Approaching the midpoint of its sixth season, the Emberlight Festival’s "New Ways to Dream" program is building momentum across the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. In a mid-season check-in, Artistic Director Miles Mykkanen highlighted a surge in ticket sales, donor support, and overall audience engagement. While residents in Ironwood and Hurley remain the foundation, attendance and artist participation have expanded significantly across the region, drawing visitors from the Keweenaw Peninsula, Duluth, and across the country.
This season’s lineup bridges community involvement with world-class artistry. Through the "Art for All" initiative, nearly two hundred and forty regional students collaborated with Ojibwe elders to construct cultural totem installations currently featured in Miners Memorial Heritage Park. Additionally, Emberlight has established a unique partnership with the Metropolitan Opera to bring HD screenings to Ironwood, including "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay," representing a poignant full-circle moment for Mykkanen as his Met performance plays on his hometown stage at Theatre North. The festival's cinematic branch is equally robust, narrowing down nearly one thousand international submissions to showcase just twenty-two elite independent films.
Public Radio 90's Kurt Hauswirth spoke with Mykkanen about the festival:
As the summer festival enters its final stretch, Mykkanen is shifting gears from director to performer as he prepares to headline the grand finale concert, "Something Wonderful," on August 22 at the Historic Ironwood Theatre. Accompanied by Broadway pianist Adam Rothenberg and The Broadway Strings, the performance promises a mix of classical, operatic, and theater selections. Looking beyond this summer's success, foundational planning for the 2027 season is already in motion, ensuring that Emberlight will continue to bring accessible, high-caliber artistic experiences to the Northwoods for years to come.
Visit emberlight.org for more information.
