ESCANABA — The fourth annual Upper Peninsula Ice Fishing and Hunting Expo is taking place this weekend, where artisans and services are catering to outdoor enthusiasts.

Organized by the Escanaba Daily Press, the event is hosting thousands of products and services available for those interested in stepping up their fishing or hunting repertoire. Items such as custom fishing rods, deer blinds, game calls, and tackle from various vendors will be available for purchase, as well as information on guide services, minnow races and outdoor magazines.

“The idea for this show started in my garage. My boyfriend mentioned how it would be nice to have a show so we could go to one location and get all we needed for the upcoming hard water fishing season. So I ran with the idea and started selling booths and gaining information from area businesses. It took off,” wrote Sarah Greenlund, Publisher for the Escanaba Daily Press and organizer for the event.

Greenlund also mentioned that this year, there will be a Craft It U.P. 906 Craft Show on the premises as well, taking place during the same time as the expo for those who might not be as interested in hunting and fishing.

“This being the fourth year it has grown so much. We have added a Craft It U.P. 906 Craft Show in building number (five) – this is right next to the pocket park – two building(s) down from the Ruth Butler Building. (A) canned good item is needed for entry into this show as well. We put together this craft show due to the idea from our vendors,” Greenlund said. “We always had them fill out a survey/questionnaire and the majority said they felt we needed something to keep women who weren’t so much into the outdoors entertained.”

Greenlund says that last year, they took in seven grocery carts full of food for a local food pantry and a carload of items including a $500 donation for the Delta County Animal Shelter.

There will also be a fishing pond and bounce houses for kids to enjoy this year. An axe throwing challenge by Razor Axe Marquette, a food plot seminar by Total Land Management, an Ice Fishing seminar by Corie Berrigan of Upper Michigan Women Anglers and Fishing 4 All Seasons, and door prizes such as knives from Bark River Knives will also be available for attendees to enjoy.

“It is my first time there. I anticipate a lot of people, creating new contacts and customers. I’m attending the expo as a route to increase my customer awareness in the Midwest. Currently, my customer base is all Southern and Eastern-based,” said Dave Chovan of Rippin’ Lips Lures, a handmade fishing lure business based in Osceola, Wis. and a first-time vendor at this year’s expo.

The expo will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. It will be inside the Ruth Butler Building at the U.P. State Fairgrounds, located at 2401 12th Avenue North.

Admission to the event is free with a canned good or animal shelter donation. Local band Roman Around will be performing live from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, and the Reflections Band will be performing from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information, contact the Escanaba Daily Press at 906-786-2021, ext. 115.

Abby LaForest can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 548. Her email address is alaforest@miningjournal.net.