Free patriotic sing-along set for Iron River’s Windsor Center

Families and adults gathered Thursday evening at the Windsor Center in Iron River for a free patriotic sing-along built around familiar songs, live piano and a little local history. Doors opened at 6:30 p.m., the music started at 7 p.m., and concessions were available for purchase at the 612 W. Adams Street venue, with admission covered by sponsorship from Mr. T’s Family Restaurant.

The program paired pianist and composer James F. Dettlaff with Erika Sauter, who led the singing and said the event was meant to be fun while also offering background on the patriotic songs many people already know. That mix of music and explanation gave the evening a utility beyond a standard holiday performance, especially for households looking for a low-cost outing in the final stretch before Independence Day.

The Windsor Center itself added weight to the setting. The building, which stands in the former Iron River Public Schools building, was built in 1928 and now houses over two dozen classrooms, a full-size gym and a restored Windsor Auditorium. The center describes the auditorium as a 550-seat space on one page and a 600-seat auditorium named for former school superintendent Pearl Windsor on another, underscoring the building’s long life and layered identity in town.

Under the authority of the Joint Public Building Restoration Administrative Board and in cooperation with the Windsor Recreation Authority, the Windsor Center has become a regular home for open mic nights, school concerts, fitness classes and other community events. That civic role helped make the sing-along feel like more than a one-night performance. It placed patriotic music in a familiar public space where Iron River residents already go for recreation and cultural programming.

Dettlaff’s appearance also fit into a busy June local music calendar. He had recently performed in another free music program at the West Iron District Library, while Sauter, who also serves as director of the Iron County Historical & Museum Society in Caspian, brought a historical lens that matched the evening’s patriotic theme. In a month when local institutions were offering free family events tied to national heritage and the approach of America’s 250th year of independence, the Windsor Center sing-along gave Iron County another no-cost gathering rooted in place, memory and community.