By Jim Bloch
“Spring and summer are coming,” said St. Clair Police Chief Tim Raker, addressing the city council two days before the first day of spring.
Raker presented – at the Feb. 17, March 3 and March 18 regular meetings of the council — several special events that needed the council’s endorsement. The events take place May 3-Sept. 7.
St. Clair Little League Parade, May 3
The parade “steps off from the high school at 9 a.m. Saturday and goes to the Columbia Hall and then they walk through the parking lot to the Little League fields,” said Raker. “All their paperwork is in, and I recommend and approval.”
“Do we close down Clinton Avenue for the parade?” asked Mayor Bill Cedar.
“We shut it down at Cox and the sheriff shuts it down at Carriage Lane so that they’re safe until they get to the hall,” said Raker.
The high school, at 2200 Clinton Avenue, is within the city limits and falls under the jurisdiction of city police. Clinton turns into Rattle Run in St. Clair Township; the hall is at 3501 Rattle Run and is under the jurisdiction of the county sheriff’s department.
Marbleye Classic Walleye Fishing Tournament, May 16-18
Headquarters for the contest is the St. Clair Boat Harbor.
“The event is 4 p.m. Friday until noon Sunday,” said council member Erin Gottler. The contest runs 24 hours per day. “There’s a couple guys manning it (overnight).”
It’s the 24th annual edition of the tournament. Entry fee is $10.
“Bringing in the fish,” said Raker.
St. Clair High School Senior Cruise, May 18
“On Sunday, May 18, students will gather at the school beginning at 2:30 p.m. for fire truck rides in the parking lot,” said Raker in his memo to council Feb. 17. “The cruise will take place at 4 p.m. The cruise route will be out of the high school parking lot onto Clinton heading east, then north on Cox, then east on Vine, then south on M-29, then north on Clinton back to the high school. St. Clair police officers will be placed throughout the cruise route to assist with traffic control.”
American Legion Memorial Day Parade, May 26
The parade starts at 1 p.m. and flows east on Vine Street from its intersection with Sixth Street to M-29 and follows M-29 south to Memorial Park for the annual American Legion Post 382 remembrance ceremony.
St. Clair Art Fair, June 28-29
The 54th annual St. Clair Art Fair will be held in Palmer Park and Riverview Plaza June 28, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and June 29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The St. Clair Art Association produces the event which features around 100 artists from all over the region. The SCCA will use the city parking lot across Fred Moore Highway from Pine Shores Golf Course to park the artists’ trailers and RVs. (The event was approved March 3.)
St. Clair Garden Club Walk, July 12
Known as the St. Clair in Bloom Tour, “It’s several homes in the city and the township,” said Raker. “The one request they had is that there’s going to be some signs involved so that people know which houses are on the walk.” The tour runs 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
St. Clair Rotary Club Turtle Race, Sept. 7
The Turbo Turtle Race is an annual event and fundraiser that takes place at Rotary Park on the Pine River. It runs 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on the river between the Diners Floating Dock and Pepper Joe’s.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
