06/15/2007

Patriotic Fourth to Be Celebrated at Mackinac Island Fort

Mackinac Island, Mich. — Mackinac State Historic Parks invites the public to celebrate the Fourth of July in true patriotic fashion at Michigan’s only surviving Revolutionary War-era fort: 227-year-old Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island.

On Wednesday, July 4, Fort Mackinac interpreters dressed as 1880s U.S. soldiers will present “A Star Spangled Fourth” at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., featuring patriotic military music, a 38-gun salute (representing the 38 states in the union in the 1880s), and a flag-raising ceremony. Victorian ladies present a program of children’s activities and games throughout the day. Admission is $10 for adults and $6 for youth (6-17); children five and under are admitted free.

“An American Picnic” at 6:30 p.m. is sure to satisfy the hungriest patriot with Grand Hotel’s all-you-can-eat ribs, grilled chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, and a slew of salads, fixings, and desserts, all served on the fort’s parade ground.

If purchased by 6 p.m. on July 4, tickets are $39 for adults, $19 for youth (6-17), and free for children five and under. After 6 p.m., prices are $49 for adults and $25 for youth (6-17). Tickets include fort admission and may be purchased in advance by calling 906-847-3328 and at the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center and Grand Hotel.

Mackinac State Historic Parks is a family of living history museums and nature parks in northern Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac and is an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Its sites—which are accredited by the American Association of Museums—include Fort Mackinac, Mackinac Island State Park, and Historic Downtown on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek, and Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse in Mackinaw City. Visitor information is available at 231-436-4100 or on the web at www.MackinacParks.com.