To arms, legs and hearts: The Venetian Fest is coming!
The community’s annual celebration of life on our waterways arrives this weekend starting with a dance party Friday, July 26 in Saugatuck’s Coghlin Park; continues Saturday with an afternoon dinghy poker run, that night with a lit, decorated boat parade and fireworks just after sunset.
The Saugatuck-Douglas Rotary Club, which will sponsor this year’s fun, invites every to join in.
“Venetian Fest weekend,” says event coordinator April Gundy, “is one of the busiest of summer. With all that’s going on, we want to make sure everyone knows what’s happening to have a great time.”
On tap:
Friday: Party’s On!
Lansing-based ‘80s cover band Starfarm headlines Friday fun stepping on Coghlin Park’s waterfront stage to play dance tunes at around 7 p.m. and continuing till 10:30. The half-acre park is at 60 Griffith Street, on the corner of Culver Street.
By all means come early: gates open at 5 p.m. to food trucks from Smoke’n Joe’s BBQ, Chefeltren (Mexican favorites), Pizza Parliament and, oh yes, beverages.
Once again they’ll be local, with Saugatuck Brewing Co. serving beers, and Fenn Valley Vineyards wines and others mixed cocktails, water and soft drinks.
Bearing that in mind, organizers strongly suggest you not be a motorist for crowded Venetian events. Instead, use the Interurban shuttles.
Convenient stops will be available to and from close-by, ample parking areas including Saugatuck Middle/High School, 401 Elizabeth St.; Douglas Elementary School, 261 W. Randolph St., Douglas; and the old Douglas medical building on the southwest corner of Wiley Road and Blue Star Highway.
Should you plan to imbibe, be responsible: Go light or make sure to come with a designated driver. The Interurban, too, will be there for you.
Individual admission tickets are $10 online up to Thursday, July 25, the day before the event, or $20 at the gate. Go to saugatuckvenetianfest.com or use the QR Code in last week’s Commercial Record Page B4 ad.
Group discount beverage ticket packages will be available for sale inside the gates at $40 for 5 drinks ($8 per beverage) and $70 for 10 drinks ($7 per drink). Single drink tickets are $10.
Boogie on! Let’s dance!
Saturday: On the Water
The Dinghy Poker Run, a zany 3-hour daytime “competition,” starts from Coghlin Park Saturday at noon.
Participants race to seven planned stops along Kalamazoo Lake and River to pick up poker cards, in quest for the hand for a chance to win one of three cash prizes. Additional cards can be bought for $5 along the way to increase odds of winning.
Entries are mainly inflatable boats or smaller than 15-foot-long crafts. No pontoons, jet skis or non-motorized watercraft are allowed
Dinghy captains can pre-register at saugatuckvenetianfest.com or use the aforesaid QR Code.
You may also register Saturday morning, July 27, on the boardwalk at the bottom of Coghlin Park for $20 per vessel starting at 11:30 a.m.
Bikinis, sunscreen and use of ice water in your SuperSoakers are permitted. Don’t be shy to wear other sun-friendly costumes!
Boaters in the Parade
Time for the big boats now.
This year’s decorative theme is “Western,” as in cowboys, cattle, horses and stuff.
As the sun drops and air cools on a long summer night, deck your decks with regalia. Moonlight on the water will come from a waning Gibbous, 57 percent lit by sun.
To honor late Tower Marine owner R.J. Peterson, parade vessels will assemble behind the Star of Saugatuck paddlewheel boat at 9:15 p.m. in the river area just north of downtown Saugatuck next to R.J.’s longtime house, then follow a route south to the harbor and back again starting at 9:30.
The U.S. Coast Guard and local law enforcement request all vessels remain in the full parade route, start to end. The judges in Wicks Park and see you coming and going, so be sure to decorate both sides of your vessel, pardner!
All participating captains must register their vessels —free of charge — by emailing Julie Ziemann at the Star of Saugatuck (julieziemann@hotmail.com) or by using the aforementioned QR Code.
All parade captains must attend a mandatory meeting at the Star of Saugatuck Saturday at 10 a.m. There you’ll get instructions. Don’t miss it or you will not be allowed in the parade.
All boaters are advised of hazardous conditions within a 700-foot area in the northwest portion of Lake Kalamazoo from 5 p.m. until midnight Saturday due to the fireworks loading and display that evening. (See accompanying photo). No vessel shall be allowed to anchor or proceed into this area during that time.
Judged prizes for “Best in Show” will be offered for vessels 40-feet in length or higher ($1,000) and smaller ($500). There will also be an award for “People’s Choice” in the parade.
Prizes will be announced and awarded at the Star of Saugatuck Sunday, July 28, at 9 a.m.
Fireworks Fans
The boom will be back after last year’s fizzled attempt at a laser light show. Fireworks will start immediately after the boat parade has departed the harbor area safely, around 10 p.m.
Great Lakes Fireworks’ pyrotechnics and D.K. Construction’s barges will partner to deliver a safe and grand finale.
Any spot along the harbor basin will be an excellent perch to watch both the boat parade and fireworks as Venetian Fest ‘24 brings back the boom!”
All for Charity
Rotary is “only” this year’s Venetian Fest organizer. The event is also sponsored by:
• The Saugatuck-Douglas Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau,
• Lake Vista Supervalu grocery,
• D.K. Construction,
• Saugatuck Brewing Co.,
• JPD Construction,
• Safe Harbor Tower Marine,
• Ivy House,
• Comcast,
• Freedom Boat Club,
• Ship ‘N Shore Hotel,
• Retro Boat Rentals and The Red Dock,
• RB Marine,
• IHS,
• The Beachway Resort and
• Forward Edge Services.
Scores of volunteers from the Rotary Club, Star of Saugatuck, Wolf’s Marina and Singapore Yacht Club organize the Venetian Fest weekend every year.
All proceeds from the event are to be designated to the Rotary Club’s 501c3 foundation for projects that ensure access to, safety on and ecological health of our local waterways.
After all, that’s what the Saugatuck Venetian Fest is all about.
