Homecoming Dance

[I'm Just The Messenger]

There will NOT be a Homecoming Dance this year.

[Sidney Kendyl Murphy]

Dear Messenger: I am attemption to become familiar with Beaver Island customs and traditions. I believe you have a public school on Beaver Island, is it in session already and what is the traditional academic year for students? What grade levels are served by the school and what is the attendance or enrollment? Is the Home Coming dance being cancelled for student disciplinary reasons or for some other reason? I assume the dance is held after the Home Coming game but heard no mention of its cancellation. Who is that makes decisions on these types of matters?

Sid

[Michelle LaFreniere]

You are just going to have to come here and see.. The "homecoming dance" has nothing to do with school.. School will be in session soon, (after Labor Day), and the kids are good..dandy as a matter of fact.. visit beaverisland.org for a lot of really good information .. or take a tour on the beaverislandtour.com website. see some local webcams at www.islandairways.com or www.powershardware.com. Another local favorite webcam is www.beaverislandrealty.com .. This should keep you busy for a while..

[Sidney Kendyl Murphy]

Dear Michelle: Thank you so much for your assistance. I have checked several website and will make sure those you suggest are on the list.
Do you live on Beaver Island, if so how long has your family been on Beaver Island?
I would love to visit and hope to do so, however, my partner's health has limited our travels for now.

Sid

[Trish Scott]

Homecoming is an annual event - the second weekend in August I believe. It is a special weekend where those who used to live on the Island or have relatives living there "come home" to the Island. The weekend has many festivities such as a baseball tournament, a special concert of local musicians, an auction of a "basket of joy" (huge assortment of gifts including fifths of alcohol. In the past, there has been a party/dance at the church hall to celebrate Homecoming. Local musicians (lots of talent) would take turns playing live music for the revelers.

It's a shame that you can't visit at this time. It is pretty hard for you to get a sense of the Island without visiting.

It is an incredibly special place- absolutely beautiful- and is home to a very tight knit community. I LOVE IT!

There is a bumper sticker that explains it in part for those of us who were not born there. It says, "I wasn't born on Beaver Island, but I got here as fast as I could."

[I'm Just The Messenger]

Trish is correct in the fact that Homecoming is a special weekend where those who have left the Island come home to visit friends and family.

I believe it started back in the 30's when the 2nd Sunday of August was designated as Homecoming. Back then there was a parade, a baseball game amongst Islanders, followed by a dinner at the Holy Cross Parish Hall and then a dance.

In the 60â??s, ball teams from Charlevoix began coming to the Island and Homecoming Weekend started to lose it's meaning.

Someone recently suggested that the ball tournament be on another weekend and give Homecoming back to the Islanders.

In answer to your question regarding the cancellation of the dance, there were only a couple people heading up the dance and itâ??s just become too stressful for them in getting volunteers to help with the dance. Perhaps more people will step up to the plate next year so that the dance can resume as the proceeds from the Dance go to Holy Cross Church.

Marie LaFreniere

[Sidney Kendyl Murphy]

Dear ALL: Thank you so much for your replies. What a wonderful long standing tradition for your community, I commend you. This is just the type of information I am seeking in my research. I sincerely hope that Home Coming (coming home) can be carried on next year and for many years to come in good health and spirit, this is an example of the multigeneraltional traditions which tragically too many communities are loosing. I will hope to be there one day to celebrate with you.

Sid

[Trish Scott]

Homecoming will always happen every year. There won't be a dance this year.

Homecoming currently is a big weekend as so many baseball teams from the mainland come over. I've only been to the Island twice at Homecoming as the extra rowdy crowds of visitors is somewhat off-putting.

I've heard it called "Rude Drunks from Charlevoix" weekend.

I have personally witnessed wait staff being treated very poorly.

[Gillespie]

The softball tournament was started by local young men, myself included to bring more people to the island and have more "entertainment" during that weekend. I played softball for years but the aging process stopped that. I rarely even go to the games but they have provided entertainment for thousands of people over the last 35 years. We "re started" the tournament because there had been one many years ago during homecoming and only re-established it! The "Charlevoix people" are no more drunk or boisterous than the rest of us have ever been. If anything has taken the spirit out of homecoming it is the STATE POLICE!! Old traditions are amongst the toughest to maintain. Homecoming was pretty slack in the late 60's and probably before when so many islanders who had been forced to leave for jobs and more could not afford to come home or had too many kids in tow. Further, these visitors have spent untold 10's of thousands of dollars to support this community and have a good time. You people are blaming the wrong folks for the decline of homecoming. Have some more kids!! We need people!

[Joyce]

Just a note - The very first Homecoming was held in 1932 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Father Baraga's arrival on Beaver Island. The celebration started with canoes escorting "Fr. Baraga" from Garden Island into Beaver Harbor and was a week long with activities every day, such as horse races, sack races, soft ball games, pie eating contests, Native American dances, a Homecoming Queen was elected (Edith Gallagher), a dance on Saturday night and the Dinner on Sunday.

The Historical Society's archives contains an original program from that event and much more information about successive Homecomings.

When I started coming to the Island in 1960 there was still a parade, ballgames, fireworks and the dinner. Incidentally, in the 70's and into the 80's the dinner featured WHITEFISE!

[Joyce]

Just a note - The very first Homecoming was held in 1932 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Father Baraga's arrival on Beaver Island. The celebration started with canoes escorting "Fr. Baraga" from Garden Island into Beaver Harbor and was a week long with activities every day, such as horse races, sack races, soft ball games, pie eating contests, Native American dances, a Homecoming Queen was elected (Edith Gallagher), a dance on Saturday night and the Dinner on Sunday.

The Historical Society's archives contains an original program from that event and much more information about successive Homecomings.

When I started coming to the Island in 1960 there was still a parade, ballgames, fireworks and the dinner. Incidentally, in the 70's and into the 80's the dinner featured WHITEFISE!

[Joyce]

OOPS! whitefisH

[Kim Connaghan Jones]

I have to disagree about the ball players from Charlevoix.They are rude, loud,disrespectful and get out of hand.Personally I feel they are one of the reasons the state cops started coming here homecoming weekend.Just my opinion so don't hold it against me Richie.

[kerriegillespie]

As a native of the island who has actually worked in the waitstaff/service/food industry on the island during these times, all i have to say is BRING IT ON. I certainly don't condone the alleged bad treatment of the service staff (who are probably all my girl/guy friends in majority!), but i can say that if it pays my bills---as tips on homecoming weekend generally do, then i've developed a thick enough skin to just deal with it. Its not always great fun to serve a "rowdy" bunch, but in my life i've found that if you rise to meet your challenges and demand respect of others, you will get it---as long as you're giving it as well, ...of course. Let this weekend happen as is without choosing to perceive it as negative, and let the tradition continue. The weekend will pass. Unique traditions of the island, in general, should remain. Homecoming brings a connectedness to the young-middle aged community and beyond for those who choose to participate or to just embrace the craziness of it. I'm down in Ann Arbor for work and school, wishing i were HOME!!! Have a good time, Enjoy it Let the drunkards be comic relief reminding you that you're ALIVE, and either participate in the fun or laugh while remembering your crazy "i've had one too many" days. Or go hide for the weekend an option we've all probably utilized at one point or another... its just how things go in a tourist-dependent town!

Happy Homecoming Everyone Be safe, have a great time, it's 5 o'clock somewhere!