YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A smoky haze hovered over Ford Lake on Thursday, bringing an unusual calm to Ford Lake Park in Ypsilanti Township, a venue that should have been packed with spectators and competitors for Row Fest 2026.
Instead, hundreds of boats sat idle as hazardous air quality, linked to smoke drifting south from Canadian wildfires, forced organizers to postpone scheduled morning and afternoon races along the course between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor.
“We’re at a wait mode right now, just waiting to see what’s going to happen,” said Christopher Tims of Wyandotte, who was among the athletes stuck on shore…