned to AbsoluteMichigan.com/Detroit for features on the Motor City and definitely check out the Detroit Slideshow from the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr (most recent).

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Today I'm at the Michigan Downtown Conference in Lansing. This morning I'll be posting some updates from the conference as I'm able. This afternoon I'm on a panel with Julielyn Gibbons, Ryan Knott and Bigby Coffee co-founder Bob Fish, talking about new media marketing and promoting our downtowns.

capital evening by cmu chem prof

Downtown Lansing

Flash back to last night at 9 PM. I checked into the Radisson and then went out to walk around downtown Lansing. I spent some time talking to a guard at the city jail about the "vibe" downtown (or lack thereof).   She said that when there are events, the area is humming but that on nights when there's no planned festivities, it's ghostly.

Over on Facebook, Bill Palladino noted that in his travels, state capitols are seldom (Austin TX, go get a drink of water)   happening places. Richard pointed out several others that were doing well. In any case, I think there's something a little sad about a city that is supposed to be the heart of Michigan with shuttered storefronts, perpetually torn up sidewalks and lack of life.

Durant Hotel by detroitsky

Dan Kildee, Keynote Speaker

"Our ability to make progress is determined in large part by our ability to work together"

Dan Kildee is the Genessee County Treasurer and director of the Genessee County Land Bank who has worked to use Michigan's new foreclosure law for community development and neighborhood stabilization. He's also pretty proud that he drew Rush Limbaugh's ire for his plan to reduce the size of Flint (and ultimately cities across the country) to reduce their size and increase the ability to deliver services.

Dan notes that even in our terrible economy, it's easier to build on a green field than to reinvest in our cities. He says that Michigan's foreclosure system had a large role in creating our downtown problems by setting up a system that rewarded speculators. Now, he says, the system allows cities to treat urban land as if it has value and to apply community values and vision.

He had a very interesting talk in which he looked at the toolbox that is available to Michigan downtowns and some success stories from Flint including the redevelopment of the Durant Hotel in Flint as rental housing for students and young professionals. He notes that 70% of Michigan's population lives on 8% of the land and that an overwhelming 97% of Michiganians feel that redevelopment in existing urban centers is preferable to building new. With a decent set of tools, he says all that's missing is a bias on the part of lawmakers and our laws to support this pattern of development.

Lansing Mayor Virg Benaro asked us to close our eyes and imagine when the auto industry was in its heyday and how we built great cities during that time. Now, as the auto industry contracts we are still left with these great cities, but what are we doing to preserve and restore them. He then talked about how East Lansing and Lansing - two one horse towns driven by MSU and the Capitol could be 10 times the city if they worked together. He also called for cities and their surrounding communities to cooperate and build the brand of Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit and other cities.

Why Live in Detroit? by Derek Farr

Niche Marketing: Success through creativity and collaboration

A panel with Elissa Sangalli Hillary (Executive Director of Local First in Grand Rapids),
Claire Nelson (Co-Owner & Operator of the Bureau of Urban Living & cofounder (with Liz Blondy) of Open City Detroit) and Liz Blondy (Founder of Canine to Five Detroit Dog Daycare) talking about what they do and how small business can be a driver of vibrant downtowns.

Elissa noted a commonly cited statistic (view graphic) that shows 73% of dollars spent at a local business stay in the community as compared to 43% if you spend your money at a national chain. She discussed some strategies they are using to give small businesses access to pooled advertising and purchasing.

Claire talked about her small business and how Detroit offered an opportunity to start a business that would have been impossible in New York City where she moved from. She talked about the importance of creating a climate that's business friendly and also - through events and collaboration - draws folks to burgeoning downtowns. She also drew a laugh by noting that small business in Detroit doesn't face too many threats from national chain stores.

When Liz Blondy came on I lost wireless, making me again think that about the best thing a downtown can do is to deliver a free wireless cloud. She explained her philosophy of focusing on free networking and and promotional efforts rather than exclusively advertising. Small actions like referring waiting customers to another business to pass the time cost nothing and reap big rewards. Wireless is apparently back.

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Mackinac Bridge Walk by carolynne marie

Since1882 the first Monday of September has been recognized as a time to salute Americas workers with festivals, cookouts and parades on "a day off for the working man." With school starting after the Monday, September 7 holiday, the long Labor Day Weekend is an ideal time to squeeze in some last-minute summertime fun. An estimated 1.4 million Michiganians will travel during the 2009 Labor Day holiday, according to a recent AAA survey. Michigan, the Great Lake State, offers ample opportunities to celebrate the end of summer.

Labor Day via Wikipedia

The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with Labor as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. Cleveland was also concerned that aligning a US labor holiday with existing international May Day celebrations would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair. All 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day a state holiday.

Stuff to Do, Places to Go

August 28 - September 7
Michigan State Fair Detroit
The Nation's Oldest State Fair was officially first held in 1849, only twelve years after Michigan attained statehood. At the onset it was customary, in fact, for the fair to be held one year in one city, the next year in another, and there was always a hot contest to be the city selected. The Michigan State Fair settled down at the present fairgrounds in 1905. The 2009 Michigan State Fair will be held August 28th - September 7th.

Popular attractions include the FREE Concerts under the stars in the Band Shell, daily parades, competitions, horse shows, agricultural displays, arts & crafts, racing pigs, rabbits & poultry, dairy exhibits, carnival midway rides & games and the world's largest stove.

