Travel back to Northern Michigan in the 1700s, at the St. Ignace Heritage Festival July 14–16, 2017 for an engaging adventure in history and fun.
See history come to life with historical re-enactments. Learn about our past with exhibits, tours and new sculptures. Listen to drum circles, enjoy the dancing and watch traditional basket-making demonstrations—with an ice cream social for added summer fun.
St. Ignace is an old city—it’s the third oldest continuously occupied city in America. And the St. Ignace Heritage Day Festival shows how these roots shape our culture and way of life from the 1700s forward.
In 2015, the Museum of Ojibwa Culture installed an international award-winning, Anishinaabe Clan Park, depicting the Ojibwe clan system of government. During Heritage Days, the Museum unveils its Anishinaabe Sculpture Park of life-size figures and signage to explore the expressive potential of art to convey the rich past with the work of award-winning artist and sign maker Jennifer de Vos from Pickford. The Anishinaabe Sculpture Park is located at 500 N. State St., St Ignace.
Medicine Man and Fisherman have inspired one visitor to say, “I recently stopped at the Museum of Ojibwa Culture and was honored to view the spectacular sculptures and meet the artist creating them. The detail is absolutely amazing, the time and thought put into the sculptures the material and how to form them is the best work I have ever seen.”
St. Ignace Heritage Day Festival Schedule of Events:
Friday, July 14
10 a.m.–8 p.m. Historical Native American and Museum of Ojibwa Culture Historical Re-enactors French and Native Encampment
1–2 p.m. Flint Knapping, Fort de Buade Museum, Dr. Larry Martin
3–5 p.m. Native Edible Plant Walk, Fort de Buade Museum, Dr. Larry Martin
6–7 p.m. Grandmother Moon Drum Circle, Museum of Ojibwa Culture, Drummers/Singers
7 p.m. Story Telling and Songs, St. Ignace Public Library, Genot Picor
Saturday, July 15
10 a.m.–8 p.m. Historical Native American, and French Encampment, Museum of Ojibwa, Culture, Historical Re-enactors
10 a.m.–1 p.m. Black Powder Turkey Shoot, St. Ignace Gun Range, Nick Barber & Rudy Hennekes, Open to public, $10 entry fee to shoot at Castle Rock Rd., St. Ignace
10 a.m.–5 p.m. Docent Tours Fort de Buade Museum MHS Board and Staff
10 a.m.–5 p.m. Museum tours, Museum of Ojibwa Culture, Becky Simmons
10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Black Ash Baskets Demo & Workshop Museum of Ojibwa Culture, Marge Bekins
10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Clan Mask Coloring Workshop, Museum of Ojibwa Culture, Sally Paquin and Lisa Walker
10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Dreamcatcher Workshop, Museum of Ojibwa Culture, Sue St. Onge & Helena Kissinger St. Onge
12–1 p.m. Grandmother Moon Drum Circle, Museum of Ojibwa Culture Performances throughout the day
1–5 p.m. Native American Dancing and Drumming, Museum of Ojibwa Culture, Hessel Drum Mukkwa Giizhik and Dancers
1– 2:30 p.m. Oddities and Rarities Book Presentation Sweetgrass Gallery, Fort de Buade, Author Ron Rademacher
3–5 p.m. U.P. Mystery Author – Presentation & Signing, Sweetgrass Gallery, Fort de Buade, Michael Carrier
7–8:30 p.m. French Canadian Music & Dancing Museum of Ojibwa Culture,
Le Compagne
Sunday, July 16
10 a.m.–2 p.m. Historical Native American Encampment, Museum of Ojibwa Culture, Historical Re-enactors
1–4 p.m. Docent Tours Fort de Buade Museum MHS Board & Staff
1–4 p.m. Docent Tours of Historic Mulcrone House 198 McCann Street, St. Ignace, MHS Volunteers
11 a.m.–1 p.m. Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social, Storytelling, American Legion Park, MHS, French Canadian. For All Ages, Across from Post Office, Educator Genot Picor & Friends
The Heritage Festival of St. Ignace is produced by the Michilimackinac Historical Society, Museum of Ojibwa Culture, St. Ignace Public Library, St. Ignace Events Committee, St. Ignace Area Community Foundation, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and the many volunteers who so generously give of their time.