Hannah Thomas Celebrates 50 Years of Labor Day Bridge Walk

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Monday, 85-year-old Hannah Thomas will join 60,000 participants for the annual Labor Day walk across the Mackinac Bridge. For Thomas, this event marks a significant milestone as she celebrates 50 consecutive years of walking the bridge.

“I enjoy walking that bridge,” Thomas said. While many will join her, few can match her dedication and longevity in participating. “This will be 50 years, and I am so very thankful that I can still do it,” she added.

Every day, Thomas maintains her health by walking about five miles. “I keep active and do whatever I can, and I get out and shovel my driveway with my husband,” she explained.

Since 1958, thousands have made their way to Mackinaw City and St. Ignace to participate in the Labor Day walk, the only day the bridge is open for foot traffic. Thomas eagerly anticipates the nearly four-hour drive up north, insisting that little can stop her from participating.

“Twenty and a half years ago, I had two broken legs,” Thomas recalled. “I walked about a mile on the bridge, but there were too many people. I got in my wheelchair and started pushing, willing myself, and then a lady came and helped me go to the halfway mark.”

If you’re looking for her this year, Thomas will be easily identifiable in her pink hat, crossing Michigan’s largest bridge with her characteristic smile. “I look forward to it. This is my weekend, leave me alone. If you get married, forget it. You’re not going to see me there. Even if I pass away, I probably won’t be there. I just love walking the Mackinac Bridge,” she said.

The bridge walk begins at 7 a.m. on Monday. Motor vehicles will be banned from the bridge from 6:30 a.m. to noon. The walk is free to the public, though organizers recommend arriving early to secure parking.

A special ferry service will also assist those wishing to walk one-way across the bridge, offering transportation between the Arnold Transit docks in Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Tickets for the ferry start at $25 for adults and $15 for children ages 5-12.