This August, the Emberlight Festival returns to the Northwoods for two weekends of music and cinema — bringing world-class artists and global storytelling back to the Historic Ironwood Theatre, Theatre North, and the Hurley Auditorium.
Broadway conductor and pianist Adam Rothenberg returns for a powerful recital exploring the poetry and natural imagery that shape the musical imagination in Poets & Arborists. Featuring solo piano works and original compositions, Rothenberg’s artistry and insight promise an evening of virtuosity, intimacy, and discovery.
Festival founder and Metropolitan Opera tenor Miles Mykkanen returns home for Something Wonderful, a celebratory concert spanning opera, art song, American Songbook, and Broadway showtunes. Joined by Rothenberg and The Broadway Strings, this not-to-be-missed concert marks Emberlight’s return to the Historic Ironwood Theatre to close our season.
The Emberlight International Film Festival expands to five curated screenings featuring bold new films from around the world. Selected from submissions representing more than 80 countries and a highly competitive 3% acceptance rate, EIFF brings audiences a thrilling mix of animation, comedy, drama, and visionary storytelling. Screenings take place at The Ember Club at Theatre North, where audiences enjoy cinema in an intimate club setting with cabaret tables, craft beverages, and Emberlight’s signature hospitality.
Together, these performances form the centerpiece of the 2026 Emberlight season — a celebration of artistry, imagination, and the creative spark that brings people together each summer in Ironwood.
The 2026 Emberlight Festival celebrates the power of artistic imagination — the ways music, film, and storytelling invite us to see the world differently and dream a little bigger together. From the intimacy of a recital stage to the shared excitement of a film screening, these moments remind us thow creativity connects us and brings communities to life.
Join us this July and August in Ironwood, Michigan and Hurley, Wisconsin as Emberlight continues to bring world-class artists and global storytelling to the Northwoods.
Concerts
Chamber music, cabarets and plays featuring world-class performers from Broadway and The Metropolitan Opera
International Film Festival
Featuring the top independent films submitted from 80+ countries every year, including documentaries, narratives, animations, micros, and feature length films
Performance Infusions
Unique presentations about what makes artists love and pursue their work
Art Shows
Art in the Park and Emberlight Photographers bring a stunning variety of work by local and regional artists
