News Release

2023-02-01 Time to Dream About a Summer Fair

Date: February 1, 2023

Do you need to think about something warm and fun? Then it’s not too early to mark your calendar for the 2023 Port Oneida Fair in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) for the second Friday and Saturday of August. History will come alive August 11-12 with demonstrations, food, and family activities at six different sites within the Port Oneida Rural Historic District. For more information about the Port Oneida Fair go to: Port Oneida Fair - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

The Port Oneida Fair would not be possible without numerous volunteers, craftspeople, and artists. Fair organizers are seeking additional people to become involved in 2023. The fair needs: volunteers to assist with fun activities like shelling corn and making rope, parking and greeting visitors, and event setup; craftspeople that demonstrate or offer hands-on activities for visitors such as canning, quilting, soapmaking, painting, sculpting or other art, basket weaving, knitting, candle making, etc. – products can be sold at the fair; and artists that have painted a recognizable scene of Port Oneida and want it considered for this year’s fair poster. Interested volunteers, craftspeople, and artists, please contact the National Lakeshore at e-mail us for more information.

The Port Oneida Fair is also seeking additional food vendors. Interested vendors can contact Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear by phone at [phone] or by email at [e-mail].  Vendors must have a food truck or other contained, state inspected, food service operation.

The Port Oneida Fair promotes the preservation of rural traditional skills, crafts, landscapes, and communities of the Upper Great Lakes Region in the late 1800s to early 1900s through education, artistic expression, and the development of a coalition of community organizations. There is no cost for the Port Oneida Fair; however, you must have a park entrance pass, or an annual pass displayed in your vehicle. Park passes can be purchased at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, which is currently open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For questions, please call [phone], extension 5010.