Club Reports: Gate House, Pink Pony Bar, Horn’s Gaslight Bar (Mackinac Island)

By in Club Reports

This is Mackinac Island, Michigan. Located in Lake Huron between Michigan’s lower and upper peninsulas, it’s a well-known summer vacation destination for mid-westerners but virtually unknown to southerners. Jammed with Victorian architecture, it’s noteworthy for its lack of motor vehicles. After getting off one of the ferries that transport guests from the mainland, island transportation is via bicycle only…..
…..or via horse.
By now you know that if we’re traveling, we like to share entertainment choices in the various cities we’re in or the ships we’re on. Wednesday night is not the best night to scope-out club options but it is what it is. We began our bar hopping at Gate House.
Only 9PM so patrons at this early hour were mostly diners rather than drinkers.
No DJ last night, just competitive games delivered by Orlando-based MC Christina (USA).
Lots of bars on Mackinac Island but just a couple true nightclubs. This is one of them on weekend nights when local and guest DJ’s play here.
After dinner at Gate House, we headed downhill to the legendary Pink Pony Bar.
There’s a large bar upfront with relatively expensive drinks.
Singer/Guitarist Myk Rise (USA) was on the small stage behind the bar doing an acoustic set.
Having some Pink Pony Punch is a must during your visit. Delicious.
Mostly tourists hang-out at Pink Pony.
The other Mackinac Island nightclub is Horn’s Gaslight Bar. And believe it or not, Wednesday nights are legendary.
Even though it was only 10:30PM, the bar was already full.
Singer Mark Bowen (USA) was playing Oldies.
Around 11PM DJ Brevin (USA) took over.
The music, old and new Top 40.
Whereas Pink Pony is mostly tourists, Horn’s Bar patrons are mostly some of the hundreds of summer guest workers who are on the island to work the gift shops, hotels, restaurants, ferries, bike & horse rentals, etc. And the Wednesday night parties at Horn’s Bar are legendary.
With an early ferry back to the mainland booked for Thursday morning, we sadly couldn’t stay late to check it out. But the crowd was growing and we’re told Wednesday nights here get packed. During our visit, a good time was had by all.