International Fly Fishing Film Festival heading to Manistee
Iron Fish Distillery, Manistee Tourism, Vogue Theatre partner for March 2-3 event
MANISTEE COUNTY, Mich. (Feb. 6, 2024) – Manistee County is known all over the world for its amazing fly fishing lakes, rivers and streams. So it’s fitting the International Fly Fishing Film Festival will make its way to Manistee’s Vogue Theatre on March 2-3.
Presented by Iron Fish Distillery and Manistee County Tourism Authority, this year’s festival includes nine short films by professional filmmakers from all corners of the globe, each showcasing the passion, lifestyle and culture of fly fishing.
“You can often find anglers at Iron Fish Distillery fresh off a day on the water swapping fish stories and enjoying craft spirits,” said Sarah Anderson, co-founder of Iron Fish Distillery. “We are proud to partner with the Manistee County Tourism Authority to bring the International Fly Fishing Film Festival to Manistee’s historic Vogue Theater. Iron Fish is located on the Betsie River Watershed in northern Manistee County. Our Sustainable Spirits Pledge and MAEAP (Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program) certified farming practices reinforce our core value of preserving the Betsie River Watershed. Cheers to more stories of watershed preservation and chasing fish!”
Tickets to the film festival are $25 per person for all nine films, which will be presented consecutively and in less than two hours. All proceeds from film tickets will benefit the Little Manistee Watershed Conservation Council and The Vogue Theatre, a 501c3.
Showing 1: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 2
Showing 2: 3 to 5 p.m.
Saturday, March 2
Showing 3: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sunday, March 3
Tickets may be purchased at the door or online through the Vogue at
https://www.visitmanisteecounty.com/filmfest
The official selections in this year’s festival are “Pinawaca,” a jungle adventure led by popular angler and guide Jako Lucas, in search of legendary and oversized peacock bass; “Vivid Dreams,” a breathtaking film about a group of friends in search of oversized sea-run brown trout in rugged landscapes; “Tunulik,” a northern adventure to Nunavik, Quebec, Canada in search of trophy brook trout, arctic char and Atlantic salmon; “The Runaround,” a high-energy film following a group of friends on an adventure from Walker’s Cay in Florida to the famed everglades; “Tension,” a cinematic tale celebrating legacy, conservation and the American West; and “A Ride with Clyde,” an unforgettable, unconventional and memorable trip with salty friends into the Tennessee hills.
Other short films include “Kendjam,” a tale of fly fishing in Bolivia; “The Golden Ride,” an unforgettable fly fishing trip centered around a community of friends as they travel south to Argentina in pursuit of aggressive Golden Dorado; and “South Caicos,” a short film about anglers traveling to the Caribbean’s untouched flats, in miles of ankle-deep water and soft white sand in search of large bonefish.
“Manistee County is a world-class fly fishing destination, annually hosting thousands of anglers from around the world year-round in our streams, lakes and rivers,” said Sammie Lukaskiewicz, executive director for Manistee County Tourism Authority. “With the steelhead starting to run, March will be a perfect time to host the film festival and show guests and locals alike everything Manistee County has to offer.”
Additionally, Manistee Tourism and Iron Fish Distillery are working on a series of presentations, demonstrations and seminars that celebrate fly fishing that will be held at West Shore Community College’s downtown Manistee campus throughout the weekend. A schedule will be released when programs are finalized.
Local businesses are also getting into the spirit. Bluefish Kitchen + Bar in downtown Manistee will serve up special menu items featuring trout throughout the weekend.
Business owners who want to get involved with the International Fly Fishing Film Festival, should call Manistee Tourism at (231) 398-9355.
About Manistee County Tourism Authority
The Manistee County Tourism Authority through its Manistee Tourism brand, is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to enhance Manistee County’s position as a premier northern Michigan travel destination. Formerly known as the Manistee County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the leads in the development and promotion of a prosperous tourism economy through marketing, education and collaboration.
About Iron Fish Distillery
Iron Fish Distillery was founded in 2016 as Michigan’s first farm distillery, growing grain and distilling spirits, and barrel finishing sourced whiskey. Located along the Betsie River watershed in Manistee County, home of the steelhead, this MAEAP-certified working farm and distillery attracts more than 100,000 guests annually to the agricultural destination, reborn on a long-time abandoned 120-acre farm located in rural Springdale Township in Manistee County.
About The Vogue Theatre
The Vogue Theatre was built in 1938. At the time, it was a northern Michigan variation on an art deco theme with a deeply recessed entry that led to a modern lobby and theatre. The Vogue had last operated regularly in 2005 before closing, but was purchased five years later by the Manistee Downtown Development Authority through a federal bankruptcy proceeding. Subsequently, the DDA “sold” the property to the newly-formed 501c3 non-profit organization – The Historic Vogue Theatre of Manistee, which has guided the historic theatre’s restoration and rehabilitation to what it is today.
