Grayling Visitors Bureau

Marathon racers, photo by Mark Bialek

The 64th Anniversary 2011 Weyerhaeuser AuSable River International Canoe Marathon begins with sprints for starting positions on Thursday, July 28th and ends with the Avita Water Black Bear Bicycle Tour on Sunday, July 31st.

This week long festival includes fun filled events such as Kid’s Day, Arts & Crafts show with over 100 vendors, and the Classic Car Show of Grayling. Other festivities include the AuSable River Festival Parade, 10k Fun Run & Walk, Food Court,  and the world-renowned Icehouse Quilt Shop’s Quilt Show on Friday & Saturday. Many local businesses will be participating all week with individual activities such as an Ice Cream Social, Community Coffee Break, Book Sale and a Chicken BBQ. Changes will be noted here as they become available.

The Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Canoe Marathon is the richest canoe race in North America. The $50,000 purse will be up for grabs by expert paddlers from around the world. The racecourse runs almost the entire length of the AuSable River, 120 miles. Paddlers begin by running LeMans style on Saturday, July 30th at 9:00 p.m. to The Old AuSable Fly Shop with thousands of shouting spectators watching on. On Sunday morning, the Avita Water Black Bear Bicycle Tour will depart for Oscoda to catch the paddlers at the end of their overnight adventure. The race ends Sunday, July 31st in Oscoda, MI on the shores of Lake Huron.

Saturday, July 23rd
- Sprints for C-2 Race at 9:00am in the City Park
- Saturday Night Music Bash at 3:00pm – 11:00pm on Michigan Ave in Uptown Grayling *NEW EVENT*
- Start of C-1 Race at 6:00pm at Joe Wakeley’s House

Sunday, July 24th
- Spike’s Challenge Race starts at 9:00am at Old AuSable Fly Shop (formerly Ray’s Canoe Livery)

Tuesday, July 26th
- KID’S DAY at 10:00am – 2:00pm at Grayling City Park
- Chicken BBQ, Ice Cream Social at 4:00pm – 6:00pm at the Grayling Senior Center

Wednesday, July 27th
- Time Trials for starting position for AuSable River Canoe Marathon at 4:00pm – 8:00pm at Penrod’s Canoe Livery.
- H.U.P. (“Hurry Up & Paddle”) RACE – judging starts at 5:30pm in Grayling City Park

Thursday, July 28th
- Marathon Coffee Break 9:00am – 11:00am on the lawn at Citizen’s Bank
- Time Trials for starting position for AuSable River Canoe Marathon at 4:00pm – 8:00pm at Penrod’s Canoe Livery.
- Business Relay Races 4:30pm – 7:00pm, starts at Penrod’s and goes to Old AuSable Fly Shop
- AuSable River C-1 Express Race at 7:15pm at Penrod’s and goes to Burton’s Landing

Friday, July 29th
- Borcher’s Annual Kids Race, the Casey Challenge, at 10:00am at Borcher’s Canoe Livery
- Grayling Eagles Pre-Marathon Steak & BBQ Dinner (Dinner 5:00pm – 8:00pm / Entertainment 5:00pm – Close) at Grayling Eagles Club
- ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW at 10:00am – 8:00pm at the Grayling City Park
- Annual “Quilt Sitters” Quilt Show at 10:00am – 5:00pm at the Icehouse Quilt Shop
- Grayling Eagles Club Beer Tent at the Eagles Club from 11:00am – 2:00am
- Time Trials for starting position for AuSable River Canoe Marathon at 2:00pm – 6:00pm at Penrod’s Canoe Livery.
- Special Olympic’s Canoe Races at 4:30pm at Penrod’s Canoe Livery
- 1^st Annual CRUISE NIGHT *NEW EVENT* – starts at Northstar Auto Wash at 7:00pm and ends at Wimpy’s Ice Cream & Coney’s.

Saturday, July 30th
- G.R.A.’s Annual 10K & 1 Mile Fun Run in town at the Middle School at 9:00am – (Registration at 7:30am – 8:30am)
- CLASSIC CAR SHOW on Michigan Avenue at 8:00am – 3:00pm (Registration 8:00 – 11:00am / Awards at 2:00pm)
- Wellington’s Antique Tractor Club at 8:00am – 2:00pm on Michigan Ave.
- Michelson Memorial UMC Youth Pancake Breakfast at 8:00am – 10:00am
- ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW at 9:00am – 6:00pm at the Grayling City Park
- Food Court on Michigan Avenue from 9:00am – 6:00pm
- Annual “Quilt Sitters” Quilt Show 10:00am – 5:00pm at the Icehouse Quilt Shop
- Grayling Eagles Horse Shoe Tournament at 10:00am at the Grayling Eagles Club
- Eagles’ Annual Roast (hot dogs & hamburgers) with entertainment & $1,000 Raffle Drawing at 6:00pm at the Eagles Club.
- Grayling Eagles Club Beer Tent at the Eagles Club from 11:00am – 2:00am
- Grayling Rotary’s Annual Chicken BBQ at the American Legion at 12:00pm – 6:00pm
- Michelson Memorial United Methodist Church’s Ice Cream Social at 12:00pm – 4:00pm
- AuSable River Festival Parade, starts at 3:00pm in downtown Grayling
- Paddler’s Pre-Race briefing at 12 Noon at the Middle School fenced in playground on Spruce Street
- Paddler’s Mass at St. Mary’s Parish at 4:30pm
- Pre-Race Program at Old AuSable Fly Shop at 6:00pm
- Posting of the Colors at Old AuSable Fly Shop at 7:00pm
- Start of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon Race at the Old AuSable Fly Shop (formerly Ray’s) at 9:00pm (Grayling to Oscoda)

Sunday, July 31st
- End of AuSable River Canoe Marathon (ends on the shores of Lake Huron in Oscoda)
- Black Bear Bicycle Tour beginning at 8:00am on Michigan Ave in Grayling and ending in Oscoda (100 mile ride).

It’s that time of year when visions of paddling the AuSable River Canoe Marathon creeps into the minds of the Grayling populace…but then we wake from our slumber and remember that it would kill the average Joe; so we watch and follow with great enthusiasm instead. But with the Marathon festivities comes the Annual Canoe Business Relays and this year’s race is Thursday, July 28^th starting at 4:30pm from Penrods to the Old AuSable Fly Shop. Businesses compete in 3 divisions, up and downstream, for cool trophies and bragging rights for the year. You can download the race packet, along with all of GRA’s event information, from our website at www.hansonhills.org.