May Fest Returning to Ishpeming

Plans are in place for a springtime festival to come back to Ishpeming.

May Fest will be back for its 6th annual edition.

First Street downtown will become a carnival midway on Thursday and Friday, April 29th and 30th, and Saturday, May 1st.

The Skerbeck Brothers Carnival of Escanaba will bring many of the same rides and attractions that you can find at the U.P. State Fair every summer.

May Fest organizer and former Ishpeming mayor Kurt Kipling says for quite a few of the businesses near the midway, May Fest weekend is their busiest weekend of the year.

He also says other kinds of businesses like gas stations and grocery stores see a spillover effect on their sales as well, since the carnival employees need to shop while they’re in town.

Plans are also in the works for a possible May Fest parade Saturday morning.

The proceeds will be split between Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay and the Ishpeming Fire Department.

May Fest has raised more and more money for those 2 groups every year that it’s been held.