The Mackinac Bridge Walk is an event that happens every year on Labor Day in Michigan. It has taken place since 1958. During the walk, people walk across the Mackinac Bridge. The governor of Michigan usually leads the walkers. In a typical year, between 40,000 and 65,000 people join the five-mile walk. This number is almost equal to the total population of two counties connected by the bridge: Mackinac County on the Upper Peninsula side and Cheboygan County on the Lower Peninsula side.

The Labor Day bridge walk is the only time when people are allowed to walk on the bridge, as there is a rule that normally stops pedestrians from being on the bridge.

History

The walk began in late June 1958 during the Bridge's dedication ceremony, led by Governor G. Mennen Williams. In the first year, only 68 people participated in the walk. The event was moved to Labor Day in 1959, and until 1964, participants alternated directions—north and south—each year.

In 2007, during the bridge's 50th anniversary celebration, approximately 60,000 people walked across the bridge. The highest number of participants, estimated at 85,000, occurred in 1992 when President George H. W. Bush crossed the Mighty Mac.

Starting in 2017, all car traffic on the bridge and boat movement below the bridge are stopped during the event. The 2020 walk was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The bridge authority stated that logistical challenges and lower toll income were reasons for the cancellation.