Boat Week is back.
From Wednesday, July 9, to Saturday, July 12, downtown Port Huron will come alive with the return of the Blue Water Festival, celebrating the 101st running of the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race.
What began as a send-off for sailors has grown into a four-day celebration filled with live music, street food, family fun and community pride.
“This is such a special event for our city,” said Downtown Development Authority Director Lisa DeLong. “It brings people downtown who may not come here otherwise and gives the community a chance to come together in a really fun and welcoming way.”
To help festivalgoers get around, Blue Water Transit will offer free shuttle service from Desmond Landing to the transit center on Thursday and Friday only.
Free golf cart rides from the outer parking lots to the festival footprint will also be available Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. courtesy of the Lion’s Club and Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. courtesy of BWROC.
Parade, family night and Kid Zone headline early-week fun for all ages
The festival kicks off Wednesday, July 9, with the 105th annual Rotary International Day Parade at 6:30 p.m. The route begins at Huron and Glenwood avenues in downtown Port Huron and ends at Court Street. This year’s parade theme is “Color Our World.”
According to the Blue Water Festival website, “The ‘Color Our World’ message encourages readers and learners to engage with art and creativity during the summer months.” The Blue Water Young Professionals will once again serve as parade judges, and Nancy Winzer has been named Grand Marshal, according to the Rotary Club of Port Huron.
The fun continues Thursday, July 10 with Family Night, sponsored by Operation Transformation. From 5 to 9 p.m., the lawn northeast of the 10th Street Bridge will be packed with free family activities, including a petting zoo, rock climbing wall, hair braiding, balloon animals, games, giveaways and live pro-wrestling by Kaos Wrestling.
Also Thursday, the Kid Zone will open at McMorran Plaza from 4 to 9 p.m., and again Friday from 1:30 to 9 p.m. The zone will feature bounce houses, a 70-foot ninja obstacle course, an aerial ropes course, face painting, glitter tattoos, yard games, remote control boat races in the McMorran fountain and more.
Capping off Thursday night will be the return of the Moses Roses drone show at 10 p.m., lighting up the sky above Desmond Landing.
Street fair, contests and more bring energy to downtown
The Blue Water Street Fair will have more than 80 art vendors from all over Michigan along Huron Avenue and the Quay Street lots Thursday, from 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday, from noon to 9 p.m.; and Saturday from 11 to 5 p.m. Food vendors will be available to feed hungry festivalgoers from a diverse lineup of trendy street fare. Food trucks will close one hour after the street fair vendors.
With over 40 downtown restaurants, theirs is plenty of options. Alcoholic beverages are able to be bought from participating establishment and carried though the social district in specially marked cups.
Mannequins Making a Difference will return on Thursday and Friday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. on the Military Street Bridge. The public can vote for their favorite Mannequin by donating to that organization.
Friday night will also have a new contest: hot dog eating at 5:30 p.m. hosted by Country Style Marketplace and announced by owner Steve Fernandez. The competitor who eats the most in 10 minutes wins a gift card.
On Saturday, July 12, members of Blue Water Jeep Club and Ladies Jeep Club will be by the McMorran Plaza for a Jeep beach party from 2 to 10 p.m. DeLong said the event will offer a “little Jeep beach party down in the Plaza,” creating a fun and relaxed environment. “We’re going to have Air Margaritaville that night so a little bit more calm environment,” she said.
Free shows, big names and local favorites take over downtown stages
Wednesday, July 9
Music will fill the air each night of Boat Week. On Wednesday, audiences can catch Broken Unplugged at the Port Huron Yacht Club from 6 to 9 p.m. Over on the Quay Street Stage, Killer Vibe will perform from 7 to 10 p.m.
Thursday, July 10
The night’s headlining event is the Night of Hope concert, hosted by Hope FM, featuring Cade Thompson, Caleb & John, and Jordan Feliz in the McMorran South Lot at 701 McMorran Blvd. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 7 p.m.
Other performances on Thursday include:
Friday, July 11
Friday’s main event is the Downtown Git-Down Concert, hosted by McMorran and held in the Southwest McMorran Parking Lot. This ticketed show features Northbound, Logan Michael, Hayden Coffman, and Spencer Crandall. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with music starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 and available online.
Free musical acts throughout Friday include:
Saturday, July 12
Saturday offers a final chance to enjoy live music and tradition:
Downtown launch parties kick off 101st Bayview Mackinac Boat Race
Launch parties will take place throughout downtown Saturday morning, with viewing spots at the Port Huron Yacht Club, Wrigley Center Upper Deck, Huron Lightship, Freighters, CityFloats and Andy’s Bar.
Race competitors will choose between two routes: the 259-nautical-mile Cove Island Course or the 204-nautical-mile Shore Course. A unique element this year is the inclusion of the “Ultra Mac,” an extended race from Mackinac to Chicago. This east-to-west challenge stretches the total journey to 550 nautical miles for participating crews.
As of Monday, July 7, a total of 192 boats had registered for the race.
“We cannot do this festival without our sponsors, and so we’re so grateful to all those involved,” DeLong said. “They see the importance of our festival and donating to this to make this a great festival for our community.”
To find out more about the Blue Water Festival, including a full schedule of events, visit thebluewaterfest.com.
Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@gannett.com.
(This story was updated due to an inaccuracy.)
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Boat Week brings celebration, color and community to downtown Port Huron
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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