Lilac Festival (Mackinac Island) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lilac Festival |
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|---|---|
| Status | active |
| Genre | festivals |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Location(s) | Mackinac Island |
| Coordinates | 45°50′57″N 84°37′08″W / 45.84917°N 84.61889°W |
| Country | United States |
| Years active | 76 |
| Inaugurated | 1949 |
The Lilac Festival is a fun, ten-day event held every year on Mackinac Island in Michigan, USA. It celebrates the beautiful common lilac flower. This festival has been happening since 1949. It starts on the second Friday of June and ends on the third Sunday of June with a special horse-drawn parade called the Lilac Parade.
History of the Lilac Festival
Americans started planting common lilacs a lot during the Victorian Age. People on Mackinac Island soon found that the island's special weather, called a microclimate, was perfect for lilacs. This climate helps lilacs grow bigger and live longer than in most other places in the United States. Some lilac trees on Mackinac Island are very old, planted over 150 years ago during the Victorian era.
In 2020, many events at the festival were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some parts of the festival were still held online.
The Lilac Festival Today
The festival is planned to happen when the lilacs on Mackinac Island are usually blooming. Organizers use bunches of white and purple lilac flowers as the main symbol for the festival.
No private cars are allowed on Mackinac Island. Because of this, all the parade floats in the Lilac Parade are pulled by strong draft horses. These horses include breeds like Clydesdales and Percherons. This makes the Lilac Parade one of the few parades left in the United States that is still completely horse-drawn.
The festival was started by people who live on Mackinac Island all year round. Two important founders were Stella King and Evangeline "Ling" Horn. The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress has recognized the festival as a "Local Legacy" event. This means it's an important part of local culture and history.
See also
- Lilac Festival (Calgary)
- Lilac Festival (New York)
