LOGAN MARTIN NEWS – LakeLife 24/7 Magazine

Boo Bash 2026

The most fun you can have on Logan Martin Lake all year

Story by Roxann Edsall
Submitted Photos

It’s grown faster than kudzu on an abandoned hillside, but this growth has been far more welcome. Boo Bash on Logan Martin, the annual dockside trick-or-treating event, has exploded in popularity since its inception in 2022.

From 140 little goblins and their adults the first year to last year’s impressive 2,300 trick-or-treaters, it is clear the event is one people don’t want to miss. Mark your calendars now for Oct. 3from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

There have been a few changes since the first year, and still more are in store for next month’s event. There will be trophies this year for first, second and third place in the pier decorating contest and for the costume contest.

Each pier will be assigned a number at registration to display on their pier or dock so that judges will be able to record their evaluations. “Angie Henson, who is the owner of Bikini Buddies is donating the trophies, said organizer Kelli Lasseter. “I’ve seen her concepts, and they’re really cool.”

The boat decorating contest from last year will be back again by popular demand. Once again, boats will need to register for that competition. Judging will be held at Lakeside Park.

This year, a costume contest will be held following Boo Bash at an after party at Tiki Hut, which will host a live band. Tiki Hut, which normally closes for the season after Labor Day, will be decorated for the event with a 28-foot pumpkin perfect for photo ops. “We get a lot of families coming in after Boo Bash,” said Michael Emerick, Tiki Hut manager. “Many of the kids have come out of their costumes by then and go swimming or to the play area.”

In their third year as title sponsor for the event, Tiki Hut helps to promote the event and its mission to help fund lake safety measures through Logan Martin Lake Protection Association (LMLPA). “It’s a good way to give back to the lake,” adds Emerick. “It gets families together to do something different on the lake and makes the lake a safer place with the LMLPA donation.”

Through sponsorships, Lasseter, co-organizer Sonya Hubbard and their “Boo Crew” are able to make significant contributions to LMLPA, which the organization uses to purchase lighted buoys to place in shallow or hazardous spots in the lake. Last year, Boo Bash presented LMLPA a check for $12,000 for their lighted buoy program.

The partnership with LMLPA began in 2024 after Lasseter met Blair Goodgame. “Blair was just phenomenal in helping us to come up with a solid marketing plan and how to partner with the city.” Goodgame connected Lasseter and Hubbard to Jeff Thompson, Pell City’s Community Engagement and Special Projects manager.

From that meeting came the addition of the Boo Slough at Lakeside Park, enabling those who either don’t want to get on the water or do not have access to a boat the chance to participate in Boo Bash. “Pell City really puts their resources into supporting Boo Bash and LMLPA,” said Lasseter.

The idea that developed into Boo Bash began five years ago when Lasseter and Hubbard were reminiscing about fun times they’d had years ago at a large neighborhood Halloween event in Leeds. They wondered if such a thing might work on the lake. “We were like, I wonder if people would want to do that by boat and maybe decorate their piers,” explained Lasseter.

After floating the idea on Facebook and getting a positive response, they got to work planning. Boo Bash was an instant hit. “I’ve heard of people bringing groups out on their boats to participate,” said Lasseter. “I’ve been told stories of families coming in from out of state for this and to spend the weekend with their family. There are some places that have community piers and potlucks.”

Community is why the Boo Crew works so hard to put on Boo Bash and it’s the very reason it works. “I think people up here enjoy a fun time on the water,” Lasseter adds. “They enjoy being around each other. I think we’re all about community. It’s part of the culture of Logan Martin Lake.”

It takes many in the community to make Boo Bash happen. Lasseter credits the many pier hosts, sponsors, and volunteers who make it work. Volunteers, she emphasized, are the only way they were able to make it past year two. “Without them, we would have had to stop,” she admits. “We have so much gratitude for everyone who is providing their resources out of pocket to bring this event to the community.”

“And when you hear a child say something like ‘this is the absolute best day of my life,” that’s not because of Kelli Lasseter or Sonya Hubbard or LMLPA or the city,” says Lasseter. “That’s because of our pier hosts creating such a memorable event.”

Pier hosts decorate their boathouses or docks in a Halloween theme and hand out treats to children on visiting boats. Often there are treats for boat dogs and for adults onboard. Getting the treats onto the boat takes a particular skill set or a specially designed “conveyance device” like a long-handled pool net.

There were 80 pier hosts for last year, down slightly from the year before. Two volunteers are specifically working on increasing the number of pier hosts, particularly in the upper end of the lake closer to Riverside and Lincoln. In response to feedback from pier hosts, the event time has been condensed to three hours, rather than four.

