Rotaryfest returns to Clergue Park after two-year hiatus

The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie is bringing its annual summer festival back to the grounds of Clergue Park next week after the COVID-19 pandemic made for a scaled-down version of the event last year and caused organizers to cancel it outright in 2020. 

This year’s Rotaryfest takes place July 14-16 and will feature its usual parade, Ribfest and full slate of live music over the course of the three-day festival.      

“The big thing is getting the kids and families back down to the festival,” said festival co-chair Paul Walz. “When we did our small Rotaryfest in the Lowe’s parking lot, it was more for just music and the Ribfest. But now we’ve got the kids zone, the inflatables and the parade coming back. 

“It’s bringing the whole family down again, and that’s what we’re excited for.”

Noticeably absent from this year’s Rotaryfest are the amusement rides, which were scrapped due to midway companies either permanently closing or cutting back on the number of stops during the summer months.    

“We’re disappointed too,” he said. “It was one of the things that’s a real anchor to our festival, because they actually open the day before the festival and they go through the entire weekend with us.”

Walz says the amusement rides usually bring in anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 on average each year.

“It is a significant amount, and we do feel the hit of not having it here. But we have other ideas and we have different events this year, and different sponsors to hopefully help make up the difference,” he said.

But organizers are hopeful that a number of firsts for this year’s Rotaryfest will help offset the absence of the midway. 

Northern Superior Brewing Co. will be selling beer on the grounds of Clergue Park during on-stage performances, and the Algoma Makers Market will be set up on the grounds Saturday after the parade. This year will also see the debut of the Big Ol’ Trunk Sale and the inaugural Wheels on the Water car show at The Machine Shop. 

In another first, this year’s Take Your Pick Draw will feature the option of an $85,000 cash prize should winners prefer cash over the two grand prize packages worth more than $100,000. Tickets can be purchased through Rotary Club members, participating businesses and the event’s website. 

But Rotaryfest organizers are short on the volunteers needed in order to make the three-day event flow smoothly for both organizers and festival-goers. Walz says roughly 200 volunteers are required throughout the entire weekend. 

“We’re looking for students who need their 40 hours of community service, we’re looking for individuals and family members who want to give back to the community, anybody who has a strong community spirit to volunteer with us. We’re not asking for an eight-hour shift,” he said. 

A full rundown of events can be found on the Rotaryfest website.