Mackinac Island’s summer events calendar is full of cherished traditions such as the Lilac Festival, Fourth of July celebration and yacht races from Chicago and Port Huron. In addition to those time-honored hallmarks of the visitor season, there also are some newer activities on the schedule for 2025.
Here’s a look at just a few of the extraordinary things you can be a part of this summer on Mackinac Island:
Mackinac Island Lilac Festival
The 77th annual Mackinac Island Lilac Festival is renowned for crowning a Lilac Queen (that’s June 6) and for having the biggest horse-drawn parade in America (that’s June 15). Yet, that’s just a sample of the many festivities planned during the 10-day event.
Here are three more unique activities during this year’s Lilac Festival:
- Mackinac Island’s Vintage Bicycle Rally on the Rock, June 7 – Enjoy a casual ride around the island with other bicycle enthusiasts. If you bring a vintage bike from 1989 or older, you could win a Best of Show award!
- Street Dance with the West Michigan Bootscooters, June 7 – Learn line dancing, partner swings and more moves right in the middle of Market Street
- Michigan Cornhole Tournament, June 14 – Cash prizes are up for grabs with divisions for a range of skill levels at the beautiful, waterfront Windermere Point
Mackinac Island’s Civil War Weekend
Yes, Fort Mackinac figures most prominently into American military history through the War of 1812 and, before that, the Revolutionary War. But the historic stronghold also played an interesting role in the Civil War.
Mackinac State Historic Parks on June 21-22 will reenact the Stanton Guard, which kept watch over three Confederate prisoners holed up in Fort Mackinac during the war.
Learn about Fort Mackinac as a Civil War prison
A World-Record Attempt on Mackinac Island
Along with two fireworks shows at dusk on the Fourth of July, the Independence Day celebration on Mackinac Island always includes the W.T. Rabe Stone Skipping Contest, one of the world’s most prestigious events of its kind.
This year, the day before both amateurs and professionals skip stones into the water from Windermere Point, another kind of skipping extravaganza is planned. You can come stand in knee-deep water and join a world-record attempt at skipping a Waboba ball from one person to the next.
Will we be able to skip one all the way around Mackinac Island?!?
Time-Traveling Biking and Hiking Tours on Mackinac Island
Perhaps you’ve seen Arch Rock, but do you know about Chimney Rock? Maybe you’ve been to Sugar Loaf, but have you heard of Listening Hill?
Mackinac Island State Park’s naturalist will lead a free bike tour July 12 to the island’s long lost, forgotten and even disappearing features such as Deer Park, Dousman’s Distillery and Wishing Spring.
If you prefer a hike, then join a Tour of the Turtle’s Back on July 29, when the park naturalist will take you on a guided trek to find some of Mackinac Island’s most ancient wonders.
Old-Fashioned Baseball on Mackinac Island
Watch the Fort Mackinac Never Sweats battle the Mackinaw City Boys in a vintage base ball game July 26 on the fort’s parade grounds, where America’s pastime has been played for more than 150 years. The two teams will play by many of the now-obscure rules that were part of baseball in the 1800s, and the crowd will be invited to play along by learning some classic baseball cheers.
Astronomical Awe on Mackinac Island
August on Mackinac Island brings streaks of light from the annual Perseids meteor shower, which peaks this year Aug. 12-13. Venturing up to Fort Holmes is a great way to get a clear view of the show against a dark sky.
This year, the Perseids happily coincide with two other astronomical events: a full moon on Aug. 9 (you can even join a Full Moon Over Mackinac guided hike) and an Aug. 12 conjunction of the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter.
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