Welcome to the 11th Annual Harbor Beach Maritime Festival news page. The dates for this years’ festival are Wednesday, July 6th thru Sunday, July 10th. This exciting festival is a community event open to the public, young and old alike.
The weekend is filled with exciting activities that include live bands, Jet Ski racing, concessions, kid’s games and activities including inflatables, pet parade, bocce ball, cardboard boat races, volleyball, gameshows, car show, craft show, and fireworks. The Maritime Raffle will be organized this year by the Harbor Beach Athletic Association with CASH for prizes. Professional Jet Ski riders will be there for an APBA Regional Race along with local racers for the H&R Block/Maritime Invitational. We hope you can make it to all or at least some of this year’s events.
NEW!!! for this year… We are offering 10 / On-site camping sites for the week-end at a cost of $100.00 ea. Location of sites will be determined by Maritime Officials. Bring a trailer, RV, tent or even a car and you can have the best seat in the house. Included in your site rental package will be one free parking pass that will allow you to park all weekend at the site from Wednesday, July 6th to the following Monday. These will be sold at a first come – first served basis. If interested, please call Ron Wruble at 989-479-3363.
The fun all starts on Wednesday, with our kick-off party at Smalley’s Bar and Grill again this year. While at Smalley’s, be sure to purchase your 2011 Maritime Button with proceeds used to help support the festival and get you discounts throughout the year. Also t-shirts, hats, and raffle tickets will be for sale. There will be Bucketless Buds, a Gameshow Series sneak peak and Marty Viers and The Music Doctors will be there back by popular demand.
On Thursday is Ladies Bingo, and The 4th Annual Bocce on the Beach Tournament sponsored by Schott Excavating. Also, in the evening, join us at the Theatre for another fun filled “Harbor Beach Gameshow” event produced by the Ramsey Brothers sponsored by J.W. Hunt OTC Inc. and Top of the Hill Collision.
On Friday, local racing action starts with the H&R Block Maritime Invitational at noon. Come see your neighbor, friend, co-worker, or employee take to the water. Also, on Friday, you won’t want to miss the Dow AgroSciences & Relay for Life Steak Fry & Bake Sale followed by the “Paws and Claws” pet show/parade starting at 6:00 on the Murphy grounds. Make your day complete and Rock on the Beach with the band, JEDI MIND TRIP sponsored by Thumb Cellular and AVCI.net with an 80’s Costume Contest sponsored by Patti’s Barber Shop & Tanning Salon during intermission.
Saturdays’ events include Lighthouse Tours (NEW!), HB Hospital’s 5K Walk/Run, Valley Gear & Machine Thumb Watercross Regional racing action, Inflatables on the Tank sponsored by Harbor Beach Party Store/CITGO, Volleyball Tournament sponsored by Smalley’s Bar & Grill, Euchre Tournament, Frog Jumping contest, 1st Annual Great Lakes Cardboard Boat Race (aka The Soggy Bottom Regatta) and other racing action sponsored by Smith Distributing/Budweiser.
NEW!! this year in the racing schedule will be “The Budweiser Offshore Shoot Out” endurance race. This race will be for all those that think they can handle the action! The race will be a 40 minute (approx 36 mile!) endurance race that will pit professional riders along with the rider who wonders just how good they really are. A three mile course will be set up within the calm waters of the harbor and out through the rough waters of the Lighthouse gap and into the unpredictable waters of Lake Huron. A $50 entrance fee covers a one day APBA membership fee plus the race.
Also NEW!! this year is the 1st Annual “Soggy Bottom Regatta” aka cardboard boat race. Watch this site for more information including rules and regulations (Yes, believe it or not, there really are rules about building a cardboard boat!)
Music starts in the afternoon on the Beach by Nathan Schock and Band followed by the Beatles tribute band “SHOUT” sponsored by Harbor Drug and Good Neighbor Pharmacy, and another spectacular fireworks display sponsored by The City of Harbor Beach and the Harbor Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Sunday brings more Maritime entertainment for all festival goers. Events include more jet ski racing, K of C Car Show, Harbor Beach Athletic Associations’ Community Raffle drawing with CASH prizes to be held at approximately 2:00 p.m. under the tent during the Zion Fish Fry and another great performance by Marty Viers and the Music Doctors sponsored by Ramsey Funeral Home.
Hope to see you there!