Meet Amy Skidmore – Advocate for Unique Artists & Community Wonder
Amy is a millwright and artist who first connected with Marquette Fringe as a volunteer in 2022. In Fringe, they found friendship, creativity, and a coven of like-minded crafters, which inspired them to step up as a Member at Large on the board. Their mission? To be a voice for weird artists, helping provide the same opportunities that Fringe gave them—a space to showcase their work, feel validated, and build lasting friendships.
If you’ve ever enjoyed the fun games at Fall Phantasm, you have Amy to thank! They’ve designed and administered these playful challenges, loving nothing more than watching kids work together and light up with enthusiasm, pride, and the realization that they are special and magical.
Outside of their work and time on the board, Amy is a fencer with the NMU HEMA club and an active participant in Marquest events. Whether through art, craftsmanship, or community, Amy continues to bring joy, opportunity, and a touch of magic to Fringe.
As we ring in 2025, we can’t help but look back with wonder and gratitude for the things we’ve accomplished in 2024 and the amazing people who were part of it!
In the depths of winter, Marquette Fringe’s 2024 fundraising season began. On January 12th, adorned in furs and gowns, we braved the drifting snow for a magical evening ball. Beings from across realms gathered together at Ore Dock Brewing Company to dance and dream. Guests were treated to body art, fortune-telling, delicious pastries, and a silent art auction. The costumes were stunning and the music stirred us out of our boots.
Founded in 2023, the Lucid Fyrë Bellators have quickly become a staple of the Marquette art scene. We’ve had the great privilege of working with these fire artists at Fall Phantasm and during their stand-alone performances. Their dazzling flames lit up Rippling River Resort on February 17th for the Fire & Ice Fundraiser. The embers were again rekindled at Rippling River on August 22nd, for a Late Summer Night’s Burn. We’re grateful for the Bellators sharing their talents to help ignite the spark of the Phantasm again and again.
On May 2nd, Queen City Drag and Superior Expressions came out and brought the heat to Ore Dock Brewing Company. A panoply of divine Queens and Kings colored this wonderful night we called Drag Menagerie. Ten entertainers donned their regalia to stun and amaze. Their fabulous and fierce performances were the jewel in the crown of our 2024 fundraising season. The electronic bard, DJ CONWAY ended this night of glamor with a dance party.
We gathered again among the sacred pines and contrivances of Lakenenland to summon forth other worlds. The lifting of the veils brought forth multitudes of creatures, magic beings, and other such denizens to celebrate the changing of the leaves and the joining of hearts. 2024 was a community catabasis that led us through mind-altering art installations and stories told through the elegant motions of dancers. Phantasm continues to grow and connect us to new friends and loved ones of all ages and backgrounds. The magic we all created together was evident as the festival closed to awesome displays of distant storms across the sky.
On October 13th, Marquette Fringe was recognized as Marquette’s 2024 Arts Organization of the Year at the 27th Annual MACC Art Awards. Fringe is honored and humbled to join this distinguished sisterhood of organizations; including the DeVos Art Gallery, Revolve Creative Conference, Marquette City Band, and Fresh Coast Film Festival. The awards ceremony was held at Ore Dock Brewing Co., and eight of Marquette Fringe’s board members and founders attended to accept the award. In his acceptance speech, President Michael Bradford recounted the early days of Marquette Fringe and expressed thanks to the many community members that have helped Marquette Fringe flourish into the vibrant and inclusive organization it is today. As the Fringe looks ahead to plans for 2025, our hearts are full with the love and support our community has shown us.
Thank you to all of the volunteers, crew, performers, sponsors and Fringe members who made these events possible! With your support, we’re preparing for even bigger and better things in 2025.
Meet Michael Bradford, President of the Marquette Fringe board and Marketing and Events Director for Downtown Marquette. Michael enjoys hiking local trails, playing sports, relaxing with a good video game, and has a passion for the local arts community.
Michael’s appreciation for the arts inspired him to join Fringe with a vision to create opportunities for local artists to thrive. “I want Fringe to be a platform where artists can perform, connect with the community, and gain the financial support they need to keep creating.”
As a founding member, Michael reflects on the organization’s beginnings: “It all started at the Crib, where a group of strangers came together in November to dream up a space for local creatives. That initial trust sparked not just an organization but friendships that have helped us navigate every challenge and opportunity.”
