The Homestead Resort Blog

Throughout the summer the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore provides daily Ranger Programs for individuals and families that teach and entertain. Don’t miss one or more of these activities while in the area. Here’s a sampling of the programs that will continue through September 6^th:

Dune Dialogs: a 15-minute talk about how the dunes were formed and how they continue to move and grow.

Sleeping Bear Dunes

Heroes of the Storm: 30-minute reenactment of a turn-of-the-century shipwreck rescue designed for children of all ages.

Glen Haven – The Capital of D.H. Day’s Empire: 1 ½-hour guided walking tour of the historic village.

Historic Glen Haven

Bike Tour: In the two-hour tour participants will discover how invasive species are affecting our ecosystem as well as tour the Port Oneida Historic District.

Don’t Bug Me: Discover how the dunes provide a habitat for insects in this 1-hour hike.

Lyle Gun Firing Demonstration: Hear the “boom” as a cannon is fired to demonstrate how shipwreck victims were rescued (30 minutes).

Firing Demonstration

Aral – History, Mystery, and Murder: Explore the lumber town that has vanished and learn its history and mystery (90 minutes).

Big Trees and Forest Threats: Experience a forest of big, old trees that have stood the test of time (45 minutes).

Giant Cedar Trees

Are the Dunes Gone? Learn how the dunes were formed and what their future holds (45 minutes).

Women on the Great Lakes: Men may have been ships captains and lighthouse keepers but come hear the stories of women of Sleeping Bear Dunes (45 minutes).

Leave it to Beaver: Explore the busy lives of area beavers in a 90-minute hike.

Busy Beaver

The Whole Point of Sleeping Bear: A challenging 1 ½ to 2-hour hike on a premier trail through ghost forests and dunes.

Hurry, because these programs are only scheduled through Labor Day…with the exception of the bike tours that have been extended into the fall. Click here for a detailed schedule of events.

Get on your running shoes and head to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore this Labor Day weekend for the first annual Port Oneida 5K run.  The run will twist and turn through some of the most beautiful countryside in the nation. Money that is raised will go towards preserving the historical farmsteads, buildings, cemetery, and old school house located in the Port Oneida Historic District.

The Port Oneida 5K Run is the last event of the summer sponsored by PRESERVE Historic Sleeping Bear. PRESERVE organizes several events each summer to bring awareness of the cause as well as to raise preservation money. With the popularity of 5K runs throughout the country, this annual event is expected to become very popular with locals and visitors alike. Runners will experience a rare taste of rural farmstead history as well as spectacular natural landscapes not seen anywhere else in the country.

The run commences at 9:00 am at the historic Charles Olsen Farm on M-22 just north of The Homestead and Glen Arbor. An old farm bell will ring to signal the runner’s start. Runners and walkers will meander through open meadows and fields, past picturesque farms, barns, and the schoolhouse, along ridges, and across dune bluffs. The start and finish lines are at the Olsen Farmstead barn that was just recently restored.

Children can get in on the fun by participating in the Kids Schoolhouse Dash after the 5K run is completed. The Charles Olsen Farm will also be open for tours. There will be a post-race celebration including food, awards and prize drawings.

Runners should register online at signmeup.com or through the mail: print form and mail . Registration fee is $20 for those over 18. Check-in time is 7:30 am and the first 125 runners will receive a free aluminum water bottle.

For more information visit PRESERVE Historic Sleeping Bear Port Oneida 5K Run page.

It is that time of year each August when horse-drawn carriages travel the streets, oxen mow the grass, and women wear long frocks. It is the annual Port Oneida Fair that takes place over two full days in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Visitors will experience life as it was in the late 1800′s and early 1900s in this small town of early settlers. 

Port Oneida was founded by German and Prussian immigrants that settled to log and fish in the late 1800s. As settlers came, they build homes, barns, a school, a blacksmith shop, and a post office.  Families grew their own food and raised livestock on their farms, but they also worked in businesses outside the home to support their families.  Since Port Oneida is part of the national park its buildings and structures are vacant but preserved for all to see.

The Port Oneida Fair is a wonderful event for people of all ages.  Seven historic sites are open including farmsteads and the one-room schoolhouse. Over 100 demonstrations of rural cultural traditions are open throughout each day including weaving, candle making, soap making and log cutting. Re-enactments of key historical events are also scheduled. Children have the opportunity to experience what life was like in the 1800s by participating in hands-on activities.

The fair is open on Friday and Saturday, August 13 and 14, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm in the Port Oneida Historic District of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore located on M-22 just north of Glen Arbor.  For a list of events and times visit, Port Oneida Fair Schedule of Events. There is no admission charge but a park pass is required. Visit Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitors Bureau for lodging recommendations.

The historic fair is hosted by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Manitou Islands Memorial Society, Michigan 26th Civil War Re-enactors, and the Glen Arbor Business Association, PRESERVE Historic Sleeping Bear, Glen Arbor Art Association, Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, Leelanau Conservation District, Leelanau Historical Society, and Leelanau Chamber of Commerce.