September 23, 2023

Another favorite annual event is right around the corner Friday, October 13, and Saturday, October 14, so mark your calendars and join us for the fun, brought to you by the Michigan DNR, Michigan History Center, with assistance from the Friends of Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park.

This will also be a great time to view birds, check out Fall colors, hike to the end of Tawas Point and see the Sandy Hook, walk the beach, take your dog to the special dog friendly beach section on the Bay side, snap great photos, and make your own special memories at this fabulous State Park!  

***The Lighthouse area Gift Shop will be open from 11am to 5pm both Friday and Saturday for you to peruse their merchandise, purchase drinks and snacks, and pick up The Visitor newspaper to gather a lot of information about our popular State Park, Historical Lighthouse and other historical buildings. 

Free events and activities for children, and adults are as follows:

Friday the 13th ! (BOO!)

5 – 9 pm - Free Hayrides around the State Park and Lighthouse area

Pick up Points will be near the Lighthouse Gift Shop Area and at the Campsite Host area near the Campground – Come in your favorite costume, or just your most comfortable clothing, to enjoy a beautiful ride through the Park area and see the decorated campsites, etc.

Saturday, October 14:  12 pm – 5 pm

FUN!  Many free games of chance and skill will be scattered around the Lighthouse yard area, including sets of cornhole boards and bags.  Start your own tournament, or learn the game for the first time!

Pick up a free pumpkin and a free apple for all children, while supplies last. Don’t miss the scary ghostly graveyard! 

12 – 5 pm - Free Hayrides around the State Park and Lighthouse area

Pick up Points will be near the Lighthouse Gift Shop Area and at the Campsite Host area near the Campground – Come in your favorite costume, or just your most comfortable clothing to enjoy a beautiful ride through the area, see the decorated campsites, etc. 

7 – 9 pm - Lighted Pathway and Monster Mash Dance!!!

From 7pm to 9pm, join the fun and music in the decorated Lake Huron Beach Area Pavilion.

Due to the exciting Lighthouse Tower restoration project, and for your safety, the Lighthouse Tower and the Lighthouse Museum are still closed and will NOT be open for this Fall Event.   Thank you all for your patience as we make these many improvements!

Reminder:  A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into all Michigan State Parks.  You may purchase those at your local Secretary of State office, or at the DNR Contact Station at the State Park.  Funds from the Recreation Passport are used to fund a variety of projects and events at Michigan State Parks. 

January 24, 2023 - Iosco News Herald

EAST TAWAS – The picturesque Tawas Point Lighthouse tower, which has cemented itself as a key landmark of East Tawas and a popular vacation destination for tourists, will be getting a well-deserved facelift this summer.

The $500,000 project is something Tawas Point State Park Supervisor Micah Jordan says Michigan’s Parks and Recreation Division have been working to implement for some time now and thanks to federal funding for state infrastructure and outdoor recreation via the American Rescue Plan, which was enacted in March of last year.

“We finally have the dollars to do it,” Jordan said.

He said the project will be handled by a group that specializes in this type of work and aims to restore the appearance of the lighthouse to its original state and improve the durability of the tower by removing the stucco work currently encompassing its walls. With its outer spalling removed, the tower’s brick walls will be repaired and given a fresh coat of paint that will allow for more effective moisture control and prevent degradation of the structure for years to come.

The interior will be receiving a similar treatment – freshly painted walls, new windows, and enhanced metalwork are all improvements visitors will be able to enjoy during their next visit to the historic site.

Although public tours and the lighthouse keeper program will be suspended for the duration of the restoration, Jordan anticipates the work to wrap up sometime in the fall. In the meantime, the lighthouse’s gift shop will continue to operate during its routine schedule, opening after Memorial Day.

Although the lighthouse’s temporary suspension of its public services may come as a disappointment to those who planned to scale its winding stairs this summer, the many improvements to the facility are sure to make it well worth the wait.

January 14, 2023

The non-profit Friends of Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park organization is starting the New Year out with the happy news they are the recipient of a $15,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation supporting their Lighthouse Pavilion Project.

“At the Consumers Energy Foundation we believe in the importance of celebrating and preserving Michigan’s natural beauty.” said Carolyn Bloodworth, secretary/treasurer of the Consumers Energy Foundation.  “Friends of Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park shares that commitment, and we are proud to invest in a project that will foster opportunities to reconnect with nature and spend time enjoying our great state.”

This grant will support various phases of construction for a 34’ x 40’ covered structure near the existing historical Tawas Point Lighthouse at Tawas Point State Park in East Tawas, a part of Baldwin Township in Iosco County.  The grant fund will help construct a building that will shelter visitors from inclement weather, and is anticipated to provide gathering opportunities for over 300,000+ annual day use and camping visitors to the State Park and Lighthouse.  It is also the desire of the Friends of Tawas Point, Department of Natural Resources, and the Michigan History Center that the pavilion will be utilized for State Park and Lighthouse activities, school programs and field trips, Girls and Boy Scout troop projects, motorcoach tours, community group activities as scheduled, music events, health fairs, etc. 

The proposed pavilion will include lighting, signage, landscaping, picnic furniture, and a special Wall of Honor area inside that will recognize the many people and organizations who have sponsored and supported this much needed structure.  The Friends of Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park are very grateful to the Consumers Energy Foundation for this generous grant.  This amazing gift will allow us to move forward with this much needed and much anticipated Pavilion Project.  An official check presentation was made at the Friends annual membership meeting Tuesday, January 10. 

About Friends of Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park:   The Friends of Tawas Point Lighthouse and State Park is a non-profit, voluntary Association established to assist the lighthouse and state park.  It’s goals are primarily in the areas of lighthouse and park promotion, lighthouse and park interpretation, lighthouse and park historical preservation and resource preservation.  Goals and activities are related to, but not limited to, recreational, natural, cultural, historical, and educational pursuits.  Find us on Facebook:  Friends of Tawas Lighthouse and State Park, or on the web at www.TawasLighthouseFriends.com

About the Consumers Energy Foundation

The Consumers Energy Foundation is the charitable arm of Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider.  The Foundation enables communities to thrive and grow by investing in what’s most important to Michigan – its people, our planet and Michigan’s prosperity.  In 2021, the Consumers Energy Foundation, Consumers Energy, its employees and retirees contributed more than $17.5 million to Michigan nonprofits.  For more information, visit ConsumersEnergy.com/foundation.