National Museum of the Great Lakes Announces 50th Anniversary Weekend Honoring the Edmund Fitzgerald
August 13, 2025 (Toledo, Ohio) – This November marks 50 years since the loss of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, one of the most famous ships ever to sail the Great Lakes. The National Museum of the Great Lakes will honor the ship and the memory of its 29 crew members with a weekend of events, special performances, and community tributes from Friday, November 7, through Monday, November 10, 2025.
On November 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a fierce Lake Superior storm, taking the lives of all aboard. Its mysterious loss remains one of the Great Lakes’ most captivating stories. Often called the “Toledo Express” because, in its early years, Toledo and Detroit were the only ports with the capacity to accommodate the vessel. And in 1964, the only route the Fitzgerald ran was from Silver Bay, MN, to Toledo, which shows how the ship’s story is deeply tied to the city’s maritime heritage.
“Fifty years later, we are proud to bring together local organizations, performers, and the public to remember the ship, its crew, and their families,” said Kate Fineske, National Museum of the Great Lakes Executive Director. “This weekend is both a commemoration and a chance to share the Fitzgerald’s enduring legacy with new generations.”
The Clement O. Miniger Memorial Foundation is generously supporting the weekend tribute, with additional sponsorship and collaboration from The Valentine Theater, The Lathrop Company, The Collaborative, Quenched & Tempered Brewery, and more. Visitors can also enjoy exclusive rates at the Renaissance Toledo Downtown and Hilton Garden Inn Toledo Downtown for the weekend.
Weekend Highlights
All Weekend Long – Guided Fitzgerald Tours Aboard the Schoonmaker
Friday, November 7 – Monday, November 10 | Museum Hours
Step aboard the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship for guided tours co-presented by The Lathrop Company and The Collaborative. Visitors will explore the life and work of freighter crews while imagining the challenges faced by those aboard the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Friday, November 8 | 3–9 p.m. – Fitzgerald Beer Launch & Honorary Dinner at Quenched & Tempered Brewery
Kick off the weekend with the debut of “The Toledo Express” copper ale, brewed in honor of the Fitzgerald. The brewery will serve the ship’s “last meal”—chicken paprikash—alongside live music from 7–9 p.m.
Sunday, November 9 | 7 p.m. – Meredith Moon Live at the Valentine Theater
Enjoy a special tribute concert by Meredith Moon, daughter of Gordon Lightfoot, performing in the theater where her father once sang the ballad that immortalized the Fitzgerald’s story.
Monday, November 10 | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. – Documentary Screening
The museum will screen A Good Ship and Crew Well Seasoned: The Fitzgerald and Her Legacy every hour in the Great Lakes Community Education Center. Produced by the National
Museum of the Great Lakes and Allied Communications, Inc., the film shares lesser-known stories about the ship and its crew.
Monday, November 10 | 6 p.m. – Guest Panel & Anniversary Ceremony
Join us for a moving evening of reflection featuring three individuals whose personal and professional connections to the Edmund Fitzgerald bring unique perspectives to this milestone anniversary. Tom Walton, a former crew member with a family connection to the tragedy, offers an intimate look at the human impact of the disaster. Ric Mixter, one of the few people to have visited the wreck site, shares firsthand insights into the ship’s final resting place. Lissa Guyton, an award-winning journalist, brings the “why it matters” perspective—connecting the Fitzgerald’s story to the broader public in a way that resonates far beyond the maritime community. The night will conclude with a solemn name-reading and bell-ringing at the exact moment the ship was lost.
Artifacts & Immersive Experiences
Beyond the weekend events, the museum offers year-round opportunities to connect with the Fitzgerald’s history. Visitors can see one of only two life rafts recovered from the wreck—the sole raft on public display—alongside other artifacts. The award-winning shipwreck simulator allows guests to virtually explore the Fitzgerald’s final resting place as an underwater archaeologist.
Plus, our fall issue of Inland Seas is completely devoted to stories about the Fitzgerald. For more information on how to get a copy, visit nmgl.org/inland-seas.
Tickets, lodging offers, and full event details are available at nmgl.org/fitzgerald50.
About the National Museum of the Great Lakes: The National Museum of the Great Lakes preserves, shares, and celebrates the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story. As an interactive, experiential museum, we offer visitors the chance to explore thousands of years of history and stories through three dynamic exhibit galleries—including a rotating temporary exhibition space—and two historic museum vessels, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio, plus the pilothouse of the storied St. Marys Challenger.
Founded in 1944 as the Great Lakes Historical Society, we have a long-standing commitment to education, research, and storytelling. Our initiatives include the publication of Inland Seas®, a quarterly journal of Great Lakes history since 1945 and decades of maritime preservation and archaeological exploration. Today, we strive to be the gathering place for Great Lakes conversations—welcoming all to connect with the stories, people, and innovations that have shaped and continue to influence this vital region.
