The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

"DID THE LUMBERJACKS HAVE ANY FESTIVALS?"
"THEY HAD ONLY TWO FESTIVALS. THE FIRST CAME IN THE SPRING
WHEN THE ICE MELTED. DURING THE WINTER, ALL THE LOGS HAD BEEN
BROUGHT BY SLEIGH TO THE RIVER BANK. THEN IN THE SPRING THEY
WOULD DUMP THE LOGS IN THE RIVER, AND FLOAT THEM DOWN THE
STREAM TO A LUMBER MILL, WHERE THAY WERE SAWED INTO LUMBER.
AFTER ALL THIS WORK WAS DONE, THE LUMBERJACKS AND THEIR
FAMILIES WOULD HAVE A BIG CELEBRATION. THERE WOULD BE LOG-
ROLLING, LOG CLIMBING, LOG CUTTING, AND AXE THROWING CONTESTS
DURING THE DAY, AND SQUARE DANCING AND OTHER PARTY FESTIVITIES
AT NIGHT. THE OTHER FESTIVAL WOULD BE THE FOURTH OF JULY.
ON THIS HOLIDAY THEY WOULD HAVE FIREWORKS AND A PARTY DURING
NIGHT. BESIDES FOR THESE TWO DAYS, THERE WERE NO OTHER
HOLIDAYS."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HOUGHTON LAKE

Date learned: 00001930S