MARINETTE — It’s that time of the year when local residents will celebrate the city’s deep lumber tradition this weekend with the 12th Logging & Heritage Fest in Marinette.
Most of the activity is packed into a fun-filled Saturday, starting with the 3rd annual Loggers 5K/Run/Walk at 8 a.m. and concluding with fireworks at 9:30 p.m., weather permitting. This year’s festival will once again include a Kids Walk/Run, immediately after the regular 5K run.
Activities begin at noon on Stephenson Island. The Great Lakes Timberjack Show will perform at noon, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. That show features chainsaw carving, log rolling, ax throwing and cross-cut sawing. There will be live music on the main stage starting with “Sunny & The Heat” from 1 to 4 p.m. The local band plays a wide variety of songs from all genres. “Coyote Wild” — a seven-piece band from Minnesota — performs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. That band plays mostly country, but it does mix in some classic rock. Also, “Good Fellows” will perform by the museum from 2 to 4 p.m. A BMX Bike Show takes place at 2, 4 and 5:30 p.m.
Marinette City Clerk Lana Bero, the festival committee chairperson, said the BMX Show includes more ramps and more riders than in the past.
Bero stressed the festival is family-oriented and there is plenty for kids to do, including bouncy houses, a rock wall, bungee jumping, face painting and balloon magic. People involved in Marinette County’s successful drug court program will be doing the face painting, Bero said.
The rock wall, bungee jumping and a 360 photo booth are new this year. The photo booth can hold up to five people, who can get photos emailed to them or sent to friends and family members. Bero said people can choose designs they want in the photos.
“Because this is a free event, families can come down there (to the island) and they don’t have to worry about costs (for kids’ activities),” Bero said. “The only thing they really have to pay for is food. Families can come down there and enjoy the day without having to incur a lot of costs on the activities.”
There will be ice cream giveaways for kids at 3 and 6 p.m. Also, at 5 p.m., children can dig for small toys and money in a Sawdust Dig for Kids. Hay will be used rather than messy sawdust and kids will be divided into age groups, Bero said.
A beard growing contest takes place at 5 p.m. No registration is necessary and participants just need to show up. Prizes will be awarded in a variety of categories (longest, shaggiest, etc.).
The festival will feature more than 25 craft tents and 12 food vendors on the island. There will be several informational tents providing info on the M&M Children’s Museum, bear trappers, Marinette Historical Society and the Logging Museum.
The parade marshal is Dan Peterson, the retired president of Stephenson National Bank and Trust. He and his wife, Barb, along with some grandchildren will in the parade.
A car show takes place on Sunday on Riverside Avenue, from Hattie Street to the Best Western Riverfront Inn. Russ Mayou will be the DJ and food vendors will be on hand.
The Stephenson Island museum will be open from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. A shuttle bus service provided by Westlund Bus Lines will take place Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Jacks’ Fresh Market in Menominee. No shuttles will run on Sunday.
Bero said the festival runs very smoothly with its strong regular committee, which includes seven volunteer, and its parade committee. “We have an amazing community that helps us through this to keep it a free family event,” she said. “We’re looking forward to another year.”
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