FrankenFest to debut in Port Huron this Saturday

Unique event planned at Fort Gratiot Lighthouse

By Barb Pert Templeton

“Experience electrifying attractions, monstrous exhibits and inspiring artwork” may be the tag line for FrankenFest in Port Huron this weekend but the event schedule actually reflects much more. 

Guest speakers sharing their knowledge about such topics as The Titanic and The Edmund Fitzgerald, a climb and tour of the historic Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and the chance to visit and shop over 50 vendor booths should make Saturday’s event a blast.

FrankenFest will be hosted, rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 22. Admission to the grounds is free and a nominal $5 fee will be charged to go inside buildings hosting guest speakers and special events. It’ll also cost $5 to tour the lighthouse in a program hosted by the group, Friends of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse. 

In addition to many booths boasting unique works of art and assorted spooky related items, a food truck, dessert truck and popcorn vendors will be on the grounds as well. Bringing your own picnic lunch is also welcome.

The idea for the event is something that was brainstormed by Jerry Jodloski, of Lansing and Krista Johnston, of Ferndale, who are a brother and sister duo who formed an event production team in 2021. He’s the director of programming while she’s the art director. 

“Following the pandemic, the festival came out in the Lansing area as a way for people to connect again, an opportunity for artists to sell again and to just get together and be creative,” Jodloski said.

Becoming join event planners seemed a nature transition for the siblings as they both already had credit for producing events including Johnston’s DIY Street Fair hosted in Ferndale and Jodloski’s DIY Halloween event and Zombie Walk in Lansing.

“We started to get together and pool our talents and came up with FrankenFest,” Jodloski said. “And it’s not so much about the darkness and horror, it’s meant to be uplifting and inspirational, like when Frankstein comes to life (in the book written by Mary Shelley in 1818.)”

Describing the event as “a celebration with a spooky flair to it,” Jodloski said finding and securing the use of beautiful and historic places across the state is a mainstay of each festival.

In addition to hosting FrankenFest at the Turner-Dodge House in Lansing, there’s also a September date at Historic Fort Wayne in Detroit and an October event at Art 634 at an Historic Prison in Jackson, Michigan. 

Adding Port Huron to the list of venues was natural once the duo paid a visit to the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse last year.

“It was just an incredible place and we knew right away this was it,” Jodloski said. “We knew we could do something unique and different there and working with the people from the Port Huron Museum and the city has been great.”

After filling up the vendor spaces with the works of interesting and talented artists, another aspect of putting the event together was inviting guest speakers to share their knowledge on a variety of topics.

“We thrive on bringing in special guests and just really embracing the past,” Jodloski said. “And at its heart this is a fine arts fair – we get the best in the field and don’t acccept everyone.”

In addition, live displays and interactive exhibits, like one featuring Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Machine and another hosting The Detroit Ghostbusters, will be plentiful. Setups with Jurassic Park and Monsters, Inc. are also featured.

“There’s a lot to see and do besides just the artists on the grounds,” Jodloski said. “And the response has been fantastic, we had 10,000 people at our last FrankenFest is Lansing.”

To find out more about FrankenFest at Fort Gratiot Lighthouse visit their website at frankenfest.com.

Fort Gratiot Lighthouse is located at 2802 Omar Street in Port Huron.