- Date
- 1964-08-09
- Kind
- Celebration
- Where
- Beaver Island
- Carried out by
- Holy Cross Altar Society
- Followed by
- Holy Cross Homecoming brings parade, dinner, and dance, 1965
- Eras
- Modern era
- Concepts
- religioncatholicismcommunitytourismeconomy
- Within
- Beaver Island
Summary
The 32nd annual Beaver Island Homecoming and Holy Cross Festival was held on August 9, 1964. The August Beaver Beacon describes the event as a benefit for Holy Cross Parish held on the second Sunday of August. It traces the tradition to a 1932 centennial celebration for Father Baraga’s church at Indian Point, organized by Father McLaughlin; it says Edith Gallagher, daughter of James H. Gallagher, won the first day’s beauty contest. The 1964 festival used a cafeteria lunch counter, fancy and baked-goods booths, a children’s fish pond, beer and wine, and an auction rather than the former dinner and parade. A quilt made with Mrs. Vernon La Freniere was won by Father Louis, and the issue says Lt. Comm. and Mrs. John McCann came from Goose Bay, Labrador, the farthest reported visitor origin.
Evidence and limits
The report confirms the event and its activities but does not provide attendance, receipts, a complete volunteer list, or parish minutes.
Sources
- Reports the 32nd annual Homecoming and Holy Cross Festival on August 9, with a cafeteria lunch counter, booths, baked goods, children’s fish pond, beer and wine, auction, donations, and a quilt won by Father Louis. It explains that the event began in 1932 as a centennial celebration for Father Baraga’s church at Indian Point, identifies the first organizer and beauty-contest winner, and names Goose Bay, Labrador as the farthest reported visitor origin. It does not provide attendance or receipts.data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1964-08_Beaver-Beacon
- The held six-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the published notice or report; it does not expand the source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1964-08_Beaver-Beacon
Added 2 August 2026 · revised 3 August 2026. Recent changes
Cite this article
Beaver Island Archive, “Beaver Island Holy Cross Homecoming Festival, 1964”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/events/beaver-island-homecoming-festival-1964/, accessed [date], citing Beaver Beacon, August 1964, “Homecoming Issue.” (and 1 further source listed on the page).
Last revised 2026-08-03. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.
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