| The
visitor to the Keweenaw area will find a world operating at a slower
pace than much of the rest of the country. You will find no four
lane roads here, and when we say highway, we mean the road is paved
all the way to the next town. The sister towns of Houghton and Hancock
are the local area's largest urban areas and offer an uncommon amount
of culture due to the presence of two universities.
A strong sense of heritage can be seen in the unique
and diverse ethnic shops and restaurants. One finds pasties and
nissu on the menu and sauna supplies in the hardware department.
The magnificent architecture reminds one of the copper boom of times
past. Once a burgeoning metropolis of mining activity, the Keweenaw
is now a paradise for the vacationer and student who find a welcoming
community as well as unique natural resources.
Local Events
• Winter
Heikinpäivä
Midwinter Festival - A series of events celebrating
the halfway point of winter at various Hancock locations. Activities
include a parade, smorgasbord dinner & dance, concerts, Tori
Market, cultural demonstrations, the "Polar Bear Plunge"
and more.
Heikinpäivä Hiihto at the Maasto Hiihto ski trails
in Hancock. 5k & 20k cross country ski races.
Copper Island Classic at the Chassell ski trails.
5k & 10k cross country ski races.
Brockway Mountain
Tour - 15k & 30k cross country ski tours up and over Brockway
Mountain. Sponsored by the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club.
Annual
Michigan Tech University Winter Carnival in Houghton and surrounding
areas. This event features snow statues, sporting events and the
snowball Formal Dance.
Keweenaw Ride-in. Snowmobile Festival sponsored by the Copper
Harbor Improvement Association. A day of fun, food & drink,
snowmobile rides and snowmobile races.
Junior Bear Chase Cross Country Ski race at
the Swedetown ski trails in Calumet. Race length varies with age
group. Sponsored by the Ski Tigers.
Annual Great Bear Chase Cross Country Ski Race.
25 and 50 K races start and finish near downtown Calumet. Sponsored
by the Copper Island Ski Club.
• SPRING
Pine Mountain Music Festival. World class singers & Instrumental
ensembles performing opera, chamber music, new music, symphony,
jazz and more.
Carl Olson Memorial Adventure Trail Run starting
at the Chassell Community Center. 5k & 10k runs, 5k walk. First
race is at 9:30 am. T-shirts, awards, refreshments.
Bridgefest
Celebration in the Houghton and Hancock areas. Parade, arts
and crafts show, entertainment, jet ski races, dances and much more.
Help celebrate the birthday of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.
Seafood Fest is held on the Houghton Waterfront
in conjunction with Bridgefest. Come and sample your favorite seafood,
listen to music and join in the fun.
Keweenaw Chain Drive Festival Mountain Bike Race
held in conjunction with Bridgefest. Cross country races & specialized
kids races.
• SUMMER
Summerfest, sponsored by the Keweenaw Peninsula
Chamber of Commerce. Music & dancing at the Calumet Armory.
Strawberry Festival,
sponsored by the Chassell Lions Club. All-day events, arts &
crafts, and lots of Strawberry Shortcake.
Second
Annual PastyFest will be held on July 2, 2005 in Agassiz
Park in Calumet. There will be a parade at 10am, music,
games and pasties in the park from 11am - 4pm, a pasty bake-off
for the coveted Copper Pasty, and a dance at the Armory from 5pm
- Midnight. For more information, visit the Main Street website
at www.mainstreetcalumet.com
.
6th Annual Sibelius
Academy Music Festival sponsored by Finlandia University
at the Calumet Theatre in July. Tickets are available by calling
906-337-2610.
Republic Bank Canal Run beginning at McLain
State Park at 9 am. Also includes the 10 Mile Walk/Run at 8 am and
the 3 Mile Fun Run.
Copperman Triathlon at the Lake Fanny Hooe Resort in Copper
Harbor. Swim tranquil Lake Fanny Hooe, bike the rocky shores of
Lake Superior & run through the wilderness on shaded roads.
Eagle Harbor Arts & Crafts Exhibit at St. Peters by the
Sea in Eagle Harbor. Sponsored by the Copper Country Associated
Artists.
Art in the Park at the Community Center in
Copper Harbor. A two-day craft fair featuring local and regional
artists, including food and entertainment.
Houghton County Fair
at the Houghton County Fair Grounds in Hancock. Exhibits, carnival,
demolition derby, logging show, draft horse pull and much, much
more. For information call the fair office at (906) 482-6200
Heritage
Celebration - Historic displays, ethnic foods, arts & crafts,
kids games, etc. in the "Old Town" Calumet area. (August)
• Fall
Copper Harbor Fat Tire Festival. 14 & 20
mile mountain bike races with awards, food & beverages &
live music following the race.
Multicultural Festival
in the Houghton and Hancock areas. Parade, cultural food festival,
games and entertainment.
Pasty
Fest at Dee Stadium in Houghton. Enjoy a day of music and fun
while you dine on the dish made famous by the Keweenaw's copper
miners - the pasty. Live music, food and beverage vendors, homemade
pasty contest, karaoke contest, fall color cruise.
Professional
Walleye Tournament sponsored by Mercury Marine, this the
national championship held on the Keweenaw's Portage Waterway.
Activities talk place in Houghton and Hancock.
Local Links
• Pasty
Central - the area's most comprehensive list of local businesses
• City of Hancock
- Learn more about Finlandia's home town
• City of Houghton
- Hancock's sister town just across Portage Lake
• Keweenaw Tourism
Council - Recreation in the Keweenaw and schedule of events
• Daily Mining
Gazette - Local Newspaper
• Finnish/American
Reporter - Ethnic News
• Isle Royal
National Park - The jewel of Lake Superior
Back to Top
|
