ESCANABA — With summer on the horizon, Escanaba and Gladstone Parks and Recreation Departments are gearing up for summer activities, programs and events.

Nicole Sanderson, the Gladstone parks and recreation director, explained the city of Gladstone has fun activities for the public to enjoy during the warmer months.

“Of course we have our disc golf course at the John and Melissa Sports Complex up on the bluff,” she said.

The course has 27 holes with two pads per hole and two tees. Sanderson explained this doubles the course.

For fishing enthusiasts, there are fishing gear and poles available for free at the Harbor Master Shack.

There will be personal watercraft, kayaks and paddle-boards rentals and kite boarding lessons available from MISH Sports at the beach this year. The beach will open the Friday schools dismiss for summer vacation.

Escanaba Parks and Recreation Director Kim Peterson said Escanaba is busy getting the city’s parks ready for summer.

She explained when the beach in Escanaba opens is dependent on the weather, but usually is the beach is open by the second or third week of June.

For disc golfers, there are two disc golf courses in Escanaba, one in Besse Park and one in Ludington Park.

“We rent out discs at no charge at the Civic Center,” Peterson said.

She explained Sticky Fingers concession will be at the beach and park this summer also.

When it comes to programs, both cities offer something for local youth.

Sanderson explained there are swimming lessons offered at the beach in Gladstone.

“It’s a two-week program in July, but dates are to be determined yet,” she said.

There is a fee to participate in the program, which takes place Monday through Friday during the two weeks.

In Escanaba, there are two swim programs and two soccer programs.

The Young Beginners Swim Classes are for three- to six-year-olds to provide them with a proper and healthy attitude towards water safety. There is a fee for the program, which starts July 8 with classes held on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The other swimming program is for ages six and up. The classes are held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the morning starting July 8.

The two soccer programs are broken down in age groups. The program for four- and five-year-olds are is held Mondays and Wednesdays starting June 17. The program for six- and seven-year-olds is held Tuesdays and Thursdays starting June 18.

For summer events, Gladstone has its summer concerts series that starts June 20.

“There are seven concerts this year in the park right by the beach,” Sanderson said.

The concerts are every Thursday 7 to 9 p.m. except on the Fourth of July. Sanderson noted there will be bands playing on the Fourth of July, but it technically isn’t the concert series because it’s part of the city’s Independence Day celebration.

On July 3, there will be the Red, White and Brew event in Gladstone.

“It’s a wine and beer tasting event,” Sanderson said.

She explained the event has happened in the past, but the past two years the event wasn’t held because the Fourth of July landed on odd days of the week.

“It’s been a hit in the past,” she said.

There is an entrance fee to the event, but it includes beer and wine tastings, food and entertainment. Sanderson said there are big canopies set up and a string quartet.

The very first big event in Escanaba is July 4, when there will be activities throughout Ludington Park.

“We are going to have a movie night in the park on July 4, we are going to have a local band July 4, (and) the city band July 4,” Peterson said.

July 5 and 6 is when Rock the Dock will be held in Ludington Park. Local bands are going to play at the event, including The Cadillacs on Saturday, July 6. Peterson said there will also be inflatable obstacle courses set up on July 6 and a fireworks display.

“On those three days, it is all going to be centered on the bandshell area in Ludington Park,” she said.

There are movie nights planned on June 15, June 29 and July 20 in Ludington Park.

Peterson explained the movie night events start at dusk — whenever that may be in the summer — and will be held at the Karas Bandshell.

“The movies aren’t determined yet but they will be family friendly,” she said.

The Salmon Tournament at Ludington Park will take place Friday and Saturday, July 12 and 13 near the marina.

Peterson explained there will be a lot going on that weekend besides the tournament. She said there will be bands on both days, but Saturday is when there will be bounce houses, art projects through the Bonifas Art Center and Smile Clouds, man-made clouds that hold their shape to what ever design they are sculpted into. Peterson said they had Smile Clouds at 906 Day last year, and it was a huge hit.

The Municipal Dock will be abuzz on Aug. 3 for the city’s Rock the Dock event.

Bounce houses, local bands and a magic show will be featured at the event, Peterson said.

“We are also going to do the golf ball drop,” she said.

Peterson explained last year was the very first year for the unique fundraising event during the Rock the Dock festivities. Dombrowski Tree Service will be dropping the 600 golf balls again this year, but this year the drop will take place at night.

The golf balls are sold and dropped at the event. The owners of the balls in the hole and closest to the hole win cash prizes. Peterson said there will be $7,500 in prizes given at the event, and the funds raised from the event go back to the kids through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area or the parks and recreation department.

One of the last Escanaba events of the summer is 906 Day, which is Friday, Sept. 6. The event will be held at the bandshell in Ludington Park. Peterson said the day is meant to celebrate being a Yooper with local bands, Smile Clouds and giveaways.