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Keweenaw's Explorer Blog

October 2026

Industry Newsletter

The Keweenaw’s visitor economy plays a vital role in our region’s quality of life and future prosperity. To keep local leaders and stakeholders current on issues impacting the industry, Visit Keweenaw created this monthly newsletter to share information on topics such as economic trends, destination and community investments, and other pertinent news.

We hope you find this a valuable resource to stay up to date on the Keweenaw’s visitor economy and encourage you to share it with parties you think would benefit from the information. As always, we look forward to sharing what makes the Keweenaw a special community to both live in and visit.

Within this newsletter, you'll find: 

A Note from the Executive Director 

What an incredible fall season it has been here in the Keweenaw! The breathtaking autumn colors brought a fantastic wave of visitors to Houghton and Keweenaw Counties, and it’s been wonderful to see our local businesses bustling with so much energy over the past few weeks. 

Our region’s natural beauty and welcoming communities haven't just caught the eyes of our leaf-peeping visitors—they're making national headlines. We are absolutely thrilled to share the Keweenaw recently received fantastic recognition from both Midwest Living and Travel + Leisure magazines as Michigan’s top fall destination! It’s always rewarding to see prestigious travel outlets highlighting what we already know: our home is a world-class destination during autumn.  

Now, as the peak fall foliage winds down, the fun is just getting started. We're seeing a thrilling uptick in fun, spooky events popping up across the peninsula to keep the tourism momentum going strong. From the creative chills at the Wolf's Head Film Festival to the legendary Haunted Smelter experience, and so much more, there is no shortage of unique ways for locals and visitors alike to celebrate the post-color season who are leaning into the spooky season experiences! 

Thank you for your continued hard work, collaboration, and everything you do to make the Keweenaw an unforgettable place to visit. 

Brad  
Executive Director | Visit Keweenaw 

 

Canal Colors Recap 

Visit Keweenaw was proud to support the Canal Colors Festival, a three-day celebration that brought thousands of people together for a weekend of fall festivities, community spirit and plenty of plaid. Since its adoption in the Keweenaw, Plaidurday, the U.P.'s favorite holiday, has joined forces with the Keweenaw Color Run, Brew Street and Fall Fest to create one umbrella celebration: Canal Colors Festival. 

Now in its fourth year, the festival continues to bring these signature events together into one continuous weekend, encouraging overnight stays and giving visitors even more reasons to experience the Keweenaw during the fall season. Autumn is already a popular time to visit, and Canal Colors Festival brings an extra dose of energy and excitement to the first weekend of October. 

This year's Plaidurday Photo drew 1,038 plaid-wearing participants to Houghton High School, marking a significant increase over 2025 attendance when the photo was held at Keweenaw Brewing Company. The event continues to build on the excitement of 2023, when Visit Keweenaw broke a world record by gathering 1,745 plaid-wearing participants at the Houghton High School football field. 

The weekend also introduced some exciting new additions, including Lumberjack Lovin', a lively lumberjack-themed runway competition that brought plenty of laughs and creativity to Brew Street. The Wolf's Head Film Festival joined the fun with a giant pumpkin contest, while Fall Fest saw fantastic attendance from local families and visitors enjoying an afternoon of seasonal activities. The Keweenaw Pie-Eating Contest was another crowd favorite, bringing enthusiastic competitors and spectators together for some good old-fashioned fall fun. 

Looking ahead, Visit Keweenaw hopes to continue growing the Plaidurday Photo while building Canal Colors Festival into an even bigger, more connected weekend of activities across the peninsula. By bringing together community partners, unique events and the Keweenaw's unmistakable personality, the festival helps encourage additional overnight stays while keeping the region on the map as a fun, welcoming and wonderfully zany destination. 

Plaidurday 2026

Plaidurday 2026 crowds looking strong for a future record breaking year!

 

Wolf’s Head Film Festival Takes Over Hancock 

The Wolf’s Head Film Festival returned to Hancock's Orpheum Theater for its second year, growing to three days of independent genre films, community events and filmmaker experiences. Visit Keweenaw holds the honor of "Presenting Sponsor," fueling a new era of creative visitation during the post-fall color season. New this year, Zombie Prom brought the festival to a lively close at the Hancock Community Hub with around 100 attendees. Visit Keweenaw also helped support the event through a special screening inside Quincy Mine for filmmakers and VIPs, a reception at Small Craft, and a pre-event promotional reel featuring dark tourism and film festival influencer Heather Taylor (@beforethecoffin) that generated more than 14,800 views. The festival recorded 150+ ticket sales, including pre-sale and in-person. 

Nearly 20 filmmakers traveled to the Keweenaw with guests, with opportunities to explore the region both through organized activities and on their own. They left with a genuine appreciation for the area, eager to return for both future festivals and vacations. Several shared that the warm welcome they received from Wolf’s Head Film and the Keweenaw community was unlike anything they had experienced at another festival. One submitted film was filmed locally, opening exciting possibilities for future Keweenaw representation. 

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, including praise from organizers of Grand Rapids’ former Thriller! Chiller! Film Festival, who recognized Wolf’s Head as a uniquely compelling genre-film event that exceeded expectations. With a successful second year behind it, the festival is building momentum for 2027 and showing how creative events can bring new visitors during the shoulder season to the Keweenaw while creating lasting connections with the people and places that make it special. 

Wolf's Head Film Festival Quincy Mine Screening 2026

FIlmmakers and VIPs were treated to an exclusive tour and screening deep underground at the Quincy Mine!

 

Visit Keweenaw Popped Up in Chicago 

At the end of September, Visit Keweenaw’s Brad Barnett and Amanda Makela attended a Finn Partners media activation event in Chicago. The regional invite brought together a few Midwest destination marketers alongside influencers and travel writers to spark connections and get the Keweenaw’s name into a large market. The crew brought down flavors from the Keweenaw, like thimbleberry jam and Michigan brews. 

