This is the signature event of the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce. Hosted every year over the 4th of July/Independence Day Holiday, the Manistee National Forest Festival is a Manistee County tradition stretching back over 80 years.

Drawing thousands of tourists to the area along with many residents returning with ties to the community, this festival embodies the idea of “Community” that so many love about this area.

Each year, the Forest Festival highlights events such as the Festival Marketplace, Carnival, Fireworks over Lake Michigan, and much more!

Schedule

June 29, 2023

8:00 AM – 9:00 PM: 75th Birthday of the Lake Bluff Farms Giant Sequoia

Lake Bluff Farms - 2890 Lakeshore Rd (just north of the State Park)

Lake Bluff Farms (2890 Lakeshore Rd, Manistee, MI 49660) is the home of the largest Giant Sequoia east of the Rockies. The biggest of three trees, a.k.a the Michigan Champion, is 116 feet tall. Since the "natural" distribution of the Giant Sequoias is a limited area in the western Sierra Nevada in California, the Lake Bluff sequoias are one of a kind. Foresters and arborists around the world are in awe of its great success in a place so far from its natural growing area. It is nearly one-half the size of the biggest known sequoias in the world. During the Manistee National Forest Festival, Lake Bluff Farms will be open for tours from 10:00 AM – 3 PM, highlighting one of Manistee’s hidden treasures of the forest.

9:00 AM – Dusk: Festival Marketplace

First Street Beach - Douglas Park

Come shop for a variety of goods with over 30 Vendors that come from all across the state. Enjoy all the unique items that they bring for you to purchase!

12:00 PM – Dusk: Anderson Midway Carnival

First Street Beach - Douglas Park

Take the family to enjoy the rides, games, food and fun only the Carnival can provide!

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Manistee National Forest Open House

1170 Nursery Rd, Wellston MI 49689

The headquarters sits on the historic Chittenden Nursery where guests are invited to come say hello to Smokey Bear, visit our gift shop and interact with our district staff. Want to see how your local Forest Service district is helping to save the American Elm tree? Exhibits will include a tour of an active seed bed where the Forest Service is planting copies of surviving American elm that will be included in a Dutch Elm Disease Tolerance Trial. Our firefighting unit will also have some equipment on display and talk about wildland fire management in our local area. District Botanists will be showing off the districts native plant and pollinator garden and there will be additional presentations from our Recreation, Wildlife and Timber management programs. Upon departure visitors can pick up a self-guided tour map of recent forest management projects containing the location and information about the different stages of forest management.

Cost: Free

June 30, 2023

8:00 AM – 9:00PM: 75th Birthday of the Lake Bluff Farms Giant Sequoia

Lake Bluff Farms - 2890 Lakeshore Rd (just north of the State Park)

Lake Bluff Farms (2890 Lakeshore Rd, Manistee, MI 49660) is the home of the largest Giant Sequoia east of the Rockies. The biggest of three trees, a.k.a the Michigan Champion, is 116 feet tall. Since the “natural” distribution of the Giant Sequoias is a limited area in the western Sierra Nevada in California, the Lake Bluff sequoias are one of a kind. Foresters and arborists around the world are in awe of its great success in a place so far from its natural growing area. It is nearly one-half the size of the biggest known sequoias in the world. During the Manistee National Forest Festival, Lake Bluff Farms will be open for tours from 10:00 AM – 3 PM, highlighting one of Manistee’s hidden treasures of the forest.

9:00 AM - Dusk: Festival Marketplace

First Street Beach - Douglas Park

Come shop for a variety of goods with over 30 Vendors that come from all across the state. Enjoy all the unique items that they bring for you to purchase!

12:00 PM – Dusk: Anderson Midway Carnival

First Street Beach - Douglas Park

Take the family to enjoy the rides, games, food and fun only the Carnival can provide!

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Wine on the River

Fricano's Manistee River - 440 River Street, Manistee

Kick off the Forest Festival with a wine tasting on our deck, with charcuterie snacks provided! Tickets will be on presale June 15th at Fricano’s, as well as at the door. Brought to you by Fricano’s Manistee River and Great Lakes Wine & Spirits.

