Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Events are planned this weekend to honor the 50-year anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Monday.

A Gordon Lightfoot Tribute Featuring Mike Fornes is set Saturday at the Historic Howell Opera House. It states “Join us for an unforgettable evening as we pay tribute to one of the Great Lakes’ most powerful and enduring legends. Experience the spirit and sound of Canada’s beloved singer-songwriter in a performance that beautifully replicates his timeless songs, storytelling style, and haunting moods. Whether performed as a dynamic five-piece theatre show, an intimate trio, or a heartfelt solo set, this musical journey will transport you from the misty shores of the Great Lakes to the towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies”. General admission is $25.

Separately, a whole weekend of events is planned at the historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit off Jefferson that’s been involved with the Maritime community since the church’s founding in 1842. Mariners’ is where “the church bell chimed till it rang twenty-nine times” as sung in Gordon Lightfoot’s The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The twenty-nine souls lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald have been remembered every year at Mariners’ since the ship went down 50 years ago on November 10th, 1975.

Below is how the church is commemorating the 50th anniversary this weekend.

On Friday at 6pm, “A Special Evening to Tribute to the Edmund Fitzgerald” is planned. It features song and storytelling featuring Mike Fornes performing the “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot. Fornes discusses his interaction with the surviving family members of the lost crewmen, generating many first-hand accounts of the tragedy and of how the iconic song was written.

Sunday at 11am marks the “Great Lakes Memorial Service”. The annual tradition will hold special meaning as they commemorate all Mariners lost on the Great Lakes while giving special tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

On Monday at 12:10pm, a “Special Anniversary Eucharist service” is set. The bell will ring once more to remember and reflect on the day of the 50th anniversary the ship vanished. The event honors lives lost, as well as the “brave men and women who continue to serve on the Great Lakes.” Some family members of the ship’s crew are expected to be in attendance.

Complete details are in the provided links.