Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
SHELBY AND Cody Marten, of Wakefield, sit on the beach and enjoy the view of Sunday Lake as the sun begins to set over their hometown on Wednesday.
As the summer beach season kicks into high gear, Pure Michigan, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Michigan Department of Natural Resources are asking fans to weigh in on Instagram to share their favorite beaches across the state.
"From sparkling blue waters to the chance to reconnect with friends and family, Michigan's beach experience is as diverse as it is beautiful," Leslie Hornung, senior vice president of marketing and public relations at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, said in a news release. "This challenge is the perfect opportunity to engage with our fans and spread the word about the vast beach offerings found in Pure Michigan."
The 10-day challenge will kick off Friday and aims to showcase the variety of beaches in Michigan, as well as the types of activities that travelers and residents can enjoy during a day at the beach.
"Water defines Michigan," DEQ Director Dan Wyant said. "It is the reason people come to live, work and play in our state. We all love the Great Lakes and inland waters, and this challenge is a great opportunity for Michiganders to show off their best beach memories."
Each day of the contest will feature a specific challenge or type of beach activity. Fans will be asked to share photos that represent that day's challenge by tagging @PureMichigan and using the hashtags #PureMichigan and #BeachChallenge.
All entries tagged will be populated into a gallery at michigan.org/beachchallenge, which will go live on Friday.
One daily winner will be chosen for each challenge topic. At the end of the 10 days a grand prize photograph will be selected from all entries received.
Daily winners will be featured on the Pure Michigan Instagram account and receive a Personal Sun Care Kit from the Pure Michigan Store.
The grand prize winner will have his or her photo featured across Pure Michigan social channels and receive an "Ultimate Pure Michigan Beach Day" package that includes a beach towel, a fire pit, a tackle box, a cooler and a sun care kit among other prizes, the release stated.
"Our beautiful beaches are just some of the world-class natural resources our state has to offer," said DNR Director Keith Creagh. "Those beaches are the birthplace of many lifelong memories for Michigan citizens and visitors. We look forward to seeing those memories captured in pictures."
The photo challenge schedule is as follows:
June 20 – Favorite Beach to Catch a Sunrise or Sunset
June 21 – Favorite Dog-Friendly Beach
June 22 – Favorite State Park Beach
June 23 – Favorite Beach to Fly a Kite
June 24 – Favorite Beach for Watersports
June 25 – Favorite Beach for Fishing from the Shore or Dock
June 26 – Favorite Beach to Experience Clear Waters
June 27 – Favorite Beach to Take a Long Walk
June 28 – Favorite Beach to Hang Out with Family and Friends
June 29 – Favorite Beach to Watch Fireworks
For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: michiganbusiness.org. For Michigan travel news, updates and information, visit michigan.org.
