2023 Mackinac Island Lilac Festival: Event Schedule, Parade Route, Interactive Map, Lilac Walking Tours, Movies and FUN Things To Do!
2023 Mackinac Island Lilac Festival: Event Schedule, Parade Route, Lilac Walking Tours and FUN Things To Do!
By: Sherry Trautman | Travel-Mi.com | Last updated: February 28, 2023
This spring, hop aboard either the Shepler's or Star Line ferry and motor across to Mackinaw Island to immerse yourself in the scenic and fragrant Mackinac Island Lilac Festival! Chris and I visit Mackinac Island every year, maybe even twice a year! We love it!
The Mackinac lilac festival is the largest and most historic festival (started in 1949!) on Mackinac Island.
It's a super popular Michigan festival with tourists and locals alike.
Events include the Lilac Queen coronation, 10K Run/Walk, lilac walking tours and planting seminars, kids activities, Michigan Cornhole tournament, music, movies, and the super popular Grand Parade.
Mackinac Island was voted #1 Best Island in the Continental United States by Travel + Leisure?
When is Mackinac Island Lilac Festival?
JUNE 9 - 18, 2023
2023 Theme: Mackinac In Bloom! (Pretty fitting, don't you think?)
Questions We've Been Asked
How long are lilacs in bloom on Mackinac Island? Depending on the weather, lilacs can bloom from two weeks to four weeks.
Is the Lilac Festival on Mackinac Island? Yes! You will need to take Shepler's or Star Line ferries over to the island this spring.
Where is the Lilac Festival in Michigan? Mackinac Island, located in northern Michigan.
When is the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Parade?
The Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Parade is Sunday, June 18, 2023. Lineup begins at 3:00 pm, parade starts at 4:00 pm.
- What is the parade route? The parade begins at Mission Point Resort follows M-185 to Main Street and ends at Windermere Point. The Mackinac Lilac Festival parade is so colorful! See our map below!
Why Lilacs? Fascinating History of Lilacs on Mackinac Island
Are lilacs native to Mackinac Island? Nope.
Lilacs were first planted on the island by the Hubbard family from New Hampshire, per Mr. Jeff Young, the horticulturist for the island’s Lilac Festival.
Those who planted lilacs believed the fragrant blooms would bring them good luck. Many of the Mackinac Island lilacs near the Hubbard's old farm (that have since been developed into cottages) are approximately 100 years old! And these plants are offspring of plants that were also about 100 years old, which means lilacs have been on Mackinac Island for about 200 years!
Mr. Young believes the lilacs on Mackinac Island are the oldest in the United States or Canada. WOW!
Lilacs love lots of rainfall and the chance to harden over winter, which is in abundance at Mackinac Island.
Hence, Mackinac Island's lilacs are the largest in the country! Many stems are larger than two feet across at the base!
Stay at The Grand Hotel!
Consider staying at the famous Grand Hotel while attending the Lilac Festival Mackinac Island 2023.
The lovely Grand Hotel dates back to 1887 and earned the No. 6 spot on the list of the Best Hotels in the Midwest!
Map of Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Events
Grab your Google Map of the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival!
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Daily Schedule of the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival
Happening Daily During the Mackinac Island Lilac Festival:
- FREE Family Fun Playground at Windermere Point. Bounce houses on weekends.
- 15-foot
customized coloring mural for the entire event.
- Registration is not required for walking tours or planting sessions.
- Questions? MackinacIsland.org has lots of answers!
9:00 am – 8:00 pm: See Lilac Festival posters on display at Mission Point Theatre. Free.
10:00 am - 8:00 pm: View local artists, Nicki Griffith and Pat Pulte, new works in the Murray Hotel Lower
Gallery.
Evenings: Downtown entertainment. Enjoy live music in downtown Mackinac Island.
Friday, June 9, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
5:00 pm: Coronation of the Lilac Festival Queen and unveiling of the Lilac Festival Poster. Free event in
Marquette Park.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Market Street Art Walk. Galleries and shops on Market Street open for viewing. Free
event.
Saturday, June 10, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
Morning: Lilac Festival 10K Run & Walk. Begins in front of Windermere Point and finishes in the Mackinac
Island School Yard.
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art
Museum.
11:00 am – 4:00 pm: Annual Used Book Sale at the Mackinac Island Public Library.
1:00 pm: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet on the west side of Marquette Park.
Free event.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort
Mackinac.
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Book signing at Island Bookstore. Katy Klimczuk will be available to sign her book M
is for Mackinac: A Nature Alphabet Book. Free event.
3:00 pm: Lilac Planting Seminar with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Ste. Anne Catholic Church grounds.
Free event.
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Line Dancing in the Street with West Michigan Bootscooters. Located on Market
Street between Fort Street and Astor Street. Free event.
Fire the cannon at Fort Mackinac at 6:30 pm. Sign up before 4:00 pm at the Tourism Booth on Main Street!
