More photos of the 2010 Ten Mile Road Race here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11083672@N02/

Bayfield, Wisconsin’s 8th annual “Bayfield in Bloom” spring celebration is set for May 14 through June 13, 2010. Numerous activities are offered during this promotion, many focusing on gardening and outdoor adventure, amongst the beautiful scenery found in Bayfield, WI. And what perfect timing, as the orchards overflow with blooming apple and cherry blossoms and native wildflowers decorate the roadways and forests.

The kickoff event for this month-long celebration features Larry Meiller, Wisconsin Public Radio’s gardening show host broadcasting “Garden Talk” live at the Bayfield Pavilion on Friday, May 14th, from 11:00 am - 12:30 pm. As a special addition this year, WPR will also be broadcasting Jean Feraca’s “Here on Earth” Show from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm, showcasing interviews with local food celebrities and the use of local produce and fish in their menus, at the pavilion on the same day. Feraca will appear later in the day at the Wild Rice Restaurant with a book reading and signing of her memoirs, “I Hear Voices - A Memoir of Love, Death, and the Radio,” starting at 5:00 pm. These events are free and open to the public.

In conjunction with the live broadcasts, visitors will enjoy a “Bayfield in Bloom Garden Expo”from 9:30 am - 11:00 am and 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm at the Bayfield Lakeside Pavilion. A number of gardening experts will be present to answer questions and share their skills, and a variety of local garden-themed products will be available for purchase.

Ongoing events throughout Bayfield in Bloom include perennial plant sales at Hauser’s Superior View Farm and Blue Vista Farm,Madeline Island Ferry trips, Cruises of the Apostle Islands andBayfield Heritage Walking Tours. Visitors to Bayfield will also enjoy the 29th Annual Apple Blossom Run on Saturday, May 22nd, Bayfield Garden Tours on Saturday, June 5th, and theBlessing of the Fleet ecumenical service and ceremony on Sunday, June 13th.

THUNDER BAY, ON, May 17, 2010 – Parks Canada invites members of the public to open houses to contribute to the development of an interim management plan for the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area. Four open houses will take place in communities along the north shore of Lake Superior at the following times and locations:

Terrace Bay Curling Club – Monday, May 31 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Rossport Community Hall – Tuesday, June 1 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Nipigon Community Centre – Wednesday, June 2 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Thunder Bay Travelodge Hotel Airlane – Thursday, June 3 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

The public will be asked to share their vision for the marine conservation area as well as their thoughts on the themes and zoning of the area. At the open houses, Parks Canada staff and members of the Interim Management Advisory Board will be available to answer questions and provide information on the interim management planning process.

More information, including a draft vision, themes, and zoning for the marine conservation area, and the opportunity to comment are available at www.parkscanada.gc.ca

Parks Canada manages national marine conservation areas to ensure their ecological sustainability and to provide opportunities for appreciation and enjoyment of our marine heritage. Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area, at more than 10,000 square kilometres, is the largest freshwater marine protected area in the world. Its boundaries extend from Thunder Cape at the tip of the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park in the west, to Bottle Point just east of Terrace Bay, and south to the Canada-U.S. boundary.

June 3-6, 2010
North House Folk School

After an extended season defined by white snow, frozen water and deep cold, spring and early summer surge forward in the North, launching the region into months of dynamic growth and reproduction.  Welcome to the season of the Boreal Birding & Northern Landscapes Festival.

Discovering the birds, wildflowers, geology and more of this dynamic and rich northern landscape is the focus of the Boreal Birding & Northern Landscape Festival.   A series of inter-related, field-focused courses (1-3 days in length) form the backbone of the event, complimented by featured presentations and programs.

http://northhouse.org/programs/events/birdingfestival.htm

All-levels instruction and world-class kayak touring highlight a three-day event in the heart of the Lake Superior Marine Conservation Area

Wawa, Ontario — The largest gathering of sea kayakers on the Canadian shore of Lake Superior returns in 2010 when Naturally Superior Adventures and Superior Outfitters host the biannual Rossport Islands Sea Kayak Festival June 18 to 20. Based in the quaint village of Rossport, Ont., located about 180 kilometres (110 miles) east of Thunder Bay, this weekend event includes beginner, intermediate and advanced sea kayak instruction from Paddle Canada- and American Canoe Association-certified instructors, kayak touring amid the wilderness islands of the Lake Superior Marine Conservation Area and engaging presentations from conservationists and paddlesports  professionals. Special interest workshops, including yoga, photography and standup paddleboarding, as well as a family program and a Saturday night concert makes this sea kayak festival appeal to everyone.

“The festival includes activities for paddlers and non-paddlers alike,” says Naturally Superior Adventures director  David Wells. “The plan is to gather in the beautiful Rossport and celebrate sea kayaking, wilderness and the newly created Lake Superior Marine Conservation Area, the largest freshwater protected area in the world.”

The village of Rossport is a former railway and fishing community on Lake Superior with acclaimed restaurants, bed and breakfast facilities and scenic provincial park campgrounds. A nearby inland lake at Rainbow Falls Provincial  Park offers an ideal warm-water learning environment. The cornerstone of the festival are guided half- and full-day sea kayak tours on Lake Superior that visit some of the scenic highlights of the Marine Conservation Area. Tours  will explore the legendary Rossport group of islands, including the historic lighthouse at Battle Island, as well as venturing further afield to discover aboriginal rock paintings, ancient fossils and voyageur resting places. The treasures of the marine park will come to life with a presentation from Parks Canada’s Greg Stroud on Friday night.

