Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and partners including Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear have cancelled the Port Oneida Fair scheduled for August 7-8, 2020.

The park continues to work toward a phased reopening of park facilities, however the uncertainty about when public health guidance will safely allow large gatherings of people has led to the decision to cancel the fair.

Superintendent Scott Tucker stated that “the significant preparation that would be needed from staff, partners, and volunteers precludes waiting any longer to make the decision. We look forward to when we can welcome crowds of people back into the park — and to celebrating with you at the next Port Oneida Fair on August 13-14, 2021.”

The two-day Port Oneida Fair lets visitors experience life as it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s in this once active community of farms. Demonstrators share traditional rural crafts and activities at several historic sites within the Port Oneida Rural Historic District.

In previous years, total attendance over both days has averaged between three and four thousand visitors, according to Matt Mohrman, Volunteer Coordinator at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.