Bridgfest has Fun Planned for on Land and Water

The final patches of snow will have less than 50 days to get gone. Because the Copper Country has some fun summertime festivities taking place in less than two months. The Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce, both Hancock and Houghton leadership, UPHS Portage and organizing groups are finalizing details for this year. In 2024 Bridgefest will include many of the region’s favorite activities with a waterfront ski show, helicopter rides, and the Friday night parade. But this year, Chamber Manage Katie Schlief says, the fun won’t stop where land meets water.

Yeah, since we’re right here on the Portage Canal, we want to have a lot of festivities that include that water on a joyous weekend for us. So we’re hoping to bring possibly back the cardboard cut-out box races. Hopefully, more to come on that as far as what teams can be formed and logistics on how we can get those boats made up. Then, of course, we will have the lighted boat parade on Saturday night. The theme I should say for the street and boat parade is Decades of Freedom this year. So you can get creative in that. – Kaite Schlief, Chamber Manager, Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce

Another fun event that the festival will include also features a local company’s favorite meal. A hotdog eating competition with Vollworth’s hot-dogs.

Later that afternoon the music starts up, the vendors will be going, and a full line of all the music, and our full schedule is listed on BridgeFestFun.com as we speak. We will have an exciting ski show back in town. We’ll have two performances from 2 to 2:30 and 4 to 4:30 on that day. Of course, we’ll have ducky races, that’s another big thing. And something big this year is we are having a Vollworth’s hot dog eating contest on Saturday at 3 p.m. The location is to be determined on that one but yeah we’re gonna do a kind of a draw out there and try to get ten to a dozen contestants that want to come on stage and see how many hot dogs they can eat so that’s new is exciting and then we are working with Lake Superior tall ships to get that ship in here to have that added to the festival this year. – Kaite Schlief, Chamber Manager, Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce

Bridgefest each year requires a lot of coordination and support from the local community. Schlief adds that the sponsors for an event of this scale are very important to bring all of the fun that’s possible to the area.

Yeah, you bet. You can visit our website, bridgefestfund.com. You can also find vendor information. We need both food and non-food vendors. We’re looking for volunteers who may want to work at the gates or if they want to help on the parade route. – Kaite Schlief, Chamber Manager, Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce

Sponsors for Bridge Fest will need to complete paperwork with the Chamber of Commerce by May 1st. The deadline for sponsorships will end next week so that organizers can begin preparing promotional materials, signs, posters, and event schedules for Bridgefest weekend. Bridgefest in the Copper Country will take place from June 13th to the 16th. Those interested in joining the fun as a sponsor, vendor, or volunteer can find more information online at bridgefestfun.com