Summer
Superior Summer
Hot times in a cool city
Make your summer vacation sizzle. Whether you’re chilling at the beach or rocking out at a festival. Or sitting oh so comfortably inside.
Get outdoors
Summer is simply glorious around here.
One reason: there are so many ways to explore the great outdoors in town and at nearby Wisconsin parks, forests, rivers and lakes. Especially on the sandy south shores of Lake Superior. Suggestion: try our campgrounds. Ride some of the region’s world-class bike trails. Set sail. Or just set a fishing hook, cast a line and relax.
Stay inside
Run into rough weather?
No shame in taking refuge at one of our iconic pubs and restaurants, like the Anchor Bar, for a charming taste of Superior’s rich maritime history and hand-cut french fries. Learn about Great Lakes shipwrecks, and indigenous history, by looking at some stunning Superior Library murals. Or discover Richard I. Bong and why Superior is so proud of America’s “Ace of Aces” WWII fighter pilot at a museum that honors all veterans who served and sacrificed.
Make it an event
Enjoy summer concerts and more
Watch the summer stock car races at Superior’s dirt track speedway, maybe even during the Head of the Lakes Fair. Come to town for annual gatherings like Twin Ports Pride, the Great Northern Rodeo or Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival.
Lake Superior Dragon boat Festival
A time-honored tradition in China, dragon boats in Superior come together one August weekend each year for paddling, drumming and celebration—for a cause. The Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, organized by the Superior Rotary Club and Duluth’s Harbortown Rotary Club, features a race in the Superior Bay off Barker’s Island.
With nearly 100 teams and boats, this 20-year-old event is one of the largest of its kind, and worth coming to watch for free. Stick around for food, entertainment and festivities.
Duluth Superior Pride
The annual Duluth Superior Pride festivities draw people together for a weekend of Labor Day inclusivity and celebration. Barker’s Island Festival Park features a car and motorcycle show, live music, food trucks and fireworks. Proud to identify as LGBTAQI or as an ally? Join the Pride Parade on Tower Avenue, which is also home to the Main Club’s annual Pride drag show.
Superior was the original Twin Port city to formally recognize Pride, and continues to welcome people with diverse identities to join in safe, inclusive events that celebrate equality and self-expression.
Great Northern Classic Rodeo
Don’t horse around with your Labor Day plans. The annual Great Northern Rodeo returns to the Head of the Lakes Fairground with showstopping bronc ridin’, calf ropin’, steer wrasslin’, barrel racin’ fun. The weekend of events are more than just professional rodeo, with a Sunday church service, miracle rodeo, watermelon crawl and more.
The nonprofit rodeo donates proceeds to causes like North Country Ride, Boys and Girls Clubs of Superior, Horse Spirit and local 4-H clubs.
