The AuSable River Festival is Here!
The 63rd Anniversary 2010 Weyerhaeuser AuSable River International Canoe Marathon begins with sprints for starting positions on Thursday, July 22nd and ends with the Avita Water Black Bear Bicycle Tour on Sunday, July 25th.
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, Michigan Museum of Military Transport exhibit 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 24th 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 25th in Oscoda, MI on the shores of Lake Huron.
Saturday, July 17th
– Sprints for C-2 Race at 8:00am in the City Park
– Spike’s Challenge C-1 Race at 6:00pm at Borcher’s Canoe Livery
Sunday, July 18th
– Spike’s Challenge Race 9:00am at Old AuSable (use to be Ray’s Canoe Livery)
Tuesday, July 20th
– KID’S DAY at the Grayling City Park from 10:00am to 2:00pm
– Chicken BBQ, Ice Cream Social at the Grayling Senior Center
Wednesday, July 21st
– HUP Race at 5:30pm at the Grayling City Park (Hurry Up & Paddle…or sink race)
Thursday, July 22nd
– Marathon Coffee Break 9:00am to 11:00am at the Citizens Bank
– Basic Communications & Kirtland College Time Trials for starting position for the Weyerhaeuser AuSable River International Canoe Marathon at 3:00pm – 9:00pm at Penrod’s Canoe Livery.
– Business Relay Races 4:30pm – 7:00pm, starts at Penrod’s and goes to Old AuSable
– AuSable River C-1 Express Race at 7:15pm at Penrod’s and goes to Burton’s Landing
– Arts & Crafts SET UP in the City Park from 12:00pm – 8:00pm
Friday, July 23rd
– Borcher’s Annual Kids Race, the Casey Challenge, at 10:00am at Borcher’s Canoe Livery
– Grayling Eagles Pre-Marathon Steak & BBQ dinner w/ entertainment (dinner from 5:00 – 8:00pm / entertainment from 5:00pm – close) at the Eagles Club
– Arts & Crafts Show at the Grayling City Park 10:00am – 8:00pm
– 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
– Camp Grayling Conservation Club BBQ Social at the Old AuSable Fly Shop at Noon – 9:00pm
– Basic Communications & Kirtland College Time Trials for starting position for the Weyerhaeuser AuSable River International Canoe Marathon at 2:00pm – 5:45pm at Penrod’s Canoe Livery.
– Special Olympic’s Canoe Races at 4:30pm at Penrod’s Canoe Livery
– Paddler’s Dinner at AuSable Valley Inn (formerly Ramada Inn) – doors open at 6:00pm dinner is at 6:30pm.
Saturday, July 24th
– Grayling Recreational Authority’s Annual 10K & 1 Mile Fun Run in town at the Middle School
* Registration at 7:30am – 8:30am, Race starts at 9:00am
– Classic Car Show on Michigan Avenue at 8:00am – 3:00pm
– Michelson Memorial UMC Youth Pancake Breakfast at 8:00am – 10:00am
– Arts & Crafts Show at the Grayling City Park at 9:00am – 6:00pm
– 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 – 4:00pm
– Michelson Memorial United Methodist Church’s Ice Cream Social at 12:00pm – 4:00pm
– Camp Grayling Conservation Club BBQ Social at The Old AuSable Fly Shop at 12:00pm – 9:00pm
– AuSable River Festival Parade, starts at 3:00pm
– Paddler’s Pre-Race briefing 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 Weyerhaeuser AuSable River International Canoe Marathon Race at 9:00pm (Grayling to Oscoda)
Sunday, July 25th
– End of Weyerhaeuser AuSable River Int’l Canoe Marathon (ends on the shores of Lake Huron in Oscoda)
– Ride the Bear/Avita Water Black Bear Bicycle Tour beginning at 8:00am on Michigan Ave in Grayling and ending in Oscoda (100 mile ride).
