13th Annual CopperDog 150 Festival Weekend Kicks Off March 4-6

Brad Barnett

Big Crowds and Big Snow Expected! 

The 13th Annual CopperDog 150 Festival Weekend will take place March 4 through 6 starting in Calumet, Michigan, on the snow road and continuing across the Keweenaw Peninsula with stage finishes in Phoenix, Eagle Harbor, and Copper Harbor. The Calumet start of the race is one of the most spectacular events in sled dog racing and should be experienced by everyone! The festival is organized by CopperDog, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization.

Photo courtesy of Keweenaw Convention & Visitors Bureau. Click on image to enlarge.

The weekend features events for people of all ages, including live musical performances on Saturday March 5th at the Calumet Theatre from three of the best songwriters Nashville has to offer. Gary Hannan, Wynn Varble and Clint Daniels made the decision to come from various parts of the Southern United States, in the dead of a Copper Country winter to perform. Hannan, Varble and Daniels songs have been performed by some of the highest selling solo artists of all time including Garth Brook, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Easton Corbin and others! In addition to award winning music there will be a block party, fireworks, a bonfire, food, and the highlight: three dog races — the CopperDog 150, the CopperDog 80, and the CopperDog 25. For race registration and a full CopperDog Festival schedule, visit http://www.copperdog150.com.

More than 350 dogs are expected to race throughout the weekend. The CopperDog races feature over 50 teams of sled dogs across the three races. The CopperDog 150 features ten dog teams covering 150 miles in three days (March 4th, 5th, and 6th); the CopperDog 80 features eight dog teams and covers approximately eighty miles in two days (March 4th and 6th). The CD25 is a six dog per team sprint race in Copper Harbor on Saturday March 5th. While many mushers come from the Midwest, races regularly feature mushers from several Canadian provinces and from as far away as South Africa.

What sets the CopperDog apart from other races is the immense community involvement and activities surrounding the races. CopperDog Board Chair Doug Harrer explains, “The CopperDog race organization is like a big extended family. It takes the entire community to put on an event as large as CopperDog.”

About the Keweenaw Peninsula 

Here is where the largest fresh waters on earth create a peninsula called the Keweenaw. Escape to Isle Royal National Park and find solitude in the pristine, remote wilderness while sharing trails with the island’s moose and wolves. Or escape into history by visiting the Keweenaw National Historic Park in Calumet, Michigan and experience the epic copper boom that built the United States by exploring an underground mine. Hike, pedal, paddle, and ride countless miles of world-class outdoor recreation trails, or listen to Lake Superior’s soothing waves as they crash along our secluded beach shores. In the Keweenaw, endless vacation discoveries await.  Visit www.Keweenaw.info for getaway ideas in every season.