LMC to Host Presentation on Blossomtime Festival's Rich History

Event will explore the 120-year legacy of the oldest and largest multi-community festival in the United States.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Lake Michigan College is planning a free public presentation on the history and heritage of the Blossomtime Festival, which has been celebrated in Southwest Michigan for 120 years. The event, titled 'Deep Roots & Beautiful Blooms: The History and Heritage of Blossomtime,' will feature guest speakers discussing the area's fruit farming history and archives from the Israelite House of David. Attendees will also have the chance to view historic items from past Blossomtime celebrations.

Why it matters

The Blossomtime Festival is a longstanding tradition that is unique to Southwest Michigan, as it is the oldest and largest multi-community festival in the United States. This presentation provides an opportunity for the public to dive deeper into the rich history and significance of this regional celebration.

The details

The presentation will take place on Sunday, March 23 from 4 to 5 p.m. in room L-311 of the LMC Main Building in Benton Harbor. Lia McCoskey of the LMC English faculty has been working with three historians to prepare for the event, which will feature research on the history of fruit farming in the area and archival materials from the Israelite House of David.

  • The Blossomtime Festival is celebrating its 120th year in 2026.
  • The presentation 'Deep Roots & Beautiful Blooms: The History and Heritage of Blossomtime' will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2026.

The players

Lia McCoskey

An English faculty member at Lake Michigan College who has been working with historians to prepare the Blossomtime history presentation.

Jayson Otto

A PhD candidate at Michigan State University who will present research on the history of fruit farming in the area.

Olivia Beebe

A representative from the Israelite House of David Archives and Collections who will share archival materials related to the Blossomtime Festival.

Neave Carroll

A representative from the Israelite House of David Archives and Collections who will share archival materials related to the Blossomtime Festival.

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What they’re saying

“The event has been around for 120 years this year, and it's something that, even though we're still celebrating it, it has a really rich past. So, we wanted to look at that past and how it has been shaped by events and led to what we see today.”

— Lia McCoskey, English faculty, Lake Michigan College (moodyonthemarket.com)

“We're inviting a historian, Jayson Otto, who is a PhD candidate at Michigan State University. He's going to be sharing some research that is part of his work on the history of fruit farming in our area.”

— Lia McCoskey, English faculty, Lake Michigan College (moodyonthemarket.com)

“And we've also invited Olivia Beebe and Neave Carroll from the Israelite House of David Archives and Collections. They're going to be looking at it from a different perspective and sharing some archival material, some objects and ephemera from their collections, and helping us understand how the past is really collected, preserved, and shared.”

— Lia McCoskey, English faculty, Lake Michigan College (moodyonthemarket.com)

What’s next

The presentation 'Deep Roots & Beautiful Blooms: The History and Heritage of Blossomtime' will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2026 from 4 to 5 p.m. in room L-311 of the LMC Main Building in Benton Harbor.

The takeaway

This presentation provides a unique opportunity for the public to learn about the rich 120-year history and significance of the Blossomtime Festival, which is the oldest and largest multi-community festival in the United States. By exploring the area's fruit farming legacy and archival materials, attendees will gain a deeper appreciation for this longstanding regional tradition.