As with any event on the water, safety is a huge concern. Organizers have requested additional presence from ALEA to patrol the waters during the event. “Safety is absolutely number one,” stresses Lasseter. “If something happened connected to this event, there’d be no more Boo Bash and, you know, it would be devastating.”

The Boo Crew is excited to put the final touches on Boo Bash 2026. As it grows, Lasseter stresses that they want to maintain the integrity and spirit of the event – creating a joyous event for children, families and pets. It’s a chance to have fun with lake community and to enjoy a “last hurrah” for the lake season.

Buoy, oh buoy

LMLPA hits milestone with 100th buoy

Story by Roxanne Edsall
Photos courtesy of LMLPA

A new sentinel stands watch over the waters of Logan Martin Lake. Weighing in at just over 100 pounds, this guardian of the waters illuminates a danger lurking below the surface, a danger that could put lives and property at risk.

This new harbinger of hazards is the 100^th lighted buoy installed by members of Logan Martin Lake Protection Association (LMLPA).

In a 2024 report, the most recent statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard show collision with a fixed object, above or below the surface of the water was the number one reason for boating accidents nationwide, with grounding being third on the list.

Buoy 100 is marked July 7, 2026 with all the signatures underneath that

The report showed there were 17 incidents of collision with a fixed object and 12 grounding incidents in Alabama. Because of statistics like these and wanting to make every effort to increase safety on Logan Martin, members of LMLPA began working on a project to replace old safety buoys with lighted ones that could be seen both day and night.

The project began in 2019 as members began raising money to purchase the buoys, solar light kits, cables, hardware and cement anchors. Their goal was to raise enough cash to install 100 lighted buoys. The process has been lengthy, and the costs have risen each year. It costs LMLPA almost $800 per buoy installed.

“We have been fortunate to have a lot of these buoys sponsored by individuals, groups, or grants to help us cover the cost,” said LMLPA President Neal Stephenson. “People can sponsor a buoy online at www.lmlpa.org. Click on the dropdown ‘What We Do’ tab and go to buoy installation to donate.”

This is the third year in partnership with Boo Bash on Logan Martin. Since 2024, the organizers of Boo Bash have made LMLPA the beneficiary of the sponsorship funds that exceeded the cost of putting on Boo Bash, giving the lake protection association a much-needed financial shot in the arm.

“Our partnership with Boo Bash has been a great experience, and it provides an opportunity to support our programs at LMLPA while having fun trick-or-treating on the lake,” said Stephenson. “The event has sponsored thousands of dollars for the buoy program.”

Dee Parsons and David Carboni were on the crew to set buoy number one and again on number 100. Carboni believes it’s the most instrumental thing being done for lake safety. “Before this, people were just dropping pins and sharing locations of dangerous places on the lake,” said Carboni. “Now we have these lighted safety buoys with GPS locations.”

Parsons echoes the appreciation for GPS locating, as it makes the buoys easier to reposition when they drift away from the hazard they were intended to mark. He’s grateful to have been a part of the process from the beginning. “It makes me happy to have been involved in all 100,” said Parsons. “It has boosted morale [for LMLPA] because members are excited about what’s going on.”

Randy Sparks is the buoy boat captain and oversees the program for LMLPA. He describes the process involved in getting new buoys ready to launch. “All have to be drilled and fitted for lights. We add the lights and get them on the boat and take them to the predetermined place,” Sparks said. “Then we measure the depth of the water there and cut a piece of stainless-steel cable to fit that depth with a foot extra for each end and an extra five feet of cable to make sure it doesn’t float off.

“We attach it to a five-gallon bucket of concrete provided by Alabama Power with a stainless-steel eye bolt,” he added. “Then we drop the buoy and anchor bucket together off the side of the boat. We get the GPS coordinates, so we know exactly where it is located, and we log them into Navionics, and we let the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) know where they are.”

For hazard buoy locations, the LMLPA team identifies a hazard using personal experiences, feedback from boaters and property owners, and direction from ALEA. Those hazards could be old roadbeds, subsurface rocks, boulders or shallow places or points that come out into the lake. “When we identify these,” explained Stephenson, “we drop those buoys to let boaters know of the hazard, so they won’t get hurt or damage their boats.”

They put out both hazard buoys and no-wake buoys, but the second type is strictly regulated by ALEA. “We always have everyone wanting us to put no-wake buoys out, but we can’t do that unless ALEA directs that,” Sparks noted. Those wanting no-wake buoys need to contact ALEA to get that approval. If approved, LMLPA can put that location on the list for future buoy placement.

