|
Celebrate a Millennium PastMackinac Island, Michigan
Mackinac Island receives international attention for its refusal to change in an ever changing world. It has gained some notoriety as a tourist destination where there are no roller coasters, theaters or chain restaurants. Strangely enough, the only two movies filmed on the island both have "time" in their titles. Most noted perhaps was Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. More than 25 years prior to that film there was This Time for Keeps with Esther Williams and Jimmy Durante.
On what is typically a festive and social holiday period annually, this New Years Eve and the week preceding it will bring more than 40 businesses to reassemble and be open for this celebration of the turn of a century in readiness for a new millennium. Plans are still in the making as enthusiasm grows; Islander's are the most social folks you will ever meet and they love to celebrate. Thirty minutes before the stroke of midnight on December 31st, 1999, the Island's restaurants and bars will simultaneously turn off the music in their respective establishments and turn on a C.D. bringing the early, droning strains of Beethoven's 9th. symphony into notice as the crowds begin to realize that this is not just another New Year's Eve. The announcing blast of Beethoven's famous early crescendo and haunting strains of his choral symphony number nine will bring this fact into focus. As the big moment nears, the Island's fire siren will begin a long , sounding and closer yet, Fort Mackinac will fire its cannons to announce a striking winter fireworks display ushers us in to the year 2000 and all that is signified by that exact stroke of midnight.
A number of the Island's Hotels and lodging businesses will be offering packages of 2 or 3 nights for the New Year's Eve celebration and also, overnight stays and activities fro the week prior, some starting mid December. The largest property, Mission Point Resort will offer a choice of their extensive variety of accommodations including units with parlor, bedroom and an outdoors hot tub on a private deck overlooking the seclusion of the East Bluff. Lilac Tree all suites Hotel has in room Jacuzzi baths and the Chippewa Hotel has a giant outdoors hot tub which annually sets the record for the most people sharing one bath at one time. Horn's Gaslight Bar & Restaurant, The Village Inn, The Mustang Lounge, Watersmeet Restaurant and Lounge, Mission Points Round Island Bar and Grill, the Pilot House and the Islands Community Hall will all be part of the traditional "Roving Party' that takes place on the Island new year's Eve. The French Outpost and The Yankee Rebel restaurants are also considering opening. The Pilot House is located in the Lake View Hotel and the hotels swimming pool will be covered with a dance floor for this special event, allowing dancing instead of swimming. The Arnold Ferry Boat line out of St. Ignace, Michigan will be operating until the fresh water of Lake Huron freezes over and does not permit any more boat crossings. There is also Great Lakes Air out of St. Ignace that services Mackinac Island through out the winter months for passengers an freight. Arnold Line will have relatively late (7pm) boats during the busier period however, snow mobiles will not be transported from the mainland to the Island between Christmas and New Years in order to make the downtown Harbor District more accessible and easier for roving party goers to enjoy on the big night. The Island intends to make its winter presence a bit of a different part of a New Millennium New Year's Celebration, with snow shoeing, cross country skiing, winter golf, winter volley ball, winter flag football, sleigh rides, hay rides, moonlight snowbowling, scavenger hunts( some to all of the local bars and haunts) , of course snowman building contests and more in the way of pleasurable human experiences. There will be historic story telling , an art show at the library, a Teen Dance and Family Movies. Much of this will take place at Mission Point Resort with its vintage theatre and lake shore chip and putt golf course but also, there will be plenty of happenings in the Harbor District and other areas of the island, such as Great Turtle Park. To add to the list of things to do besides watching our nations traditional holiday football games, Mission Point Resort will offer a Chef's Cooking School and Wine Taste and a highly rewarding ( a good way to start new year) hole in one contest. Mackinac Island's plan is have a wide variety of fun activities for young and old alike, and all in between, to bring out the best of us for the New Millennium and the best it has to offer. As always there is a tremendous amount of community cooperation taking place to make this memorable and historic New Years Eve one that will make everybody happy, which is the social nature of Mackinac Islanders and those who have adopted her as their Island, too. Of course this will include traditional libations of the big night and then those also, of the many days before and after the big night. Actually, through out the entire years' length. Most of all it will be a fun time for everybody and everyone, as it is hoped the new Millennium will be. Happy New Year At this time, Mission Point is accepting reservations at 1 800 833 7711 and the Lake View Hotel has rooms at 1 906 847 3384. For the swiftest information on the happenings and up dates of lodging and activities, phone (1 800 4 LILACS) or drop a note to Chamber of Commerce, Box 451, Mackinac Island, MI 49757. You can write to any hotel or business on the Island by simply addressing your letter to the name of that business, Mackinac Island, Michigan, 49757. Mackinac Island does not yet have any street addresses nor is it planned to have any in the near or distant future. The postal staff simply remembers everybody's name and post office box. Its more personal that way. For more information about Mackinac Island, visit http://www.mackinac.com/ Photos courtesy of Robert Jerstrom, Resort Photography and Market Street Gallery. Edited by Dave Shultz -Updated 8-30-99- |
|
TM
America's living Victorian Community where time has been stilled for well over a century contemplates the
new Millennium and the year 2000. Since cars were banned from the island in 1898, little has changed as
multi generation families continue to live life as it was in the "good old days", with horses and nature. 
Those on the island will say that maybe the Millennium has already begun..that maybe the whole thing is moving
back into the past and that is the true happy new Millennium. Maybe we have to do it all over again until
we get it right. Regardless, the 1999/2000 New Year's Eve Mackinac Island is being planned as the largest
celebration ever, for the tiny island community in the Straits of Mackinac of the Great Lakes. 
Decisions are still being made while the Island engages in the completion of a busy summer season and prepares
for the more subdued visitors seeking the pristine experience of a Mackinac Island winter. The Lakeview
Hotel was the most recent to join the inventory of rooms available for New Years Eve and along with
Mission Point Resort, is taking reservations for their holiday packages and overnight stays. Most of the
available lodging on the island has been reserved excepting new openings to be announced. The Pontiac
Lodge and a number of others are open year around and so will have space throughout the month and afterwards.