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ONTONAGON --The Village of Ontonagon will celebrate its 70th-annual Ontonagon Labor Day Festival with events Saturday through Monday.
Ontonagon Village Manager and Labor Day Festival Committee Treasurer Willie DuPont said the celebration is the village and county's biggest celebration of the year.
"To me, this is very unique. I am not from the area, so nobody really has a Labor Day Festival. Everybody does the Fourth of July," he said. "This being the 70th annual … it's the biggest event in the Village of Ontonagon every year, hands down."
Today's events include an outdoor concert at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, with Chad Borgen and the Collective of Marquette and live music at 8 p.m. by local band Bosch 9 at Ontonagon Eagles.
According to DuPont, veterans play a key role in the Labor Day celebration. The Veterans of Ontonagon County are the parade marshals. They will also host an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast Saturday morning at the VFW post.
Village Office Manager Tonya Wiesinger said the weekend should have a little something for everyone. "On Saturday, we shut the main street down. Vendors, a car show, music all day, food games and just everything you can think of that we offer," he said.
Saturday concludes with a street dance at 8 p.m. Eastern time, featuring live music by Nolium of the Houghton area, and fireworks at dusk. Hawgkaller will perform at 9:30 p.m. at at Stubb's Museum Bar.
The Labor Day Parade begins at 2 p.m. Eastern time Sunday. Parade bands and floats will march down River Street. According to the festival's Facebook page, the confirmed marching bands include: Copper Country Clown Band, Bessemer School, Hurley School, Lake Linden School, Michigan Tech Pep Band and Marty's Goldenaires.
Other activities include a Kiddie's Parade Saturday at 1 p.m., the Ed Hansen Memorial run at 10 a.m. Sunday, Communityfest from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday and the iconic Labor Day Bridge Walk at 11 a.m. Monday, starting on River Road. Chad Borgen and the Collective will also play at 8 p.m. Sunday at VFW Post 5600.
"We have thousands of people that roll in. Everyone that has grown up here over the years, they come back for Labor Day," Wiesinger said. "We get a lot of tourists that come in for it. It's a really big deal. Each town has their own thing -- this is ours."