Working Together In Support of the Michigan Lighthouse Festival

L - R: Joanne Cook, Paradise Area Chamber of Commerce, Nikki Craig, Paradise Area Tourism Council, Marge Ellenberger, Michigan Lighthouse Festival.

Michigan Lighthouse Festival Director, Marge Ellenberger extended sincerest appreciation to the sponsors of the Third Michigan Light Festival, August 3, 4, 5, 2018 in Paradise, Michigan.  Marge gave a plaque of appreciation to Joanne Cook, Paradise Area Chamber of Commerce, President, and Nikki Craig, Paradise Area Tourism Council, Vice- President.  The plaque will be on display in the visitor’s center in Paradise and the Whitefish Township Community Center during the festival.   

The three lighthouses in the 2018 Michigan Lighthouse Festival's beam are the Crisp Point Lighthouse, Point Iroquois Lighthouse, and Whitefish Point's Light Station.  Each lighthouse has its own unique history and group of individuals that are involved in the preservation of the structure and its related stories.  Sincerest appreciation was expressed to Bruce Lynn, Great Lakes Historical Society Director, Rick Brockway, Crisp Point Light Historical Society, President, and Kari Vanderheuel, US Forest Service for their contributions to the success of the festival.  This, the third Michigan Lighthouse Festival, incorporates a kick-off banquet dinner and concert, The Gordon Lightfoot Tribute, held at the Bay Mills Resort & Casinos in Brimley, Michigan.  Special programs will be held at each lighthouse Saturday and Sunday. More specific details about the festival are available at www.MichiganLighthouseFestival.com  At the Whitefish Township Community Center, located south of Paradise on State Route M-123 there will be a Lighthouse Market Place,  various lighthouses will be sharing information about their specific programs. Booths and vendors with arts and crafts of lighthouse related memorabilia will be available.  

Additional sponsors of the 3^rd Michigan Lighthouse Festival are the Sault Ste. Marie C.V.B., Newberry Area Chamber of Commerce, Mackinaw Pasties & Cookie Co.  and Eagle Radio. The Sault Ste Marie Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has added these lighthouses built in the late 19^th century as a supplement to their year-long schedule of activities celebrating 350 years of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.  Newberry Area Chamber of Commerce President, Roberta Huffman is pleased to see Crisp Point included in the festival activities and encourages festival attendees to make reservations early.  Eagle Radio  has been announcing festival information since March.  Mackinaw Pasties & Cookie Co., located in St. Ignace and Mackinaw City are thrilled to be a Michigan Lighthouse Festival sponsor.  

The great adventure continues as Michigan Pure and Simple Tours has developed a Lighthouse Festival Tour Package that incorporates the Michigan Lighthouse Festival.  This charter motor coach tour offers a pickup in West Branch, Michigan, Friday, August 3 at 8 AM and then a pickup in Gaylord at 9:15 AM.  Details about this tour are available at this link, Michigan Lighthouse Tour 2018.  

Families with children are encouraged to attend the Michigan Lighthouse Festival.  To enhance the children’s experience FREE activity pamphlets, which will be available at each lighthouse and the marketplace, include images of the lighthouses to color, a cross-word puzzle, a word search, and a chart-the-water activity. For those children unable physically visit the lighthouses, an easy printout of the pamphlet is available on the Paradise Area Tourism Council’s web server.   Igniting a flame of intrigue in the lives of young people assures the future of the lighthouse movement.  Join this great adventure and attend the 3^rd Michigan Lighthouse Festival in Paradise, August 3 – 5, 2018.