Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival

Inspired by the Wheatland Festival downstate, a handful of people from Deerton, Munising, and Marquette raised money through bake sales, basketball games, and dances to throw the first Hiawatha in 1979 - on the horse-pulling grounds in Champion, for 1,200 people. It's run by a music co-operative and has camped along the Dead River at Tourist Park since 1984, with bluegrass, old-time, Cajun, Celtic, and acoustic blues on the main stage. As the organizers put it plainly: without Hiawatha, U.P. musicians and fans would drive four to six hours to reach anything like it.

Dates

Next-to-last full weekend of July (Fri-Sun)

Town

Marquette, Michigan

Venue

Tourist Park, Marquette, MI 49855

Price

Paid (weekend tickets; camping available)

Type

Music