Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By JEAN NORDINE
The big top tent is being set up today for the 27th annual Festival Ironwood. The 2018 Festival gets in full swing this Wednesday and continues through Saturday, concluding on Sunday with church services and the Range Art Association Master’s Art Show at the Ironwood Memorial building.
Festival coordinators Will Corcoran and Keith Johnson appreciate the numerous work by volunteers behind the scenes, before, during and after the festival. It is truly a team effort to bring it all together.
There are plenty of activities for young and old alike. Most of them taking place on depot grounds.
Youngsters can burn off energy in the giant moon walk jumper, a new addition to this year’s festival. There’s also pony rides, a petting zoo and a sawdust scramble.
According to the Festival’s Facebook page there will be the world’s largest duck pick, “This is a pick you just cannot duck! Truly a world-wide web event (web foot, that is!)” The post continued, “You can always count on Festival Ironwood to have its ducks in a row!”
Another new addition this year is Friday’s Kids Activity Day featuring an ACA Jumps 50’ obstacle course.
Large crowds are expected all four days of the Festival and over 80 people have signed up for the arts and crafts show.
Car enthusiasts can expect to see two to three blocks filled up for the Old Depot Car Cruise on Wheels.
You can be musically entertained with polka music, bluegrass, and listen to various area bands as live music will take place each day under the big top.
Saturday Festival Ironwood will present Marty’s Goldenaires for the first time. Also making their Festival debut on Saturday is the Lake Effect Band.
Taking place at the Historic Ironwood Theatre are the Brown Bag Lunch Concerts. Wednesday features Classical guitarist, Anne and harpist, Lisa. Thursday will be “Songs of the Civil War” with Charlie and Friday photographer Jeff Richter will display his “Shadowing the White Deer.”
You won’t go away hungry. There’s an assortment of good things at the concession stands, plus Thursday’s grilled chicken feed, Friday night’s fish fry and Saturday’s pancake breakfast.
And don’t forget about the pie and strawberry socials, and the new watermelon eating contest.
Other fun activities include a dart tournament, sand castle building, outdoor pool tournament, and a volleyball tournament.
These are just a few activities taking place, there are many, many, more, so make your way down to the depot grounds and take part in the 2018 Festival Ironwood.
“Come to the Festival, forget about everything else and just come and have a good time,” said Will Corcoran.
A complete schedule of events is listed in today’s paper.
