ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – This weekend, the Daily Press is hosting its second annual U.P. Ice Fishing and Hunting Expo at the U.P. State Fairgrounds.
A first-of-its-kind event for the Upper Peninsula, the expo was warmly received in 2022. The 2023 expo will take place Friday, November 3 – Sunday, November 5.
The U.P. Ice Fishing and Hunting Expo will feature 55 vendors, with everything on display from guns and knives to fishing bait and tackle, as well as ice shacks and other equipment for outdoor enthusiasts. Vendors include L&M Fleet Supply, Buck Baits, Beaver’s Lures, and GT Rod and Reel.
Daily Press Publisher Sarah Maki says the first U.P. Ice Fishing and Hunting Expo was very successful. With even more to see and do this year, she expects it to be bigger and better.
“We had about 4,500 people over the three-day event come in through the doors, and a lot of the vendors sold out,” Maki said. “The Boy Scouts will be here running the minnow races, and we’re also raffling off some Bark River Knives. We’re super excited. It’s going to grow more and more every year.”
Admission and parking are free. The expo runs from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.
WZMQ 19 News is proud to be a sponsor of the 2023 U.P. Ice Fishing and Hunting Expo. The station will have a booth at the event. Escanaba Bureau Reporter Lily Simmons will be in attendance on Friday and Sunday, and News Director Trent Bailey will be in attendance on Saturday.
Click here to see all the vendors and sponsors.