HALE – Already known as the largest bogging event in the north, Michigan Mud Jam (MMJ) is preparing to exceed expectations in 2022, during the ninth annual run.
Slated for Tuesday through Sunday, Aug. 16-21, it will again be held at the Iosco County Fairgrounds in Hale, located downtown on M-65, just north of the traffic light.
A VIP Day Only will also take place to officially kick off this year’s event on Monday, Aug. 15. Gates are set to open at noon and access will only be granted to VIP ticket holders. Food will be available from 5-7 p.m., and live music will get underway at 9 p.m.
Along with such partners as Trucks Gone Wild and D&D Paddy Tires, organizers are anticipating the largest, most action-packed MMJ event to date. Excited to welcome attendees to the 125-acre site, they are encouraging all to come out and enjoy a week of “mud and mayhem” with friends and family from all over the country.
MMJ is co-owned and promoted by Jesse and Melissa McNicholl, and Ron and Kristie Heal.
In addition to some Michiganders, of course, Melissa McNicholl says that they have participating truck drivers traveling from as far as Canada, Florida, Vermont, New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and possibly many more.
“We expect to have hundreds of trucks at this year’s event,” she shared. “The trucks range from back yard boggers to Mega trucks with 2,000-plus horsepower.”
Attendees should note that the schedule of activities below are subject to change without notice. To keep up to date on MMJ 2022, visit www.michiganmudjam.com or Facebook.com/MichiganMudJam. For further inquiries, e-mails can also be sent to mhmmj2020@yahoo.com.
An option to take advantage of the free rustic camping at the fairgrounds is included with admission, and more details are available on the website noted above.
Also on this site, the waiver forms required for entry can be downloaded ahead of time, as can the additional waivers which are mandatory for minors and must be signed by a parent/guardian.
The cost of admission is per person and covers the day of arrival, as well as the remaining days of the event. If someone pays for entry and attends on Wednesday, for example, they can also return for the activities on Thursday through Saturday.
The cost for early access admission on Tuesday, Aug. 16, is $100 and gates will open at noon.
As part of the spectacle, a truck and side-by-side show will be held at the Plainfield Township Fire Department, which is adjacent to the fairgrounds on M-65. Open to the public, it will go on from 6-8 p.m.
Back at the fairgrounds, DJs will be providing music for the crowds, starting at 9 p.m.
For those attending MMJ on Wednesday, Aug. 17, the gate price is $80. Activities will include the pits being open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., side-by-side races starting at 8 p.m. and a Tuff Truck event at 9 p.m., after which another evening of DJ entertainment will follow.
Open pits on Thursday, Aug. 18, will go on from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., and the gate price on this day is $70.
The main feature of the night, commencing at 9 p.m., will be the Primetime Mid-West Offroad Racing Series events under the lights, after which another DJ night will keep the energy of the audience going.
The $60 gate price on Friday, Aug. 19, will include open mud pits from 9-11 a.m., and again from 3:30 p.m. through 5:30 p.m.
Also on Friday, from noon to 3 p.m., eight teams with five trucks per team will battle for the top spot during the Royal Rumble Race. Later on, scheduled for 6 p.m., is the championship bracket rounds of the Royal Rumble.
The Mr. Mud Jam Mudathon obstacle course will begin at 9 p.m., as will the Ms. Mud Jam Mudathon obstacle course, the latter of which will also feature a bikini contest.
Truck tug-of-wars will serve as the final show on Friday, starting at 10 p.m.
Although scheduled through Aug. 21, the last official day of the organized events for MMJ 2022 is Saturday, Aug. 20.
Freedom Day is theme for the finale, and those arriving to the fairgrounds are encouraged to wear their best red, white and blue.
The gate price is $50, and the fun will start out with open mud pits from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., which will pick back up later, from 4:30 p.m. until dusk.
The Mega Truck Freestyle event at noon will feature a whopping $9,000 purse, and the competition will continue with a Hoopty Cruise Contest which is slated for 7 p.m. at the grandstands.
A Freedom Competition is also planned, to name the best dressed red, white and blue attendees, at 7:15 p.m.
Capping off the evening will be the truck tugs at 9 p.m.
Organizers state that this annual event brings in thousands of off-road enthusiasts each and every year, and makes a huge impact on the local economy. Business owners and a number of other area sponsors have long supported MMJ, due to the economic impact it has on the community and local establishments.
It is further noted that MMJ has become one of the premier off-roading events in the entire country. It earned the title of the largest in the north by its second annual run, and continues to expand and gain popularity each year.
As a reminder, waivers must be signed in order to enter the fairgrounds for MMJ. A full list of protocols and other details are available on the aforementioned event website but, among some of the rules that attendees will want to keep in mind, are the following:
- All state and federal laws apply.
- No weapons, fireworks or glass are allowed. Weapons will be confiscated with a $50 fee, and ammo will not be returned.
- All motorized vehicles shall be shut down at dark.
- A speed limit of five miles per hour will be enforced at all times, or the vehicle will be impounded.
- There is to be no drinking and driving; underage drinking; fighting; saving of spots; drones; dumping of such waste as gas, oil and sewage; and no tearing up of the grounds.
- Fire rings are mandatory for camp fires.
- All pets must be on a leash, and owners are to clean up after their animals.
- Legal action will be taken against anyone trespassing on private property.
- All ATVs and UTVs must have a flag reaching 10 feet from the ground, and flags will be available for purchase at the venue. Sport quads or ATVs with a clutch, dirt bikes and three-wheelers are not allowed.
