Nautical Festival wraps up busy week with a bang

What began with an entertaining opening of excitement with the crowning of Nautical City queen Deanna Dimmick ended with a weekend blitz of activities, capped by a dazzling display of fireworks over Lake Huron. Grand marshal Mike Peltz, riding the parade route with his wife Barb, along with Dimmick and members of the queen?s court, led the parade through a throng of sun-soaked parade-goers. ?It was a great festival,? said executive director Kammie Dennis. A pair of first time vendors were not disappointed with the crowds on the lawn of the Presque Isle County Courthouse. Greg and Charlene Bandolws of New Baltimore were selling specialized pilings and handcrafted turtles and frogs. Traffic was steady, Charlene said, and their drive north was worthwhile.

?You wouldn?t believe how many people buy turtles and frogs,? she said. Mark Thompson of Presque Isle had been to the festival many times as a buyer, but never a seller. He set up a tent and sold pictures of freighters, note cards, and books.

?IT WAS fantastic,? Thompson said. ?Selling boat things in Rogers City is probably a no brainer. I?ve done very, very well, and I?ll definitely be coming back. ?The people running the arts and crafts have done a tremendous job and I think it has gotten bigger and better every single year.? There was a mix of results in regard to people attending festival events. Dennis said attendance was up on some nights and down on others. Terry Schmidt of Schmidt Amusements believes there wasn?t as many people at the carnival this year compared to previous years and cited gas price increases as one reason.

He also was concerned that carnival attendance was down because of price increases to wristbands, which allow people on the rides for unlimited amount of time during a preset time period. While the price went up, times people could ride the rides were increased as well. Schmidt was trying to get more people on the rides in the evening, because they were at a standstill at times, after the wristband time period expired. Regardless of numbers, the festival ?was a great time,? Dennis said, snacking on an elephant ear Sunday evening along the Schmidt Amusement midway. Members of the queen?s court agreed.

?THE FESTIVAL is such a great time,? said Nicole Grulke. ?There are so many things going on, it?s just wonder

ful.? As the fire trucks were bringing the one-hour parade to a close Sunday afternoon and sirens continued to fill the air, Doris Jarvis of Alpena said the parade ?was very nice. I liked the Red Hatters.? Weather-wise, she said ?today was perfect.? The winners in the float competition were: most nautical, Rogers City queen?s court float; best musical, ?Just Winging It? karaoke; most original, Red Hatters of Rogers City; judges? choice, Maximum Security; best local commercial, Calcite Credit Union. Dimmick said her festival experience was ?awesome. There are so many things that we?ve done and it?s been so much fun.

?All the dances at the tent, the sidewalk art, it?s all been great.? Even as the dust settles from six days of community events, festival planners are working on next year?s events.