Nestled in the wooded foothills of northern Michigan is a quiet resort town known as Houghton Lake. At about an hour north of Mt. Pleasant on US-127, it's the beautiful town where I spent the first 18 years of my life. 

Before I get started, I have a confession to make.  I didn't actually grow up in Houghton Lake.  I lived in a small adjoining town called Prudenville, but nobody really wants to say they grew up in a town named after someone who has never been to first base (a prude.)

Most of us already know this, but when the glaciers moved through Michigan during the ice age a few years back, we were left with hundreds of lakes.  Houghton Lake is the biggest in-land lake in Michigan and as a result, the town is inviting to thousands of visitors from all around for boating, fishing, and hunting.

Growing up, I always thought of Houghton Lake like a bipolar friend.   During most of the winter the town is nearly desolate with no traffic and a generally small town atmosphere, but in the summer, the town overflows with city dwellers seeking to escape their urban lifestyles as they flood into the resorts, campsites, and hotels of Houghton Lake.

There are two epic annual events that explain the town's overall themes.  Every year on the first weekend in August, we have a little gathering called Bud Bash. 

This is, if you didn't guess by the name, a big party where people get in their boats and head to a local bar known as the Limberlost, which is right on the water.  Once they have gathered outside the bar, they tether their boats together, and then it's on to a full day of drinking as much alcohol as they possibly can.

All kinds of people show up for Bud Bash, and we can even boast some celebrities.  Yes, that's right, once a year; Houghton Lake is graced with the presence of none other than the famous heavy weight boxer Butter Bean!  Anticlimactic, I know, but Bud Bash has plenty of fist fighting, crude behavior, and alcoholic beverages for everyone to enjoy.

The point is, the town can get pretty wild, and police are brought in from all over the county, so if you're going, then be careful.  There are numerous injuries every year, but as far as I know there has only been one death since the year it began-a heart attack. 

The other event that brings people into Houghton Lake is called Tip-Up-Town (TUT).  It takes place the last two weekends of January every year.  Now don't let the name fool you.  TUT is about drinking too. 

Of course, TUT isn't all about drinking.  There is also a reward for a hidden medallion that is worth a few hundred dollars if you can find it, and there are snowmobile races as well.  Some people even go out on the ice and fish!  I know it all sounds so exciting, but wait there's more.   

Probably the most important event that is involved in TUT is called the Polar Bear Dip.  This event is ideal for the thick skinned because it involves jumping into ice cold water.  TUT officials cut a large hole in the ice on Houghton Lake and then let people jump in.  It is a huge tradition that can earn you an official sweatshirt of TUT.  However, for many participants it is not about what you wear after jumping in; it's about what you wear when you jump in, and some participants show up in some pretty peculiar outfits.

Some of the locals think they are above jumping into the frigid depths of the lake, but others see it as a rite of passage.  As for me, I say you must be a little crazy to take part in anything that requires paramedics to be standing by just in case something goes wrong.

TUT also has a family atmosphere during the day.  There are kid's games and pony rides held on the ice, but when the sun goes down, it's the beer tents that draw the older crowd in.  The bars actually put up extra tents in their parking lots to hold all the drunks.  Good luck finding a place for your car.

To conclude my rant, Houghton Lake is a beautiful place to grow up and even to visit.   The town has plenty to offer everyone, including the outdoor life, festivals, and even parties if that's your thing.

By Dan Syckle

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