Sparks also explained why having launched 100 buoys, there are actually fewer than that in the water right now. “Some of the older ones have had to be pulled out because they are no longer functioning. Sometimes they float off or get damaged.

“We just ask that people be respectful of the buoys,” he added. “We’re a nonprofit, and we’re trying to make the money raised go as far as possible. We have a phone number on each buoy, so if something happens to damage it and someone finds it, they can call us and we can get it back. Then we evaluate it to see if we can fix it or reuse it or if it just needs to be replaced.”

Bud Kitchin is a former LMLPA president and has been involved in the buoy project since its inception. “The thing I’ve learned since starting this project,” said Kitchin, “is that the lifespan of a buoy is not five years like we originally thought. It’s more like two to three years. LMLPA will always be raising funds to support this program and keep Logan Martin Lake safe.”

Bridge marker project underway, too

In addition to replacing buoys and adding new ones, LMLPA has added another safety-inspired project this year. They are installing reflective bridge caution signs on the pilings for all the bridges that go over Logan Martin Lake. Their goal is to get signs on all of the bridge pilings in the next couple of years, a goal that will require them to purchase and install 100 signs.

In 2017, two people were seriously injured when their boat struck the piling of Riverside’s railroad bridge in the dark of night. Protecting boaters from just such nighttime dangers is the reason LMLPA is making the bridge safety sign project a priority. “Safety is our primary mission,” Stephenson said. “These signs are fluorescent yellow and are reflective in low-light conditions. We want to make the lake safer for all.”

The signs will be placed on the upstream and downstream sides of the Riverside Railroad Bridge, Highway 78 Bridge, Stemley Bridge, Renfroe Road, Choccolocco Creek and Poor House. The cost of $80 per sign takes care of materials needed for installation. The labor is provided by volunteers, who plan installation runs every two weeks.

Installing the bridge signs comes with an interesting challenge, according to Parsons. “The problem is that the current runs. So, on one side, it’s easy. On the other side you’re constantly having to push away from the piling.”

In addition to the lighted buoy and bridge reflector sign programs, LMLPA runs a water testing program to monitor the safety of the lake and runs the annual lake cleanup effort each spring. They also offer educational and community outreach programs.

Membership in the organization helps pay for projects and provides additional hands to manage those projects. For more information, check them out at www.lmlpa.org.

Lakeside Live Musicfest 2026

A day of fun and entertainment on Logan Martin Lake

When the gates open at Pell City Lakeside Park Sept. 19, Lakeside Live will welcome thousands to a brand new year and a fun-filled, music-packed day on the shores of Logan Martin Lake. It’s actually a host of events all rolled into one special day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It’s a music festival featuring all genres. It’s a massive car show. It’s rides and games for the kids. And it’s a classic competition pitting police against firefighters in Battle of the Badges. Food trucks and vendors of all types line the grounds of the park offering their specialties for all to take their pick and enjoy.

Lakeside Live has become a Logan Martin tradition created by the Five19 Foundation and presented this year by Union State Bank and dozens of other sponsors.

So, join the fun. It’s free admission and a family friendly day to remember.

Birmingham Sailing Club

A Logan Martin tradition since the lake began

Story by Paul South
Photos by David Smith
Courtesy of Birmingham Sailing Club

As fall approaches, bringing with it cooler winds sometimes brisk or minutes later a weak whisper, the Birmingham Sailing Club has charted a course for a busy schedule.

And as the days in 2026 dwindle down to a precious few, Logan Martin Lake gives sailors a unique challenge.

“The winds can shift quite a bit,” Birmingham Sailing Club Commodore Richard May said. “They can shift 90 degrees or 180 degrees at times. You can have gusts you have to deal with. The shifting winds and gusting winds are a problem – and sometimes no wind.”

Competition, fun and making a difference

Leading off this fall for the club is September’s Leukemia Cup Regatta. The event actually began on Logan Martin at the old Marina Bay Yacht Club, which later merged with the BSC in the late 1990s. The event is a major fundraiser for leukemia research that blossomed into a national event.

“It started here on our lake and then it became a national event all over the country,” May said. “After COVID hit, a lot of clubs stopped doing it, but we decided to keep doing ours. (Blood Cancer United, the former Leukemia Lymphoma Society) is glad to get the money.”

The fundraiser is fueled by member donations, live and silent auctions.

The regatta began at Marina Bay to honor a member who died from the dreaded disease. This year’s Leukemia Cup Regatta is set for Sept. 12 at the club.

While it just passed, one event that deserves mention, the Rock, Paper Scissors Regatta for youth sailors was held on Aug. 29-30, attracting some 50 sailors and their parents, the club’s future generations. There’s also a post-race rock, paper scissors game.

