| NEWSLETTER - September 2026 |
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Hello from the City of Iron Mountain Downtown Development Authority (DDA)! It’s been a little while since our last newsletter, but with a busy summer filled with events, markets, festivals, and plenty happening throughout Downtown, we’ve had a lot to keep us busy! We’re excited to reconnect and share some of the latest DDA news, upcoming events, and ways to stay involved in all the great things happening in Downtown Iron Mountain. We hope you enjoy this update and find it helpful as we head into a busy fall season! |
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| Summer in Downtown: Event Highlights |
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From launching a brand-new festival to celebrating longtime traditions, it was a busy and exciting summer in Downtown Iron Mountain! We’re grateful to everyone who helped make these events possible and to everyone who came out to enjoy them. |
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We were thrilled to launch Summer Roll Out, a brand-new event for Downtown Iron Mountain! From live music and line dancing to the mechanical bull, axe throwing, inflatables, and more, it was an exciting way to kick off a new Downtown tradition. A huge thank you to our Signature Sponsor, Bacco Construction Company, for helping make this inaugural event possible. We’re already looking ahead to next summer, with more details about the 2027 Summer Roll Out coming soon!
Another great season of Out To Lunch is in the books! We’re incredibly thankful to all of the wonderful musicians who provided live music throughout the summer, the food vendors who kept everyone fed, and, of course, our generous sponsors who helped make this free concert series possible. Thank you to everyone who joined us downtown for lunch, music, and fun throughout the season!
Italian Fest was another incredible celebration in Downtown Iron Mountain! Thank you to our Signature Sponsor, LiUNA Local 1329, for helping make the 19th Annual Italian Fest such a success. We’re grateful to everyone who attended, volunteered, performed, sponsored, and helped bring this celebration to life. We’re already looking forward to next year as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Italian Fest!
The Farmers & Artisans Market has had another fantastic season! A special thank you to our Season Sponsor, IncredibleBank, for their continued support, and to all of the amazing vendors who have filled the Downtown with local food, handmade goods, art, and more each Saturday. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who has stopped by, shopped local, and supported our vendors this season. There are still a few weeks left to visit the market, with the final market of the season taking place October 10!
Behind many of these events and festivals is the Downtown Stage, a backdrop for live music, community celebrations, and countless Downtown memories. We’re grateful to First National Bank & Trust for sponsoring the Downtown Stage and helping provide a space for performers and community events throughout the year. Their support helps us bring even more music and entertainment to Downtown Iron Mountain. |
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| | Oktoberfest is Almost Here! |
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Get ready to raise your steins and celebrate! Downtown Iron Mountain Oktoberfest returns Saturday, September 26, from 12 PM–9 PM (CST) at the Downtown Stage. This year’s celebration will feature live music, German-inspired food and drinks, traditional games and competitions, and plenty of fun for the whole family.
The music lineup will keep the celebration going all afternoon and evening with Norton & Chartier, Dorf Kapelle, and Govern, thanks to our Music Sponsor, Iron Mountain Area Tourism.
Attendees can also enjoy food from Millie’s Market, Harmony Hearth Bakery, and Dublin’s Paddy Wagon, along with activities including the Mr. & Ms. Oktoberfest Competition, Stein Holding Competition, Hammerschlagen, and other yard games.
Families are invited to enjoy the Children’s Area, featuring giant inflatables and face painting by D’s Creative Faces. Admission is $10, with children 12 and under FREE. Plus, anyone participating in Run IM on the same day will receive $5 off admission!
We’re also grateful to our Platinum Sponsors — Danielson Insurance, First National Bank & Trust, and Northern Interstate Bank — for their support of this year’s celebration. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for businesses interested in being part of Oktoberfest and supporting this growing Downtown tradition. |
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Proud Partners in Building a Better Downtown |
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If you’ve spent any time around the Downtown Stage this summer, you may have noticed a fresh new look! The new fence alongside the Downtown Stage was made possible through a generous donation of materials from 41 Lumber, which has nearby locations in Downtown Iron Mountain and Quinnesec, and across the Upper Peninsula.
