Heritage Celebration recognizes the courageous emigrants who settled here and together, worked to become Americans. We honor this living community, created by our predecessors, and celebrate our cultural diversity with music, dance, food, and traditional arts."
Main Street Calumet
Heritage Celebration 2008
Schedule of Events
- August 14 & 15 Heritage Celebration 2009
Click Here to download a printable pdf schedule of the 2008 events.
Wednesday, August 13
Croatian Circle Dance (Kolo) Lessons
7:00 pm—5th & Elm Coffee Shop
Prepare for Saturday’s festivities by learning the Kolo, a traditional Croatian “circle dance.” Steps are easy to learn, and the dance works best with a large number of people, so bring along some friends. Class will be conducted by folk dance instructor, Hester Butler. Event is open to the public; there is no cost to attend.
Thursday, August 14
Cabbage-Roll-Making Class
10:00 am—Sacred Heart Church
If you’ve ever wondered the secret to making authentic cabbage rolls, now’s your chance to learn. Join the Croatian Fraternal Union as they prepare and bake batches of fragrant cabbage rolls for Saturday’s event. Open to all interested adults; attendance is free.
Friday, August 15
Calumet-Keweenaw Sportsmen’s Show
4:00-9:00 pm—Calumet Colosseum
Outdoor sportsmen’s show, featuring guns, knives, and taxidermists, and more. Food and refreshments, gun raffles, kids’ air gun gallery, casting contest, and more. Admission: adults $3 per day, children 12 and under admitted free with an adult.
Miss Coppertown Pageant
7:00 pm—Calumet Theatre
A modern beauty pageant—with an old-fashioned twist! The Miss Coppertown Pageant features young Copper Country ladies aged 14-19 as they show off their poise and personality. Contestants are judged in the categories of casual wear introduction, personal interview, and eveningwear, and the winner will wear the ceremonial agate-adorned crown originally worn by the Centennial Queen during the 1966 Calumet Township Centennial Celebration. Tickets: $3, children age 5 & under - free.
Saturday, August 16
Traditional Breakfast
8:00 am—Agassiz Park
Celebrate your culinary heritage by enjoying an authentic ethnic breakfast. Featuring Pannukakku and Norwegian Waffles with lingonberry sauce. Prices vary by vendor.
Traditional Horseshoe Tournament
8:00 am—Agassiz Park
Join the fun by taking part in the old-fashioned Heritage Celebration horseshoe tournament, beginning at 8:00. Singles $10 entry fee; registration is requested. Download form at www.mainstreetcalumet.com or call 906-337-6246.
Preservation Awards Ceremony
9:00 am—Agassiz Park
Be on hand to congratulate the recipients of the 2008 Preservation Awards presented by the Village of Calumet Historic District Commission and the 2008 Legacy Award presented by the Heritage Center, St. Anne’s.
Calumet-Keweenaw Sportsmen’s Show
9:00 am-5:00 pm—Calumet Colosseum
Outdoor sportsmen’s show, featuring guns, knives, taxidermists, and more. Food and refreshments, gun raffles, kids’ air gun gallery and casting contest, and more. Admission: adults $3 per day, children 12 and under admitted free with an adult.
Great Deer Chase Mountain Bike Race
10:00 am—Rollout start down Fifth Street
Cheer on more than 100 bikers for the big rollout start from the Calumet Colosseum down Fifth Street—don’t forget to bring your cowbells! Includes 15- and 25-mile cross country races; 3- and 4.5-mile youth cross-country races and a 40-yard untimed youth race take place later in the day. For registration information, contact Marc Norton at 906-337-1300.
Copper Country Heritage Parade and Children’s Bike Parade
10:05 am—Downtown Fifth Street
A celebration of yesteryear in the Copper Country, featuring vintage vehicles and snow/farm equipment, antique fire engines, horse-drawn wagons, group marchers, mining artifacts, and more. See the newly crowned Miss Coppertown and her court, and hear the legendary Calumet High School Marching Band.
Register to participate in the parade at www.mainstreetcalumet.com or call 337-2410.
Attention kids: get those bikes dressed up in their festive best for the Children’s Bike Parade, held at the end of the Copper Country Heritage Parade, assemble before the parade at the Coppertown USA Mining Museum. —the entrant with the best-decorated bike will win a free pool party courtesy of the AmericInn of Calumet!
Copper Miner’s Reunion
11:00 am-12:00 noon—Coppertown Mining Museum
This is a rare opportunity to hear about the copper mines from the people who worked in them.
Coppertown Mining Museum Open House
11:00 am-4:00 pm—Coppertown Mining Museum
Travel back in time to the days of Keweenaw’s Copper Mining boom with a visit to the Coppertown Mining Museum. Includes displays of the C&H Pattern Shop, the strike of 1913, and more. Open to the public; attendance is free.
Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides
11:00 am-3:00 pm—Agassiz Park Pavilion
The brick-paved streets and historic buildings of Calumet’s downtown are never more enjoyable than when viewed on an old-fashioned horse-drawn wagon tour. Rides are free for all and guided by Ed Jenich. Tours start from Agassiz Park approximately every half hour.
Traditional artists and crafters—art demos and vendor sales
All day—Agassiz Park
Artists, traditional artists, and crafters will demonstrate and sell their authentic works throughout the day.
Food and refreshments
All day—Agassiz Park
Authentic Croatian cabbage rolls, povitica, hot dogs, brats, corn on the cob, and the Calumet Elks beer and wine cooler garden—just a sampling of the tasty fare you’ll find throughout the day! Prices vary by vendor.
Ethnic music: the Duquesne University Tamburitzan performers
12:00-4:00 pm—Agassiz Park
Witness the culture and color of Eastern Europe with America's longest-running multicultural performance company, the Duquesne University Tamburitzans. A group of young folk artists from the famed troupe will provide Croatian and Slovenian music throughout the afternoon—you won’t want to miss it!
Old-Fashioned Children’s Games
1:00 and 4:00—Agassiz Park
Featuring potato-sack races, three-legged relays, the egg toss, and the sugar-donut line, these games are old-fashioned fun for all ages. Free to all who wish to participate.
Great Deer Chase Youth Race
2:00 pm—Downtown Calumet, Oak Street
Three-mile race for youth under ten-years-old; 4.5-mile race for youth 11-14 years old. Parents are encouraged to ride with younger racers. For registration information, contact Marc Norton at 906-337-1300.
Great Deer Chase Awards
4:00 pm—Agassiz Park
Help celebrate the Great Deer Chase bike race by cheering the winners at the festive outdoor awards ceremony.
Mountain Music: “Uncalled For Old Time String Band”
5:00-9:00 pm—Agassiz Park
Get down and dance to the fiddle- and banjo-laced “old time” country folk music in the park—a true down-home musical celebration complete with a washtub bass!
Contest Criteria may be downloaded here.
Contest Entry form may be downloaded here.
Heritage Celebration Parade Entry Form here.
