Tip-up Town
Houghton Lake, Michigan

Houghton Lake's Tip-up Town turns 51

Houghton Lake, Mich.
It's been over a half century since Bob Sweet and Bob Carman, a couple of local businessmen from Houghton Lake, concocted an idea to increase winter tourism in the area. Their idea of hosting a family-oriented fishing tournament has survived the last half century and evolved into the biggest winter festival in the state

Tip-Up Town U.S.A celebrates its 51st anniversary this month and event organizers expect a record crowd of more than 120,000 people to attend the event, which takes place Jan. 20-21 and 27-28.

The annual event is centered around a fishing tournament, which features daily weigh-ins at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and prizes for the angers who catch the biggest fish each weekend.

Highly acclaimed as a walleye and pike lake, Houghton Lake also gives up good-sized bluegills, crappies and perch.

Tip-up Town has lost its identity as strictly a fishing tournament and has turned into a large snowmobile rally. Still, ice fisherman have an opportunity to enjoy some outstanding fishing.

As the event has grown, so to have the activities surrounding Tip-up Town. In catering to the thousands of snowmobilers who show up at the event, servarl races and poker runs are held. There will also be polarbear dips, games and activities for children, scavenger hunts, softball and horseshoes on ice, a beverage tent, fireworks and more.

Following a nationwide contest in the 1950's to name the festival, Tip-up Town became the official moniker of what was then a week-long event. Outdoor writer Erwin A. Bauer added USA to the end of Tip-up Town in 1959. By 1963 the dates of the event had been changed and the festival has been held the third and fourth weekends in January ever since.

For more information and a complete schedule of events call the Houghton Lake Chamber of Commerce at (517) 366-5644.