Muskegon Lighthouse Festival - A part of the Michigan Maritime Celebration
August 18-20, 2017
The festival will feature live music on the pier, modern dance, chalk art and sandcastle-building contests and tours of both theMuskegon South Pierhead Light and Muskegon Breakwater Light. The event will mark the first time the Muskegon Breakwater Light has ever been open for public viewing.
"This is a celebration of Muskegon County's shoreline castles," said Cindy Beth Davis-Dykema, executive director of the Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy. "We don't have a lot of castles in Michigan, but we have 129 lighthouses, more than any other state. They really are a beautiful porthole into our history, especially here on the shoreline."
Muskegon's South Pierhead Light was built in 1903. In 2015, it was first opened to the public on a regular basis. The Muskegon South Breakwater Light was built in 1931 and while it will be opened to the public during the festival it will not be open for climbing.
The tower requires significant renovations. Fundraising efforts are underway, and Davis-Dykema said she hopes the festival will help to open the public's eyes about the need to preserve Michigan's lighthouses.
"We see them all the time so we take them for granted," she said. "We want to bring as much awareness to their need for preservation. We get so accustomed to them being there that we don't think about what would happen if they just fell into the lake. Our hope is they truly will become iconic landmarks for when people come into town."
Programing for the three-day festival is still in the planning stages, but Davis-Dykema said everything will be available free of charge with the exception of climbing the South Pierhead Light. Those tours will be offered at the normal price of $4.
For the most up-to-date information about this summer festival, follow its Facebook page.
"This is a celebration of Muskegon County's shoreline castles," said Cindy Beth Davis-Dykema, executive director of the Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy. "We don't have a lot of castles in Michigan, but we have 129 lighthouses, more than any other state. They really are a beautiful porthole into our history, especially here on the shoreline."
Muskegon's South Pierhead Light was built in 1903. In 2015, it was first opened to the public on a regular basis. The Muskegon South Breakwater Light was built in 1931 and while it will be opened to the public during the festival it will not be open for climbing.
The tower requires significant renovations. Fundraising efforts are underway, and Davis-Dykema said she hopes the festival will help to open the public's eyes about the need to preserve Michigan's lighthouses.
"We see them all the time so we take them for granted," she said. "We want to bring as much awareness to their need for preservation. We get so accustomed to them being there that we don't think about what would happen if they just fell into the lake. Our hope is they truly will become iconic landmarks for when people come into town."
Programing for the three-day festival is still in the planning stages, but Davis-Dykema said everything will be available free of charge with the exception of climbing the South Pierhead Light. Those tours will be offered at the normal price of $4.
For the most up-to-date information about this summer festival, follow its Facebook page.
