Houghton and Hancock have FinnFest. Negaunee celebrates Heikki Lunta. Escanaba regularly hosts the Lumberjack Congress. Even blueberries have a day of their own in Marquette’s annual Blueberry Festival. But what day is there to celebrate all the hard-working people who reside here in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula?
The answer, until now, has been simple: There isn’t one. On August 10, that changes with the introduction of
Yooper Day, created to celebrate the past, present and future for Yoopers across the peninsula.
“It’s about the people who make it someplace special,” says Sonny Melvin, the founder of Yooper Day.
A native of Hancock, the idea for Yooper Day came to Melvin as he opened his advertising firm, Melvin Creative, in Chicago.
“You miss it,” Melvin says. “It means a lot more to you … You take it for granted. When you’re outside, you realize what a special place it is.”
Melvin says Yooper Day will be an annual event with the inaugural celebration taking place at Marquette’s Lower Harbor Park. Other U.P. cities will be considered each year to host.
“We want the whole U.P. to come together,” Melvin says.
One of the opportunities with the rotating site is to allow visitors to get to know the rest of their region--to explore rather than just drive through. Melvin also hopes there will be a benefit to local businesses as those visiting Yooper Day return to the businesses in each of the host communities.
Of course, it’s not just return business that will be a chance for local businesses.
“Vendors are open to anything and anyone,” Melvin explains. He expects restaurants and breweries from throughout the region to be involved and “to really show what they can do.” Any business with a unique U.P. aspect is welcome to be a part of the festivities though. They are working on bringing a professional photographer to take pictures at the entrance to the park.
The list of vendors wouldn’t be complete though without a U.P. staple.
“Pasties obviously will be served down there,” Melvin notes.
The most important thing though is that the event will be interactive, “people not just standing around like any other event,” Melvin says. One of the highlights will be the “All Dressed UP” competition--a chance to show your U.P. pride through your attire. Others include a pasty-eating contest and a Yooper March--an interactive parade open not just to businesses and floats but to anyone who wants to be a part.
Two recent additions include signing Nashville recording artist Motongator Joe, a U.P. native, to perform at the festival as well as the official shirts of Yooper Day becoming available through
Yooper Shirts.
For Sonny Melvin though, all the work of arranging the first-ever Yooper Day isn’t really work at all.
“I love creating stuff,” he says. “I’m having a blast creating this.”
For Sonny and the staff of Melvin Creative, there’s really one goal for Yooper Day.
“My goal is bringing my grandkids to this event 90 years from now,” he says.
Anyone interested in joining Yooper Day can call (855) 4-YOOPER for more information. You can also visit the website or check Yooper Day out on
Facebook.
Lee F. Brown is a freelance journalist, novelist, and restaurant manager who has lived in the U.P. his whole life. A graduate of Michigan Tech, Lee resides in Marquette with his wife and three children.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.