The event works to promote awareness of local history
ESCANABA -- Escanaba natives say the waters of Lake Michigan run through their veins.
"I think most of the people who were born and raised here were born by the lake, so even though you may move away from here, it's just always an attraction to be able to come back," says Anita Carlson, who organized the event.
In the city by the bay, residents don't just enjoy living close to the shoreline, they celebrate it.
Wednesday was the first Bays De Noc Maritime Festival where guests had the chance to experience all things nautical. They sailed on the tall ships at the City Marina, took in the views atop the Sands Point light house, and toured the 144-foot Coast Guard tug boat.
"From the month of April through November, we primarily service aids to navigation as well as conduct law enforcement and maritime safety on the Great Lakes," says Coast Guard Commander Officer John Stone.
The Coast Guard also performed mock water rescue procedures so onlookers could learn about the responsibility that comes with the water's beauty. But the Maritime Festival was also about educating the community on the history of the lake and the role it played in Escanaba's development. For years, boating and lumber industries were what kept the city afloat.
Organizers say that this festival hopes to be the first of three, leading up to a big celebration of Escanaba's 150th anniversary in 2013.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWLUC