Dockside Events are held while the S.S. Badger is docked in Ludington for the Evenings.
The S.S. Badger Lake Michigan Carferry Service has expanded its immersive 2026 Dockside Events calendar, introducing an exclusive series of interactive Murder Mystery Nights alongside its highly sought-after Pilot House & Engine Room Tours and popular Open Boat Nights. Due to logistical scheduling, these after-hours experiences are held exclusively at the Ludington port (701 Maritime Drive – Ludington, MI) after the historic ship docks at 7 PM.
A Hollywood Murder Mystery Night is scheduled for Saturday, September 12. Guests will dress in vintage high fashion to mingle, question suspects, and solve a glamorous whodunit. It is followed by a '90s Themed Murder Mystery Night on October 3. Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite retro '90s attire for a nostalgic, interactive investigation. Both events are expected to last from 8 -11 PM.
Tickets for Murder Mystery Nights are $45 per person and include access to a cash bar. Attendance is capped at 100 guests per event and public ticket sales for both Murder Mystery Nights will officially go live on August 15.
In addition to the theatrical mysteries, maritime enthusiasts can buy advance tickets beginning August 20, for the rare Pilot House and Engine Room Tours taking place on September 16 and September 19, from 8 - 10 PM. The cost is $50 per person.
The historic S.S. Badger car ferry also invites the public aboard for a series of Open Boat Nights on September 16, 19, 23, 30, and October 3 and 7. For $10 per person, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the passenger decks, enjoy live music in the Cabana Room, and visit the onboard bar and gift shop without taking a lake voyage. Tickets are available at the S.S. Badger Dockside Events page or by calling 1-800-841-4243.
For those seeking an exclusive S.S. Badger gift or souvenir, a clearance sale will be held on September 4 and 5, from 10 AM – 5 PM, and September 6, from noon – 5 PM, in the Maritime Drive corporate office lobby located in the warehouse building, behind the S.S. Spartan. On Friday September 11, a community shopping event will be held aboard the S.S. Badger’s Boatique, from 8 -10 PM. There will be light refreshments, discounted items, and a drawing for a round-trip ticket.
The 410-foot S.S. Badger is a National Historic Landmark and the last operating coal-fired steamship passenger ferry in the United States. Operating between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the ship wraps up its regular 2026 sailing season on October 11, making these autumn dockside events a final chance to step aboard for the year.
