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Steel Bridge Songfest facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Steel Bridge Songfest is a cool music festival that happens every year in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. It lasts for four days and is also called "Steel Bridge" for short.

This festival started in 2005. A musician named Pat MacDonald and his sister, Christie Weber, created it. They wanted to help save a special old bridge in their town.

A big part of the festival is a week-long workshop called the "Construction Zone." Here, musicians work together to write new songs. These songs are often inspired by the bridge itself! The songs are recorded right there at the Holiday Music Motel. Later, they are released on special music albums. For example, Steel Bridge Songs Vol.10 came out during the festival's 10th anniversary in 2016.

History of the Festival

The festival began because of a historic bridge in Sturgeon Bay. This bridge is officially called the Michigan Street Bridge, but many people also call it the Sturgeon Bay Bridge. It was built in 1929 and opened in 1930.

The bridge connects Wisconsin State Highway 57 to the main business area of Sturgeon Bay. It helps cars and people cross the Sturgeon Bay Shipping Canal. This bridge is a famous landmark in Door County and is even on the city's official logo. It has unique moving parts that lift up for boats, which are rare in the country. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Saving the Bridge

In the 1990s, engineers found cracks in the bridge. Even though they fixed the cracks, some people thought the bridge was too old to keep. In 1999, there were plans to tear down the bridge and build a new one.

But many local people wanted to save their historic bridge! So, a group called "Citizens For Our Bridge" was formed. They were originally called "S.O.B.s," which stood for "Save Our Bridge." This group worked hard to find a way to fix the bridge instead of replacing it.

To help raise money and support for their plan, Christie Weber (one of the founders of Citizens For Our Bridge) and her brother, musician Pat MacDonald, decided to start a small music festival. Pat MacDonald asked his friend, famous singer/songwriter Jackson Browne, to help. And that's how the Steel Bridge Songfest began! It was a creative way to bring attention and funds to save a beloved landmark.

Musicians Who Have Played

Many talented musicians have shared their music at Steel Bridge Songfest. Here are just a few of them:

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