By Pat Maurer
Correspondent
Clare Summerfest 2024 is almost here again.
The 32nd annual holiday celebration will take place from Tuesday, June 18 through Saturday, June 22. Festivities will include concerts, a citywide garage sale, craft show, bike parade, mountain bike race and a rubber ducky race, all of it capped by a fireworks display on Saturday, June 22.
Summerfest fun in Clare begins this year on Tuesday evening, June 18th, with Business After Hours from 5 to 7 pm sponsored by Members First Credit Union, located at 650 West Fifth Street.
Movie Night at Woods Household, published this week in another newspaper, was in error. That event will NOT take place this year.
Wednesday it is the second annual “Community Cares for Clare!” event. The Chamber says, “Bring your civic organization, club, family and friends and come out from 6 to 9 pm to help us beautify and clean up Clare for the summer@ Meet at the Pere’ Marquette District Library Parking Lot at 6 pm. If you know of anyone in need of assistance or if you would like to sign up to help, send us an email to events@caremichigan.com or call (989) 386-2442.”
Thursday, June 20, is the first day of the annual Summerfest Clare City Wide Garage Sales, which runs through Saturday, June 22. Times are 8 am to 4 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and there will be garage sales all over the city. If you are participating, contact the Clare Area Chamber of Commerce at (989) 386-2442 or email them at office@claremichigan.com with your address and the days you plan to participate.
Thursday, the 20th is also the day for the Clare Jaycees and Chamber “Rubber Ducky Race,” which takes place at the Clare VFW, 145 Wilcox Parkway in Clare. You can adopt a Duck for $5 or adopt and decorate a Duck for $10. (Decorated ducks must be turned in by June 18th) The Duck drop is at 8:30 pm and Prizes include $100 for 1st Place; $50 for 2nd Place and $25 Clare Cash for 3rd Place. A portion of the proceeds will go the Mid Michigan College – Student Veterans of America.
Friday, June 21st Cool off with FREE Ice Cream. Get your FREE tickets at events happening during Summerfest and use them (on Friday only) at Trackside Meat Market, McEwan Street Fudge & Ice Cream Shop, Wendy’s and Culvers. Tickets are only good on Friday, June 21st from noon to 10 pm.
Head for Shamrock Park because the Bike Parade – decorating contest, which is set for 5:30 pm Friday.
At 7 pm the Ice Cream 5K Run and Fun Walk will take place at Clare High School.
Saturday, June 22 is the big day for Summerfest!
At 8 am the annual Sweat Shaker Mountain Bike Race begins at Mid Michigan College on the Old US-27 Harrison campus.
The Summerfest Craft & Vendor Market will be in full swing on McEwan Street in downtown Clare from 9 am to 4 pm. Saturday. And there will be Food & Drink Trucks downtown from 9 am to 4 pm as well. The Food and Drink Trucks, which include Southern Bird Dogz & Treats, Amist Concessions, Bubba-Q and Underground Grub, will move to Shamrock Park where they will be available from 5 pm to 10 pm.
Find the Frog of your Dreams, and give him a name for the Summerfest Frog Jump Contest, and bring him to the Clare VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) at noon for the races. Entry is free. Categories are ages: up to 8; 9 to 12; 13 to 18; and 19 to 107 and there will be prizes for the Fastest Frog and Longest Jump.
Head over to Shamrock Park around 4:30 pm with your little ones to sign up and get ready for the annual State Farm Teddy Bear Races, which begin at 5:30! Age groups are 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds. The top three in each age group will win a teddy bear! Also, anyone that signs up will receive a t-shirt.
Another traditional Summerfest event begins at 6 pm. It’s the annual Witbeck’s FREE Family Foods Hot Dog Picnic with all the trimmings!
Fill up there and get ready for some great music in the Shamrock Park Pavilion when the Gateway Community Band Concert begins at 8 pm.
After the concert, you will want to hang around Shamrock Park and watch for the skies to light up at dusk when the Fireworks begin. A fabulous display will be fired off from Barnes Island in the middle of Lake Shamrock to wind up another super Summerfest!
