Mackinac State Historic Parks will move its sites to summer hours starting June 6 while also opening the family of sites known as Historic Downtown Mackinac. In addition, Mackinac State Historic Parks will host several events during the 10-day Lilac Festival on Mackinac Island.

Starting June 6, Fort Mackinac, on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, in Mackinaw City, will be open 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with last admission/ticket sold at 6:00 p.m. Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, in Mackinaw City, will be open 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with last admission/ticket sold at 5:00 p.m.

Historic Downtown Mackinac will officially open June 6 as well, with all sites open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with last admission/ticket sold 5:30 p.m. These sites include The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum, Biddle House, featuring the Mackinac Island Native American Museum, Benjamin Blacksmith Shop, the American Fur Co. Store & Dr. Beaumont Museum, and McGulpin House. All sites are located downtown on Mackinac Island.

The British Landing Nature Center, located at British Landing four miles from downtown Mackinac Island, will open at 11:00 a.m. on June 6 and will remain open for the summer months. The nature center includes information on the plants and animals found on Mackinac Island, and also includes restrooms.

The Mackinac Island Lilac Festival kicks off June 5, and Mackinac State Historic Parks is hosting several events throughout. In addition, Marquette Park, located in front of historic Fort Mackinac, will serve as a central hub for the festival. For the duration of the festival, admission to The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum is complimentary. In addition, daily, a special program will take place at Fort Mackinac at 1:00 p.m. special for the festival. Admission is required. For Saturday, June 6 and Friday and Saturday, June 12-13, one lucky winner will be drawn to fire the final Fort Mackinac cannon of the day. Guests must register at the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau office.

Other Mackinac State Historic Parks events during the festival include:

  • Friday, June 5: Lilacs and Warblers Birding Adventure, 9:30 a.m., Marquette Park
  • Saturday, June 6: Movie in the Fort, The Wizard of Oz, Dusk, Fort Mackinac
  • Tuesday, June 9: Creating the Village of Mackinac Island Walking Tour, 5:30 p.m., starts at Windermere Point
  • Wednesday, June 10: Mackinac in the 1830s Walking Tour, 5:30 p.m., begins at The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum
  • Wednesday, June 10: Artist-in-Residence Program with Photographer Miles Clark, 7:00 p.m., Station 256 Conference Room
  • Thursday, June 11: Mackinaw Mission Walking Tour, 5:30 p.m., meet at The Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum
  • Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13: War of 1812 Weekend, 9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Fort Mackinac

All special events, with the exception of the War of 1812 at Fort Mackinac, are free and open to the public. Donations are welcome.

Support for many Mackinac State Historic Parks programs comes from Mackinac Associates, friends preserving and sharing Mackinac’s heritage.

More information can be found at mackinacparks.com. A downloadable version of this release can be found here. Additional pictures available upon request.