Artist-in-Residence Workshop with Poet Lauren Carlson Posted December 1, 2021 Life By Water: on Mindfulness and Poetic Form with Lauren K. Carlson and Great Lakes Poet Lorine Niedecker Lauren K. Carlson will present an interactive poetry workshop for the public on mindfulness, poetic form and observing the natural world. Using regional poet Lorine Niedecker’s work as an example, participants will 1) receive a presentation on haiku, mindfulness, and objectivist poetry with relation to nature and place 2) take an observation walk (“gingko walk” in the Japanese Tradition) and return to 3) compose poems with notes taken while observing, before 4) sharing poems with other attendees and reflecting on the newly created works. This is a free workshop located in the Station 256 Conference Room, located above the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center. #thisismackinac
Mackinac’s Forgotten Features Posted December 1, 2021 On this guided bicycle tour, join Kyle Bagnall, Park Naturalist, as we search for features that are long lost, forgotten, or no longer exist today. Tales of Deer Park, Cowbell Point, the Musical Well, Scott’s Cave, and Fairy Arch are just a few of the special stories you’ll hear. This journey will start behind Fort Mackinac and cover about 7 miles before ending near Marquette Park. Participants should bring a good working bike, a drink of water, and a sense of adventure. Admission by donation. #thisismackinac
Underground Fort Mackinac Posted December 1, 2021 Fort Mackinac saw many changes over its 115-year history. All the buildings you see in the fort today were built by soldiers, but there were many other buildings that did not survive. Join Curator of Archaeology Lynn Evans for an evening walking tour to explore the archaeological side of Fort Mackinac history. This is a free event; donations welcome. Meet at the Fort Mackinac Avenue of Flags. #thisismackinac
Artist-in-Residence Workshop with Composer Andrew Perkins Posted November 30, 2021 Perkins is a composer, conductor, and music educator from Fenton, MI. In 1938, a young folk music collector named Alan Lomax came from Washington, DC to record Michigan’s folk music traditions for the Archive of American Folk-Song at the Library of Congress. Lomax was particularly interested in the trove of ballads remembered by aging lumberjacks and Great Lakes sailors. In ten weeks, he recorded more than 120 performers from Detroit to the western Upper Peninsula. These recordings, along with the 1950’s recordings of Duane Starcher (recorded for WMUK Radio at Western Michigan University) were rich source material for an arrangement Perkins created in 2020 titled “TUEBOR SUITE.” The arrangement is for symphonic wind band, and has been performed dozens of times in the state and around the country. For their public presentation, Perkins will sing these folk songs, accompanying themself on the guitar. During the residency, Perkins will also be composing a lyrical work based on the natural beauty and historical importance of the island, to be premiered at a later date. This is a free workshop at the Station 256 Conference Room, located above the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center. #thisismackinac
Movie by the Bridge: Toy Story Posted November 30, 2021 Settle under the stars and enjoy the Disney/Pixar classic Toy Story with the Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Bridge as your backdrop. Bring a blanket or chair and your favorite snack. This is a free event. #thisismackinac
Artist-in-Residence Workshop with Playwright Alexander Utz Posted November 30, 2021 Utz will present a staged reading of his new play, which he’s currently developing, called Gut. It is about the experiments conducted by William Beaumont on Alexis St. Martin, beginning on Mackinac Island and continuing until their time together came to an end. The presentation will include a brief introduction on how the play came to be, including how specific places in the story like Mackinac came to influence the telling of the story itself. Then the presentation will move on to a staged reading of the play, which will be performed outdoors (most likely in Marquette Park). Because a lot of the play deals with travel, the outdoors, and the idea of exploring frontiers in that time period, it should be very interesting to perform it outdoors, and something very powerful about enacting these historical events in one of the places they actually took place. After the reading, Utz will lead a discussion with the audience about the themes explored in the play, the process of writing it, and the potential for more development going forward. This workshop will begin at the Station 256 Conference Room, located above the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center. This is a free event. #thisismackinac
