Hiawatha Festival preview

The Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival is about to return for its 35th year, and this year should be a very strong one.

The festival comes back to Marquette’s Tourist Park Friday, July 19th through Sunday the 21st.

Tickets and camping tags are still available.

The new Tourist Park Dam and the return of the beach are making the festival weekend more attractive.

“Ticket sales are actually up this year,” Hiawatha Music Co-Op executive director Susan Divine said. “We’re about 30% ahead of where we were at this time last year, so we’re really excited about more people coming back to the festival and celebrating the 35th year with us.”

Organizers will be holding a campsite decorating contest.

Judges will pick a winner on the final night, and the winner receives a camping tag for next year’s festival.

“It’s all good stuff,” Hiawatha Music Co-op music committee chair Chuck Ganzert said. “Some of the bands we’re having this year include Bonsoir Catin, which is a women’s Cajun ensemble from Lafayette, Louisiana.”

This coming Tuesday, the 16th, is the final day that tickets will be sold in advance.

They’re available at the Hiawatha Music Co-Op office on Baraga Avenue in Marquette, as well as online.

After Tuesday, tickets will only be available at the gate.

for more information, you can visit the Hiawatha Music Co-Op’s website.