Sleeping Bear Forever Leader Talks Rebrand, New Folk School, End Of Port Oneida Fair

A rebrand, a newly-launched folk school, and the end of a longtime tradition: These are a few of the things on the mind of Sleeping Bear Forever Executive Director Susan Pocklington as the organization navigates one of its busiest years in recent memory.

Though it’s been around for more than a quarter-century, you might not recognize Sleeping Bear Forever by name. That’s because the nonprofit retired its original identity, Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear, earlier this year.

“Our mission remains the same, but we’re stepping into a new chapter of fulfilling it,” Pocklington tells The Ticker, citing the nonprofit’s role as a “philanthropic partner” that helps the park preserve, restore, and “interpret” its 366 historic structures and landscapes. Increasingly, she says, the organization’s work is pushing beyond preservation into “wanting to expand how people experience Sleeping Bear Dunes.”

“There are so many immersive ways that people can enjoy Sleeping Bear, beyond just the Dune Climb,” Pocklington says. “When we started out, we were a grassroots advocacy group that was working to save the buildings, rather than tearing them down or letting them mold. The mission was really, ‘Let’s save the history.’ Now, we very much want to reactivate the buildings and reimagine ways to connect with this historic landscape. The name change reflects all that.”

Asked what “reactivation” might look like, Pocklington mentions the historic Charles and Hattie Olsen Farmhouse, which, following a restoration, reopened to the public in 2016 as the Port Oneida Heritage Center. Sleeping Bear Forever is “looking to work with the National Park Service on opening up some of the other historic buildings” throughout the park, with a similar kind of “adaptive reuse” strategy.

Propelling that goal is the new “Folk & Field School,” which the nonprofit officially opened for registration earlier this month. Folk schools typically focus on practical, traditional, hands-on skills, and Sleeping Bear Forever’s version includes classes in knitting, leather working, basketmaking, papermaking, woodworking, baking, and more. It’s the second folk school to launch in northern Michigan in as many years.

“It’s a wonderful way to reactivate some of the historic buildings for purposes that are enjoyable for the community,” Pocklington says of the folk school. “This year, we're starting out by using some of the buildings at Thoreson Farm (pictured) – so, their farmhouse, granary, and barn.” Some classes will spill into other parts of the park, including photography courses Pocklington says will be focused on “photographing the interior of other historic buildings.”

The Sleeping Bear Folk & Field School currently has a slate of courses scheduled out to October.

As one new tradition begins for Sleeping Bear Forever, another draws to a close. August 7-8 will mark the final Port Oneida Fair, which the nonprofit organizes alongside National Lakeshore staff. The tradition, which got its start in 2002, invites attendees to “step back in time” and “experience life as it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s” for early Euro-American immigrants. It sprawls across multiple historic Port Oneida sites and features arts, crafts, music, food, and historical showcases. Earlier this summer, the National Lakeshore announced this year would be “the final year of the Port Oneida Fair in its current form.”

“Looking ahead, Sleeping Bear Forever, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Fair Committee Members, and the surrounding community will collaboratively begin shaping a new vision for events that honor the area’s history,” the Lakeshore announced in a press release. “Together, these partners remain committed to preserving the cultural legacy of Port Oneida and exploring fresh ways to celebrate the stories, landscapes, and spirit that make this place so meaningful.”

Park Superintendent Scott Tucker later told the Glen Arbor Sun that the decision to end the event came from a mix of declining attendance, funding challenges, and actors and demonstrators “aging out.”

Pocklington is confident Sleeping Bear Forever and the National Lakeshore will be able to come up with a new take on the Port Oneida Fair for future summers.

“There is definitely an interest, from both parties, to keep exploring new ways to share this amazing history of Port Oneida,” she says. “Port Oneida is the largest agricultural community in public ownership in the country, and so many of the buildings are either listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. It’s quite something, and we’re all proud of preserving it and sharing it.”