City aims to revamp, rename Boat Week Options

[Numbskull]

City aims to revamp, rename Boat Week

Family-friendly event renamed Blue Water Fest

By STEPHEN TAIT
Times Herald
March 9, 2010

Say goodbye to Boat Week.

Also say goodbye to its raucus, beer-fueled, adults- only party atmosphere.

And say hello a more family-friendly "Blue Water Fest."

Organizers are hoping a reorganized and renamed mid-summer celebration of the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race will attract new fans without scaring away old ones.

The Port Huron City Council voted in December to hire Jonathan Witz & Associates to put on a festival July 15-17 -- the final weekend of Boat Week, often the most popular days of summer in Port Huron.

It is built around the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race, sponsored by Detroit's Bayview Yacht Club.

City Manager Bruce Brown pursued Witz after concerns were voiced by the race's sponsors that participation has been declining, largely because families didn't have anything to do in Port Huron.

Jonathan Witz said Monday the festival will include rock music, beer tents and vendor locations for local businesses.

A big change from past years is the festival will include downtown activities Saturday as boats start the race and after they leave.

For instance, Witz is planning a parade of lights Saturday night on the Black River.

Also planned is a Jet Ski demonstration, plus other activities that will be announced in later weeks once they are finalized.

Witz also said the festival is working on building partnerships with media outlets to promote the event, getting bands to play throughout the festival and finalizing the plans for the layout of the festival downtown.

"We need the community to embrace the event and help us take it to the next level," Witz said.

He and Lee Ann Peart, program manager for Downtown Port Huron, had three meetings Monday with Port Huron business owners, retailers and restaurateurs.

The meetings were geared toward talking about the event, answering questions from merchants and continuing dialogue between event organizers and business owners.

"The communication is not over; it is just starting," Witz said.

Linda Whipple, owner of two downtown stores including the Whipple Tree, said she was excited about what she heard.

"I think this is what Port Huron needs to get on the tourism map," she said after the meeting.

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