Bridge Fest

Get ready to celebrate the Anniversary of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, right here in Houghton-Hancock, Michigan. Bridgefest was organized to celebrate the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, which officially opened in 1959. The Bridge is a vital link between the communities of Houghton and Hancock, and is a gateway to the rest of the historic Keweenaw Peninsula.

The bridge officially opened for traffic in 1959, and was formally dedicated with a large celebration on June 25, 1960. Marching bands and troop columns paraded across the bridge, and the jet tankers and fighters flew over the structure.