Magic Happens When Creative Minds Come Together.
Our team is very excited to introduce our latest design for the 2024 season. Inspired by one of Michigan’s greatest feats of engineering, The Mackinac Bridge.
Threads always knew we wanted to do something special to pay tribute to such an iconic Michigan landmark, which is why waited almost five years to create this design. Most screen-printers recommend you only use up to three colors per a design, this new design uses ten.
To make the design possible used ten individually screen-printed colors. The team then chose an ivory blank — the base garment that the design is printed on — to create contrast and make the colors pop. The same ivory color is repeated for the words “Mackinac Bridge,” on the back of the t-shirt.
For the design itself, Threads collaborated with Anderson Design Group who handcrafted the original illustration using nothing but pencils, brushes, and stylus. The team was inspired by stately American Travel illustration from the mid-century Golden Age, a style contemporary to the 1950s when the bridge was built.
In addition to our pursuit to reinvent the tourist t-shirt shop through original and inspired designs, Threads of Mackinac posts helpful guides and blogs on their website as a service to guests on the island. See below five ways to experience the beauty of The Mackinac Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges of its kind at a total length of five miles with two towers between anchorages.
To purchase the new Mackinac Bridge short sleeve shirt, go here; and for the new long-sleeve Mackinac Bridge shirt, go here.
Five Ways to Experience the Beauty of The Mackinac Bridge
Sip n’ Sail Cruises
If you’re looking to get off your feet, bike or horse-drawn carriage for a while – Sip n’ Sail Cruises is a one-of-a-kind experience on the waters surrounding Mackinac Island. The Isle Royale Queen III takes passengers on a voyage along the shoreline of Mackinac Island, under The Mackinac Bridge and across the waters of both Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, all while allowing its guests to enjoy live music and refreshments courtesy of the ship’s full bar.
Annual Bridge Walk
Once a year, every September, The Mackinac Bridge closes to public traffic to allow participants to walk the bridge in its entirety — all five miles of it. Depending on how ambitious you are, and how early you choose to start your walk — you can start as early as 7 AM, but no later than 11:30 — you can even choose to walk the whole bridge twice. You can also choose to walk to the mid-point and return to the side of the bridge you started on. For more information on this year’s bridge walk which will be held on September 2nd, visit https://www.mackinacbridge.org/events/walk/.
Great Turtle Kayak Tours
Get as close as you can to the water, without swimming it with Mackinac Island’s Great Turtle Kayak Tours. Great Turtle Kayak Tours are led by only the most vetted guides who are American Canoe Association & Red Cross certified with more than two decades worth of experience. Even if it’s your first time on the water, the instructors will make sure you feel safe and comfortable. Not ready to explore right-out-the-gate? Take a lesson on the calm waters of the Mackinac Island Marina before exploring the natural rock formations, wildlife, and lighthouses.
Sunset Rock
As the name suggests, views from Sunset Rock are well worth the approximately 2-mile bike and hike from Mackinac Island’s Main Street. Watch the sun set behind The Mackinac Bridge and let the soothing sounds of the water below transport you to your happy place.
The Inn at Stonecliffe
Forget to pack your hiking shoes? For a similar view to Sunset Rock, The Inn at Stonecliffe is one of Mackinac’s most picturesque locations. Whether you choose to stay the week, the night, or just enjoy a glass of wine on their patio, their location high, a top the west bluff of Mackinac Island gives you the perfect vantage point to take in The Mackinac Bridge.