A Day for the Lake
A Roundup of Lake Superior Day Activities

Lake Superior Day - the third Sunday every July - is July 20 this year. Below is a sampler of events and organizations celebrating for the day, the weekend or longer.

Many places will organize kite flying. Even if your community doesn’t have special events, bring friends and a kite to the water to celebrate.

Lake Superior Binational Forum’s website, www.superiorforum.info, keeps you up on your neighborhood events. (And mark your calendars now for July 19, 2009, and make a play date with the lake.)

ONTARIO

Thunder Bay/Shuniah

July 20 - Lakehead Conservation Authority will sponsor a Lake Superior Day Community Picnic from noon to 4 p.m. at Silver Harbour Conservation Area east of Thunder Bay. There will be a barbecue, displays and children’s activities. (www.lakeheadca.com.)

Wawa

July 19 - Naturally Superior Adventures and Niijkiwenhwag sponsor rides in a 36-foot replica voyageur canoe. Depart and return from Agawa Beach in Lake Superior Provincial Park. (This is part of Parks Day and Lake Superior Day weekend.) Life jackets and paddles will be provided. At 9:30 p.m., park visitors have the opportunity to take a “Passage Through Time” and meet characters from the park’s past at the Agawa Bay Amphitheatre.

July 20 - A coastal hike will take place along the rocky shore of the Big Lake. Group departs from the Katherine Cove Day-Use area at 10:30 a.m. Bring water, snacks and sunscreen.

MICHIGAN

Grand Marais

July 17-20 - Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium has paddlers congregating on at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (www.glsks.org.)

Ironwood

July 20 - A beach cleanup will be followed by kite flying on the shores.

WISCONSIN

Ashland

July 16-20 - Bay Days Festival offers music, crafts and a fun run.

Washburn

July 17 - Ted Gostomski will discuss his new book, Island Life: An Isle Royale Nature Guide, a description of Isle Royale’s unique flora and fauna. Washburn Carnegie Library, 7 p.m.

Bayfield

July 20 - Bayfield Presbyterian Church will hold a special church service in honor of Lake Superior Day. (Details: 715-779-5490.)

July 20 - At 7:30 p.m., Big Top Chautauqua presents its original musical “30th Star” about Wisconsin (www.bigtop.org).

Red Cliff

All of July - A Lake Superior exhibit is at Mazinaigan Waakaaigan Library.

Herbster

July 20 - There will be a beach cleanup and kite flying at Herbster Town Beach.

Port Wing

July 20 - Children can create their own kite out of recycled materials at Trout Run Art Gallery and Ice Cream Shop.

Superior

July 19-20 - Water specialists from University of Wisconsin-Extension and University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program invite visitors on the L.L. Smith. (Register at www.seagrant.umn.edu/vfl.)

July 20 - Community for Youth Committee hosts at Barker’s Island Festival Park, 1-4 p.m. Events include a drum circle, games, kites, music and displays. A cleanup at Barker’s Island features a “trash trophy” for the most successful collector. Lake Superior Writers “Read Stories for the Lake,” 2-4 p.m., Fairlawn Mansion & Museum.

MINNESOTA

Carlton

July 18-20 - Spectators can watch the Whitewater Rendezvous Slalom and Sprint Races from the Highway 210 bridge at Thomson Dam.

Duluth

July 17-20 - Scientists and lake-area specialists will be at Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center in Canal Park, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily with information about regional culture, natural history and invasive aquatic species.

July 19-20 - George Host of the Minnesota Geocache Association will offer coordinates for new geocaches in the area (www.mngca.org). Duluth geocacher Ghost640 will hide four special geocoins in the western lake area; www.superiorforum.info has clues.

July 19 - Howard Sivertson, author of Driftwood: Stories Picked Up Along the Shore, will sign books at Northern Lights Books & Gifts from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

July 20 - From 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Nukewatch will sponsor a Walk for the Lake - from Brighton Beach, 11 a.m., on the 6-1/2-mile route or from Leif Erikson Park, 2 p.m., on the 1-1/2-mile route, meet in Canal Park for a rally and music.

July 20 - Great Lakes Aquarium offers hands-on learning stations inside during the day, kite flying (1-3 p.m.) and a presentation by International Joint Commission member Allen Olson.

July 20 - Several area churches will hold special services in honor of Lake Superior Day.

Two Harbors

July 20 - Environmental and conservation groups will discuss aquatic invasive species, environmental protection, regional culture, natural history and other Lake Superior topics at Split Rock Lighthouse, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

LAKEWIDE

Lake Superior Binational Forum donated books about Lake Superior to libraries in Sault Ste. Marie, Nipigon, Houghton, Ironwood, Two Harbors and Duluth. Some of this year’s books are Driftwood: Stories Picked Up Along the Shore by Howard Sivertson, Lake Superior Stories and Spirit by John and Ann Mahan and Lighthouse Fireflies by Ann Margaret Lewis.