Ludington Lumber Days Debuts: October 3–5, 2025

A Celebration of History, Heritage, and Lumberjack Fun for All Ages

Step into Ludington’s past and celebrate the rich lumber heritage that helped build our community during Ludington Lumber Days, a brand-new fall festival weekend packed with lumberjack-inspired fun, history, music, and adventure for all ages.

Weekend Highlights:

Friday, October 3

• Mason County Historical Society’s Lumbering History Photo Exhibition at the Research Center – (10 AM- 5 PM) on the main floor ($5/person), 130 E. Ludington Avenue
• MCHS: Behind-the-Scenes Tours at the Research Center – Tours beginning at 1 PM, 3 PM & 5:30 PM ($10/adult, $8/senior, $3/youth, free/members)
• Logging History of Ludington and Mason County (7PM) – Join local historian and author Mike Nagel for an engaging presentation at the Ludington Library, 217 E. Ludington Ave. (free)
• Plaidurday Pub Crawl (6–9 PM) – Throw on your flannel and join us for a night of craft beer and camaraderie, starting and ending at Ludington Bay Brewing Company. Zip City will provide entertainment at Ludington Bay from 6-10 PM. 

BUY TICKETS

Saturday, October 4

• Lumber Days Workout (10AM) – Log rolls, ax swings, stump jumps and more! Join HarborFit Studio at Legacy Plaza for a workout inspired by our logging roots.
• Lumber Days Beer Garden (1–6 PM) – Brought to you by Jamesport Brewing Company, Ludington Bay Brewing Company and Iron Fish Distillery, you are invited to raise a glass while enjoying live music from Virgil Baker Band and Onager, axe throwing with Tapped Axes, and kids’ activities. ($29 ticket includes 4 drink tokens and a commemorative koozie or pay $5 to enter.)

BUY TICKETS

• Ludington State Park Fall Festival (1–5 PM) – Enjoy wagon rides, music, face painting, cider & donuts, a guided hike (2pm) or kayak trails, and cozy bonfires. Music by Selkie. 8800 M-116, Ludington. *A MI Recreation passport is required to park inside the state park. If you walk in, it is free to enter.
• Big Sable Point Lighthouse open for tours (10AM–5PM). Visitors are welcome to explore the grounds, tour the original Keeper’s Quarters which have been converted into a gift shop, stroll along the sand dunes or climb the tower. Cost to climb the light: $8 for adults and $5 for students 17 and under; free for active service and veterans. Inside Ludington State Park, 8800 M-116, Ludington (pay on-site)
• Witness a logging encampment reenactment and experience our region’s logging life firsthand at Historic White Pine Village, (11AM-4PM) Costumed educators share the tools of the trade, and details of life and culture unique to Michigan’s late 1800’s frontier. 1687 S. Lakeshore Dr., Ludington
• Fun and educational crafts with lumber stamps for kids (9:30AM–5PM) at Sandcastles Children’s Museum, 129 E. Ludington Ave. Cost: $9.50 per person
• MCHS: Lumbering History Photo Exhibition – (10AM-5PM) on the main floor, ($5/person), 130 E. Ludington Avenue
• MCHS: Behind-the-Scenes Tours – Tours beginning at 1 PM & 3 PM ($10/adult, $8/senior, $3/youth, free/members), 130 E. Ludington Avenue

Sunday, October 5

• Cap off the weekend with a guided hike at Ludington State Park.– Create your own map of Ludington’s dune landscape using simple tools and observation. Along the hike, park interpreters will uncover how glaciers, wind, and water shaped the land and how to read the terrain like a story.

  Roughly a 1-mile walk – (10-11:30AM) at Ludington State Park Warming Shelter, 8800 M-116, Ludington (free)

• Ludington State Park History – Learn the history of the beloved Ludington State Park. Once home to the old town of Hamlin and later improved upon by the CCC, the area has transformed over time into a cherished destination for outdoor recreation and conservation.

  Roughly a 1-mile walk on paved paths. (2-3PM) at Hamlin Dam, 8800 M-116, Ludington (free)

Share your Ludington Lumber Days photos with us using #PureLudington!