Illuminating the beauty of the Keweenaw Peninsula’s dark skies
COPPER HARBOR, Mich. (WJMN) – The solitude of the Keweenaw Peninsula provides visitors with the backdrop for adventures during the day and night. For the second year, Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Copper Harbor in collaboration with Visit Keweenaw hosted the Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival on April 11-13, 2024.
The International Dark-Sky Association named Keweenaw Dark Sky Park as the third Dark Sky Park in Michigan in June of 2022.
The festival began in 2023 as a two-day event and grew to three days for 2024.
Part of festival’s focus is to educate guests on the impacts of unnecessary light pollution. Another is to help share what the Keweenaw Peninsula has to offer during a less busy time of year.
During the festival, we stayed at Wilderness Resort in Lac La Belle. The area offered its own Dark Sky viewing opportunities, and quick access to the Lake Superior shores of Bete Gris.
In between sessions at the festival, there were ample opportunities to explore many of the roadside parks and wilderness areas accessible in Copper Harbor and surrounding areas.
There are a limited number of openings for the festival each year. That is done intentionally to provide guests with a more personal experience.
Strongest solar storm since 2005 to hit Earth tonight: Will it disrupt power and communications?
If you’re interested in learning more about dark sky initiatives, borrowing telescopes, or taking pictures of the night sky. Keweenaw Mountain Lodge offers numerous educational opportunities every month.
The Dark Sky Festival falls in line with the April’s new moon. The 2025 Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival is already scheduled for April 24-26.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com.
