‘There is no agenda behind it, it is just to have fun:’ Marquette celebrates ‘Plaidurday’

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - ‘Plaidurday’ Founder Bugsy Sailor is known for many things in Marquette County.

He is on the Fresh Coast Film Festival Board of Directors, he is encouraging all Yoopers to watch more sunrises and he founded the Upper Peninsula Supply Company in 2008. In 2011, he came up with a holiday known as Plaidurday.

As Sailor explains, “It started in jest. I had a friend who teased me for wearing too much plaid. He said it was taking away from my potential in life, so I decided to get him back by creating a holiday around it that he now has to participate in.”

The holiday has grown, to the point where over 200 people showed up in front of the Marquette County Courthouse Friday evening to take a Plaidurday group photo. Sailor said that his hope with Plaidurday is to unite Yoopers under the banner of flannel.

“The unofficial slogan of Plaidurday is that we are all connected under a common thread,” Sailor noted. He continued, “It started in jest but really it’s a lot of fun to get this many people wearing plaid together and have everyone smiling. There is no agenda behind it, it is just to have a fun lighthearted moment.”

Sailor went on to say that flannel is almost like a birth rite for most who live in Upper Michigan.

“Most Yoopers have a plaid somewhere in their wardrobe if not multiple,” he exclaimed.

Plaidurday celebrations also took place in Escanaba, Ironwood and Hancock.

Sailor said to expect Plaidurday again next year on the first Friday of October.

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