Michigan is welcoming a very unique festival to the Mitten this April.
I mean, we already have nationally-recognized Michigan festivals, such as the Traverse City Cherry Festival and Holland Tulip Festival, as well as music festivals. But, this festival is unlike anything Michigan has seen.
Now, the state will be home to a festival for star enthusiasts. The newest International Dark Sky Park will host stargazers from around the country – even world – at the first Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival this April. The festival, hosted at the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park, welcomes skywatchers, astronomy enthusiasts and astrophotographers to enjoy two days of workshops on April 21 and 22, according to Visit Keweenaw. The dark sky park is located at the historic Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Copper Harbor.
The Keweenaw Dark Sky Park got official recognition from the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) in July 2022, becoming Michigan’s third international dark sky park and the first in the U.P. The event takes place during the IDA’s International Dark Sky Week, which is April 22-30, an annual celebration of stargazing that raises awareness about the impacts of light pollution and why dark night skies are so critical for humans, wildlife and ecosystems. Find additional event information and a full schedule for the event online here. For more on Keweenaw Dark Sky Park, head to keweenawdarksky.com.