Given Naturally Superior Adventures reputation for experienced, service-oriented instructors, guides and support  staff, participants can expect an emphasis on safety and professional instruction. Program coordinator Megan Gamble describes the Rossport Festival as as an ideal event for beginners looking for an enjoyable way to try kayaking and experienced paddlers hoping to learn new skills and explore a world class wilderness coastline. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate a great wilderness area that’s literally in our own backyard,” she says, “and a chance to  share the joys of kayaking with a wide range of people.”

Naturally Superior Adventures has offered guided sea kayak tours on Lake Superior since 1994. It recently won two Readers Choice awards from Sea Kayaker magazine and was rated among the world’s ten best kayaking outfitters by National Geographic Adventure magazine.

For more information visit www.rossportsymposium.ca.

Photos and results from the 2010 Sleeping Giant Loppet.

Find more photos here.

Event website here.

Results here.

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Saturday, August 15, 2009
Kaministiquia, Ontario

Find more photos from the event here.

Find results here.

[Show as slideshow]

Orchard owners, artists, musicians, street entertainers, crafters, and festival food vendors will line Bayfield’s historic streets for the 47th Apple Festival October 2,3 & 4. Bayfield welcomes over 60,000 visitors who come to enjoy the bounty of the fall harvest and the natural beauty of the area in this harbor town which is the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

This year’s festivities are filled to the brim with something for everyone. Stroll along Orchard Lane and throughout the festival grounds, and you’ll find apples in abundance. Caramel apples, apple pies, apple tortes, dumplings or tarts, apple sundaes, apple cider, bags and bushels of apples, or apple bratwurst - it’s all in Bayfield.

Be sure to stop at the main stage on Rittenhouse Avenue where the gang from Big Top Chautauqua will be showcasing songs from their original historical musicals throughout the weekend.

Also, children of all ages will be thrilled with a carnival complete with games and rides. Kids can also join Bayfield’s Apple Dumpling Gang or learn all about the Apostle Islands and Ojibwe traditions with different childrens activities put on by the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Park Service.

New this year to Apple Festival is performances of “The Complete Works of Williamm Shakespeare (Abridged)” performed by a local trio of actors who will attempt to perform all of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets in an hour. This crazy and zany comedy is bound to have to laughing through the entire performace. There will be two performances on Friday evening, October 2 at the Bayfield Lakeside Pavilion.

Sunday’s Grand Parade features the 500 member Mass Band marching to the tune of “On Wisconsin.”

On Thursday, prior to the “official” start of the Apple Festival, test your culinary skills by entering the Apple Pie and Dessert contest at the Bayfield Lakeside Pavilion. Or simply come and enjoy samples from all the contestants after the judging.

Along with all of the above, you’ll find more than 150 arts and crafts vendors and special activities at many of Bayfield’s orchards. You can cherish your memories with colorful AppleFest merchandise.

Parking is available on the festival grounds as well as at Hauser’s Superior Farm with free shuttle transportation to and from the festival.

Can’t wait until Apple Festival? Not to worry, as Bayfield rolls out its fifth annual Scarecrow Festival & Orchard Tour from September 11 through October 31. Throughout this fall festival, Bayfield celebrates the beauty of fall colors and a bountiful harvest. This event features many fun fall activities with scarecrows and other fall decor placed throughout the city and orchards.

For more information on the Apple Festival including a full schedule of events, visitwww.bayfield.org or call the Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau at (800) 447-4094.

The 2009 Inland Sea Kayak Symposium combines food, art, and kayaking – all with a commitment to community and sustainability. Organized by the Inland Sea Society, the Symposium, now in its nineteenth year, promises kayak instruction, guided tours, seminars, presentations, and loads of fun and food. The four-day event held at Thompson’s West End Park in Washburn kicks off Thursday, June 18 and closes on Sunday, June 21.

The Inland Sea Society has worked to “green” the event over the years encouraging registrants to bring their own mugs and plates, and challenging them to reduce waste by carpooling, biking or paddling to the event. On Sunday, hundreds of kayakers will form a 350 on Lake Superior. Inspired by Bill McKibben’s talk last fall, the 350 represents the benchmark in parts-per-million carbon dioxide that represents safe levels for global climate. For more information visit www.350.org.

There are several ways to participate in the Symposium:

• Register for the entire event or for a day (day registration includes tours, classes, seminars, evening events and the Thursday night opener). Register online at www.inlandsea.org or by calling (715) 682-8188.

• Volunteer and participate. If interested contact Jen Maziasz at kruegmaz@centurytel.net

• Come check out the site during the weekend, if only to see hundreds of colorful kayaks assembled in one location. There will be a beach-full of vendors available to answer questions and let you try out equipment. There will be t-shirts, a silent auction, raffle tickets and all kinds fun.

• Study the schedule and come to the events that are open to the public like the Friday night lasagna feed put on by the Bayfield Regional Conservancy and take in the slideshow by Nigel Dennis, talking about his circumnavigation of South Georgia Island, located near Antarctica.

• Participate in one of the non-kayaking activities like Sit-On-Top Kayaking, Cooking for Crowds, a hike on Stockton Island and rowing. For a full program visit www.inlandsea.org or call (715) 682-8188.

• Be entertained – for free! – on Saturday night by checking out “Paddler Idol” at 7 p.m.  While you’re there you can buy a raffle ticket to help support the work of the Inland Sea Society or take in dinner at 6.

Bottom line: there’s something for everyone. Come check it out! For more information contact Julie Buckles at (715) 373-5565 or Jen Maziasz at (715) 373-5980.