Cost: $3 per ticket, per pour.

July 1, 2023

8:00 AM – 9:00 PM: 75th Birthday of the Lake Bluff Farms Giant Sequoia

Lake Bluff Farms / 2890 Lakeshore Rd (just north of the State Park)

Lake Bluff Farms (2890 Lakeshore Rd, Manistee, MI 49660) is the home of the largest Giant Sequoia east of the Rockies. The biggest of three trees, a.k.a the Michigan Champion, is 116 feet tall. Since the “natural” distribution of the Giant Sequoias is a limited area in the western Sierra Nevada in California, the Lake Bluff sequoias are one of a kind. Foresters and arborists around the world are in awe of its great success in a place so far from its natural growing area. It is nearly one-half the size of the biggest known sequoias in the world. During the Manistee National Forest Festival, Lake Bluff Farms will be open for tours from 10:00 AM – 3 PM, highlighting one of Manistee’s hidden treasures of the forest.

8:00 AM: Manistee Firecracker 5K Run/Walk & 1K Fun Run

Manistee Middle / High School (525 12th Street)

Competitive road race to raise funds for the Manistee Area Community Track

Cost: $27 by June 24th, $32 afterward

9:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Rosie Solberg's Annual Fourth of July Bake Sale

On the way to the Arts & Crafts Show– North On the way to the Arts & Crafts Show- North West Corner of Hastings & 5th Ave, Manistee MI 49660

Rosie Solberg's Annual Bake Sale for Local MIssions-Manistee United Methodist Church Women’s Ministeries

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Manistee World of Arts and Crafts

Red Szymarek Park / Fifth Avenue

Artists from all over the United States apply for the juried show to sell their wares. The show is held in the Red Szymarek Park on Fifth Avenue where people can stroll in comfort to view the booths, enjoy the excellent food and musical entertainment.

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Summer Book Sale hosted by the Friends of the Manistee County Library  

Behind the Manistee Library at 95 Maple St.

Sale of thousands of used books for all ages, as well as recorded books, DVDs, CDs, and puzzles.

Cost: Free

9:00 AM – Dusk: Festival Marketplace

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

Come shop for a variety of goods with over 30 Vendors that come from all across the state. Enjoy all the unique items that they bring for you to purchase!

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Family Day hosted by The Tabernacle

Armory Youth Project – Parking Lot

This is a FREE family friendly event. Please come enjoy games, prizes, hotdog lunch, cotton candy, snow cones, bounce houses and so much more. Yes, ALL FREE. See what some of our local businesses and agencies have to offer. You can expect to see experiments, games, arts and crafts, tug of war, and even a dunk tank! Keep your eyes open for Smoky The Bear. blow bubbles with “The Bubble Lady”, and even take a seat in a drag race car. Look forward to winning raffle prizes from some of our favorite downtown businesses. Family Day is all the fun that you can imagine.

Cost: Free

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Pete The Cat

Happy Owl Book Shop (358 River St.)

Pete the Cat will be at the Happy Owl Bookshop to meet his fans and pose for pictures.

Cost: Free

12:00 PM – Dusk: Anderson Midway Carnival

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

Take the family to enjoy the rides, games, food and fun only the Carnival can provide!

July 2, 2023

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Manistee World of Arts and Crafts

Red Szymarek Park / Fifth Avenue

Artists from all over the United States apply for the juried show to sell their wares. The show is held in the Red Szymarek Park on Fifth Avenue where people can stroll in comfort to view the booths, enjoy the excellent food and musical entertainment.

8:00 AM – 9:00PM: 75th Birthday of the Lake Bluff Farms Giant Sequoia

Lake Bluff Farms / 2890 Lakeshore Rd (just north of the State Park)

Lake Bluff Farms (2890 Lakeshore Rd, Manistee, MI 49660) is the home of the largest Giant Sequoia east of the Rockies. The biggest of three trees, a.k.a the Michigan Champion, is 116 feet tall. Since the “natural” distribution of the Giant Sequoias is a limited area in the western Sierra Nevada in California, the Lake Bluff sequoias are one of a kind. Foresters and arborists around the world are in awe of its great success in a place so far from its natural growing area. It is nearly one-half the size of the biggest known sequoias in the world. During the Manistee National Forest Festival, Lake Bluff Farms will be open for tours from 10:00 AM – 3 PM, highlighting one of Manistee’s hidden treasures of the forest.

