Idlewild Music Festival

Idlewild Music Festival National Historic African American Resort in Idlewild MI. Annual Education & Music Festival. Honoring Louis. Early lot owners included W.E.B.

For four decades after its establishment in 1912, Idlewild was a rural retreat for African Americans seeking a bit of rest and relaxation outside the confines of their segregated communities in cities such as Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, and St. Referred to as "Black Eden" at its peak, Idlewild was one of the most popular resorts in the Midwest. DuBois, founder of the NAACP. Dr. Daniel Williams

of Chicago, the first person to perform open heart surgery (1893), also came to Idlewild for many years. As many as 25,000 people would come in the height of the summer season to enjoy swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, camping, horseback riding, and nighttime entertainment. Count Basie, Sarah Vaughn, Billy Eckstine, Sammy Davis Jr., Della Reese, Bill Cosby, Louie Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, the Four Tops and many others were regulars at Idlewild’s once-thriving nightspots. When the 1964 Civil Rights Act opened up other resorts to African-Americans, Idlewild's boomtown period subsided. Idlewild is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a nationally significant historic site. It remains a retreat for year-round vacationers. The area’s three pristine lakes and public beach access provide the setting for leisurely boating, jet skiing, and swimming. Idlewild surrounds the lake it was named for, and the headwaters of the Pere Marquette River run through it. About half of the township is contained in the Manistee National Forest.

06/03/2026

05/25/2026
05/01/2026

The beloved comedian announced his comeback to the stage on Instagram, six years after suffering a stroke that left him unable to walk.

04/10/2026
02/08/2026

Join us for a free screening of the documentary THE GREEN BOOK, GUIDE TO FREEDOM produced by the Smithsonian which indludes great photos of Idlewild and interviews with local residents. There will be a discussion group following the film led by Chris Grier of Idlewild.

NOTE: seating is limited - reservations are required. Call or visit the museum to reserve your spot. Program is at the Lake County Historical Museum, Wednesday, February 11, at 6:00 p.m. For more information and reservations call (231) 898-6500. Please leave your name and telephone number where we can reach you if we are out of the museum.

W. E. B. Du BoisThough born in a free Black community in Massachusetts, Du Bois witnessed first-hand racism and Jim Crow...
02/03/2026

W. E. B. Du Bois
Though born in a free Black community in Massachusetts, Du Bois witnessed first-hand racism and Jim Crow Laws of the American South. In his writing, he advocated for full rights and education for African Americans.

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Idlewild, MI
49642

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