Dusk: Movie in the Fort. Located in Fort Mackinac. Free admission, bring a chair or blanket and your
favorite snack
Sunday, June 11, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art
Museum.
1:00 pm: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet on the west side of Marquette
Park. Free event.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort
Mackinac.
2:30 pm: Skips Stone for Fudge movie at Mission Point Theatre. Free event.
3:00 pm: Lilac Planting Seminar with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Ste. Anne Catholic Church grounds.
Free event.
3:30 pm: Mackinac: Our Famous Island movie at Mission Point Theatre. Free event.
4:30 pm: This Time for Keeps movie at Mission Point Theatre. Free event.
Monday, June 12, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
10:00 am: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free
event.
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art
Museum.
1:00 pm: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free
event.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort
Mackinac.
3:00 pm: Lilac Planting Seminar with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Ste. Anne Catholic Church grounds.
Free event.
Since You are Visiting Mackinac Island...
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
10:00 am: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free event.
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum.
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Nature Tour with Trish Martin, starts at Bogan Lane Inn. Free event.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort Mackinac.
3:00 pm: Lilac Planting Seminar with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Ste. Anne Catholic Church grounds. Free event.
5:30 pm: Historic Downtown Walking Tour. Meet in front of The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum. Free event.
6:00 pm: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free event.
7:30 pm: Somewhere in Time movie playing at Mission Point Theatre. Free event.
Since you are headed to Mackinac Island, grab our Mackinac Island guide! Best hotels, ferry info, our favorite restaurants and things to do!
Wednesday, June 14, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
10:00 am: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free
event.
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art
Museum.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort
Mackinac.
3:00 pm: Lilac Planting Seminar with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Ste. Anne Catholic Church grounds.
Free event.
7:00 pm: Artist-in-Residence Program. Station 256 Conference Room above the State Park Visitor
Center. Free event.
Thursday, June 15, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
10:00 am: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free event.
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort Mackinac.
3:00 pm: Lilac Planting Seminar with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Ste. Anne Catholic Church grounds. Free event.
6:00 pm: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free event
Friday, June 16, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
9:00 am – 4:00 pm: Fire the cannon at Fort Mackinac at 6:30 pm. Sign up before 4:00 pm at the Tourism
Booth on Main Street for a chance to fire the cannon!
10:00 am: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free
event.
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art
Museum.
1:00 pm: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet outside of the Post Office. Free
event.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort
Mackinac.
3:00 pm: Lilac Planting Seminar with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Ste. Anne Catholic Church grounds.
Free event.
5:30 pm: Creating the Village of Mackinac Island. Walking Tour with Mackinac State Historic Parks’
Interpretation Coordinator, Jack Swartzinski. Meet at Windermere Point. Donations Welcome.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Market Street Art Walk. Galleries and shops on Market Street open for viewing. Free
event.
Saturday, June 17, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
9:00 am: Lilacs and Warblers Birding Adventure! A guided tour of Mackinac Island’s birds and flowers. Meet in Marquette Park. Free event.
9:00 am – 4:00 pm: Fire the cannon at Fort Mackinac at 6:30 pm. Sign up before 4:00 pm at the Tourism Booth on Main Street for a chance to fire the cannon!
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum. Afternoon: Great Lakes Pirate Festival. Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Dock #1
1:00 pm: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet on the west side of Marquette Park. Free event.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort Mackinac.
3:00 pm: Lilac Planting Seminar with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Ste. Anne Catholic Church grounds. Free event.
Sunday, June 18, 2023 | Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Schedule of Events
8:30 am: Lilac Walking Tour with Lilac Docent, Anne Borowicz. Meet on the west side of Marquette Park.
Free event.
10:00 am – 5:30 pm: Complimentary admission to the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art
Museum.
1:00 pm: Special Tour at Fort Mackinac following the cannon firing. Included with admission to Fort
Mackinac.
1:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Concerts in Marquette Park. Free event
2:30 pm: Skips Stone for Fudge movie at Mission Point Theatre. Free event.
3:30 pm: Mackinac: Our Famous Island movie at Mission Point Theatre. Free event.
4:00 pm: Special cannon firing from Fort Mackinac to kick-off the 2023 Lilac Festival Parade
4:00 pm: Mackinac Island Lilac Festival Parade. Begins at Mission Point Resort and ends at Windermere
Point.
4:30 pm: This Time for Keeps movie at Mission Point Theatre. Free event.
5:30 pm: Raffle Ticket Party at Mary’s Bistro. Tickets are $100. First place is $3,000 and 2nd-8th place is
$1,000 each. Drawing is at 6:30 pm.
Mackinac Island Frequently Asked Questions
Headed to Mackinac Island? Here are a few Frequently Asked Questions! Know before you go!
Since You are Visiting Mackinac Island...
Here are about 100 more Events and Things To Do in June!