Thank you, Michael, for your leadership and dedication to Marquette Fringe!
On Sunday, October 13th, Marquette Fringe accepted their award for Marquette’s 2024 Arts Organization of the Year at the 27th Annual Art Awards hosted by the City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center (MACC). According to the MACC, the Arts Organization award is presented to “a nonprofit, club, guild, or other group that has been instrumental in growing and supporting arts and culture in Marquette.” Past recipients of the award include the DeVos Art Gallery, Revolve Creative Conference, Marquette City Band, and Fresh Coast Film Festival.
The awards ceremony was held at Ore Dock Brewing Co., and eight of Marquette Fringe’s board members and founders attended to accept the award. Madeline Arquette, a member of the Marquette Arts community and long-time supporter of Marquette Fringe, presented the award. In his acceptance speech, President Michael Bradford recounted the early days of Marquette Fringe and expressed thanks to the many community members that have helped Marquette Fringe flourish into the vibrant and inclusive organization it is today.
From left to right: Madeline Arquette, Award Presenter; Taylor Sirard, Fringe Production Director; Michael Bradford, Fringe President; Niikah Hatfield, Fringe Performance Director; Shana Donner, Fringe Fundraising Director; AJ Skidmore, Fringe Member-At-Large; Artemis Savory, Fringe Membership Director; Alexa Haferkorn, Fringe Marketing Director; Jordan Russell, Fringe Founder
This award acceptance came just one week after the 4th Fall Phantasm, an event that started as a fundraiser, and has quickly become a performing arts festival with live music, dance, interactive art, and more. This event is hosted annually in early October at Lakenenland Sculpture Park in Harvey, MI. This year’s Fall Phantasm had the theme “A Journey Through the Underworld”, and invited attendees to explore six interactive “Gateways” throughout the park that represented the different journeys that all people take through life, love, and renewal. The festival culminated in live theatrical performance that featured several dance groups and performers from the Marquette community, and a late-night Drag Show presented by Superior Expressions.
Marquette Fringe would like to thank the City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center and the Marquette Community for the honor of this award. There are countless other volunteers, artists, performers, and donors to thank for contributing to this organization’s growth. As the Fringe looks ahead to plans for 2025, our hearts are full with the love and support our community has shown us.
Prepare your potions and talismans – our journey quickly approaches!
This year, the Fall Phantasm will take you on a journey of your own creation. Six mystical Gateways have opened in our secluded corner of the Northwoods; six opportunities to explore what lies beyond… and what lies within. While no mortal being can know the true form of these gateways, our artist Madeline Arquette has gifted us with these depictions of what may be:
Hall of Myths
Gateway of knowledge, wisdom, and learning. Peruse the library and gather important information for your journey through the Underworld.
Black Stone Outpost
Rest and Nourishment for Underworld Travelers. Cast your wishes into the cauldron for blessings on your journey.
The Alchemist Guild
Gateway of exchange, transformation, and spellcasting. Discover magical potions to assist you on your journey.
Hall of Reflections
Gateway of reflection, meditation, and internal stillness. Wander through the Hall of Mirrors and face your inner world.
Fire Temple
Gateway of death, letting go, and rebirth. Release what no longer serves you, and make way for the new to be reborn.
Pleiades Portal
Gateway of discovery, creation, hopes, and dreams. Visit the portal for wisdom and encouragement from the ascended stars.
Join us on October 5th, 2024 at Lakenenland to experience the journey for yourself! Find more info on our Fall Phantasm web page, and RSVP on Facebook!
Step inside the magical world of Fall Phantasm, and you might find yourself drawn to the grounding presence of Victoria Bullock. A spirit communicator with over a decade of experience, This year, Victoria is honored to be a part of the exclusive VIP and Performers Club, working behind the scenes to support the event’s energy—but her gifts will shine for those lucky VIP members who get to experience them.
Victoria’s path to embracing her psychic and mediumship abilities was not straightforward. As a child, she could communicate with unseen energies but didn’t fully embrace this gift until later in life. For years, she prioritized logical, linear thinking to fit into societal expectations, casting aside what she now sees as a superpower. We are all capable of communicating with spirits and the unseen realm, and she encourages others not to dismiss these messages but to embrace them wholeheartedly.
