InstaMeet At Port Oneida Rural Historic District at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

On Saturday, September 3, 2016, at 4:00 p.m., Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will host a free InstaMeet event to celebrate the National Park Service (NPS) centennial. An InstaMeet is an interactive, in-park event, allowing visitors meet up, take photos, and get to know each other. Once the visitors meet, they will accompany a park ranger on a historic building tour.

Visitors will meet at 4:00 p.m. at the Olsen Farm History Center at 3164 West Harbor Highway in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District of the Lakeshore. (For GPS purposes, persons should use Maple City as the location.) Visitors and rangers will then car caravan to the Ole Olsen house.

There, they will discuss the history of the farmhouse and historic district with a ranger, as well as sharing stories with each other.  The buildings will be opened so that visitors can see inside.

Participants do not have to be an Instagram user to join in the fun; anyone is welcome to participate in the ranger-led hike.  Participants should prepare to be outside for about one hour, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable hiking or athletic shoes.

Visitors are encouraged to bring a camera or a smartphone to capture images during the event, and are may share their photos on social media using the hashtag #SLBEInstameet.

All InstaMeet events are free with a park pass. Passes can be purchased at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire, open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Passes cost $15/vehicle for seven days.

If you would like to attend but have other plans, you can follow Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore on Instagram @SleepingBearNPS. Search for the hashtag #SLBEInstameet  to see the photos participants take at the InstaMeet.