event

Celebrate the 4th at the Fort

Port Huron, MI — Celebrate the 4th of July by going back in time at the Fort Gratiot Post Hospital. Fourth at the Fort is a new event hosted by Port Huron Museums at the Hospital located at Lighthouse Park.

Visitors will experience a historical day of free fun and games complete with re-enactors dressed in 1860s fashion. There will be tours of the Lighthouse and the Post Hospital with presentations on Victorian medicine, and games and stories for children.

Fourth at the Fort runs from noon to 4 PM on the 4th of July, and showcases the historical site of Fort Gratiot which was constructed in 1814 to guard the entrance of the St. Clair River. The Post Hospital is the oldest wooden building in St. Clair County, and it is being renovated by Port Huron Museums to showcase the military and medical history of the Blue Water region.

Port Huron Museums is selling raffle tickets to raise money for the renovations, and tickets are available at all Port Huron Museums sites until September 12, 2021.

Learn more at phMuseum.org

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Family Night Planned for July 22nd

Port Huron, MI — Operation Transformation invites families to enjoy one of the area’s favorite parts of Boat Week: OT’s Family Night. The event is planned for Thursday, July 22nd from 5 – 9 PM.

This evening of fun for families takes place on the lawn just northeast of the 10th Street Bridge, and it features activities specifically geared toward children.

This year’s event will feature pony rides, a petting zoo, live music, carnival games, and giveaways.

Operation Transformation works with sponsors to provide the event for free to the community. This year’s sponsors are the James C. Acheson Foundation, Community First Health Centers, Kiwanis Club of Port Huron, Power 88.3/Hope FM, and Pollock Randall Funeral Home.

OT is also looking for volunteers, and interested people can contact Renee Hernandez at 810-966-8660.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Blue Water Race Series Gets Started this Weekend

The Blue Water Race Series kicks off its second season this weekend with the Artful Dodger Race in St. Clair. The Race Series consists of six running races that span June to December of this year. Those who participate in all six events not only have a major athletic accomplishment to be proud of but can earn a commemorative jacket.

The races in this year’s series include summer, fall, and winter runs. The summer races start with the St. Clair Artful Dodger this weekend and the Algonac Pickerel Run on the 4th of July. The fall races are the P.S. You’re My Hero run in Port Huron on September 19th and the Run for Recovery in Port Huron on October 9th.

November brings the Friendsgiving Tyler Kreitler Memorial Run in Marine City, and the Jingle Bell Run in Port Huron.

Runners get to choose between 5k and 10k options for most races. There are usually one-mile walks as well.

To get more information about the Blue Water Race Series, visit the following link to the website or check out Blue Water Race Series Facebook page.

https://bwrs.enmotive.com/

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

SC4 Invites Community to “Free-ish”

St. Clair County Community College invites the public to attend a webinar called “Free-ish”, held on Thursday, June 17th from 10-11:30 a.m. 

Juneteenth refers to June 19th, 1865, when slaves in Texas were finally freed under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.

SC4’s office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is holding a virtual Juneteenth Celebration called “Free-ish” that will feature speakers discussing the history of Juneteenth, bridging the gap between the African and Black Community and the current state of Black America.

Guest speakers at the webinar include Alphonso Amos, Lead Organizer of Black Lives Matter Port Huron; Kevin Totty, Program Coordinator with the Community Foundation of St. Clair County; and Kevin Watkins, President of the Port Huron Branch of the NAACP. 

The panel discussion will include several local and regional leaders discussing the current state of Black America. SC4’s Jessica Brown said the webinar is open to everyone, near and far. 

SC4 “Free-ish” Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7fDNncWcSry51BK-9aVgCg

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

The Henry Ford Museum Presents The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited

Remember the simpler days of watching The Muppet Show on Friday nights or Sesame Street on PBS every morning? Both shows are the work of Jim Henson. The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, just about an hour drive from the Blue Water area, has announced a popular new exhibit for all ages: The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited. It gets started on June 5th.

The exhibit takes viewers into the work that Jim Henson did for film and television and his impact on American culture. Guests will get to see over 100 original artifacts, including 25 of Henson’s puppets.

There are also character sketches, storyboards, scripts, costumes, and photographs, along with film and television clips and behind-the-scenes footage. Those who attend the exhibit can participate in interactive puppeteering experiences.

The Jim Henson Experience runs from June 5th to September 6th and is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. General admission is $25 per person with some discounts available. Admission includes entry into the entire museum, which has a huge collection of artifacts chronicling the history of innovation.

https://www.thehenryford.org/current-events/calendar/the-jim-henson-exhibition-imagination-unlimited

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

“Live Look” Brings Working Artists to Downtown Port Huron

Port Huron, MI — Downtown Port Huron already has a growing arts scene, but it is taking another step into getting the community even more involved in creative expression. The Live Look series will give a glimpse into the creative process as artists work on their pieces in plain view.

Downtown Development Authority Director Cynthia Cutright said that the Live Look will be held in conjunction with the Shop, Rock ‘n Stroll which takes place every Friday from June 4th through September 3rd from 6-8 p.m. in Downtown Port Huron.

Cutright said, “The goal is the highlight artists, makers, and creators that we have right here in the Blue Water Area.”

Cutright said that artists are being compensated for their contributions by a grant from the Arts Committee of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County. This type of art initiative is the first of its kind in the area and was inspired by local artist and business owner, Jody Parmann.

The first artist will be Shannon Wheeler, who will be demonstrating her woodburning art at Quay Street Park on June 4th. The June schedule is filled, but the DDA is looking for more artists to round out the rest of the summer.

Interested artists can go to the Downtown Port Huron Facebook page for more information.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland