All Call for Fall
Ready for fall … or at least a fall fest or three? Some seasonal options are coming up quickly.
Big Bay in Michigan's Upper Peninsula kicks off its 5th annual Fall Fest this weekend, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 20) at the newly renovated Draver Park. There will be local vendors, a car show, a kids craft area, food trucks and sweet treats, games and more. This photo is Big Bay … but not taken this year.
Chester Bowl in Duluth celebrates its 41st annual Fall Fest from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday with a regional craft event where you can enjoy music, food, crafts, locally grown fresh produce, vendors, and informational booths about local programs.
Also on Saturday, join the Fall Festival & Brat Fry from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Copper Falls State Park near Mellen. There will be arts and crafts, raffle, food, entertainment, vendors, children’s activities and demonstrations
On Oct. 3-5, it's the 63rd annual Bayfield Apple Festival, but the first event happens next week (Sept. 24) with the judging of the Apple Pie and Dessert Contest at the Bayfield Lakeside Pavilion. Judges make their choices starting at 4 p.m. and the public gets to sample and judge at 5 p.m.
Meanwhile … this week's fall color reports tell us that the Upper Peninsula is only beginning to see some color with areas ranging from 0-25% leaf changes. The same looks to be true for Minnesota's Arrowhead region, which also has a report on grasses changes at state parks. Northern Wisconsin looks pretty green on the map.
Chatting with the Fishes
For those of you who didn't get the chance to livestream the underwater trip along the Superior Shoal, you can still catch the "guided tour" done by ROV pilot Zach Melnick and freshwater scientist Dr. Michael Ronnie. Yvonne Drebert, ROV tether and deployment tech, also explained the equipment that was sent from the Blue Heron to explore the mountain beneath Lake Superior. You can see the full 1.5-ish hour program here. It's on the Inspired Planet YouTube site.
Meanwhile … you can actually visit the Blue Heron on Friday (Sept. 19) for the Large Lakes Observatory's Science on Deck outside the DECC in Duluth. From 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Prof. Craig Hill will host the tours.
Time for a Tour
Old Brule Heritage Society will offer tours this Saturday (Sept. 20) at Davidson Windmill, Blueberry Depot and at the Eskolin Finnish Log House and Log Sauna from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The address of the windmill is 7890 Old Highway 13, South Range, Wis.
The society, founded in 1998, are stewards of the above named sites, plus the Old Brule Archives, Taylor’s Bridge and the Monticello School, which is under renovation, as is the depot.
The tours – along with a big fundraising bake sale – will also be offered on the weekend of the Bayfield Apple Festival (you could stop on your way from Duluth). The tours again will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday-Sunday (Oct. 3-5).
The tours are free and including a visit inside the recently renovated windmill and with tour hosts at the site, says society Secretary Donna Bergsten. Those who can't do the visits, but would like to support the preservation efforts can make contact through oldbrule.hs@gmail.com or send donations to the society at PO Box 24, Maple, WI 54954.
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 19-20: The Fall Mud Bog lets adults play in the mud with their off-road-ish vehicles. The mud pit in Pelkie opens at 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday. Find the rules of the pit online.
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 19-20: Munising Bay Cruisers presents the Munising Car Show downtown for enthusiasts of all ages, with cars arriving from around the state.
Saturday, Sept. 20: Michigan Technological University's popular Multicultural Festival features lunch (starts at noon) at the Dee Stadium, where you can choose international tidbits from a number of vendor booths or buy a whole meal. There will also be stage entertainment and the Parade of Nations, which kicks off the event at 11 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 20: Blackrocks Brewery's Oktoberfest is noon-11 p.m. with a celebration of beer that includes German music, commemorative steins, a stein-holding competition, food vendors and fun.
Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 19-20: The 2025 Flying Geese Quilt Show at the Sault Area Elementary School is presented by Keeping the Piece Quilters Guild, celebrating its 250th year. It will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 9 am.-3 p.m. Sunday.
Minnesota
Saturday, Sept. 20: See Scandinavian crafts (including rosemaling, carving, kolrosing, hardanger, woodenware, knitting, and jewelry), demonstrations, live music and enjoy lefse, sweet treats, coffee and hot cider at the 44th annual Scandinavian Festival hosted by the Twin Ports Rosemaling Society. The event runs 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the at Aspirus St Luke's Sports & Event Center in Proctor.
Saturday, Sept. 20: Author Emma Törzs reads from and signs her 2024 Minnesota Book Award-winning fiction Ink Blood Sister Scribe, 6-7:30 p.m. at Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais.
Monday, Sept. 22: The Ely’s Got Talent auditions are Monday 7 p.m. at the Vermilion Fine Arts Theater. Only 10 acts will move forward to the final competition, so bring your music, dance, comedy, spoken word or theater. Here’s what’s on the line: • $500 Judges’ Choice – top act of the night. • $250 Runner-Up – another standout recognized. • $250 Audience Favorite – the crowd decides. The event is part of the 40th anniversary season of the
Northern Lakes Art Association.
Wisconsin
Friday-Sunday, Sept. 19-21: The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa opens its annual Gaa-Miskwaabikaang Jiikakamigaad (Red Cliff Days celebration) as a fun-filled event for everyone, centering at the Legendary Waters & Casino Resort in Red Cliff. There will be tournaments, canoe races, a round dance, food and entertainment all weekend. Find the fill schedule here.
Friday, Sept. 19: Bonnie Raitt joins special guest Jimmie Vaughan & The Tilt-A-Whirl Band at the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua at 7 p.m. Bonnie, who has been honored at the Kennedy Center, earned her 31st Grammy nomination in December.
Saturday, Sept. 20: Superior marks WI Stormwater Week with a clean-up at Wisconsin Point, organized by the Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, 9:30 a.m.-noon. Register here. From Monday-Friday next week, WI Land & Water is hosting a series of daily webinars. See the topics and register here.
Ontario
Saturday-Sunday, Dept. 20-21: Thundercon roars into Thunder Bay again, centered at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition with costumes, guest speakers, films, game craft, a Star Wars march and way more than we can mention. Check out the full schedule here.
Saturday, Sept. 20: The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie offers a full day of family-fun activities for its annual Bushplane Days. Enjoy the Snowbirds Flight Simulator, firetruck tours, games, face painting, live entertainment (10 a.m.-4 p.m.), or take a bushplane ride, available to purchase through Killarney Air Service.
Photo & graphic credits in order of appearance: Discover Big Bay; Inspired Planet; Old Brule Heritage Society; Spotlight, from left, Fall Mud Bog/Ely's Got Talent/Red Cliff Days/Bushplane Days