Thing to Do

Port Oneida Fair

A horse team pulls a wagon of people on a wagon ride.
Take a ride back in time at the Port Oneida Fair.

NPS

Step back in time at the Port Oneida Fair and experience life as it was in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Imagine the life of Euro-American immigrants as you help bale hay or watch a broom-maker at work. Learn about spinning, basket weaving, soap making, butter making, candle dipping, and fur trapping. Listen as park rangers and local historians share the area's history. Watch as teams of oxen haul hay and artists and craftsmen demonstrate their skills.

The fair is held at six of the historic farmsteads in Port Oneida. Each farm has a variety of artists, crafts, food, and activities for visitors. Click on the farm names below to see what's happening at each farm. A shuttle bus runs between the farms on a regular schedule during the fair, so you can park your car and easily get around to the different venues.

The Port Oneida Fair is presented by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in partnership with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. To learn more about how you can help support the park, visit www.phsb.org.

August 11-12, 2023
10 am - 4 pm
 

Getting around

See site map at the bottom of the page.

Shuttle

Park your car at one of the four parking lots (Olsen, Dechow, Burfiend, Thoreson Farms).
A free shuttle stops at each site approximately every 15 minutes.

On foot

Walking paths connect all the farm sites. 
To reach the Thoreson Farm, expect an hour walk on the Bay View Trail.

Horse and wagon

Take a horse and wagon ride between the Olsen and Dechow Farms.

Activities by location

Burfiend Farm

Music:
Rigs & Jeels - traditional fiddle & mandolin - Friday only North Bay Celtic Band - Saturday only

Activities and demonstrations:
Early American Michigan cricket - Friday only
Leelanau Historical Society - Poor Farm Barn
Rope making for kids 
Daily activities of the U.S. Life-Saving Service
Traditional timber framing demo
Antique woodworking tools and wooden nametags for kids

Dechow Farm

Activities and demostrations:
Dechow Family history 
Horse and wagon rides
Horse teams working fields
Donkeys and farm animals
Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes
Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network - Friday only
Antique bicycles and single engine motor display
Hand weaving, rug weaving, basketmaking, hand spun wool
Vintage masonry glass jar history
Wind-up musical instruments
“The Past in Present Time” Living history barn tours
Historic Sleeping Bear Preservation 2023 poster sales
Traverse City Model A Club auto display
Goats, conservation grazing, and goat milk soap making
Maple Grove Cemetery display
Native seeds information
Chair caning
Hand coloring historic photographs

Food:
Schwenk’inWagon - lunch and Saturday breakfast
Moomers’ Ice Cream

Kelderhouse Farm

Activities and demonstrations:
Kelderhouse Family history by Kelderhouse descendants
Maritime history and 1931 Ford Model A
Apples with Leelanau Conservation District - Friday only

Olsen Farm

Music:
Dulcimer music
Hammer’d – dulcimer group - Saturday only at 2:15 pm

Activites and demonstrations:
Rug hooking and tattling, penny rug making, rug braiding
Life of a Lighthouse Keeper – on the hour, 10 am -3 pm
Quilt sewing and hand sewing
Old Tyme Photography selfie station
Port Oneida History and Olsen Barn Tours
Historic building preservation station
Historic cooking and bread and butter churning
Composting
Fair artist poster signing - Saturday only
Fishing and fish of the Great Lakes
Vegetable and flower garden - potato and corn planting
Children’s lawn games and washtub demo

Food:
Chubby Unicorn Panini Sandwiches
Cherry Republic Ice Cream

Port Oneida School House

Activities and demonstrations:
11 am & 2 pm - School Days in a One Room Schoolhouse

Thoreson Farm

Music:
Norm Wheeler & Pat Niemesto in the barn

Activites and demonstrations:
Thoreson family tales and history with Leonard Thoreson
Coiled pine needles, crocheted doilies
Shaker boxes, french rolling pins,  and vintage sewing
Spinning wheel yarn spinning, knitting, and crocheting
Thrown pottery
Blacksmith in action
Basket weaving, quilting, rag rug twining

