Editing Mackinac Island (section)

===Events===
Mackinac Island is home to many cultural events, including an annual show of [[Visual art of the United States|American art]] from the Masco collection of 19th-century works at the Grand Hotel. Five art galleries operate on the island.<ref>{{cite web |last=Slevin |first=Mary McGuire |title=The Arts |publisher=Mackinacisland.org |url=http://www.mackinacisland.org/arts.html |access-date=March 10, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209040855/http://www.mackinacisland.org/arts.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=December 9, 2006}}</ref>

Since 1949, the island's residents have been celebrating the island's native [[lilac]]s with [[Lilac Festival (Mackinac Island)|an annual spring 10-day festival]]. It culminates in a parade of horse-drawn vehicles, which has been recognized as a local legacy event by the [[Library of Congress]].<ref>{{cite web|title=History |publisher=Mackinac Island Lilac Festival |url=http://www.mackinacislandlilacfestival.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060420072053/http://www.mackinacislandlilacfestival.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 20, 2006 |access-date=March 11, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Tocqueville's Mackinac |work=Tocqueville's America |publisher=University of Virginia |url=http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/TOUR/macktxt.html |access-date=July 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174412/http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/TOUR/macktxt.html |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Summer on the Lakes, in 1843 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |url=http://www.press.uillinois.edu/pre95/0-252-06164-0.html |access-date=July 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060905061256/http://www.press.uillinois.edu/pre95/0-252-06164-0.html |archive-date=September 5, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Preservation of Thoreau Country |publisher=The Thoreau Society |year=2006 |url=http://www.thoreausociety.org/_resources_preservation.htm |access-date=July 20, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705043507/http://www.thoreausociety.org/_resources_preservation.htm |archive-date=July 5, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Havranek |first=Carrie |title=Lose Yourself on the Tiny, Exclusive, Still-Affordable Mackinac Island |publisher=Frommer's |date=May 19, 2005 |url=http://www.frommers.com/articles/2834.html |access-date=July 20, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Michigan Salutes Mackinac Island |work=Documents News from Around the State |publisher=Michigan State University |date=June 1995 |url=http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/red_tape/stat9502.htm#3 |access-date=July 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813155633/http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/red_tape/stat9502.htm#3 |archive-date=August 13, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{citekill|date=May 2023}}

The July 20, 2019, running of the [[Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race]] was the 95th such annual event, with 202 sailboats registered in the 204-nautical mile-race from [[Port Huron]] to the island.<ref>[https://blackburnnews.com/sarnia/sarnia-news/2019/07/19/95th-running-race-mackinac/ "95th running of the race to Mackinac"], Blackburn News</ref> The race was reported to have continued over the years in spite of wars and economic depressions.<ref>[https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2019/07/11/not-even-world-war-has-stopped-port-huron-mackinac-island-sailboat-race/1683376001/ "Not even a World War has stopped the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race"], ''The Times Herald''</ref><ref>[http://www.mackinacblog.com/?p=88 "2019 Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race – July 20 – 23, 2019"], Mackinac blog</ref> A similar sailboat race from [[Chicago]] to the island, most recently held on July 22 to 25, 2023, was the 114th event in the [[Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac]], with 266 sailboats competing.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20190720155801/https://www.cycracetomackinac.com/111th-cycrtm-a-tricky-tactical-race/ "111th CYCRTM: A Tricky, Tactical Race"]}}, CYC Race to Mackinac</ref>

The island is a destination for many regionally and nationally proclaimed conferences, including the Mackinac Policy Conference.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.freep.com/story/news/2017/05/31/mackinac-policy-conference-2017-five-things/350441001/|title=Mackinac Policy Conference 2017: Five things to watch|work=Detroit Free Press|access-date=2017-07-07|language=en}}</ref>

Another special event that Mackinac island is known for is the Mackinac Island Fudge Festival which takes place in August. Phil Porter wrote a book called "Fudge: Mackinac's Sweet Souvenir" which explains how fudge became such a popular treat in Mackinac. After the fur trade, this island became a summer vacationing spot. The visitors began to associate sweets with the island. It originally started when Native Americans began collecting maple sugar but in the 1800s the Murdick family created the first real candy store. The world faced sugar rations in the first half of the 20th century due to the Great Depression and wars that were taking place. The fudge shops in the island had very little business, but the Murdick family did not give up hope! They would use fans to send the scent of their fudge out into the community to draw in customers. In later years, major interstates were created and made Mackinac Island well known to many. Mackinac Island’s visitors became known as "fudgies" because their main reason to travel to the island was for their famous fudge. Although fudge was not invented on the island, it is a very popular treat that people would travel from all over to devour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mackinacisland.org/blog/how-mackinac-island-became-fudge-capital-of-the-world/|title=How Mackinac Island Became Fudge Capital Of The World|date=June 4, 2018|website=mackinacisland.org|access-date=April 25, 2020}}</ref>

[[Epona]], the [[Gallo-Roman religion|Gallo-Roman]] Horse Goddess, is celebrated each June on Mackinac Island with stable tours, a blessing of the animals and the Epona and Barkus Parade. Mackinac Island does not permit personal automobiles; the primary source of transportation remains the horse, so celebrating Epona has special significance on this island.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mackinacislandlilacfestival.org |title=Mackinac Island Lilac Festival |work=mackinacislandlilacfestival.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202155236/http://www.mackinacislandlilacfestival.org/ |archive-date=February 2, 2015 }}</ref> The "Feast of Epona" involves the blessing of horses and other animals by a local churchman.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mackinacislandnews.com/news/2008-06-21/front_page/019.html |title=Animals Are Blessed During Feast of Epona |author=Caitlyn Kienitz |date=2008-06-21 |access-date=2015-06-29 |website=Town Crier (www.mackinacislandnews.com) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095011/http://www.mackinacislandnews.com/news/2008-06-21/front_page/019.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>