Bursting with Blooms

This year marks the 75th Annual Mackinac Island Lilac Festival, the treasured tradition that celebrates the Island community’s luscious, flowering lilacs. Steph Castelein with the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau said one of the biggest things about the festival is that it offers a “community immersion experience” rather than an enclosed, ticketed event.

“We let the lilacs shine,” Mrs. Castelein said.

The festival begins Friday, June 9, with the 2023 Lilac Queen coronation ceremony at 5 p.m. in Marquette Park. For the 75th anniversary of the festival, all former Lilac Queens were invited to attend this year’s coronation. From locals around the Island and Northern Michigan to queens coming from Colorado, Mrs. Castelein said they are hoping for a good turnout. The official Lilac Festival poster will also be revealed out of the top 20 finalists. The remaining posters will be on display throughout the festival at the Center for the Arts in the Mission Point Theatre lobby. Those posters will be eligible for the Peoples’ Choice Award, with online voting starting Friday, June 9. The winner will be announced Sunday, June 18, as the festival concludes.

One highlight of the festival are the free walking tours with this year’s lilac docent Anne Borowicz, who is succeeding Jeff Young. Mr. Young has come to the Island to serve as the festival’s lilac expert for the past 17 years. Ms. Borowicz will host planting seminars at St. Anne Catholic Church, where participants will leave with a free lilac plant.

The Lilac Festival 10K Run and Walk is Saturday, June 10, at 9:30 a.m. starting at Windermere Point. The Lil’ Lilac Kids Run will begin and end at the Mackinac Island Public School at 11:15 a.m.

While the Vintage Bicycle Rally on the Rock isn’t new, the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau will host it for the first time this year. It begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 10.

Also Saturday, June 10, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Market Street between Fort and Astor streets, visitors are invited to put on their dancing shoes for Line Dancing in the Street with the West Michigan Bootscooters.

New this year is the Lilac Festival Puzzle Challenge Sunday, June 11, in Mackinac Island Community Hall at 6 p.m. Teams of up to six people can sign up at the tourism bureau website, and the fastest teams to complete a 500-piece Lilac Festival puzzle will win prizes.

The tourism bureau is also excited to be bringing back live music for this year’s festival, Mrs. Castelein said. There will be a Jimmy Buffett Tribute Concert with Don Middlebrook at Marquette Park Thursday, June 15, at 6:30 p.m., and Empty Canvas will perform a one-of-a-kind combination of art and music Friday, June 16, at 6:30 p.m.

The Michigan Cornhole Tournament at Windermere Point begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 17. Bags fly at 11 a.m.

The Lilac Festival Parade Sunday, June 18, will begin at Mission Point Resort at 4 p.m. and proceed along Main Street and end at Windermere Point. Leading up to the parade, several activities will be held at Marquette Park beginning at 1:30 p.m., including concerts, face painting, balloon animals from Rosco the Clown.

In addition to these highlighted events, the Lilac Festival will host many different activities throughout the week, including book signings, lilac-themed crafts, and live music and entertainment. The full schedule of events can be found at the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau’s website at www.mackinacisland.org/mackinac island-lilac-festival/.

This year’s theme is “Mackinac in Bloom.” And with the lilacs beginning to bloom all around the Island, it’s like the plants themselves are getting ready for visitors to enjoy them at the 75th Annual Mackinac Island Lilac Festival.

“Seventy-five years is amazing for anything. To do something that long is pretty neat,” Mrs. Castelein said. “The community just bands together to support the festival, and the lilacs and the traditions that go with it.”