Map courtesy of Escanaba Downtown

ESCANABA — The Log Jam Festival Saturday in downtown Escanaba will feature three music stages, professional timber-related entertainment, vendors, raffles and lumberjack contests for attendees to participate in.

Planning has been underway for months between the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), the Great Lakes Lumberjack Show, 10 bands, various sponsors, volunteers, businesses and organizations for what will be the first of its kind in Escanaba — a free-to-attend, day-long bash celebrating the Upper Peninsula’s timber history with music and more.

Ludington Street will be closed between 10th and 14th Streets beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The side streets of 11th, 12th and 13th will also be closed for half a block north and south of Ludington (to the alleys). Event organizers request that people not park vehicles in that area Friday night.

Businesses will be open as usual during the festival, which begins in earnest at 10 a.m.

As of last week, 14 food vendors and 14 craft and product vendors were signed up; they are scheduled to be on scene from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

At 10:30 a.m., a competitive eating contest is to kick off in the form of a race to see who can finish a plate of Swedish pancakes the fastest. Participants may register beforehand at escanabadowntown.com. Just over a block east of the event boundaries, pancakes will be cooked by Swedish Pantry, and the Escanaba Kiwanis Club will help coordinate. Olson Bros. Sugarbush is providing maple syrup, a jug of which the winner will take home.

From 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., several competitions will be underway, challenging any attendees of the festival to test their skills. One event pits two-person teams — men, women, and mixed — to roll a log 60 feet down the street and back in the fastest time possible. Another is a nail-driving game for solo participants, which some may know as hammerschlagen. There’s a cross-cut competition, also done in pairs.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the lumberjack contests may contact Ben Marchant of the Delta Conservation District at 906-553-7700 ext. 103.

Those are separate from the professional timber show, which takes place on the same block — the 11th — at three times. The Great Lakes Timber Show will perform for a half hour at 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

At 13th Street, the main music stage, sponsored by Enbridge, will host performances by Sit Down Francis from 12:30 to 2 p.m., Sky Pilots from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Stonewall from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and Them Pesky Kids from 8 to 10 p.m.

Nearby, the side Highline stage will feature the Dust Bunnies from 2 to 3 p.m., Pickstop from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and 3 Wheel Drive from 7 to 8 p.m.

Gracing the stage at center court (11th Street) will be Anna Shakes from 10 to 11:30 a.m., Roman Around from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m., Anthony Crispigna from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m. and George Sailer from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m.

Finnish logging machinery giant Ponsse will have a display on North 12th Street.

There will be three raffles throughout the day, each benefits a different nonprofit. During the first part of the day, Escanaba Kiwanis will sell raffle tickets, with their drawing at 2 p.m.; the midday raffle is for Players de Noc, with a drawing at 4:30 p.m.; the third and final is for Escanaba AmVets Post 123, whose winner will be drawn at 7 p.m.

For people who have difficulty getting around, rides will be offered using golf carts that the Escanaba Country Club is providing for the event.

Outside food and beverages should not be brought in to the Log Jam Festival; with all the vendors and local businesses in the vicinity, plus the social district ready to go, event organizers would like attendees to support the businesses present.

Major sponsors of the event are Enbridge, Highline, the DTE Foundation and the Escanaba DDA. Several others, including Embers Credit Union, Elevated Exotics and Freedom Electric Co. are also contributing.