Tradition continues with midway, beer tent and fishing contests
By Barb Pert Templeton
The 85th Annual Algonac Lions Pickerel Tournament starts tomorrow, June 29 in the city and as usual it’s a packed schedule of family fun, great food and live entertainment right through Sunday, July 2.
Wendy Wojtas is the sponsor chairman for this year’s tournament and said while she can’t say there are a lot of new things on the schedule itself for 2023 there is a VIP sponsors night this year.
“It pretty much is the same year after year, we keep the traditions going, but we did create a VIP evening for some of our sponsors for the night of the fireworks,” Wojtas said. “We’ve really had some wonderful sponsors this year, they’ve all just been so generous.”
Traditional events that are always crowd pleasers remain on the schedule including the introduction of this year’s queen and court and voting from 6 to 9 p.m. at the festival main stage on opening night June 29. The new queen and her court will be announced and crowned on Friday, June 30 at 6 p.m.
The city of Algonac put out a flyer noting all the road closures to be aware of during the Pickerel Tournament.
A Classic Car Show returns to the schedule on Saturday, July 1 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Algonac Riverfront. At the same time the Brian Cuthbertson Memorial Antique & Classic Boat Parade, sponsored by the Algonac/Clay Historical Society will be held along the St. Clair River from 11 a.m. to noon.
At dusk the annual fireworks show at the riverfront the between the beer tent and the gazebo will take place, sponsored by JMS Contracting.
Sunday will dawn with a children’s fishing contest from 9 a.m. to noon, a grand parade at 2 p.m. and a pie eating contest at the main stage at 4 p.m. hosted by Achatz Homemade Pie Company. The big fishing tournament
Amid the midway, live entertainment and beer tent a highlight and tradition for the festival is the Walley Fishing Tournament. The fishing tournament, which runs over all four days has registration beginning at 8 a.m. on Thursday and the first lines hitting the water at 5 p.m. that day. Then, thereafter, registration to take part in the contest opens at 8 a.m. and by 10 p.m. that night daily cash prizes of $100, $50 and $25 are awarded.
A pancake breakfast, hosted by the Algonac Fire Department, will be hosted on Saturday, July 1 at 8 a.m.
The Walley Tournament concludes on Sunday at 5 p.m. and the grand Whopper Prize of $1,000 is awarded at 6 p.m.
The cost to register to participate in the fishing tournament is $30, boundaries for the event are the St. Clair Power Plant and the South, Middle and North Channels.
Other highlights on the 2023 schedule include a pancake breakfast hosted by the Algonac Fire Department at 9 a.m. on Saturday and a hot dog eating contest, sponsored by Johnnie Lega’s at the main stage at 2:30 p.m.
On Sunday the huge parade at 2 p.m., beginning at the Algonac Lions Field and traveling along a route to the riverfront, is a much-anticipated wrap up to the annual tournament.
The midway and beer tent will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The 2023 festival will conclude at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
To see the full schedule of the weekend’s activities, go to algonaclionsclub.com or visit the Facebook page, Algonac Lions Club and 85th Pickerel Tournament.
