Events in Marquette, MI

Scenic vistas, dancing Northern Lights, and 83 miles of Lake Superior shoreline make Marquette, MI a hidden gem ready to be discovered. Home of the NMU Wildcats, the vibrant college town is brimming with energy. This good-natured fun inspires Marquette’s community events – and everyone’s invited. 

Annual Events

From sled dog races and the Polar Roll to the Festival of the Angry Bear, Marquette shows its unique flavor through its annual events. 
 
Pack in the flavor – and fun – at Marquette Blueberry Festival. Held each July in Downtown Marquette, Blueberry Festival satisfies your cravings with creative blueberry fare. (Blueberry pizza and beer, anyone?) Or simply stroll through downtown snacking on mounds of fresh blueberries. 
 
Fall weather ushers in the U.P Fall Beer Fest in Marquette – along with a selection of 600 craft beers from 80 different Michigan breweries. Food from local restaurants and a jam-packed lineup of musicians round out the weekend. 

Concerts and Live Music

Hiawatha Music Festival has been one of the most anticipated events in Marquette over the past 40 years. Each year’s event features traditional music styles, including bluegrass, old-time, Cajun, Celtic, acoustic blues, and folk – including singer/songwriters – and dance.
 
Marquette Area Blues Fest features world-class blues performers on the main stage in addition to artist workshops, local food vendors, and a beverage tent with local craft brews. And it all takes place in Mattson Lower Harbor Park on the shores of Lake Superior.

Theater and Performing Arts Events

Fresh Coast Film Festival celebrates the outdoor lifestyle and resilient spirit of Marquette. The documentary film festival gathers the best environmental and cultural filmmakers from around the world while creating a venue for and building a culture of Great Lakes storytelling in the Upper Midwest’s hidden gem. 

Race and Fitness

Like many things in Marquette, Ore to Shore bike race is rooted deeply in nature. The starting line begins at Negaunee, where iron ore was first discovered in 1844 in the Superior region. The long-distance course travels through Ishpeming, past towering head frames from the heyday of underground mining, and then heads north into the beautiful wooded wilderness, crossing or running alongside Dead River all the way into Marquette to the Lake Superior shoreline.
 
Whether you bike, run or meander, Marquette Trails Fest encourages the community to get out and have fun. Everyone contributes to this race, from a 1.5-mile kid run to youth events and bike races. All proceeds go to maintaining the trail network.