AuSable River Festival this weekend
Wed, Jul 22, 2009 - By Grayling Visitors Bureau
Looking for family fun and excitement? Then head to the AuSable River Festival Thursday July 23rd through Sunday, July 26th. From the Summer Music Series performance by Keith Scott World of Blues, on the lawn of Citizens Bank, uptown Grayling, on Thursday, 7-9 p.m., to the grand finish of an internationally acclaimed canoe marathon on Sunday, numerous activities and entertainment are scheduled.
The 62nd Anniversary 2009 Weyerhaeuser AuSable River International Canoe Marathon begins with sprints for starting positions on Thursday, July 23rd and ends with the Avita Water Black Bear Bicycle Tour on Sunday, July 26th.
This festival includes fun filled events such as the Summer Music Series event, Arts & Crafts show with over 100 vendors, and the McNamara Ford Classic Car Show of Grayling. Other festivities include the AuSable River Festival Parade, 10k Fun Run & Walk, Food Court and Michigan Museum of Military Transport exhibit. Many local businesses will be participating all week with individual activities such as an Ice Cream Social, Community Coffee Break, Book Sale and a Chicken BBQ.
The world-renowned Icehouse Quilt Shop will present their Quilt Show on Friday & Saturday.
The Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon is the richest canoe race in North America. The $50,000 purse will be up for grabs by expert paddlers from around the world. The racecourse runs almost the entire length of the AuSable River, 120 miles. Paddlers begin by running LeMans style, carrying their canoes on their shoulders, on Saturday, July 25th at 9:00 p.m. to The Old AuSable Fly Shop with thousands of shouting spectators watching on.
Prior to the start of the marathon, the paddlers will be introduced and live entertainment will be provided. On Sunday morning, the Avita Water Black Bear Bicycle Tour will depart for Oscoda to catch the paddlers at the end of their overnight adventure. The race ends Sunday, July 26th in Oscoda, MI on the shore of Lake Huron.
Contact: http://www.ausablecanoemarathon.org or http://www.visitgrayling.net/
2008 LeMans start of the canoe race....