Sleeping Bear Forever

Barn Workshop
2024-06-10 09:00 - 2024-06-14 16:00 (America/Detroit) | MI
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) will host its annual barn restoration workshop June 10-14 , 2024. The workshops which started in 1997, provide“hands on” training of all techniques. The workshop is 9 am – 4 pm each day and is free. Participants can also sign up for any number of days.
Workers are not required to be skilled in the building trades, though experience will be helpful and appreciated. The purpose of the workshop is to teach the techniques and train owners and those interested how to do restoration work on timber and frame structures, including concrete and stonework. Past workshop attendees have ranged in age from 7 to 75 with each contributing their own unique skills to the project.Tools and materials will be provided. Participants should wear boots, gloves, and bring a sack lunch for each day that they attend.
The park maintenance staff is providing the skilled labor to put on this workshop.Location and scope of work for this year will be coming soon. Stay tuned! Interested parties should contact the park Historical Architect, Kimberly Mann, at 231-326-4771,

Apple Orchard Pruning Workshop
2024-05-03 13:00 - 16:00 | Port Oneida Rural Histoic District, 4 miles N. of Glen Arbor, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Remnant orchards dot the farmscapes in the historic areas of Sleeping Bear. Learn the proper method of pruning antique fruit trees, then volunteer to be a Landscape Steward for an orchard with Sleeping Bear Forever. This annual project is sponsored by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore with funding support from Preserve.

Evening Hike
2024-01-13 17:30 - 19:00 | Port Oneida Heritage Center, 3164 W. Harbor Hwy, Glen Arbor, MI, 49636, United States
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Interpretive Staff are offering two evening hikes starting from the Port Oneida Heritage Center/Olsen Farm.

North Manitou Island Workshop
2023-08-16 09:00 - 2023-08-23 16:00 | North Manitou Island, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI
We’re headed back for our second trip this summer to North Manitou!
August 16 – 23, 2023
Katie Shepard Hotel Project – Following our June workshop that included completely rebuilding the north porch stairs, we have a long punch list of tasks including for this trip including refinishing the upstairs floors and cleaning and staining the upstairs walls. This is our 12th year on the island! Sign up to help restore this historic structure.

Maple Sugaring Days March 4 & 5
2023-03-04 10:00 - 2023-03-05 15:00 | Port Oneida Rural Histoic District, 4 miles N. of Glen Arbor, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
10 am – 3 pm FREE in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
9 am – 1 pm Community Pancake Breakfast at the Homestead Resort
Come experience the sugaring process through time in the Port Oneida Historic District at the Dechow Farm and Olsen Farm. Learn the history of maple sugaring through a guided hiking tour from the Anishinaabe, to the Settler’s open fire process, to the sugar shack evolving to the present day.
Step inside the Olsen farmstead for the final boiling in the historic kitchen and purchase maple treats and books on maple sugaring. Try your hand at activities outside, carrying a yoke with buckets, hand drilling into a log, or make old fashioned maple syrup taffy.
The event is free with a park pass.
The fun includes:

a guided hike
a visit to a historic sugar shack
sap boiling demonstrations
kid’s activities
and maple syrup sampling

A Community Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, March 4 from 9 am – 1 pm just down the road from Port Oneida. The breakfast is hosted by the Homestead Resort sponsored by Sleeping Bear Visitor Center with proceeds benefiting Sleeping Bear Forever who funds and helps organize Maple Sugar Days.
Admission: $10 per person at the door for pancakes with local syrup, sausage, fruit and beverages and then head to the Maple Sugar event down the road in Port Oneida. Have breakfast with us and enter a drawing for 2 free annual park passes!
MAPLE SUGAR DAYS IS PRESENTED BY SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRESERVE HISTORIC SLEEPING BEAR. Check for additions to the event as details are confirmed Sleeping Bear Dunes website.
Locations: 1 mile north of The Homestead, between Thoreson road and Port Oneida Road.
Dechow Farm:
3991 W Harbor Hwy, Maple City, MI 49664
Olsen Farm:
3164 W Harbor Hwy, Maple City, MI 49664
Want to volunteer? email phsb@centurytel.net.
Join the Sap Collection Team! Help collect maple sap in Port Oneida. Scheduled for the week before depending on the weather conditions that determine the flow of sap. Come out and lend a hand. Help with Kid’s Activities and Taffy Making- help lead activities outdoors at the Olsen farm, or learn to interpret one of the methods of processing sap.

North Unity Log School Workshop
2022-09-22 09:30 - 16:00 | North Unity School, West side of Narada Lake, Maple City, MI, 49664
Join us Thursday, September 22 9 – 4 for another workshop at the North Unity Log School on Narada Lake in Port Oneida. Volunteers are needed to help complete some daubing and trim windows. This is one of numerous workshops restoring the six windows, reinstalling vertical boards, and daubing logs. Sign up to help restore this historic structure.

Annual Appreciation Dinner
2022-09-18 17:00 - 19:00 | Port Oneida Heritage Center, 3164 W. Harbor Hwy, Glen Arbor, MI, 49636, United States
We love seeing volunteers and donors who support our work. If you are a current donor or volunteer please join us for dinner by the Olsen Barn from 5-7 pm on Saturday, September 18th. Remarks by our PHSB board chair, the National Park Service and our Executive Director will follow. Please RSVP by Saturday, September 17th .

Sleeping Bear Stories: Two Lost Tales of the Past
2022-08-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Thoreson Farm, 3694 S. Thoreson Rd., Port Oneida Rural Historic District
An engaging and collaborative performance of music and dramatization of two historic tales within Sleeping Bear about the first settlers of Port Oneida, the Burfiends,and the lost community of Aral. Performed by Beach Bards and Co. and held at Thoreson Farm in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Bring your blankets or chairs and watch the performance with the barn as a back drop.
A special event of the Port Oneida Fair, presented by park partner Sleeping Bear Forever with grant funding from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Port Oneida Fair Committee.

Window restoration workshop
2022-08-04 09:00 - 16:00 | Port Oneida Heritage Center, 3164 W. Harbor Hwy, Glen Arbor, MI, 49636, United States
Join us for another workshop to continue restoring the windows of this historic cabin. We’ll be working on various phases – rebuilding, sanding, re-glazing.
Please register by Wednesday August 3 5 pm. Click here to register.
A confirmation email will be sent. Workshop subject to change in case of weather.
