Port Huron’s Blue Water Festival, popularly known as Port Huron’s Boat Weekend, will return July 17 to 20.
This year will feature familiar favorites such as concerts, Operation Transformation’s Family Night and Mannequins Making a Difference, as well as new attractions for attendees to enjoy.
“This is an exciting year for the Blue Water Festival,” Downtown Development Authority Director Natacha Hayden said. “This year, the event takes place along with the 100th year anniversary of the Bayview Mackinac Race, which has a record-breaking number of participating yachts.”
The total number of participating yachts was 338 as of June 26.
The Blue Water Festival traditionally kicks off with the Rotary International Day Parade, which will take place this year at 6:30 p.m. July 17.
“This will be the 104th year of the parade hosted by the Rotary Club of Port Huron, a tradition older than both the Detroit and New York Thanksgiving Day parades,” organizers said in a news release.
The theme for this year’s parade is “All Hands On Deck — A Century of Sailing.” It will celebrate the 100th running of the Bayview Mackinac Race. The grand marshals for the parade will be Casey and Carrie Harris.
The parade start point will be the same location in downtown Port Huron as previous years at Huron and Glenwood avenues. It will conclude at Court Street, which is a slightly shorter route than past parades.
A fun zone for families will be available from 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on July 18 and 19 at McMorran Plaza.
“We are replacing our carnival rides with magicians, balance acts and a Lego station and partnering with Wonder Wolf Entertainment for balloon animals, face painting and a community art project,” Hayden said. “These family-friendly activities ensure the festival is enjoyable for attendees of all ages.”
OT’s Family Night will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 18 at the northeast corner of the 10th Street Bridge and will include bounce houses, a petting zoo, hair braiding and more.
New this year is a drone show presented by Moses Roses, which Hayden said she is most looking forward to about this year’s event.
“On Family Night at dusk — around 10 p.m., a display of 200 drones will light up the sky featuring our boat weekend theme,” Hayden said. “It will take place at Desmond Landing, where we traditionally host the fireworks. The drone show will replace the fireworks this year as we want to create a mesmerizing experience to celebrate the Bayview to Mackinac Race milestone.”
A Royal-T Cakery cannoli eating competition will take place at 3 p.m. July 19 and Mannequins Making a Difference will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. July 18 and 19.
During Mannequins Making A Difference, live mannequin models prepped by local artists and organizations will be displayed to raise funds for local charities.
The Blue Water Street Fair will take place on Huron Street between McMorran Boulevard and Quay Street and will run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 18, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 19 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 20.
Hayden said the street fair was extended to include July 20 to accommodate the spectators that come to the area to cheer on the sailors.
“When eventgoers come to say goodbye to the boats, they can stay downtown and shop for unique items from vendors all over the state and local,” she said.
An antique car show will take place on McMorran Boulevard on July 20, and food trucks will be available on West Quay Street, Grand River Avenue and McMorran Boulevard from 4 p.m. to midnight July 18 and 19.
Live concerts featuring local and national acts will take place July 18 to 20.
“Our national music stage will bring performers like LANCO and Elle King,” Hayden said. “At the other stages, we will celebrate our local musicians and performers. I am particularly excited about our Saturday performance at the McLaren Stage at McMorran Plaza, where one of our very own, Barbara Payton & The Instigators, will take the stage at 7 p.m. Barb is a Port Huron local who has toured with Bob Seger and Kid Rock. She is a rock star, and we are proud to have her at our festival.”
Other acts throughout the weekend include Los Gringos, The Gobies, Thomason Band, Prodigal Redemption, Greg Hind, Rhoedes Band, Dusk till Dawn, Killer Vibes, Big Pappa & The Machine, Bandwagon, the St. Clair County Community College Jazz & Symphonic Band, Meldrum Brothers, For a Few More Dollars, Dave Frendt and Cabana Boys.
The Bayview to Mackinac Race will start at 8 a.m. July 20. Attendees can watch the sailing yachts make their way along the St. Clair River at the Port Huron Yacht Club or Double Tree by Hilton from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
To make it easier for everyone to enjoy the festival, organizers are offering free shuttles by Blue Water Area Transit from the parking area at Desmond Landing.
“Even though there is plenty of parking available in downtown Port Huron, we understand that the street closures may cause some hassle,” Hayden said. “Therefore, these shuttles will help alleviate parking congestion and make your journey to and from the festival smooth and convenient.”
Hayden said planning for this year’s Blue Water Festival has been in the works for about four months. She said that organizers saw about 60,000 attend last year’s event and expect higher attendance for the 100th year of the race.
“The feedback has been very positive,” she said. “Eventgoers enjoy the music, the street vendors, food trucks and the ability to walk with their beverage of choice throughout our social district.”
For more information, about the Blue Water Festival and a full schedule, visit thebluewaterfest.com or facebook.com/phbluewaterfest.
