Canal Colors Festival

Celebrate Fall in the Keweenaw!

Houghton’s got a brand-new fall party, and you’re invited. Parked along the beautiful Portage Canal and the mighty lift bridge, this festival celebrates the exact spot where fall colors first start to turn between Houghton and Hancock, Michigan. With steep hills rising on both sides of the canal, the season shows off twice — once in the trees, and again in their reflections across the water. That’s what makes it Canal Colors.

Canal Colors Festival hits downtown Houghton October 3 & 4, and it’s all about that U.P. fall vibe — flannels, good beer, fresh air, and a reason to celebrate the season. This weekend mash-up pulls together Brew Street, Plaidurday, the Color Run, and Houghton’s Fall Fest into one big celebration along the waterfront.

FRIDAY, OCT 3

Brew Street | 6PM

Beer, food & music on Lakeshore Drive

Brew Street opens at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3 behind the Keweenaw Brewing Company with fresh pours from the taps inside. KBC will be stocked up on social district cups for folks to bring outside to a street party celebration. We’re moving last year’s excitement on the pier directly behind the KBC to “Brew Street”, now called Lakeshore Drive. Much of the street was once dedicated to brewing beer – and the KBC still stands. It’s a great way to honor the area’s brewing history while raising money for the Carnegie Museum up the street, which helps preserve and tell the story of the region’s copper boom and historic origins.

KBC is donating $1 on every social district cup sold on Oct. 3 & 4 to the Carnegie Museum. Come on down, listen to great music from Toni Saari, The Make Believe Spurs, and the Bob Hiltunen Band and raise your glasses to a great cause! This year’s Plaidurday photo will be taken at Brew Street at 7 p.m. There is no cost to enter – if you are 21+ years old you are able to purchase drinks from the KBC bar. Lakeshore Drive will be closed from Suomi to the entrance of the parking lot out back to allow for parking but not through traffic toward the pier. N/A options are available at the KBC bar.

Fall in the Copper Country, KBC, and plaid - a natural match! (Brew Street 2024)

Plaidurday | 7PM

Snap the big group flannel photo at Brew Street Friday night.

Visit Keweenaw knows it won the world record alongside Houghton-Portage Township Schools by bringing the most people together wearing plaid on Plaidurday in 2023. We repeated the event at the High School in 2024. Now – in 2025 – Houghton’s Plaidurday photo is moving downtown and everyone’s invited for a fun experience! This year’s photo will be taken behind the Keweenaw Brewing Company at Canal Color Festivals’ Brew Street event.

The photo will be taken at 7 p.m. and Brew Street opens from 6 p.m. to midnight with three bands, food trucks and cold pours from the KBC. Visit Keweenaw and the City of Houghton look forward to seeing you at the Suomi Block of Lakeshore Drive for your annual Plaidurday photo! With a later time – organizers hope more families/folks who work during the day will be able to attend the photo.

Setting the bar high and the plaid thread count higher! (Plaidurday 2024)

Saturday, OCT 4

Color Run | 9:30AM

The Keweenaw Color Run is back!

Join Keweenaw Young Professionals Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 9:30 AM in Downtown Houghton for a fun, untimed 5K walk/run for the whole family. Get splashed with colorful powders at stations along the route and kick things off with your own color packet at the start. Wear a white or light shirt—or grab an official KCR tee—to show off your colors. The race wraps up just in time to kick off the Downtown Houghton Fall Festival at the Waterfront Pier from 11 AM to 2 PM. No winners, no times—just fun, friends, and community spirit!

Color Run adds a whole new palette of color to the fall scene! 

Fall Fest | 11AM

Family-friendly fun on the water!

Right after the Color Run, the pier turns into a family-friendly Fall Fest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. Expect tractor rides, apple cider pressing and even bring-your-own-apple pressing on the pier. Vendors will have fall themed items for sale, including pumpkins! Look for games for the kiddos like bowling on the pier and cozy decorations for autumn photo ops.

The Brew Street fundraiser for the Carnegie continues into Saturday, so be sure to swing by the KBC to help raise funds for an important Houghton historical asset! The Keweenaw is the sunniest destination east of the Mississippi river during summer. This means our trees take on more sunlight – causing a more intense burst of fall colors in late September through the first week of October. With incredible views and a walkable downtown, Houghton and the greater Keweenaw make for a perfect autumn roadtrip.

Haybales, cider, and crisp fall air make for a picture-perfect day in Houghton!

Canal Colors Festival Sponsors

Canal Colors Festival wouldn’t be possible without the partners who’ve long been bringing these beloved events to life. Each has built traditions our community treasures and we’re grateful for their continued collaboration in making Canal Colors shine!