Events like this help networking with media members who might not know about the Keweenaw’s ample offerings for food, travel and other experiences publications are looking for stories on. It’s also a testament to Visit Keweenaw’s work, being personally invited to events like this by the marketing team for Pure Michigan. 

 

Shooting for the Stars: Houghton to Host Aurora Summit in November 

Visit Keweenaw is proud to help bring The Aurora Summit to the Keweenaw Peninsula on November 6-8, 2026! This exciting event is drawing a significant number of visitors to the region, filling rooms at our member lodging properties and showcasing the Keweenaw's incredible dark skies. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience one of the nation's premier destinations for Northern Lights viewing while supporting local businesses and exploring our communities. Visit Keweenaw is proud to sponsor and support this event, which highlights the power of bringing new experiences to the region and generating meaningful economic activity for our tourism partners.   

 

Visit Keweenaw Hosts Michigan PBS’s Under the Radar 

The Visit Keweenaw crew just hosted Tom and Jim from Michigan’s PBS show Under the Radar. The classic travel-inspiring segments follow attractions across Michigan, and Keweenaw has been featured along the way. This newly taped episode airs on Nov. 6 on PBS and streaming platforms. Visit Keweenaw guided the crew to hot spots like the Calumet Air Force Station, Keweenaw Waters Resort (plus Buzzy Boats) and Beviamo, the new wine bar in downtown Houghton. 

The episodes help connect prospective visitors with new or underrated experiences in the Keweenaw and then they book. The audience is very committed and enjoys finding new recommendations from Tom and Jim. Visit Keweenaw invests in this form of paid media to help support its members and regional attractions. 

Under the Radar

Celebrity sighting at the Calumet Air Force Base! Under the Radar filmed at Open Skies Project this fall. (Photo: Bob Kary)

 

Hadestown: Broadway Comes to the Keweenaw 

Michigan Tech’s Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts recently welcomed a packed house for the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown—filling the Upper Peninsula’s largest performance venue to capacity! Visit Keweenaw was proud to be a financial sponsor of the production, which delivered a measurable win for both our community and local economy. 

According to mobile location data from Placer.ai, nearly 14% of the audience—more than 200 attendees—traveled from outside the area to catch the show in Houghton. Between these out-of-town guests and the sizable touring cast and crew, the event generated immediate business for local lodging properties, downtown restaurants, and shops. 

Hosting events of this caliber showcases the power of investing in regional arts and culture: it drives vital spending for our local hospitality partners while bringing world-class entertainment right to our residents' doorsteps. 

Keweenaw on the Road: Sharing Community-First Tourism at MACVB  

Team Visit Keweenaw recently brought some Copper Country energy to Harbor Springs for the Michigan Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus (MACVB) Annual Education Conference! 

Connecting with DMO peers from across the state, we took the stage to present "The Important Roles DMOs Play in Their Communities." Our session highlighted how community-first destination management supports Houghton and Keweenaw Counties through proactive local partnerships, regional advocacy, and trail and infrastructure investments that enrich quality of life for residents and visitors alike. We left re-energized, full of fresh ideas, and proud to keep championing the Keweenaw! 

 

Winter is Coming. What’s New at Your Attraction? 

Winter is right around the corner, and we want to know what you've got planned! Whether you're launching a new experience, expanding your winter offerings, hosting a special event or just have something exciting to share, Visit Keweenaw wants to hear about it. We're gearing up to promote all the incredible things to see and do across the Keweenaw this winter, and we don't want to miss a thing! 

Have something worth sharing? Email jesse@visitkeweenaw.com with your updates, news or anything else visitors should know about this winter! 

 

Upcoming Events in Keweenaw 

  • Halloween Weekend 
    • From Oct. 29-31, Michigan Tech Theatre brings a spine-chilling Halloween experience to the historic Quincy Mine. Visitors will encounter restless spirits of miners past during an interactive, 25-minute haunted walkthrough where they become part of the story. Tours run approximately every 15 minutes from 7-10 p.m. at the Quincy Smelting Works in Hancock. Expect jump scares, flashing lights and plenty of spooky surprises. Tickets and additional information are available through the Quincy Mine Hoist Association at quincymine.com. 
    • The Lost Boys Halloween Screening – On Oct. 31, the historic Calumet Theatre is celebrating Halloween with a special screening of the 1987 cult classic The Lost Boys. This iconic vampire film brings plenty of '80s nostalgia, dark comedy and Halloween thrills to the big screen. Doors open at 8 p.m. with concessions and a full bar available before the movie begins at 9 p.m. Admission is just $5 per person. 
    • Mount Bohemia Halloween Party – On Oct. 31, Mount Bohemia's Nordic Spa is hosting a Halloween bash featuring a live DJ, costume contest with plenty of prizes and free pizza from 6-9 p.m. All four bars and the Nordic Spa will remain open until midnight, giving guests plenty of time to celebrate Halloween in the heart of the Keweenaw. Visitors looking to make a weekend of it can also take advantage of a special lodging deal, with buy-one-night, get-one-night-free accommodation in Mount Bohemia's cabins and yurts. 
  • 41 North Film Festival (Nov. 5-8) – The 41 North Film Festival returns to Michigan Tech, bringing award-winning independent films and filmmakers from across the globe to the Keweenaw. The festival offers students, residents and visitors a unique opportunity to experience thought-provoking films, explore important issues and connect directly with the people behind the camera. It's another great example of the arts and cultural experiences that make the Keweenaw a vibrant destination, even as the seasons change. 

 

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