Victoria has been a vendor at the Fall Phantasm for the past two years – offering spiritual communication backed by tarot readings to attendees. Sometimes communicating for multiple attendees at once, which left her and those she read for with unforgettable experiences. In her sessions, Victoria doesn’t predict the future but instead tunes into the energies that surround her clients, often bringing forth messages from those who have passed or tapping into unseen realms that may influence their current lives. Her mediumship, supported by tarot and oracle readings, has provided powerful experiences, including moments where her insights have come to fruition long after the initial reading.
Grateful to be part of the Fringe community, Victoria continues to share her gifts to help others, spreading her message: “The world is an Oracle. We are always being worked with, we are never alone, and we are Loved”.
Check out the VIP section of our Fall Phantasm 2024 web page, or click the button below to purchase now!
You know them and love them from their fiery debut “Rites of the Sovereign Flame” for the Fall Phantasm: Festival of Myth & Fire, or their LED adaptation for the Myth of Lost Fire at Revolve CC. Today we spotlight the already shining flame of the Lucid Fyrë Bellators
The Lucid Fyrë Bellators were founded in 2023 by a group of fire artists that had been performing independently in the Marquette area for over a decade. Quickly becoming a space that inspired and welcomed newcomers to the art form, the Bellators continue to host a weekly open spin night that allows folks to engage with flow arts and try spinning fire for the first time. We’re so excited as they enter their second year as a group and bring more stunning performances to the area!
See the Lucid Fyrë Bellators this October 5th at Fall Phantasm: Journey Through the Underworld.
Did you catch the stunning winged horse and rider at the 2023 Fall Phantasm? If not, don’t worry—Riley, the horse, and his rider, Meghan Namaste, are returning in 2024 as performers and sponsors! Meghan, who owns Namaste Barefoot Trimming in the Upper Peninsula, offers barefoot trimming, composite shoeing, and a place to help horses where conventional farriery can sometimes fall through the cracks.
As her business grows, Meghan is passionate about giving back, and sponsoring the Fall Phantasm allows her to support the arts and the Fringe community, which has provided her inspiration. “It’s such a beautiful thing when individuality and being “different” is not only accepted but celebrated… in that environment, there is such an opportunity for growth.” She encourages everyone to attend with an open mind and curiosity, ready to embrace the unique experience. You will also see Meghan light the stage later in the evening as a new member of the Lucid Fyre Bellators.
Marquette Fringe is committed to providing transformative art experiences that are accessible to all of our community. Every year, we work hard to bring you events that are free and open to the public. This is our mission and the font from which we draw our magicks. Yet it takes much treasure: many talents, many gifts, and much coin to complete these rituals to offer you, Dear Public. This is why we’ve created new offerings to both enhance the experience of the Fall Phantasm and to keep the magic flowing for years to come!
For those who seek a more festival experience, we offer limited camping passes for tents, cars, and RVs! Immerse yourself deeper into the world of Phantasm by camping in the beautiful woods surrounding Lakenenland Sculpture Park. Passes include on-site parking and a designated spot within our camping area. Campers may set up anytime after 12pm on Saturday, October 5th, and must leave by 2pm on Sunday. This liminal, rustic campground is pack-in, pack-out. Help us steward this precious land by cleaning up before you go and leave no trace.
In addition to the camping experience, we invite you to attend the exquisite side of the Fall Phantasm as part of our VIP experience. Be up close to the action when the Veil is lifted. VIPs have access to an exclusive covered area with comfy seating, snacks and refreshments arranged by Golden Hour Soirees; as well as front-row seats for a 90-minute performance at 7:30pm. Not only will VIP ticket-holders have access to an exclusive side stage area, luxury accommodations, and immersive actor experiences, but VIP Passes also include on-site parking and discounted camping!
VIP tickets start at $75, with discounted rates available for additional party members:
Join Marquette Fringe at Ore Dock Brewing Co.’s annual Festival of the Angry Bear as we lead our fellow creatures of the Northwoods in a march with Who Dat Brass to welcome springtime to Marquette, Michigan.
Each year in April as the frozen grounds of Lake Superior’s shore attempts its thaw, Festival of the Angry Bear comes out of hibernation and takes over Spring Street in downtown Marquette. Modeled after some of the great beer festivals of Europe, the festival is a showcase of barrel-aged beer, live music, and delicious food. Attendance is free, and fun is guaranteed.