9:00 AM – Dusk: Festival Marketplace

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

Come shop for a variety of goods with over 30 Vendors that come from all across the state. Enjoy all the unique items that they bring for you to purchase!

12:00 PM – Dusk: Anderson Midway Carnival

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

Take the family to enjoy the rides, games, food and fun only the Carnival can provide!

10:30 PM (Dusk): Fireworks Over Lake Michigan sponsored by Little River Casino Resort

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

July 3, 2023

8:00 AM – 9:00PM: 75th Birthday of the Lake Bluff Farms Giant Sequoia

Lake Bluff Farms / 2890 Lakeshore Rd (just north of the State Park)

Lake Bluff Farms (2890 Lakeshore Rd, Manistee, MI 49660) is the home of the largest Giant Sequoia east of the Rockies. The biggest of three trees, a.k.a the Michigan Champion, is 116 feet tall. Since the “natural” distribution of the Giant Sequoias is a limited area in the western Sierra Nevada in California, the Lake Bluff sequoias are one of a kind. Foresters and arborists around the world are in awe of its great success in a place so far from its natural growing area. It is nearly one-half the size of the biggest known sequoias in the world. During the Manistee National Forest Festival, Lake Bluff Farms will be open for tours from 10:00 AM – 3 PM, highlighting one of Manistee’s hidden treasures of the forest.

9:00 AM – Dusk: Festival Marketplace

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

Come shop for a variety of goods with over 30 Vendors that come from all across the state. Enjoy all the unique items that they bring for you to purchase!

12:00 PM – Dusk: Anderson Midway Carnival

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

Take the family to enjoy the rides, games, food and fun only the Carnival can provide!

July 4, 2023

8:00 AM – 9:00PM: 75th Birthday of the Lake Bluff Farms Giant Sequoia

Lake Bluff Farms / 2890 Lakeshore Rd (just north of the State Park)

Lake Bluff Farms (2890 Lakeshore Rd, Manistee, MI 49660) is the home of the largest Giant Sequoia east of the Rockies. The biggest of three trees, a.k.a the Michigan Champion, is 116 feet tall. Since the “natural” distribution of the Giant Sequoias is a limited area in the western Sierra Nevada in California, the Lake Bluff sequoias are one of a kind. Foresters and arborists around the world are in awe of its great success in a place so far from its natural growing area. It is nearly one-half the size of the biggest known sequoias in the world. During the Manistee National Forest Festival, Lake Bluff Farms will be open for tours from 10:00 AM – 3 PM, highlighting one of Manistee’s hidden treasures of the forest.

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: City2Shore Port City Associates Real Estate

340 River Street, Manistee

City2Shore Port City Associates team will have a greeting table set up & will be giving away Parade Bags & goodies to the public attending the parade festivities on River Street.

9:45 AM: Independence Day Flag Raising Ceremony

Division / River Street (prior to the parade)

Kick off your 4th of July celebration with a traditional Flag Raising event before the Forest Festival Parade.

10:00 AM: Independence Day Parade

Division / River Street

Travels west on River Street from Division Street to the Armory Youth Project parking lot, providing a view of  all of the floats, marchers and other fun parade participants as we recognize our Independence as a nation!

12:00 PM – Dusk: Anderson Midway Carnival

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

Take the family to enjoy the rides, games, food and fun only the Carnival can provide!

12:00 PM – Dusk: Festival Marketplace

First Street Beach / Douglas Park

Come shop for a variety of goods with over 30 Vendors that come from all across the state. Enjoy all the unique items that they bring for you to purchase!

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM: 338th Army Band

VFW (1211 28th St.)

Rock and country music and celebration of our veterans!

Cost: Free

Date:

June 29 - July 4, 2023

Location:

Various Venues,
Manistee, MI.

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