“It’s truly a nice event,” May said. “The kids have a really good time.”

Here’s a look at other fall and winter events:

Fall Adult Learn to Sail: One of the club’s major initiatives is to grow the sport of sailing through instruction. On Sept. 19-20, adults can learn to sail. The course combines classroom instruction and time on the water. UAB professor Jack Rogers teaches the class.

Moonlight Cruise: On Sept. 26, the club hosts an evening cruise, an event as much social as sailing. The informal cruise, featuring many of the club’s keel boat sailors go out late in the evening and sail together in an unofficial club event.

Great Pumpkin Regatta: Good grief, Charlie Brown! On Oct. 17, Thistle class sailors from across the Southeast and beyond come to the lake to compete in the annual event. A Thistle is a high performance, one-design boat that’s considered “fun, fast and responsive,” according to the Thistle Class Association.

“We have a circuit of all the clubs in the Southeast district, and they’ll travel to the different regattas and compete against each other,” May said. Clubs like the Lake Lanier Sailing Club, the Atlanta Yacht Club and Muscle Shoals Sailing Club are among expected competitors. All are part of the Southeastern Thistle District.

Sailing teams up with succulent culinary delights on Nov. 14 when the club hosts its Oyster Roast-One day Regatta.

The Great Scot Regatta: On Oct. 24-25, the Great Scot Regatta launches its annual race, sanctioned by the Flying Scot Association. The Flying Scot class is a 19-foot, one-design boat designed in 1957. Considered virtually unsinkable, the craft is perfect for novice sailors.

And ending the calendar year with something merry and bright, the club hosts its annual Christmas One-Day Regatta on Dec. 12.

A storied history

As the club notes on its website, before 1960, sailing was a passion for only a handful of enthusiasts from the Birmingham area, willing to travel for hours searching for fair winds

and following waters.

But Alabama Power’s construction of Logan Martin Dam sparked a sea change in sailing’s fortunes in the Birmingham area, thanks to Thistle Class sailors Sam Caldwell and Herb Hagler.

With Alabama Power maps in hand, Caldwell combed St. Clair County’s backroads, searching for a place for the new Birmingham Sailing Club. He found the spot in Vincent near the dam on the St. Clair County side of the lake. The purchase was completed in December, 1962.

The club was incorporated in June, 1963, with 44 charter members. Construction on the clubhouse, ramps and docks began in late 1963, and the club’s first boats launched on July 16, 1964.

Since then, the club has not only been home to recreational and competitive sailing, but its membership has made its mark in regional and national racing.

“All of the current members really appreciate those founding members, the way they set the club up and bought the property outright,” May said. “There’s hardly a year that goes by that people don’t express their gratefulness to those founding members that conceived of the club.”

An annual Spring race – The Caldwell Cup Regatta – is named for Sam Caldwell, who died in 2012.

Fifty-year members

The Caldwell Cup is not the only homage to the club’s founder. His children come to the regatta annually. And in a bit of sailing serendipity, two 50-year members – Stan and Donna Graham – bought Caldwell’s Thistle, keeping it in the family, so to speak.

The couple fell in love with the sport thanks to a Learn-to-Sail class at UAB, and field trips to the Birmingham Sailing Club turned a spark into a flame.

“By the time of the field trips to the club, we had already bought a boat,” Graham said. “It was Sam Caldwell’s Thistle, 2416.”

But the lure of sailing may have been cast by Graham’s father, years before.

“When I was growing up, my Dad told me I needed to find a hobby that I could participate in my whole life. You play football, and then that’s over. You play tennis, and you get old and can’t do that anymore Doggone, this sailing just got me,” Graham said.

The couple, now Flying Scot sailors, would spend Saturdays at the club practicing techniques found in sailing publications.

“We would practice all the time, when it was just me and her,” Graham said. “Not many spouses could get along well enough to be in a small boat and be competitive. Donna and I would get into small skirmishes, but we sailed hard.”

So in love was the couple with sailing that they’d pitch a tent near the clubhouse on weekends and spend the night, readying for Sunday races. And post-race, Graham kept a diary of each race.

The club has a proud tradition of competitive sailing.

“You look back over the (history of) the Southeast District that we were in, a lot of Birmingham sailors were champions of the Southeast District. So when we would go out on Sunday, we were racing against some of the best people in the Southeast. You had to get better, or go home,” Graham said. “And we got better.”

The couple took a few years away from sailing after the birth of their daughter, Laura. Years later, while taking graduate courses at UAB, the daughter took up sailing. So a family tradition continues.

