Marinette area
Around Marinette area
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Greater area · Wisconsin · 96k people
Marinette area
Locals say Marinette-Menominee
Where the Menominee meets the bay
deep greensteel blue
Welcome to Marinette-Menominee, the twin cities where the Menominee River meets Green Bay. You'll find friendly folks, great fishing, and a love for the outdoors. Whether you're here for a fish boil or a Packers game, you're part of the community now.
Clubs for Marinette area
No clubs for Marinette area yet.
The room
Marinette area is big: its rooms are its areas'. This is Marinette's; the others are below.
One room for everyone around Marinette. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Marinette area. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Peshtigo Fire Museum Commemorates the 1871 Peshtigo Fire, the deadliest wildfire in US history.
- Menominee North Pierhead Light Historic lighthouse at the mouth of the Menominee River.
- Stephenson Island City park in the Menominee River with picnic areas and views.
- Menominee River Forms the border between Wisconsin and Michigan, popular for fishing and boating.
- Peshtigo River State Forest Offers hiking, camping, and waterfalls along the Peshtigo River.
- Marinette County Historical Museum Showcases local logging and maritime history.
- Outdoors Fishing on the Menominee River
- Outdoors Hiking at Peshtigo River State Forest
- With kids Visiting the Peshtigo Fire Museum
- With kids Going to the Marinette County Fair
- Evenings Local taverns
- Evenings Supper clubs with live music
- Locals love Fish boils
- Locals love Lighthouses
Through the year
- Marinette County Fair July Annual fair with rides, livestock, and local food.
- Menominee County Fair August County fair with exhibits and entertainment.
- Menominee Riverfest August Music and arts festival along the riverfront.
- Peshtigo Fire Museum Commemoration October Annual remembrance of the 1871 fire.
- Marinette Waterfront Festival June Food, music, and family fun on the riverfront.
The region has a humid continental climate with cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The best time to be out is from late May to early October. Best: Late summer and early fall are ideal, with warm days and cool nights.
Getaways
- Green Bay Packers games and the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.
- Escanaba Lake Michigan beaches and the Upper Peninsula state fair.
- Shawano Wolf River fishing and the Shawano County Park.
- Iron Mountain Pine Mountain ski jump and the Cornish Pump Museum.
Local flavour
Rooting for Green Bay Packers (NFL)
Eat and drink
- fish boil Door County tradition, popular in Sister Bay
- pasty Upper Peninsula influence in Menominee
- Door County cherry pie Cherries from nearby orchards
- Friday fish fry Wisconsin supper club staple
Where people go
- fish boils Outdoor gatherings with boiling whitefish
- lighthouses Historic beacons along the bay
- marinas Boating and fishing hubs
- state parks Forests, waterfalls, and trails
- small-town main streets Independent shops and diners
Heritage and traditions
Marinette-Menominee is proud of its Northwoods character, the Menominee River that ties two states together, and its resilience from the Peshtigo Fire, the deadliest wildfire in American history.
This time of year in Marinette area
- Deer hunting and color tours fall Fall is for hunting and admiring the foliage.
Say it like a local: “Sisu” — Finnish for determination and grit, used by those with Finnish roots.
Festivals
- Menominee Heritage Days summer Celebrates the lumber and shipping history of the area with reenactments and food.
Landmarks with a story
- Marinette's historic downtown Features 19th-century architecture from the lumber era.
- Menominee's historic downtown Similar, with many Victorian buildings and a riverfront charm.
- Peshtigo Fire Cemetery Burial place for many victims of the 1871 fire, a somber but important site.
- Marinette County Courthouse A historic government building in the heart of Marinette.
- Menominee County Courthouse Another historic courthouse, this one in Michigan.
Food traditions
- Smelt frying In spring, families catch smelt in the rivers and fry them up for a crispy treat.
- Maple syrup season Early spring brings tapping of maple trees and boiling sap into syrup, a cherished ritual.
- Venison sausage After deer hunting season, locals make sausage and jerky from the harvest.
- Booyah A thick stew often made in large kettles for community gatherings, a Wisconsin tradition.
Music and arts
- Northwoods folk music Traditional songs from the lumber era, often played at local gatherings.
- Finnish folk music and dance Brought by Scandinavian immigrants, still performed at cultural events.
- Community theater Local groups put on plays and musicals in both Marinette and Menominee.
A little history
- 1871 The Peshtigo Fire of 1871
- late 1800s The lumber boom, when the area was a major producer of timber
- 19th–20th century Shipbuilding on the Menominee River, with many vessels launched
- mid-1800s Founding of Marinette and Menominee, named after a French-Menominee woman and the Menominee tribe
- late 1800s Immigration of Finnish, Swedish, and French-Canadian settlers, bringing cultural traditions
Rivalries
- Marinette vs. Menominee high school football The annual 'Twin City' game is a big local event.
- Game day Ice fishing tournaments
- Game day Snowmobile races
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing
- Outdoors Berry picking
- With kids Sledding
- With kids Ice skating on the river
Locals speak with a Northwoods accent, similar to the Upper Midwest, with a friendly, laid-back tone. You'll hear 'you bet' and 'pop' for soda, and some Finnish words like 'sisu' among those with Scandinavian heritage.
Only here
- The Peshtigo Fire, the deadliest wildfire in American history.
- Two cities on opposite sides of the river in two different states.
- The Marinette County Waterfall Tour, with over a dozen waterfalls.
- Stephenson Island, a park in the middle of the Menominee River.
New here? A few tips
- Prepare for cold, snowy winters—invest in a good coat and snow tires.
- Try a pasty and a fish boil soon after arriving; they're local staples.
- Learn about the Peshtigo Fire; it's a key part of the area's identity.
- You'll often cross between Wisconsin and Michigan via the river bridges—no big deal.
- Embrace the outdoors: fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and hiking are year-round favorites.
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Areas in Marinette area
Nearby
Every areaDoor CountyWisconsinWhere the cherry trees meet the lake.Green BayWisconsinWhere the bay meets the frozen tundra, and the cheese is always fresh.EscanabaMichiganWhere the north woods meet the bayShawanoWisconsinWhere the river runs through the pines.MarquetteMichiganWhere the north woods meet the big lake.NorthwoodsWisconsinLakes, pines, and the quiet hum of the north.AppletonWisconsinWhere the Fox River winds through friendly neighbourhoodsManitowocWisconsinHome of the sundae and the submarine
Marinette-Iron Mountain, WI-MI CSA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.