Scenic Michigan

Our silent auction will be running for 2 more weeks and we've just added another amazing item!

A huge thank you to the Henry Ford for donating an annual membership for entry to their historic Greenfield Village and Ford Museum of American Innovation.

This is just one of the many amazing items we have from w**e tastings, hotel gift cards, and much, much more!

Remember, all proceeds go directly to our mission of helping communities at no cost, publishing our Sign Guidebook, and advocating for Michigan's scenic resources.

Discover Michigan - Scenic Michigan Silent Auction Silent auction 'Discover Michigan - Scenic Michigan Silent Auction' hosted online at 32auctions.

We have two weeks left in our silent auction and plenty of amazing items that still don't have bids!

Take a look at some amazing hotel gift cards and a private w**e tour and tasting at Mari Vineyards!

Discover Michigan - Scenic Michigan Silent Auction Silent auction 'Discover Michigan - Scenic Michigan Silent Auction' hosted online at 32auctions.

We are thrilled to launch our 3rd annual Discover Michigan Silent Auction! In just 12 short hours you can go view and bid on some of our amazing auction items, experiences, or gift cards to some of the most fantastic places or businesses throughout Michigan!

This auction is meaningful to us because our goal is to help showcase Michigan from top to bottom and we like to use the auction items to encourage people to try something new! This year we are fortunate to have auction items from as far north as the Keweenaw Peninsula all the way down to businesses in Metro Detroit!

A highlight of some items are as follows:

A w**e tasting and tour at Mari Vineyards
A $500 gift card to the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge
A w**e tasting at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant in Troy
A gift card to the Chippewa Hotel Waterfront
and much, much more!

100% of donations go towards supporting our mission, programming, and running our Photo Contest!

Discover Michigan - Scenic Michigan Silent Auction Silent auction 'Discover Michigan - Scenic Michigan Silent Auction' hosted online at 32auctions.

The City of Petoskey is doing their part to help control light pollution in Michigan! This summer it became the first city in the United States to adopt an outdoor lighting ordinance formally recognized under DarkSky International’s Recognized Codes program.

Scenic Michigan would like to formally congratulate the City of Petoskey for their efforts in helping to reduce light pollution with their new ordinance. If your community is looking to follow suit Scenic Michigan provides guidance by hosting a catalogue of lighting ordinances from some of the largest communities in Michigan on our online clearinghouse located at www.scenicmichigan.org.

https://bridgemi.com/outdoors-life/petoskey-cracks-down-on-light-pollution-in-bid-to-become-dark-sky-city/

In US first, Petoskey passes rules to crack down on light pollution - Bridge Michigan Petoskey’s new lighting ordinance requires new buildings and any renovations to meet standards aligned with dark sky zones.

Did you know that protecting dark skies from light pollution is a key part of Scenic Michigan's Mission Statement?

Michigan is uniquely situated, due to our latitude and the Great Lakes, to see auroras. However, it takes important lighting ordinances and regulations from our communities to be able to fully see them!

Take a look at www.scenicmichigan.org to learn more!

In 2025 the Scenic Water category dominated our Photo Contest, with over 100 submissions this category was hands down the most popular! Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline in the United States, along with beautiful dunes, breathtaking cliffs, and over 120 lighthouses! Our water is one of the most important aspects of “scenic” Michigan since it attracts significant tourism, is a vital environmental support system, and it enhances our dark skies by acting as a natural light buffer.

This year’s winner is from Amanda Bergeron who took a stunning photo during the sunrise in Oscoda. Natural light always helps our water photos stand out, and Amanda was there at the perfect time! Congratulations!

The Promise of a New Day, by Amanda Bergeron (Oscoda)

Runner Up(s):
Blue Ice Cutter, by Patrick Russell (Mackinaw City)
Winter at Stearns Park, by Mary Dereske (Ludington)
Hebard Park near Copper Harbor, by Robert Freeman (Copper Harbor)
Figure in Peace, by Amy VerHaeghe (Les Cheneaux Islands – Cedarville)
Kayakers at Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore, by Daniela Goen (Sleeping Bear Dunes)
Across Eagle Harbor, by Sophie Smit (Eagle Harbor)
Sunset on Cloudy Lake, by Jodi Byers (South Haven)
Middle Island Lighthouse, by Randy Hemstad (Rockport)

The Scenic Night Sky category is hands down one of our top two most popular categories to judge each year. These photos are striking, difficult to track down and capture, and are directly tied to one of our core values at Scenic Michigan. When it comes to the night sky, Michigan is unique due to its latitude and is on par with the likes of Norway, Finland, and Alaska in terms of viewing the northern lights.

This year’s winner is from Michele Aucello, who submitted the 2025 contests overall winning photo as well! This photo is especially beautiful due to how robust the aurora is when viewed against the icy shore. Congratulations Michele!

Winner:
Fire and Ice, by Michele Aucello (Glen Haven)

Runner-ups:
Aurora Over the Schoolhouse, by Patrick Russell (Onsted)
Aurora Over Point Betsie, by Michele Aucello (Frankfort)
Tree & Partial Moon in SW Michigan, by Laurie Jacobson (Dayton)
Starry Night at Weko Beach, by Jason Ciesiolka (Weko Beach in Bridgman)

The Scenic Landscapes Photo Contest category is often times one of the most exciting ones to publish because it really shows off Michigan's diverse geography. I like to think that this broad category covers our Mission Statement in it's entirety with how many unique visuals are in each submission!

This years winner comes from just about as far west as you can go in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and combines a beautiful view with the perfect timing of a lightning strike. Congratulations to Robert Freeman on this amazing photo!

Winner:

Lightning Strike Seen From Mt. Zion, by Robert Freeman (Ironwood)

Runner-Ups:

DH Day Barn, by Michele Aucello (Glen Arbor)
Rural Cass County Sunset, by Jason Ciesiolka (Cass County)
Autumn Colors, by Laurie Jacobson (Gobles)
Dawn Frolic, by Sophie Smit (Huron-Manistee)
Beaming Country Sunrise, by Clare Loveless (Baraga County – Pelkie)
Fall Barn at Sleeping Bear Dunes, by Daniela Goen (Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore)
The Snowy Sunrise, by Amanda Bergeron (Oscoda)

Scenic Cityscapes is one of the most underrated categories in our Photo Contest each year since most people do not associate cityscapes when discussing Michigan’s scenic qualities. However, our State is rich in architecture, history, and vibrant communities that are destinations for residents and tourists alike. The 2025 winning photo and runners-up covered communities statewide from southwest to southeast Michigan all the way up to the Upper Peninsula!

This year’s winner is a striking photo of the Detroit skyline at dawn by Patrick Russell. What you’ll notice about a lot of these photos is how the built environment works with water, sunrise, and the sky to create a truly beautiful and unique photo.

Congratulations Patrick!

Winner:
Winter Dawn Over Detroit, by Patrick Russell (Detroit)

Runners-up:
Sunset Over Water, by Jodi Byers (Sault Ste. Marie)
Michigan State Capitol Complex, by Joe Zopf (Lansing)
Detroit Revival, by Kathleen Stuby (Detroit)
Niles Amtrak Station, by Jason Ciesiolka (Niles)