CHAMBER BLOG

September 1 marks the beginning of Fall for the U.P.  Traveling this past week, I noticed that not only are the leaves beginning to turn (early), but a number of trees are also dropping leaves (most probably due to our year of low precipitation).  Nevertheless, recent rains have helped, and one hopes for a full […]

Founded in 1921, when the Gogebic Range was in full iron mining flower and Gogebic County had a population of 33,000 people (approximately 11,000 now), the County Fair brought together all the ethnic groups, the miners, the farmers, the kids, and the oldsters to experience the August days of warmth and outdoor fun.  Through the […]

The week of Festival Ironwood 2021 is here.  The Big Top is up, and the chairs are awaiting your presence.  Live music, food, crafts, games & tournaments, Classic Car show and more!  Come on U.P to Ironwood this week!     https://ironwoodchamber.org/festival-ironwood/

Festival Ironwood is almost here!   The full schedule can be seen here on our website:   https://ironwoodchamber.org/festival-ironwood/  Of course, you can also carry this schedule with you on your smartphone by getting the IronwoodGO smartphone app (free from the app store).  The Chamber Depot office has some sign-up sheets for the Craft/Vendor show, Walk-Run-Roll, Cornhole Tournament, […]

The first Friday of every month is Ironwood’s Downtown First Friday event night.  During the summer, these Friday evenings feature live music performed outdoors in either the Art Park or the City Square.  Of course, now that summer is here, the Depot Farmer’s and Artisan’s market is also held on Friday (4:00 to 6:30 p.m.), […]

Summer has arrived, and with it, the Depot and Airport Farmer’s and Artisan’s Market.  Today (Friday, June 25) marks the opening day of the Depot market, which will be at the Depot Park Pavilion from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30.   Fresh veggies, local farm-raised meats, jams & jellies, and home crafts will be found at our […]

Chamber member Black River Lodge made this neat visual about the great upcoming “FREE” Michigan weekend, June 12-13th.  What a wonderful opportunity to explore and experience the Ironwood area and the Western U.P.   If you are from “elsewhere”, take advantage of FREE (Fishing, ORV, and Recreation Passport) & wind your way up to the U.P. […]

Just arrived today at the Chamber office at the Historic Ironwood Depot (150 North Lowell Street) is the new 2021-2023 Ironwood Chamber of Commerce Destination Guide.  The “welcome picture” is a unique drone picture taken by Bill Pohlmann which shows in the center the space where the great railroad yards of Ironwood used to be, […]

Ironwood Chamber of Commerce, Lake Gogebic Chamber of Commerce, Wakefield Chamber of Commerce, and Travel Ironwood have come together to form a U.P. Promotional Partnership to advertise the landscape and community of the Western U.P. via 5 Star’s Up North Action print/digital magazine (plus assorted digital media supplements).  Our first foray will be in the […]

If you look closely, you can see some green in the Depot park landscape!  And, just by the Iron Belle Trail sign, is a new bench, donated by Victor and Mary Parisian in honor of all the Iron Belle Trail volunteers who do so much to take care of and maintain the Trail.  It is […]

The sun is out, and the last few piles of snow are fading fast.  Waterfalls are roaring, and the beginning of the early Spring travel season is starting.  At the Historic Ironwood Depot, the main reception room (and Chamber counter area) has been newly painted, and the century-old floor has been sanded and varnished.  All […]

With the great Chamber member Norrie Club “Light Up The Night” Christmas tree burning event on February 20, 2021, the Jack Frost Festival 2020 – 2021 comes to a close.  Extended into February this year due to Covid-19, the tree burn displayed a truly magnificent tower of old Christmas trees that really did “light up […]

With the decision to move ahead with planning for a 2021 Festival Ironwood this July 14-17, the various sub-committees of volunteers are organizing themselves and beginning the assignment of tasks and the scheduling of all Festival activities.  Given Covid-19 uncertainties, it is impossible to know at this date (2/10/21) what State of MI regulations as […]

This January of 2021 is when the Chamber would normally have its all-member Awards Banquet.  Unfortunately, that could not be held this year, so, on the same date, we held the 2020 Awards Presentation at the Historic Ironwood Depot with the Chamber office as backdrop. View the full ceremony on our YouTube Channel Award Winners: […]

Well, it has taken Mr. Jack Frost a long time to get here, but at last some good temperatures are here and a bit of snow has started to fall!!  Of course, this not the “usual” Ironwood snow for December, but then December 2020 (and ALL of 2020) has been most unusual.  You can keep […]

The weather for this time of year is really warm, but today that weather was very helpful as three important Iron Belle Trail display panels went up in Ironwood, marking out Mile “0” of the Iron Belle Trail.  Of course, we hope that soon this trail will be covered in two feet (or more) of […]

The above snapshot is from Ironwood’s Mt. Zion webcam this morning (11/11/20).  Winter is slowly making its way to Ironwood and the U.P.  Unfortunately, so is Covid-19.  We welcome visitors, but if you do visit, please follow safe practices and wear a mask, try to keep 6 distancing, and wash hands.  Hopefully at Winter’s end, […]

While not officially Jack Frost Festival time, the snow cascading down outside this morning sure lets us know that the fabled Yooper Winter is fast approaching.  Looks like there will be more than just “frost on the pumpkin” this year–a white blanket is more likely.  For those Chamber friends who check in at our events […]

Good morning! Friday, October 2, and we have had our first snow! How exciting to see the big flakes coming down! And–for even more motivation, Ironwood’s SISU Ski Fest just put up on their website https://www.sisuskifest.com/ the form for this year’s event and complete registration forms and instructions! Go there to get registered up for […]