The previous fence had reached the end of its life and needed to come down, and we’re incredibly grateful to 41 Lumber for helping us bring a new one back. Not only does the new fence serve an important purpose, but it also adds a polished, finished look to the area and really elevates the entire Downtown Stage space. |
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Every summer, the DDA and the Iron Mountain DPW place about two dozen wood benches around the downtown parking lot and festival space along Iron Mountain Street across from the library. Those benches were painted with creative designs by local artists roughly a decade ago, and had been looking rough after many years in the sun and rain. Fortunately, the DDA Beautification Committee volunteers, many of whom are involved in the flowers as well, took action. Over the past 3 months, all of the benches have been repainted by the Committee using nice bright "base" colors and a few have been embellished with designs by local artists. The next step is to find more local artists to add a design to one or two benches each so that every bench will ultimately include a unique design or art.
For more information, go to downtownironmountain.com/benches.
If you are interested in being involved, have questions, or would like to chat, please contact us. |
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Downtown/TIF Plan Underway |
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The DDA is in the process of preparing a completely new downtown development and tax increment financing (TIF) plan for Iron Mountain. As part of that process, we are forming a committee of roughly 10-12 people. The purpose of the Downtown/TIF Plan Advisory Committee is to provide expert guidance, community insight, and policy recommendations to the DDA in the course of preparing and writing the plan document and developing plan recommendations/projects. Another important function of the Committee is to help DDA staff conduct and facilitate a public engagement session. At that session, often called a "futuring" or "visioning" session, various stakeholders in Downtown will be involved in formulating a vision and goals for the future.
To find out more about the Downtown/TIF Plan and the role of DDAs in downtown development in Michigan, go to downtownironmountain.com/downtown-tif-plan.
If you are interested in serving on the Downtown/TIF Plan Advisory Committee, have questions, or would like to chat, please contact us. |
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| | Downtown is in Full Bloom! |
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The downtown flowers look better than ever this summer, and we have so many people to thank! A huge thank you goes to all of the amazing volunteers who have helped plant, maintain, weed, and care for the gardens throughout the season. Your time and dedication make such a visible difference in Downtown Iron Mountain!
One of our favorite additions to Downtown is the Pollinator Pocket Garden, which was designed and planted by Lindsay Peterson in 2025. After getting established last year, the garden has really come into its own this summer, with even more blooms and activity from our local pollinators. We’re grateful to Lindsay for bringing this beautiful and beneficial garden to Downtown! To learn more, click here.
We’re also excited to welcome two new members to our watering crew, Danielle and Rob, who join our longtime watering expert, Brian. We’re grateful to all three of them for helping keep our flowers looking their best all summer long — especially during those hot summer days!
A special thank you to our Signature Sponsor, RiZE, as well as all of our generous flower sponsors, for helping make Downtown’s floral displays possible. Their support plays an important role in keeping Downtown Iron Mountain beautiful, welcoming, and vibrant all summer long. We’re incredibly grateful to all of our sponsors and volunteers for investing in the beauty of our Downtown! |
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| | | The Iron Mountain Downtown Development Authority (DDA) plans and conducts three major festivals and a series of smaller events every year in Downtown Iron Mountain. In total, these festivals and events bring some form of activity to Downtown on 35 dates each year. These are in addition to numerous other events conducted by various local organizations downtown every year. |
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| | | | May 3rd through May 9th
Small Business Week
Saturday, June 6th - 8:00am to 12:00pm Farmers & Artisans Market Opening Day
Thursday, June 11th - 11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, June 13th - 11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Saturday, June 18th -12:00pm to 5:00pm Out to Lunch
Saturday, June 20th - 12:00pm to 9:00pm Summer Roll Out
Thursday, June 25th -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 2nd - 1:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 9th -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 16th -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 23rd -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, July 30th - 11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Thursday, August 6th -11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Saturday, August 8th -12:00pm to 11:00pm Italian Fest
Thursday, August 13th - 11:45am to 1:15pm Out to Lunch
Saturday, September 26th - 12:00pm to 9:00pm Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 10th - 8:00am to 12:00pm Last Farmers & Artisans Market Day
Saturday, October 24th - 12:00pm to 3:00pm Pumpkin Walk
Thursday, November 12th - 5:00pm to 9:30pm Girls Night Out
Friday, December 4th - 4:00pm to 6:00pm Christmas Walk |
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| | DDA MISSION: Our mission is to promote economic growth by organizing community events, attracting new businesses and advancing the beautification and historic preservation within the downtown district.
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| DDA BOARD MEMBERS: Anthony Miller (Chairperson), Lucas Davidson (Vice-Chairperson), Joe Linn (Treasurer), Sonja Matzke (Secretary), Jordan Stanchina (City Manager), Kim Webb, David Hendrickson, Megan Blomquist, Mark Klossner |
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