It's hard to put into words how Tip Up Town USA has come to be the very description of winter fun and enjoyment for the whole family at Houghton Lake. Thousands of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and neighboring residents return each year to see this largest Winter Festival in Michigan, held annually the last two weekends in January. Several weeks prior to the festival, a TUT Kick-off Program is held, where the candidates for Queen, Mayor and Marshall complete their many campaigns and exhibitions for office, followed by an election ballot. A Grand Parade opens the festival activities on Saturday of the first weekend at 10:00am. The Grand Parade travels east from the Houghton Lake Heights along M-55 and ends up at the TUT USA site, where clowns, games, contests, concessions, cavorting, demonstrations and aerial performances are part of the feverish activity.
A spectacular Fireworks display over the ice in front of the TUT USA site begins at dusk on both Saturday evenings of the festival.
Sunday mornings, a non-denominational Church Service is held at the TUT USA site to start off the day of family activities.
For more than 20 years, TUT USA has been acclaimed among the top ten festivals in the nation.
Approximately 80,000 people turned out during the past festivals to enjoy the results of hundreds of hours work put in by individual volunteers and various community committees.