Food:
Roll Model Spring Rolls - Friday only

Details

Activities by location

Burfiend Farm

Music:
Rigs & Jeels - traditional fiddle & mandolin - Friday only North Bay Celtic Band - Saturday only

Activities and demonstrations:
Early American Michigan cricket - Friday only
Leelanau Historical Society - Poor Farm Barn
Rope making for kids 
Daily activities of the U.S. Life-Saving Service
Traditional timber framing demo
Antique woodworking tools and wooden nametags for kids

Dechow Farm

Activities and demostrations:
Dechow Family history 
Horse and wagon rides
Horse teams working fields
Donkeys and farm animals
Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes
Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network - Friday only
Antique bicycles and single engine motor display
Hand weaving, rug weaving, basketmaking, hand spun wool
Vintage masonry glass jar history
Wind-up musical instruments
“The Past in Present Time” Living history barn tours
Historic Sleeping Bear Preservation 2023 poster sales
Traverse City Model A Club auto display
Goats, conservation grazing, and goat milk soap making
Maple Grove Cemetery display
Native seeds information
Chair caning
Hand coloring historic photographs

Food:
Schwenk’inWagon - lunch and Saturday breakfast
Moomers’ Ice Cream

Kelderhouse Farm

Activities and demonstrations:
Kelderhouse Family history by Kelderhouse descendants
Maritime history and 1931 Ford Model A
Apples with Leelanau Conservation District - Friday only

Olsen Farm

Music:
Dulcimer music
Hammer’d – dulcimer group - Saturday only at 2:15 pm

Activites and demonstrations:
Rug hooking and tattling, penny rug making, rug braiding
Life of a Lighthouse Keeper – on the hour, 10 am -3 pm
Quilt sewing and hand sewing
Old Tyme Photography selfie station
Port Oneida History and Olsen Barn Tours
Historic building preservation station
Historic cooking and bread and butter churning
Composting
Fair artist poster signing - Saturday only
Fishing and fish of the Great Lakes
Vegetable and flower garden - potato and corn planting
Children’s lawn games and washtub demo

Food:
Chubby Unicorn Panini Sandwiches
Cherry Republic Ice Cream

Port Oneida School House

Activities and demonstrations:
11 am & 2 pm - School Days in a One Room Schoolhouse

Thoreson Farm

Music:
Norm Wheeler & Pat Niemesto in the barn

Activites and demonstrations:
Thoreson family tales and history with Leonard Thoreson
Coiled pine needles, crocheted doilies
Shaker boxes, french rolling pins,  and vintage sewing
Spinning wheel yarn spinning, knitting, and crocheting
Thrown pottery
Blacksmith in action
Basket weaving, quilting, rag rug twining

Food:
Roll Model Spring Rolls - Friday only

Pets are welcome in outdoor areas on a six-foot leash. Pets are not allowed inside historic buildings.
Please display a Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore or other federal lands pass in your vehicle.
August 11 & 12, 2023

Parking lots are availabe at:

Port Oneida Farms Heritage Center - Olsen House
Dechow Farm
Thoreson Farm
Burfiend Farm

A shuttle and mowed walking paths are available between sites.
Reservations
No
10 am - 4 pm Friday and Saturday
Plan to spend at least 2 hours at the fair.
Accessibility Information
Parking
All four parking lots have handicap parking.

Shuttle
A wheelchair accessible shuttle departs from the Dechow Farm approximately every 15 minutes. This shuttle will make stops at the Kelderhouse and Burfiend Farms. Those wanting to visit the Olsen and Thoreson Farms using the accessible shuttle should speak with the National Park Service Ranger at the entrance to the Dechow Farm.

Restroom
An ADA restroom is available at the Dechow Farm.

Terrain
Fair activities take place on mostly flat terrain. The activites are set up on mowed lawns where tree roots or uneven ground may be present.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

2023 Fair Sponsors

Platinum $1000

Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitor Bureau

Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear

Drs. Joanne Blum and Paul Dechow

____________________________________

Silver $250

Northwoods Hardware

Empire EZ Mart

Art’s tavern

__________________________________

Bronze $100

Good Harbor Grill

Richmond Architects

__________________________________

Copper $50

Huntington National Bank

Last updated: August 8, 2023