By Barb Pert Templeton
As hundreds of people head into town for the Maritime Days Parade on Sunday, Aug. 6 they may just want to come a bit early and enjoy a pancake brunch in the festival tent first.
A flyer being circulated locally describes the new event to bow during Maritime Days in Marine City.
A “Let’s Brunch Pancake and Cocktail Competition”, featuring guest bartenders from local places, will be hosted from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. A goodwill donation will be collected for the breakfast with proceeds going towards next year’s Maritime Days Fireworks display. Seven local bars/restaurants will be serving up special cocktails that can be purchased and with each ticket comes a chance to vote for the best beverage. The winner of the best cocktail competition will be awarded a trophy and bragging rights.
The pancake breakfast will include sausage and fruit and is being coordinated by festival volunteer, Jamie, from Marine City Grill.
The idea for the event was a result of brainstorming sessions with volunteers for the festival who wanted to incorporate a pancake breakfast and bloody Mary bar onto the schedule. Festival President Tammi Graber and her sister, Kathleen Miotke, who both grew up in Marine City took the idea and ran with it.
AJ’s Salt Docks will be one of seven local establishments participating in the cocktail competition.
“We went to all the local establishments and explained what we wanted to do and seven out of eight said yes,” Graber said.
“I was really surprised but they were all really excited about it,” Miotke added.
She said most of the local participants plan to decorate their six-foot space in the festival tent before serving up their own unique cocktails.
Tickets for the cocktails will be $6 each and then votes will be collected by each station and put in mason jars to be counted at the conclusion of the event.
The 2023 Maritime Days schedule is packed with activities and will be hosted in the city on Aug. 4 – 6.
“We wanted to do it this way, without judges, so everyone gets an opportunity to vote it’s not just a couple of people deciding,” Miotke said. “And then someone will be crowned the champion and it’s pretty cool because they will get a trophy.”
All of the beverages will be served in the same type and size glass so the playing field is leveled and there’s isn’t one drink being offered up in a specialty glass or bucket.
“We provide everything for the businesses for this but the volunteers,” Miotke said. “They will be guest bartenders.”
Graber said she hopes the brunch has a great turnout so it can become an annual event on the Maritime Days schedule.
“We are really hoping people come out and enjoy it so we can do it again next year,” she said. “And you know families are coming up town for the parade anyways so come early and have brunch with us.”
The seven local establishments participating in the cocktail competition are as follows:
- AJ’s Salt Docks – serving up a “Salt Dock Sunrise”
- Ron’s Roadhouse Tavern – “Pineapple Upside Down Mimosa”
- Newport Pub – “The Englishman”
- The Little Bar – “Cosmopolitan”
- Marine City Fish Company – “Somewhere on the Beach”
- Riviera Restaurant – “Rum Runner”
- Gords Bar – some type of cool fruity concoction
