Smooth sailing for 2025 Nautical City Festival
by Richard Lamb–Advance Editor
By many accounts the 2025 Nautical City Festival went very smoothly. A wide variety of events had many spreading themselves thin trying to be at as many events as possible. Numbers for many events were at their highest level ever.
“It went really well, All our numbers for every event have been up. Saturday night was probably the largest crowd we have seen since the pre-covid days. We had a lot of new events, so that helped. But every single night the numbers were up,” said festival chairwoman Karen Spens.
Bands were well-received in the big tent that included Jedi Mind Trip on Thursday, High Speed along with Bobbing for Piranhas on Friday, Tommy K and The Rock Show filling the tent on Saturday and the capping musical performance by Melissa and Jake Sunday afternoon.
“I REALLY liked the two bands alternating on Friday. That was nice to have that addition. Melissa and Jake are nice to have on Sunday,” Spens said from the festival tent Sunday evening. “Taking Sunday back to free admission has helped. It is a good way to give back to the community. It is family day.”
New or rejuvenated events were the beach volleyball tournament, stone-skipping, a military boat ride, a Taste of Rogers City, yoga at Lakeside Park and an additional night of trivia.
“There were 43 trivia teams. That was a record. We did the two nights. The first night I think we had about 25 teams,” Spens said.
The Taste of Rogers City drew 11 entries from food vendors, and a long line of those wanting to sample their goods. Some were turned away after vendors ran out of food.
“That was a learning experience. It went over very well. Next year we will definitely plan for more people, maybe about 400. The lineup will be different. This year we had just one line. Next year we will have stations so that people are not waiting as long. And we will have more food on hand from the vendors,” Spens said.
Other events, such as Mark Munn’s presentation on taverns in Rogers City and the car show in Westminster Park, were filled with participants. The Nautical City Run drew nearly 300 runners and walkers, nearly a record for the event.
Miss Nautical Coast Peyton Gohl, Teen Miss Moya Newman and the court of Lylah Evans, Morgan Pilarski and Ellaure Smolinski were present at many events from activities at Lakeside Park, the big tent and touring the big equipment on display at Carmeuse Americas Calcite Plant.
A HAZY sky caused by smoke from Canadian wildfires, made air quality lower than normal, but helped dim the sun for those watching the parade Sunday.
Praise for the Hillman High School Band, the Grand Rapids bagpipers and the combination of Rogers City City band and Rogers City High School Band brought music to the parade route.
Spens, in her second year chairing the Nautical City Festival committee said volunteers and organization are the keys to a successful festival.
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“(Native Amusements) did bring more. It was an improvement from last year for sure,” Spens said. “There are at least three or four more rides than last year.”
Once the dust settles from the 2025 festival, the committee will take what it learned and start planning the 2026 events set for July 28-Aug. 2, 2026.
