Charlevoix & Petoskey · Small town
Walloon Lake
A small resort village on clear Walloon Lake, south of Petoskey, for boating, swimming and the Hemingway family's summer story.
Holiday · Music · Walloon Lake
The Big Show Over the Little Village
Walloon Lake's Fourth of July evening: live music at Village Green Park, then fireworks over Walloon Lake.
The Big Show is how Walloon Lake Village spends the Fourth: a lawn full of people at Village Green Park, a band, and fireworks over the lake once it gets dark. It is billed as one of northern Michigan’s favorite summer traditions.
Bring a chair or blanket and come early. Check the year’s details with the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce listing.
What to expect
In 2026 the evening started with a band at Village Green Park at 6:30 pm, followed by fireworks over Walloon Lake at 10:30 pm. It was free to attend.
Location
Where The Big Show Over the Little Village happens
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks the town; check the organizer for exact venues.
About Walloon Lake
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
Beach
Peninsula Beach
Boyne City's in-town beach on Front Street, a short walk from downtown, with a splash pad, playground, restrooms, picnic tables and a Mobi Mat. No lifeguard.
About 6 miles away (straight line)
State park
Young State Park
Boyne City's state park on Lake Charlevoix, with a swimming beach, a boat launch, three modern campgrounds and 6.5 miles of trails.
About 6 miles away (straight line)
Beach
Tannery Beach
Boyne City's dog-friendly beach on Lake Charlevoix at 862 Front Street, with cleanup supplies on hand and an easy put-in for kayaks and canoes.
About 6 miles away (straight line)
Places to stay nearby
Hotel · Upscale
Hotel Walloon
On M-75 in Walloon Lake Village, beside Walloon Lake
An independently owned 32-room boutique hotel in Walloon Lake Village, rated AAA Four Diamond, with lakeside dining at the historic Walloon Lake Inn.
Listed as open year round; confirm dates when you book.
More events in and around Walloon Lake
- Bay View Fourth of JulyBay View's old-fashioned Fourth morning: a children's bike parade, a parade through the cottage streets and a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
- Bay View Music FestivalA summer music festival in Bay View, billed as the longest continuously operating chamber music festival in the country, with Sunday vesper concerts.
- Blissfest Music FestivalA three-day folk, world and roots music festival with camping at the 200-acre Festival Farm outside Harbor Springs, held the second weekend in July.
- Boyne City Fourth of JulyA two-day Fourth in Boyne City with an art fair, a raft race on the Boyne River, a kids' bike parade and fireworks over Lake Charlevoix.
- Boyne ThunderA July weekend of high-performance powerboats in Boyne City: a poker run of about 150 miles across northern Michigan waters and a Friday night street party.
- Charlevoix Venetian FestivalA July festival in Charlevoix built around an evening boat parade, a street parade and fireworks over the harbor.