Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman discusses plans for a Michigan festival next year on Tuesday. Joining him are, from right, Meghan McGee-Pelkey, marketing manager of UFirst Federal Credit Union, a major sponsor of the event, and Dannemora Federal Credit Union Business Development Marketing Manager Anna Hewitt-Channel. (Provided photo — Joe LoTemplio/Press-Republican)

PLATTSBURGH — After a few years of dreaming and planning, the inaugural Michigan Fest will kick off next year in Plattsburgh.

The hope is that it will develop and grow into a major celebration of a regionwide delicacy that will bring people to the area by the thousands.

“The Michigan isn’t just a hot dog, it’s a point of pride for our community, and whether you like yours buried or you claim to know what the best Michigan spot is in town, there is one thing that we can all agree on and that is that the town of Plattsburgh is home of the Michigan,” Plattsburgh town Supervisor Michael Cashman said at a news conference Tuesday.

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Next August

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Michigan Fest is slated to go off on Aug. 2, 2025, at the Clinton County Fairgrounds. It is expected to feature plenty of fun, with games, music, other forms of entertainment, and of course the star of the show: Michigans.

“We’re still in the early stages of planning, but this event will go beyond just Michigan tasting,” Meghan McGee-Pelkey, marketing manager of UFirst Federal Credit Union, a major sponsor of the event, said.

“It’s a family-friendly event that will include fun activities for kids, music, vendors and more.”

The town started celebrating the Michigan three years ago with Michigan Month in the month of July. The celebration includes a Michigan Passport where customers could go to four of the area’s well-known Michigan restaurants during the month, have a Michigan, and get their passports stamped.

With all four stamps, the redeemer can collect a customized T-shirt made special for Michigan Month.

The Michigan is a regional delicacy that goes back about 100 years.

It features a hot dog in a steamed bun covered with spicy or sweet meat sauce. It can be served with onions on top or buried under the hot dog or without onions.

Cashman said celebrating the regional food is a great way to acknowledge North Country cuisine and to attract visitors to the area.

“What we have learned is that over the last several years, people have come from Syracuse, from Vermont and other states to enjoy the many things that the North Country and the Greater Plattsburgh region has to offer,” he said.

“So I imagine that people would come for the festival, go to the Clinton County Historical Association, enjoy the beach, Ausable Chasm. … I mean, there are so many things to do here in the region on the Adirondack Coast you certainly could make a weekend or more of it.”

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Visitors

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This past April, the Greater Plattsburgh area hosted thousands of visitors who came to witness the Total Solar Eclipse, which occurred directly over Plattsburgh.

Cashman said many visitors for that event had a great experience, and may likely come back.

“It’s been proven by the fact that we’ve already seen a number of people that were here for the Total Solar Eclipse that are coming back,” he said.

“I spoke with individuals that said that they were going to come back for leaf-peeping season and various things, and some of those individuals have come back. When you introduce people to a region they’re going to want to come back time and time again, and we are a four-season location.”

In addition to UFirst Federal Credit Union, the Dannemora Federal Credit Union is also a host of the event, and Business Development Marketing Manager Anna Hewitt-Channel said the first Michigan Fest has tremendous potential.

“Not only did we think it was it going to be something that we thought we could make exciting, but it really was something that we wanted to be for every single person in the community, not just our members at the credit union, but children, your parents, your grandparents, everybody,” Hewitt-Channel said.

“And after that first meeting, we quickly realized that we could make this pretty big and pretty spectacular.”

The Michigan Fest committee linked up with the North Country Chamber of Commerce and other local professionals to organize ideas and plans.

Kristy Kennedy, vice president of marketing operations and business development at the Chamber, said Michigan Fest should be a hit.

“This is something that has grown a lot of legs and curiosity. and culinary, in general, when it comes to travel, is huge,” Kennedy said.

“So I can see that if it is done right, and if people really support it, and if we can get the marketing done, it should be something that continues to grow and get support behind the community.”

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Project benefits

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Another benefactor of Michigan Fest will be the Battlefield Memorial Gateway, a historical project underway in the town off Route 9 just south of the City of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain.

The project pays tribute to veterans and the major battles that our nation fought at the early stages of the country that were key to victory and establishing a free nation. Funds raised at Michigan Fest will go towards development of the project.

John Rock, a local historian and key member of the Battlefield Memorial Gateway Committee, said area veterans are glad to have the support of the local Michigan crowd.

“We are very excited about this event,” Rock said.

“This is a great way to raise funds throughout the North Country for this project.”

When complete, hopefully in time for the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026, the park will be one of a kind, Rock said.

“It is going to educate and honor our veterans and allow the community to learn what the veterans gave up and the sacrifices that they made. We hope everyone will come out and support this,” he said.

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Local restaurants

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Area restaurants that are known for their Michigans have been contacted and have shown interest in participating in Michigan Fest.

Hewitt-Channel said some committee members went on a local Michigan “Field Trip,” to area restaurants and food trucks to gauge interest and it was positive.

“We immediately had a lot of enthusiasm from quite a few local restaurants and food trucks,” she said.

“We do have a lot of food trucks in our area now, and they were especially ready to jump on board and participate.”

Hewitt-Channel said at last count, at least seven or eight restaurants confirmed they would be participating, and there was a list of about 12 or 13 more considering it.

Cashman said that he is confident that the committee will direct an impressive event.

“I’m absolutely convinced that the right people are at the helm of this project, and I just think that we have a fantastic venue that can host it, and I think they will see significant numbers,” he said. “I’m not going to oversell anything, but I really do believe that it could grow to becoming one of the premier events in the North Country.”