August 22 - October 4
Michigan Renaissance Festival Holly
Festival is held on weekends and Labor Day, rain or shine. "visitors may also partake in games of skill or enjoy non-stop entertainment where belly dancers, sword swallowers, musicians, comedians and sword fighters provide merriment for all ages. The Festival is best known for it's awe-inspiring full-contact armored jousting tournaments where gallant knights defend their honor until the last man is standing!"

September 3 - 7
Michigan Peach Festival Romeo
If you are looking for something fun for the whole family, there is no better place to be on Labor Day Weekend! Bring your family & friends to the Michigan Peach Festival in the beautiful Village of Romeo. There's something fun for everyone!

September 4 - 7
Hamtramck Labor Day Festival Hamtramck
Hamtramck Festival has more than 500,000 annual visitors, live music on two stages, carnival rides, Polish Day Parade, samplings of ethnic food, cultural dancers, children's activities, more.

September 4 - 7
Detroit International Jazz Fest Detroit
For 30 years, the Detroit International Jazz Festival (DJF) has attracted visitors and locals to an end-of-summer ritual on Labor Day Weekend that celebrates one of America's most important art forms. The festival boasts five stages and 100 acts over four days in a city with a rich musical legacy. Sprawling over several city blocks in downtown Detroit – from Hart Plaza to Campus Martius – the festival also offers educational activities, giant puppets, fireworks, rare opportunities to meet the artists and much more. And it's all FREE!

September 4 - 7
Arts, Beats & Eats Pontiac
Arts, Beats & Eats is excited to add to its name, mission and purpose in 2009. We are now Arts, Beats & Eats - Festival of Hope and we are excited to announce new changes and partners for the 2009 festival.

Arts, Beats & Eats will still feature The HealthPlus Art Fair, one of the top art shows in the US, incredible food, more than 125 bands on six stages, and dynamic and interactive fun for the kids.

September 4 - 6
Logging Fest Newaygo
The Logging Fest takes place over Labor Day Weekend. Newaygo was built around the logging industry, and we are celebrating our logging heritage. Highlights of the Logging Fest include the Chainsaw Sculpture Competition and Auction, Lumberjack's Competition and Fireman's Water Battle. The Arts & Crafts Show in Brooks Park is host to exhibitors from all over the country displaying their arts and crafts. The local merchants have sidewalk sales. The event also includes kids activities and games, and on Sunday a parade route goes through downtown Newaygo.

September 5 - 6
Marquette Area Blues Fest Marquette
The Marquette Area Blues Society has announced the headline performers for the 2009 Marquette Area Blues Fest. The festival, now in it's 6th year, will once again be held at Mattson Lower Harbor Park in downtown Marquette over Labor Day Weekend. The dates are Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6, 2009. Featured performers on Saturday include Blue Bass entertainment recording artists Biscuit Miller & the Mix, VizzTone recording artist Gina Sicilia and Chikan Howse Records recording artist James "SUPER CHIKAN" Johnson.

On Sunday, the featured performers are Michigan's very own "The King of the Party Blues" Maurice Davis, Shanachie Entertainment recording artist Curtis Salgado and Blind Pig recording artists Smokin' Joe Kubek and B'nois King. Also on the bill for the weekend will be the finest in local and regional blues performers. The music will begin both days at 1-pm with gates opening at noon. Be sure to take in the food and merchandise vendors as well as the workshops offered during the weekend to make it a complete blues experience!

September 7
Labor Day Bridge Walk Mackinaw City
The Labor Day Bridge walk, recognized as "the world's greatest walking event", brings over 70,000 people to the area. Buses are available for transportation to the north end of the bridge. Participants walk from the north side to the south. At the finish line you are awarded a certificate of completion.

More Labor Day Getaway Resources

Stretch Your Labor Day Holiday with Michigan Fairs and Festivals from PureMichigan.org

Labor Day Getaways from the West Michigan Tourist Association

MDOT Halts Most Work for the Labor Day Weekend from MDOT (54 work zones will be active so check it out to plan your route)

Michigan's Upper Peninsula Calendar of Events - All the happenings are listed here

Thinking of doing some camping then check out this cool 'Campground Search' from the DNR

If you are not hitting the road then take a virtual Labor Day tour of Michigan courtesy of our Absolute Michigan Flickr pool

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"We've extended our efforts to stay connected with travelers. Social media allows us to get the Pure Michigan message out to potential visitors on other platforms," commented George Zimmermann, Vice President of Travel Michigan, a business unit of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "It opens another line of communication with travelers."

In addition to the most popular state tourism Web site, michigan.org, visitors now have other means to stay up-to-date on Michigan tourism deals, discounts and events.

Connect and get the inside scoop on where the fish are biting, what greens are running fast and how you can make your visit Pure Michigan at the newly launched blog, Pure Michigan Connect. Read about bloggers' experiences along the nation's longest fresh water coastline or experience at a small town celebration. Take a minute to comment on the blog posts, or submit one of your own.

Follow @PureMichigan on Twitter for the latest events and breaking news, along with some fun behind-the-scenes information on all the things going on with Michigan tourism. Search hashtags #puremichigan, #MIevents, #MIdine, #MIgolf, #MIfish, and #MIwine, for all the latest.

Join the Pure Michigan Fan Page on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all the latest events in Michigan and talk to others with the same love for Michigan. The fan page is another great resource for planning a trip.

In addition, visitors can now enjoy all the photos from the Pure Michigan Photo Contest on Flickr, or watch all of the Pure Michigan commercials on YouTube.

Michigan.org continues to be a source for Michigan travel information, featuring more than 12,000 attractions, events, hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses.

Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is the State of Michigan's official agency for the promotion of tourism. Travel Michigan markets the state's tourism industry and provides valuable visitor information services.

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