Celebrate Summer at the Bay-Rama Fishfly Festival

The Bay-Rama Fishfly Festival will be back June 22-26 in downtown New Baltimore, thanks to months of preparation and the efforts of festival organizers and volunteers throughout the city.

The five-day festival will feature several of its classic events and activities, including a carnival midway, high-altitude fireworks, live music, games, food, drinks and the Grand Bay-Rama Parade.

“We have something new every year,” said John Dupray, president of the Bay-Rama organization. “We have new entertainment in the festival tent–I think we’ve upgraded—and they’re regional groups that are very popular.”

Musical acts scheduled to play during the festival include NI4NI, Remedy of Detroit, Monkey Grinder, Planet of Fun and On Common Ground.

High-altitude fireworks with a grand finale featuring more than 300 salute mines will be fired into the sky at dusk on June 23. Dupray said there was a large turnout for the fireworks last year, adding that he rarely sees that many people in the city at one time.

“It was a beautiful night and we’re hoping for the same this year,” Dupray said. “(The fireworks display) is absolutely free and put on by a nonprofit organization for the enjoyment of the community.”

Grand Bay-Rama Parade

Grand Bay-Rama Parade entrants will be ready to march down Green Street at 1 p.m. June 26. The parade route starts at the intersection of Alfred and Green streets in front of and ends just before County Line Road.

The parade will feature more community groups than ever before, including Girl Scouts, softball and soccer teams and “family-type community units,” said Cheryl Hepp, parade cochairperson. An antique wooden boat unit also will be seen in the parade.

“We usually get about 100 units; we get dance studios, a couple of horse units, the queens from the local communities, the Anchor Bay High School band and our usual bagpipers,” Hepp added.

North Shore Church Pastor Chris Steinle, who is the New Baltimore citizen of the year, and Washington Street Wine House, which is the business of the year, will also participate in the parade.

Volunteer Festival Organizers Give Back to the City

Bay-Rama is a nonprofit organization; festival profits are put back into the community in various forms, including scholarships for Anchor Bay High School graduates and decorations for the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

“It is the main event where we can get some revenue so we can finish our projects,” Dupray said. “When people come down and enjoy the festival, any money they spend is really a donation and the money is given back.”

The organization developed and donated a nearly 8-acre portion of Festival Park in 2009. They are still working on 30 additional acres, which will be home to ball fields, volleyball courts and picnic areas, Dupray said.

Ensuring a successful festival takes a lot of time and effort from the Bay-Rama organization, as well as from dozens of volunteers. But both Dupray and Hepp agreed that seeing people have a good time at the festival makes it all worth it.

“It is so fulfilling to see the families there with their children lined up in their lawn chairs and they’re just really enjoying it,” Hepp said. “It’s the whole reason for putting the parade on.”

“That’s really what it’s all about, seeing the look on the kids’ faces on the rides and seeing them walk around with their faces painted—it’s a great feeling,” Dupray said.

Dupray encourages people of all ages to get involved and give just an hour of their time to give back to the community by helping out with festival activities.

“I encourage them to get on our website and give us a call; they’ll meet new people and have fun and get a lot out of it,” he said.

Kids' Day

Free events and activities for children will be held on Kids' day June 25 from noon to 2 p.m. at the festival.

Children 12 and younger can play games, win prizes, visit the petting farm and win a bicycle in the annual bike raffle. Registration for the bike raffle can be completed at the kids' tent between noon and 2 p.m. or Bay-Rama headquarters prior to the drawing. One boy’s bike and one girl’s bike will be given away at 5:30 p.m. June 25. There will also be demonstrations from various local law enforcement officials.

 “It’s a great way to start a day at the festival,” said Dawn Wolschleger, who serves as the organization’s secretary, talent showcase chairperson and Kids' Day chairperson. “This all takes place at the corner of Main and Washington under the tent that we put up on the parking lot for Kret's Garage.”

Wolschleger noted that organizers have seen a large increase in turnout throughout the past four years and hope to see the trend continue.

“Four years ago we saw approximately 75 to 100 kids come through. Last year, we were at approximately 250,” she said. “We try to pack a lot into that little bit of time, but it’s all geared towards the kids.”

To find out more and see a complete schedule of festival events go to:  bay-rama.com.

Schedule of Events:

Wednesday, June 22

3 p.m.: Midway opens

4 p.m.: Dig for Silver (ages 3-6)

5 p.m.: Ping-Pong Drop in the Waterfront Park (ages 3-6 and 7-10)

6-11 p.m.: Local rock band NI4NI takes the stage; no cover charge

6:30 p.m.: Queen’s Pageant in the festival tent

7 p.m.: “Chicken Chucken” contests (ages 7-9, 10-12 and 13 and older)

10 p.m.: Midway closes

11 p.m.: Festival tent closes

Thursday, June 23

12 p.m.: “Business by the Bay” in Burke Park with guest speaker Kathy Vosburg, Macomb County commissioner (Cost: $15; includes lunch)

3 p.m.: Midway and festival tent open

4 p.m.: Bubble-gum-blowing contest (ages 6-12)

5 p.m.: Wrap your Mummy (ages 6-10)

6-8 p.m.: Talent showcase features Richmond Dance Academy’s “Art in Motion”

8 p.m.-12:30 a.m.: Female-fronted rock band “Remedy of Detroit” takes the stage in the festival tent (Cost: $1)

Dusk: Grand high-altitude fireworks

11 p.m.: Midway closes

12:30 a.m.: Festival tent closes

Friday, June 24

3 p.m.: Midway and festival tent open

4 p.m.: Pie-eating contest (ages 7-10, 11-12 and 13 and older)

5 p.m.: Watermelon-eating contest (ages 7-10, 11-12 and 13 and older)

6 p.m.: Hula-Hoop contest (all ages)

6-8 p.m.: Talent showcase features Northside Church presenting a show with puppets, sign-language interpreters and food donations

8 p.m.-12:30 a.m.: Multi-genre band Monkey Grinder takes the stage in the festival tent (Cost: $1)

10 p.m.: Midway closes

12:30 p.m. Festival tent closes

Saturday, June 25

Noon: Midway and festival tent open

Noon-2 p.m.: Petting farm

2 p.m.: Pizza-eating contest (ages 7-10, 11-12 and 13 and older)

3-7 p.m.: Husband and wife acoustic duet On Common Ground takes the stage

4:30 p.m.: Cardboard boat race begins

6-8 p.m.: Talent showcase features master magician Bretsky and Czigany World Fusion Dance, a belly-dancing troupe

8 p.m.-12:30 a.m.: Rock band Planet of Fun plays in the festival tent (Cost: $1)

10 p.m.: Midway closes

Sunday, June 26 

9-11:30 a.m.: Queen’s breakfast at St. John’s Lutheran Church (Cost: $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 5 to 12, free for children ages 5 and younger)

Noon: Midway and festival tent open

1 p.m.: Grand Bay-Rama Parade begins

3-8 p.m.: Husband and wife acoustic duet On Common Ground performs in the festival tent

9 p.m.: Midway and festival tent close