Winter in Michigan's Upper Peninsula can be long and brutal. It can also be glorious. Check out this video of was seems like hundreds of residents of Marquette, Michigan who have turned the city's harbor on Lake Superior into a huge community ice rink.

Lake Superior, as the largest of the Great Lakes, is almost always the most volatile with ship destroying winter waves, just ask the Edmond Fitzgerald.

But Marquette's Lower Harbor is protected and more placid. Oh, and that imposing and eye-catching structure is the Lower Harbor Ore Dock. It's no longer in use for industry transporting ore between rail cars and freighters but now stands as a reminder of the city's rich history in the production and transportation of natural resources.

However, don't expect this to happen every winter. Long time Yoopers were surprised to see the sight of so many skaters in the harbor. One commented on the Pure UP Facebook group,

Thats a once in a lifetime deal..I never saw that growing up.

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Lower Harbor Park in the Queen City (you did know that was Marquette's nickname, of course) is one of the city's premier waterfront destination. PureMichigan notes that during the summer,

The Park has become the City's most popular location for special events, playing host to such activities as The Seafood Festival, the International Food Festival, concerts, fireworks and other large gatherings.

It's also popular with those who write reviews on TripAdvisor

We decided to stop at the park to check out the harbor & take a brief walk. Good amount of green space to enjoy, easy parking, nice playground area for kids, ice cream shop, indoor restrooms, and walking path by the lake. We marveled at the ore docks & struck up a conversation with a friendly local. Worth a visit.

...

Great little water front park in Marquette, Great play ground with lots grass and parking, if no activities are going on.Right beside an active dock and the lower harbor marina is on the other side of the parking lot. Lots of very popular activeties happen here from the sea food fest, car shows to fireworks. Ice cream shop open in the summer..There is a great bike path that goes right by the park.. Relating to pictures in other reviews, there is no beach here. This was a old industrial site that was turned into a city park. Beaches are just north west of the park or on the east side Marquette

So the moral of our video is to not let northern Michigan's stereotypical winter scare you, there's plenty of Winter Wonder to be found. You just have to know where to look, and get a little lucky.

Of course, it's not just Northern Michigan University students from Marquette that get to enjoy the winter fun of the Upper Peninsula. Check out Winter Carnival 2021 pictures from Michigan Tech in Houghton.

Michigan Tech's 2021 Winter Carnival Snow Sculpture Winners

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