This year’s theme, “Hooked on Freedom,” celebrates America’s 250th anniversary and sets the tone for the three-day celebration.

“We’ve got something for everyone, whether you come for the games, the food, the music or just to spend time with family and friends,” said Tom Lesandrini, president of the Crystal Falls Lions Club. “It’s a weekend that has been bringing the community together for decades.”

Activities kick off on Friday evening with the popular Finn vs. Polack softball games at the Runkle Lake Complex. The doubleheader will start with the women’s game at 6 p.m., followed by the men’s competition at 8 p.m.

Concessions and 50-50 raffles will be available throughout the evening.

Crystal Falls Lions Club President Tom Lesandrini shows off the new Herbie Nylund Memorial Canoe Race plaque and trophies for this year’s Bass Festival, which starts Friday and extends through Sunday. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

“We are expecting a great crowd — it will be a fun time,” Lesandrini said.

Local music fans will also have the option Friday evening to go to the Crystal Theatre as the venue welcomes country star Lorrie Morgan for its Legend Series Concert. For more information or for tickets, go to thecrystaltheatre.org.

Festivities continue Saturday morning with the annual Bass Festival parade. Participants should register and line up at 9 a.m., with the parade stepping off at 10 a.m. They will proceed down Main Street and disband at Superior Sport & Feed.

The parade’s patriotic theme ties in with this year’s 250th anniversary celebration. Awards will be presented in both the themed entry and business entry categories.

Immediately after the parade, paddlers will compete in the Herbie Nylund Memorial Canoe Race on the Paint River, starting at the power dam and finishing at the bridge at the bottom of the hill.

Last year, the race was renamed to honor the late Bob “Herbie” Nylund, a longtime participant whose enthusiasm and dedication helped make the event a festival favorite.

New this year, the club will present trophies, along with having names engraved on a new plaque that features Nylund.

“He not only was a big part of the race, he was a great guy and did so much for our community,” Lesandrini said.

The anticipated famous barbecue chicken dinners will become available at 11 a.m. Saturday. They are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

“It really is a big draw. We have visitors that come back year after year just for the chicken — they’re delicious,” Lesandrini said. “We will be cooking about 400 chickens and expect to sell out early.”

In addition to the chicken dinner, a large variety of concessions — including brats, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, treats and beverages — will be available from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

“Nylund’s will be making and donating all our brats,” he said. “We have great community members that are willing to step forward and donate so we are able to give back to so many charities.”

The North Country Cruisers Car Show will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the soccer field within the Runkle Lake Complex.

The volleyball tourney is set for Saturday, with play to start at 1 p.m. Players can register at 12:30 p.m. at the Lions Den.

“That’s also a real big draw for us — volleyball is huge in Crystal Falls,” he said.

New to the venue will be the three-piece group Wingin, playing from 1 to 5 p.m. at the den.

Saturday evening wraps up with another crowd favorite — the annual WOP vs. Swede softball game. Players take the field at 7:30 p.m., with concessions available throughout the game.

Sunday is “kid day” at the park, with activities that place a special emphasis on family fun, featuring an all-day bounce house, running races, money scrambles and other activities for children.

“We also have the egg toss for all ages. Around 100 people line up on the beach and let loose,” Lesandrini said. “It’s just another fun tradition that everyone enjoys.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars at 108 Superior Ave. will host a breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday.

Runners should get ready to lace up those sneakers for the 45th-annual Run Your Bass Off at 9 a.m. Sunday, presented by Pastor DJ Rasner and the Forest Park Cross Country team. Events will include the “Full Bass” 10K, “Half Bass” 6K, as well as the 2-mile Walk Your Bass Off race and kids’ 1-mile race. Races start and end at Runkle Lake Park. To register, go to https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/CrystalFalls/RunYourBassOff.

Awards will be presented at the pavilion after all races are complete.

Concessions reopen at noon, along with the start of the annual baby contest. Parents can register their little ones starting at 11:30 p.m.

Volleyball tournament action resumes at 1 p.m., while cornhole and horseshoe tournaments also begin at 1 p.m., after 12:30 p.m. registration.

Melanie Rose will perform a variety of acoustic music from 1 to 4 p.m. for the crowd.

The children’s games are set to start at 2 p.m.

The 2026 fishing contest, sponsored by Superior Sport & Feed, remains one of the festival’s signature events. Fish will be registered by total weight and length for each category during store hours or from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the park. Fish must be caught on any Iron County water and must not be frozen.

Winners are announced at 4 p.m. Sunday at the pavilion.

“The kids fishing contest has got so big now — they love it,” Lesandrini said. “They go home with a ton of stuff.”

Tickets are available for $5 each for the raffle drawing that has a top prize of $1,000. Winners for the raffle will be drawn at 6 p.m. Sunday at the park.

The festival will conclude at 7 p.m. Sunday.

The Lions Club has worked with Black Dog Printing in Crystal Falls to design a 2026 Bass Festival logo.

“We’ve got some really cool T-shirts and sweatshirts for the fest,” he said. “They can also be seen on the Crystal Falls Lions Club Facebook page.”

Orders can be placed at the shop at 325 Superior Ave., call 1-906-874-4141or online at Blackdogprinting.shop.

Lesandrini stressed the club’s appreciation to all of the volunteers who step up for the Bass Festival each year.

“We are limited in numbers, and just wouldn’t be able to do it without all of them,” he said.

They welcome additional help over the week and encourage anyone interested to show up for duty.

Lesandrini explained the event started several decades earlier as a community Fourth of July gathering where residents would float and fish on the Paint River for the day. “That evening, they would congregate to have a big cookout and it eventually progressed to what it is today,” he said.

“Some people have been coming here for more than 40 years with their kids, their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren,” Lesandrini said.

The festival serves as the Crystal Falls Lions Club’s primary fundraiser, supporting community projects, scholarships and other local initiatives throughout the year.

For more information, go to the Crystal Falls Lions Club Facebook page.

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Terri Castelaz can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85241, or tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com.