Gaylord South / Bradford Lake KOA Holiday Events

The Kalkaska National Trout Festival celebrates trout and fishing and those who love the outdoors and UpNorth Michigan!  Come to Kalkaska and celebrate the start of fishing season with fishing contests, music, parades, eating contests, a car show and so much more.

Join local Herbalist Sierra LaRose for an experiential herb walk getting to know our area edible and medicinal plants.  Cost is $25.00.  Meet at the Gaylord KOA.

Everyone loves a parade!  And when the parade honors our military, it makes the experience a little richer.  The parade begins and marches East down Main Street to the Memorial. VFW Post 1518 will lead the Parade, community members will carry the 20'x30' American Flag. At the Memorial, the VFW will ceremoniously fold the flag, place it on display and proceed with the ceremony. Come and be a part of this special day.

Come experience the Kirtland Warbler Festival!  Held the first weekend in June each year, you will learn about the Kirtland Warbler and its habitat.  Take a tour to view the warbler, witness its rituals and listen for the Warbler's distinct song.  Additional activities that weekend include bird-banding and a scavenger hunt throughout the Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve.  Saturday's festivities also include vendors and various animal displays.  This truly is an event for all ages!

Head over to the Otsego Lake County Park for the Otsego Lake Splash-In. Held on the second weekend of June, this is a family-friendly event with seaplane contests, plane parades, and so much more.  This is classic Northern Michigan Lake Life FUN!  Plus, enjoy breakfasts and lunches served by the Boy Scouts on Saturday and Sunday.

The “Three Free” weekend is the second weekend in June and allows residents and nonresidents to 1.) grab a fishing rod, 2.) ride the off-road trails, and 3.) visit state parks and boating access sites – all free of charge!  This is an amazing opportunity to get out and enjoy Northern Michigan and all its lakes and trails. During Free ORV Weekend, Michigan residents and visitors legally can ride without buying an ORV license or trail permit. All other ORV rules and laws still apply. For more information about Free ORV Weekends, visit Michigan.gov/ORVInfo.You can enjoy the outdoors and fish with your family, friends or make it a solo trip!

Over the course of two days and one night, teams will run a relay-style race on three smooth, single-track trails.  Participants will run through trees and over hills and at night under the starts with a headlamp lighting their way. ~Grayling Summer Visitors Guide 2024  This relay is good for teams of any experience level.  Start and end the relay at Hanson Hills Recreation Area.

Traverse City boasts The National Cherry Festival that offers over 130 events throughout the eight-day celebration, including all time favorites like air shows, Bay Side Entertainment, parades, daily kids events, the Festival of Races and, of course, Cherry Pie Eating and Pit Spitting competitions for every age.

Have you ever been to a boat parade?  Don't miss this great Fourth of July event on Otsego Lake!

A 4th of July Spectacular!  Come see one of the great firework spectaculars of the Midwest and northern Michigan. Launching from the popular Otsego Lake, this Independence Day celebration is something for the whole family to enjoy!

Come to Gaylord for one of their biggest weekends of the year!  Ever heard of "The Burning of the Boog?" There will be traditions, music, and food you have never heard of before as downtown Gaylord puts on an Alpine-inspired celebration that honors the city's heritage and partnership with sister city, Pontresina, Switzerland.  The entertainment is top-notch and includes Rolling Stones and Katy Perry tribute bands, 80's rock, classic rock, country, polka and German music, and to further honor the theme, a 14-piece Bavarian style band.  There will also be two parades (a walking parade and a grand parade), carnival rides, Queen and Princess pageants, a car show, a craft show, food vendors...do I need to say more?  Oh, there is more!  If you like to run or walk, sign up for the half marathon, 10k, 5.9k or 1-mile fun run.  Grab your lederhosen (yes, you'll see those there too) and join in the fun!

Grayling's biggest event includes a week's worth of entertainment and events that include a car show, an arts and crafts show, and kids events.  The theme of the HUP Race is "anything but canoes" and is always a fun time.  There is a 5k and 10k at Hanson Hills Recreation Area and a "street eats" festival that lines Michigan Avenue.  Music acts  start Thursday and go through Saturday, and of course the week ends with the AuSable River Canoe Marathon!  There truly is something for everyone at the AuSable River Festival!

The AuSable River Canoe Marathon, a.k.a. “The Marathon”, is a non-stop 120-mile, C-2 (two-person) canoe race held annually on the last full weekend in July. The race starts at night with a thrilling LeMans-style running start to the river in Grayling, MI, and ends the next day on the shores of Lake Huron in Oscoda, MI. The marathon is not a recreational canoe float. It is an ultra-competitive race that attracts professional paddlers from across the United States, Canada, and often teams from outside North America. Contestants must be in peak condition to compete in the race within the allotted time and endure the grueling and strenuous physical and mental strains that the marathon demands of the paddlers. ~from the AuSable River Canoe Marathon website.
If you are not ready to compete but want to watch, head over to the Spectators page of the website; you can watch the start, the bridges, the dams, and the finish!