The Mackinac Bridge Walk is an annual event held every

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

since 1958 in

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

in which people may walk the length of the

Mackinac Bridge The Mackinac Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge (familiarly known as "Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac") is the worl ...

. Walkers are traditionally led across by the

governor of Michigan The governor of Michigan is the head of state, head of government, and chief executive of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the stat ...

. In an average year, 40,000 to 65,000 people participate in the five-mile walk. This is nearly the combined population of the three counties connected by the bridge. The Labor Day bridge walk is the sole exception to the rule prohibiting pedestrians on the bridge.

History

The walk was started and took place in late June 1958 during the Bridge's dedication ceremony, led by Governor

G. Mennen Williams Gerhard Mennen "Soapy" Williams (February 23, 1911 – February 2, 1988) was an American politician who served as the List of governors of Michigan, 41st governor of Michigan, elected in 1948 and serving six two-year terms in office. He lat ...

. That first year only 68 people walked across the bridge. The walk was changed to Labor Day in 1959, and until 1964, participants in the walk alternated north and south in consecutive years. During the 2007 bridge walk, celebrating the bridge's 50th anniversary, participation was estimated at 60,000 walkers. The record number of walkers is estimated at 85,000 in 1992 when President George H. W. Bush crossed the Mighty Mac. Starting in 2017, all vehicular traffic on the bridge as well as shipping and boating below, is stopped during the duration of the event. The 2020 edition of the walk was cancelled as a result of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

; the bridge authority cited logistical hurdles and falling toll revenue as reasons for the cancellation.

References

External links

* http://www.mackinacbridge.org/annual-bridge-walk-7/ - Information about the annual walk * http://www.mightymac.org/bridgewalk.htm - Photographs and tips on the walk * http://www.mackinacbridge.org/ {{Coord, 45.8221, -84.7269, type:landmark_region:US-MI, display=title Michigan culture Tourist attractions in Mackinac County, Michigan Tourist attractions in Emmet County, Michigan Tourist attractions in Cheboygan County, Michigan