Lake Superior Day 2025

Celebrate the Greatest Lake July 20th on Barker’s Island in Superior, Wisconsin

Join us on Barker’s Island in Superior to relax, play, and learn in celebration and appreciation of the Greatest Lake.

Enjoy for free:

• Interactive activities, games, and learning opportunities for kids, adults, and families all focused on learning about and appreciating this Great Lake
• Visit the Lake Superior Estuarium
• Stand-up paddleboarding (try it out!) from noon-3pm
• Prizes donated from local businesses
• Bus running between Superior Public Library and the event

Food and Tours:

• Superior Cubans
• Sweeden Sweets
• Half price guided tours on the SS Meteor Whaleback Ship starting at 10:30am. Last tour departs at 1:30 pm. Reserve your tour time online: www.superiorpublicmuseums.org. Exhibit space also open 10:30-1:30…come explore inside the ship!

Bus Information:

Catch the free bus in the main parking lot at the Superior Public Library (1530 Tower Avenue). The bus is a school bus from Voyageur Bus Company with steps for entry, a wheelchair lift, 3 wheelchair spots and room for 25 people on bus seats. 

The schedule below is a best estimate. The bus should be ready for passengers 10-15 minutes before departure time. For example, people can load the bus at the library starting at 10:45am to be ready for the 11:00 departure.

FROM LIBRARY to event	FROM EVENT to library
11:00 11:30 12:00 noon 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00	11:15 11:45 12:15 12:45 1:15 1:45 2:15 3:00

Ready to leave Lake Superior Day? Meet the bus in front of the red building, the Lake Superior Estuarium.

EXTEND THE FUN WITH CONNECTED EVENTS

Wisconsin Point Spotted Knapweed Pull at Wisconsin Point

Saturday, July 19, 9:30am – 12 noon (note this is the day before the big event) Meet at Wisconsin Point Lot 5

To kick off a weekend of celebrating Lake Superior, join us for a morning of stewardship on Wisconsin Point! We will be hand-pulling some of the non-local Spotted Knapweed plants that have spread around the parking lot. To learn more and sign up, visit this page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spotted-knapweed-pull-at-wisconsin-point-tickets-1373285165899.

Paddle for the People

Sunday, July 20

North Shore Stand Up Paddleboarding hosts the eighth annual Paddle for the People 4K recreational paddle race around Barker’s Island. The free race begins at 10 a.m. with mandatory check in from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. (Register online at duluthsup.com. Registration is limited.)

SPONSORS

This year’s Lake Superior Day event in Superior is coordinated by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve operated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the following partners: the City of Superior, North Shore SUP, Paddle it Forward, University of Wisconsin-Superior, The Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve, Minnesota Sea Grant, and Douglas County 4-H. Thank you to businesses that support the event through logistics or donations to the free prize drawing: Barkers Island Inn, Barker’s Island Marina, Duluth Pottery and Tile, Epicurean, Cap’n J’s Mini Golf, Bluetick Design, and more to come.

HISTORY OF LAKE SUPERIOR DAY

Lake Superior Day was started in the early 1990s to highlight the importance of this great water body to the basin’s environment and economy. This year’s event is coordinated by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve operated by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Reserve encompasses over 16,000 acres along the St. Louis River freshwater estuary. Come enjoy the festivities in appreciation of the lake!

Lake Superior Day was started in the early 1990s to highlight the importance of this great water body to the basin’s environment and economy. Now it is held every 3rd Sunday in July. This year’s event in Superior is coordinated by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve operated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the following partners: the City of Superior, University of Wisconsin-Superior, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, The Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve,  North Shore SUP and Wisconsin Sea Grant. The Reserve encompasses over 16,000 acres along the St. Louis River freshwater estuary. Come enjoy the festivities in appreciation of the lake!

ABOUT LAKE SUPERIOR

Lake Superior is the cleanest, coldest, and clearest of the Great Lakes. The largest lake by surface area in the world, it fuels our local shipping, commercial fishing, and recreational industries while providing clean drinking water. Every day, each of the 600,000 human residents of the Lake Superior basin use water from the lake for drinking, home use, industrial use, or recreation. The lake is essential for countless fish, birds, animals, and plants.

MORE EVENT INFORMATION

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming in compliance with state and federal law.

You may request an interpreter, materials in an alternative language or format, or other services to make this event more accessible, by contacting Ryan Feldbrugge via email at Ryan.Feldbrugge@wisc.edu or phone call 715-399-4090. Contact Ryan as soon as possible, ideally by July 7, 2025. Even if it’s after July 7, feel free to contact Ryan to learn more about the event and its set-up, and to see what we can arrange. There’s no added cost to you for these services.