Photo courtesy of Algonac Lions & 85th Pickerel Tournament The annual Antique Boat Parade is always a big hit with festival goers.
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Great turnout for Algonac Lions Pickerel Tournament 

Crowds plentiful over all four-days 

By Barb Pert Templeton

Soaring temperatures and some rain over the weekend didn’t dampen the enthusiasm or crowds who packed downtown Algonac for the 85th Annual Algonac Lions Pickerel Tournament.

Photo courtesy of Algonac Lions & 85th Pickerel Tournament
A new Pickerel Tournament Queena and court were crowned on Friday night, June 30. Pictured here left to right are court members, Chloe Alsheimer-Strunk, Caitlyn Wallison, Queen Kelcie Lines plus court members Natalie Beindit and Lindsay Sopoliga.

The four-day event, hosted from Thursday, June 20 through Sunday, July 2, included everything from a carnival midway, to a beer tent with a steady stream of live entertainment, fishing, pie and hot dog eating contests, huge fireworks displayed over the water on Saturday night and a grand parade on Sunday afternoon.

Algonac Lion member and Pickerel Tournament Sponsor Chair Wendy Wojtas said in fact the 2023 Pickerel Tournament just might be the best one the Algonac Lions have ever hosted. Steady crowds for all the activities helped make the festival a success, not to mention all the volunteers who made the whole thing possible.

“We had a really good turnout and the fireworks were just fabulous,” Wojtas said. “There was a little bit of a drizzle for the parade on Sunday but it was still just great.”

Photo courtesy of Algonac Lions & 85th Pickerel Tournament
The 85th Annual Pickerel Tournament Chairman was Jerry Pawelski who’s pictured here taking part in the big parade on Sunday. 

Wojtas said the lions worked alongside the city and St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and the roads were blocked from 6 p.m. on Saturday, prior to the fireworks at dusk, until 3 p.m. on Sunday when the parade was over. 

“It was just for safety reasons,” Wojtas said, adding that the world today has changed and concerns about people driving through the crowds has to be addressed as best it can be.

Council weighs in on tournament

Members of the Algonac City Council met on July 5 for a regular bi-monthly meeting and all seemed pleased with the weekends 85th Annual Pickerel Tournament.

Photo courtesy of Algonac Lions & 85th Pickerel Tournament
The 2023 Parade Grand Marshal for the tournament this year was Carl Stieler, pictured here taking part in the Sunday afternoon parade.

Mayor Rocky Gillis said he felt the festival went well and was a great event. Mayor Pro Tem Raymond Martin concurred with that assessment. 

“The Pickerel Tournament went well and, in my observation, I think if it’s possible to keep the fireworks and parade on separate days that’s important for the festival and I think that went well,” Martin said. “There was a lot of activity at my house for those two days and in Algonac.”

Photo courtesy of Algonac Lions & 85th Pickerel Tournament
The 85th Annual Pickerel Tournament fishing contest winners this year shared the title for the first time in the contest’s history. Pictured here are Cal Meleski and Steve Goerlich, who each brought in a 4.9-pound Walleye.

“I want to thank the Algona Lions Club for a great Pickerel Tournament had a great time,” added Councilwoman Cathy Harris.

“Parking was crazy but I think it went really, really, well,” Councilwoman Dawn Davey said. 

Councilman Michael Bembas said the felt the Algonac Lions did an excellent Pickerel Tournament.

“I know we’ve had communication issues in the past so I’d ask the city to meet with them and say what went good and what didn’t go good this year,” Bembas said.

City Manager Denice Gerstenberg said the city and Algonac Lions worked together this time out and had no issues whatsoever and that things have been going very well with the Lions.

“We have already talked with the Lions and the sheriff’s office and started our after-action reports, so everything has been going very well,” Gerstenberg added. 

Councilman Ed Carter said it was a great weekend in the city.

“It was great to see, even in the rain, people having a good time and enjoying the parade,” Carter said.

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