By Christopher Johnson
This past Saturday was as lively as it was warm. With temperatures now climbing toward 100 degrees, residents embraced the summer heat trend as they gathered at Shamrock Park for Clare’s annual Summerfest celebration.
Kickstarting the day was a slew of citywide yard sales, as advertised. Then, families streamed into the park throughout the day to enjoy a full slate of wholesome activities organized through the Clare Chamber of Commerce. With local businesses, civic organizations and volunteers helping create an event that offered something for nearly every age. Nearby, Witbeck’s Family Foods provided free hot dogs and chips as it is known for.
According to Shari Buccilli, the Chamber’s president, attendance remained steady from morning into evening. “We had a steady flow of people all day,” she said. “It’s something Clare can be really proud of.”
By 4 PM, more than 250 complimentary ice cream cones had already been served, and by evening an estimated 400 to 500 people filled the park for the festival’s closing events.
The evening also drew roughly 150 attendees to the Gateway Community Band performance, where residents gathered to enjoy live music before the annual fireworks display.
Throughout the afternoon, children raced frogs across miniature tracks, participated in teddy bear races and eagerly lined up for games and prizes. The dessert walk proved to be one of the day’s most popular attractions, as more than 40 desserts were donated. This ensured that nearly every child participating walked away with a sweet treat. Only one remained as an extra.
Another highlight was the free bicycle giveaway coordinated through the VFW and the Clare Police Department, continuing a tradition that has become a favorite for kids. Who wouldn’t want a free, brand-new bicycle? Such generosity is something we love to see.
Touch a Truck offered visitors a chance to explore a range of vehicles brought into the park for hands-on, educational interaction. Multiple fire response units were provided by the Clare Fire Department. This included an engine, the ladder, a tender, and the grass rig. Alongside other vehicles courtesy of GFL Environmental, the Clare County Road Commission, EMS, and the United States Army.
The exhibit invited families to explore the vehicles inside and out, creating memorable photo opportunities while giving children a closer look at emergency and service equipment in a relaxed, approachable setting. The experience also provided a basic understanding of how these vehicles operate, helping demystify their function and offering familiarity that can ease uncertainty if they are ever encountered in real-life situations.
For many visitors, the highlight was the chance to step inside the vehicles and see the equipment up close. Which Fire Chief, Sam Eberhart said often changes how people understand the work firefighters do.
“People think they just roll down the road and put the fire out,” he said. “Then they climb in and realize this is a whole lot different than I thought.”
Sam also pointed to the impact on younger attendees, noting that some children arrived already expressing interest in becoming firefighters.
“It’s kind of neat to see a couple little guys come up there and say, ‘I want to be a fireman,’” he said. “Their eyes just lit up.”
The department said the Touch a Truck event continues to serve as an effective outreach tool, strengthening community relationships while giving residents a closer look at the equipment and people behind emergency response services.
Overall, the event’s atmosphere reflected what organizers hoped to create—a relaxed gathering where families could spend an entire day together without needing to leave the park.
Tented booths funneled foot traffic through two aisles of merchandise and hand crafts, evoking some good fairground vibrations. Others were there for more informational reasons, such as Liberty Mountain and its friendly staff—hyping and promoting their upcoming events. The same can be said for radio stations such as 95.3 who were present at the park as well.
At the center of it all was the usual playground structure, attracting stray kiddos like moths to a bulb. The placement of everything and how it impacted the park’s engagement was very thoughtful and strategic. By the end of the day, no space at Shamrock Park was left unused.
Visitors moved from activity to activity while local organizations staffed tables, volunteers coordinated games and sponsors helped ensure every event remained free or affordable for families.
“It was really satisfying when people came up and told me how much fun they had,” Shari said. “They appreciated that it was family oriented and that they could spend the whole day together.”
Unlike festivals centered primarily on entertainment, Summerfest continues to emphasize community participation and engagement.
Local organizations were visible throughout the grounds, businesses donated prizes and refreshments, and volunteers devoted countless hours before and during the event to make the celebration happen.
One example was the complimentary ice cream giveaway, made possible through the generosity of the Dairy Phil. The frozen treats remained popular throughout the afternoon, particularly as the heat climbed and plateaued.
Perfect weather also played a role in the festival’s success, allowing nearly every scheduled activity to proceed without interruption.
As daylight faded and cooled, attention shifted toward the evening’s entertainment.
Residents gathered near the stage to enjoy music from the Gateway Community Band before claiming spots across the park for the fireworks finale.
The Chamber of Commerce contributed $5,000 toward the annual fireworks display, while local businesses and sponsors collectively raised the remaining funding necessary to present the show.
“We could not do the fireworks without the sponsors,” Shari said. “The businesses really get behind Summerfest.”
The cooperation between businesses, civic organizations and volunteers remains one of Summerfest’s defining characteristics.
Without those partnerships, organizers say many of the day’s free activities—including children’s games, refreshments, entertainment and fireworks—would simply not be possible.
For many families, however, the event is about far more than the attractions themselves.
It’s an idyllic portrait of Clare: Parents watching children race across the grass in teddy bear competitions. Friends gathered under shade trees while enjoying ice cream. Children proudly carrying home desserts and gifted books. As evening arrived, families unfolded lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy music together before looking skyward for the fireworks that closed another successful celebration.
Shari maintains that Clare ‘s network of businesses and partnerships are the nucleus of Clare’s ongoing success over the years. She prides the unparalleled teamwork that continues to manifest with each event. Whether it’s reoccurring like Summerfest or something brand new.
“The community is all about coming together,” she said. “Making those family memories and those special times.”
Judging by the turnout and the steady stream of smiling faces throughout the day, Summerfest once again accomplished exactly that.
Next up: Lumberjack and the car shows.
