InstaMeet in Port Oneida Rural Historic Distric

Date: August 30, 2016

On Saturday, September 3, 2016, at 4:00 p.m., Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) will host a free InstaMeet event to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial. An InstaMeet is an interactive, in-park event, allowing visitors to meet up, take photos, and get to know each other. Once the visitors meet, they will accompany a park ranger on a historic building tour. 

Visitors will meet at 4:00 p.m. at the Olsen Farm History Center at 3164 West Harbor Highway in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District of the National Lakeshore. It is located just south of Port Oneida Road on M-22 (for GPS purposes, persons should use Maple City as the location). The Olsen Farm History Center will be open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on September 3, so visitors can explore the museum before the 4:00 p.m. program. After an introduction at the Olsen Farm History Center, visitors and rangers will car caravan to the Ole Olson farm, just a few miles away. There, they will discuss the history of the farmhouse and historic district with a ranger, as well as share stories with each other. The buildings will be open so visitors can see inside.

Participants do not have to be an Instagram user to join in the fun; anyone is welcome to participate in the ranger-led program. Participants should prepare to be outside for about one hour, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable hiking or athletic shoes. The walking portion of the program is less than .5 miles.

Visitors are encouraged to bring a camera or a smartphone to capture images during the event and may share their photos on social media using the hashtag #SLBEInstameet. 

All InstaMeet events are free with a park pass. Passes can be purchased at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Passes cost $15/vehicle for seven days.

If you would like to attend but have other plans, you can follow Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore on Instagram @SleepingBearNPS. Search for the hashtag #SLBEInstameet  to see the photos participants take at the InstaMeet. 

For questions, please call 231-326-4700, extension 5010. 

As you explore the National Lakeshore, you are encouraged to share your adventures at FindYourPark.com and on social media using hashtags #FindYourPark and #sleepingbearnps.