Frankenfest draws thousands for horror and art celebration at Fort Gratiot Light Station
Shoppers scuttled from one tent to the next Saturday, exploring the wares of local artists and interacting with exhibits at Port Huron's first Frankenfest.
Hundreds attended the fair at Fort Gratiot Light Station where they could see displays of equipment based on classic films.
The event was a success by all accounts, said Krista Johnston, who arranges Frankenfest with her brother, Jerry Jodloski.
"The people of Fort Gratiot have been extremely good to work with," Johnston said. "I'm absolutely blown away by Port Huron. It's very beautiful."
Like the main character of Mary Shelley's eponymous novel, Johnston says she and Jodloski "Frankensteined" Frankenfest from previous events they had held separately. Johnston had previously set up fairs for local artists to share their creations. Jodloski runs a Halloween festival in Lansing and has set up celebrations for the holiday.
Frankenfest has been held in Lansing and Detroit since 2021. Johnston said she and her brother had talked about setting up an event together for years, but in 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns gave them the time to start planning and make the arrangements.
This year Frankenfest has expanded to two new cities, Port Huron and Jackson.
Johnston said she had not previously been to Port Huron, but was attracted to the community because of the Fort Gratiot Light Station.
"We were completely drawn into the lighthouse, the historical setting in this beautiful area," Johnston said.
The siblings like to use historical locations for their events, and Fort Gratiot Light Station has expansive grounds that allowed for multiple displays.
Funds raised during Frankenfest are invested back into the historical sites.
Guests interacted with displays based on Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park, Monsters Inc. and Scooby Doo, taking pictures with iconic set pieces such as the Mystery Machine, proton packs and the Ectomobile. Every hour, aerial dancers with D3 Circus put on a performance.
Kyle Irving, an artist from Detroit who sells drawings based on popular shows, has previously attended Frankenfests in his home city and travelled to Port Huron for its new show.
"The team that sets this up is amazing to work with," Irving said.
Tabbitha and Kellie Johnson are newer to the art scene, having started their own business, Salem Crystals, in March. Kellie said they sell online and don't have a storefront, so events like Boat Night and Frankenfest help the mother-daughter duo find exposure so they can show their business to people firsthand.
"It's actually fun, they let (guests) in for free," Kellie said.
Future Frankenfests will be held in Detroit on Sept. 16 at Historic Fort Wayne and in Jackson on Oct. 14 at The Carriage Factory. The latter has been dubbed "The Bride of Frankenfest."
Johnston said there are ongoing discussions for Frankenfest to return to Port Huron, but that nothing has been set in stone. She and Jodloski are also researching other cities to host Frankenfests in 2024.
Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jr_Hogan1.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Frankenfest draws thousands for horror and art celebration
