Recreational sports and related activities for the entire family will be the focus of the first St. Ignace Summer Daze. Events begin Thursday, August 7, and run through Saturday, August 9.

Three-on-three basketball, a dance workshop, baseball and softball tournaments, water games, track and field events, and a washer toss tournament will be staged at Little Bear East Arena and LaSalle High School.

Preregistering for events is encouraged and can be done at Little Bear East, although participants also can register at the events.

The festival is sponsored by the Recreation Department with assistance from the St. Ignace Special Events Committee. Planners already envision adding more events next year, including expanding age groups in each competition and adding a 10k race.

Participation fees will be used to cover the cost of purchasing medals and trophies, and hiring referees and umpires.

Activities will begin Thursday at 11 a.m. inside Little Bear East, with beginner dance classes offered by Allison Brown. For children five years and older, the hour-long class will introduce ballet, tap, and jazz dancing. At noon, an intermediate class for students with some dance experience will be offered including the same dance styles. From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., dancers 14 years and older will receive basic instruction in jazz and hip hop. Classes also will be held Tuesday, August 12, and Wednesday, August 13. The fee is $20 for the three-day clinic.

At 5 p.m., youth will participate in three-on-three basketball tournaments at the Little Bear East basketball courts. Boys and girls divisions in ages 9 to 11 years old and 12 to 14 years old are planned, and medals will be awarded for first and second place teams. The fee per team is $25.

Friday features a Junior baseball tournament beginning at noon at the fields at LaSalle High School for ages 9 through 11.The team registration cost is $50. Medals will be awarded to first and second place teams.

A 5k race open to all will lead runners through downtown St. Ignace Saturday, August 9, at 8 a.m. at Little Bear East. The course will take runners to LaSalle High School and down to State Street with the finish line at Little Bear East. The race fee is $10, or $20 for those who want a T-shirt with pre-registration at Little Bear East. Medals will be awarded in all divisions.

Racers will leave the arena, heading onto Marquette Street and then onto Portage Street to LaSalle High School, where runners will race through the parking lot and onto the Spring Street extension. From there, they will run down the First Street hill and return to Portage Street before heading to Truckey Street and returning to Little Bear East running along State Street sidewalks. One water station will be available for runners at the high school.

Volunteers are needed to help during the race. Those interested may call the Recreation Department.

Events move to LaSalle High School sports fields at noon Saturday, when a men's softball tournament will get underway. Sign up is at Little Bear East with a fee of $50 per team. The recreation department can assist with putting together teams and finding team sponsors.

While softball games are underway, youth water races open to all ages will begin at the school swimming pool at 1 p.m. Challenges, which are free to all participants, include underwater races, relay races, and diving for bricks and quarters. Medals also will be awarded.

At 3 p.m. Saturday, youth track and field events begin at the school track. The young athletes will compete in sprints, long distance runs, and the long jump. Participation is $3 and medals will be awarded.

By 5 p.m. the washer toss tournament gets underway with twoperson teams in both youth and adult divisions, also at the school sport fields. A $10 fee per team and pre-registration is required at Little Bear East. Trophies for first and second place teams will be awarded.

For more information or to volunteer or register for events, call the St. Ignace Recreation Department at 643-8676.