HARBOR SPRINGS — The Harbor Springs Area Historical Society’s annual Fleet Week is back, giving residents and visitors a chance to celebrate the region’s maritime history.
Here’s what to keep an eye out for this Fleet Week, set for June 24–26:
Journey on a jiimaan
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25, a traditional Odawa jiimaan will be at Josephine Ford Park in Harbor Springs for rides.
During the 20-minute outing, Odawa elders and youth will tell Anishnaabe tales of life on the Great Lakes.
Registration is encouraged and can be done online at form.jotform.com/251184748212052. Some walk-on spots will be available.
Anchors and Echoes sunset cruise
The Little Traverse Ferry Company’s Harbor Princess boat will be taking people out for a sunset cruise around Little Traverse Bay from 7:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25.
Beth Wemigwase, curator for the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society, will share some lesser-known local legends and history while the cruise takes passengers from Petoskey to Harbor Springs and back.
Tickets are $75 per person, and a cash bar and snacks will be available. Each guest will get a drink ticket when boarding.
The boat will depart from Petoskey’s Bayfront Park and participants are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes beforehand to board.
Tickets can be purchased at harborspringshistory.org/events.
History in action
Learn all about the shipwreck of “The Western Reserve” during a history talk at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24 at the Harbor Springs History Museum.
Bruce Lynn, executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, will share information about the recently discovered shipwreck of the Western Reserve, a 300-foot steel steamer lost in 1892 and found near Whitefish Point. Cost to attend is $15 per person.
Blessing of the Fleet
From 5:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, the annual Blessing of the Fleet boat parade will fill the waters of Little Traverse Bay near the Harbor Springs marina.
The 13th annual Blessing of the Fleet will allow water vessels — anything from sailboats to kayaks to paddleboards — to pass by the flagship, the Harbor Princess, to be blessed for a safe and fun boating season.
Registration for the event is free, though donations of $200 or more include a commemorative baseball cap and five chances to win in the raffle.
Vessels are asked to be at their staging locations by 5:30 p.m., when the Woodland Singers from the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians will smudge their jiimaan and preform a water blessing song at the end of the city dock. The jiimaan will lead the parade.
People can register for the parade at form.jotform.com/251084112690046. Radio and course information will be emailed to registered participants.
Flagship party
For $150, people can get a ride for the Blessing of the Fleet right on the flagship boat.
Those at the Harbor Princess party will get a prime view of the parade and will also get two drink tickets to the full-service bar, along with appetizers and live music from the Oasis Steel Drum Trio.
The boat will depart from the city pier at 4:45 p.m. and people are asked to arrive 15 minutes beforehand. People can call 231-526-9771 for more information.
Raffle
Those interested in supporting the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society — and trying to win a cool prize — can purchase raffle tickets for one of four major prizes.
Proceeds from the tickets, which cost $25 each or five for $100, will benefit the historical society and their mission to preserve, interpret and share the area’s history.
Four prizes are up for grabs, including:
The first name drawn will get their pick of the prizes, and then each subsequent name will get their choice of the remaining gifts.
The winners will be announced live on Facebook at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 27. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the museum at 231-526-9771.
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Fleet Week returns to Harbor Springs: What to know about the annual Blessing of the Fleet
Reporting by Karly Graham, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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