Maritime Michilimackinac Posted November 30, 2021 Colonial Michilimackinac was a major hub for the Great Lakes Fur Trade, and its location where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet was crucial to its success. This special event will focus on Michilimackinac’s maritime history. Join the interpretive staff as they discuss and demonstrate the many different ways Michilimackinac’s historic residents interacted with and worked on the water. All special events included with a regular Colonial Michilimackinac ticket. #thisismackinac SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 9:30 a.m. Fort Michilimackinac Open 10:00 a.m. Bales, Barrels and Boxes: Supplying the Great Lakes Fur Trade Program 11:00 a.m. Weapons on the Water Demonstration 12:00 p.m. Feeding a Voyageur Crew Program 12:30 p.m. Michilimackinac’s Enslaved Community Program 2:00 p.m. Boat and Canoe Program 3:30 p.m. Weapons on the Water Demonstration 4:00 p.m. Some Tea and Loaf Sugar: Tea at the British Trader’s House 5:00 p.m. Bales, Barrels and Boxes: Supplying the Great Lakes Fur Trade Program 6:00 p.m. Musket Firing Demonstration 7:00 p.m. Fort Closed for the Evening
Maritime Michilimackinac Posted November 30, 2021 Colonial Michilimackinac was a major hub for the Great Lakes Fur Trade, and its location where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet was crucial to its success. This special event will focus on Michilimackinac’s maritime history. Join the interpretive staff as they discuss and demonstrate the many different ways Michilimackinac’s historic residents interacted with and worked on the water. All special events included with a regular Colonial Michilimackinac ticket. #thisismackinac SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 9:30 a.m. Fort Michilimackinac Open 10:00 a.m. Bales, Barrels and Boxes: Supplying the Great Lakes Fur Trade Program 11:00 a.m. Weapons on the Water Demonstration 12:00 p.m. Feeding a Voyageur Crew Program 12:30 p.m. Michilimackinac’s Enslaved Community Program 2:00 p.m. Boat and Canoe Program 3:30 p.m. Weapons on the Water Demonstration 4:00 p.m. Some Tea and Loaf Sugar: Tea at the British Trader’s House 5:00 p.m. Bales, Barrels and Boxes: Supplying the Great Lakes Fur Trade Program 6:00 p.m. Musket Firing Demonstration 7:00 p.m. Fort Closed for the Evening
Maritime Michilimackinac Posted November 30, 2021 Colonial Michilimackinac was a major hub for the Great Lakes Fur Trade, and its location where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet was crucial to its success. This special event will focus on Michilimackinac’s maritime history. Join the interpretive staff as they discuss and demonstrate the many different ways Michilimackinac’s historic residents interacted with and worked on the water. All special events included with a regular Colonial Michilimackinac ticket. #thisismackinac SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 9:30 a.m. Fort Michilimackinac Open 10:00 a.m. Bales, Barrels and Boxes: Supplying the Great Lakes Fur Trade Program 11:00 a.m. Weapons on the Water Demonstration 12:00 p.m. Feeding a Voyageur Crew Program 12:30 p.m. Michilimackinac’s Enslaved Community Program 2:00 p.m. Boat and Canoe Program 3:30 p.m. Weapons on the Water Demonstration 4:00 p.m. Some Tea and Loaf Sugar: Tea at the British Trader’s House 5:00 p.m. Bales, Barrels and Boxes: Supplying the Great Lakes Fur Trade Program 6:00 p.m. Musket Firing Demonstration 7:00 p.m. Fort Closed for the Evening
Exploring Mackinac’s Natural Wonders Posted November 30, 2021 In 1846, James Beven wrote, “A ramble is a pleasure which may be enjoyed at Mackinac to perfection…” Join Park Naturalist, Kyle Bagnall, on an afternoon ramble to explore some of the island’s most ancient natural wonders. Participant should meet behind Fort Mackinac, at the Avenue of Flags on Huron Road, where we’ll begin our hike. From there, we’ll following winding pathways to Skull Cave, Point Lookout, and Sugar Loaf as we tread upon “The Turtle’s Back” of Ancient Mackinac Island. Wonders come in all sizes, so be prepared for large and small surprises. Wear clothes for the weather and good shoes for walking about 2.5 miles total. This hike is free, with no preregistration required. #thisismackinac