“Laura was like a little bird, came back to the nest, the Birmingham Sailing Club. That brought us back,” Graham said.

A strong bond

The sailing community has a strong sense of camaraderie. This year, Birmingham’s sailing community, as well as the legal community, suffered a terrible loss when past BSC Commodore Bill North, a Jefferson County prosecutor, passed away over the summer.

“He was a great guy,” May said. “We will really miss him. He was a friend. It’s hard to believe (he’s gone), actually.”

With North’s loss, the year’s events take on added significance, May said.

“I think so,” he said. “We had a long-distance race called the Firecracker. There were a lot of people that were there. You could kind of tell there was a little more meaning to the get-together after the race.”

Across the club’s more than 60 years, a common theme rings like a bell down through the years.

“Just how much fun sailing and the camaraderie with other sailors that there is,” May said. “We go out and compete hard against each other and talk about it and have a good time. It’s a nice relationship.”

He added, “Sometimes we’ll be sailing against each other, and then we’ll be sailing with each other.”

For Stan and Donna Graham, it all goes back to their first boat, Sam Caldwell’s Thistle. Graham now finds and repairs old boats to help newcomers bitten by the sailing bug as he and Donna were a half-century ago. It’s an example of how the club warmly welcomes newcomers to the sport.

“If we had not found Sam’s boat, we might have lost interest,” Graham said.

For more information about the Birmingham Sailing Club, visit https://www.birminghamsailingclub.org.

Goldendoodle Sisters on the water

Author brings beloved characters to Logan Martin Lake

Story by Paul South
Photos by Bob Crisp
and submitted photos

A pair of precocious, real-life Goldendoodles are leaving their paw prints on the children’s literary landscape, thanks to Pell City High School engineering teacher Dr. Jeffrey R. Samoranski.

The loveable canine siblings born six months apart, Lacey Jo and Savannah, are the stars of books targeting young readers ages 3 to 8. With six titles in print, the sisters are bringing tail-wagging joy to young readers and getting attention across the country.

The heartwarming books have been featured in The Des Moines Register and other outlets. And this fall, Samoranski will be at a book signing for his work at the Barnes & Noble in New York’s Times Square. He’s appeared on Birmingham’s regional television show, Talk of Alabama. He’s also working with local libraries in Alabama, doing presentations and readings. The books have taken on a life of their own, Samoranski said. His publicist is promoting the books for a national audience.

“I was just writing because I like to write. I like to read, and I like my dogs,” Samoranski said. “Everything is kind of happening.”

But his goal isn’t fame and fortune; it’s teaching positive life lessons and igniting a love of reading at a critical time in kids’ lives.

“I didn’t get into this thinking, ‘Hey, I’m going to sell a million books. I’m going to retire a millionaire.’ My intent is just to tell stories about my dogs that were relatable to things that siblings go through, that kids go through.”

It seems the retired Navy Chief Petty Officer caught literary lightning in a bottle. After all, his books began publication last December. It seemed an unlikely path for someone who grew up the son of a pianist and followed his two older brothers into the Navy, where he was drawn to engineering.

“Growing up in New York, I was maybe a little bit of a nerd. But I participated in all the sports and stuff,” he said.

After an engineering-focused military career, he moved to teaching with an emphasis on engineering and science. He holds degrees from Samford University, and graduate degrees from Jacksonville State and Liberty University (Educational Specialist and Doctor of Education degrees).

Growing up, a love of music – classical and classic rock – and of reading were his earliest influences, perhaps planting the seeds for a budding author.

“As a product of the 1980s, we didn’t have the things that we have today,” he said. “We didn’t have the internet. We grew up outside.”

But when harsh winter weather hit, things changed. “Being from the North…when we were in the house during those long winter months, we were forced to play our instruments and read. I was a reader.”

Samoranski fears that a passion for books may be lost, one that impacts classroom performance.

“I see that far too often,” he said. “The problems that a lot of these children have these days is because they don’t read. That is the stem of a lot of the academic issues that we have with these kids. They’re so interested in instant gratification with cell phones and social media that they don’t know how to read more than two or three sentences. They don’t know how to visualize stories in their minds as they’re reading the words… That hurts.”

Samoranski hopes the Lacey Jo and Savannah Adventure series will change that.

“When all of this happened with the dogs … As a doctor, I’ve done a lot of writing. With my love of reading and my propensity for writing, it all just came together.”

Seven grandchildren and two daughters – all who love reading – also helped ignite the series.

“I want to provide reading materials and stories that my grandkids are going to enjoy,” he said. “It just all came together – the love of reading and the writing and the grandkids and the dogs.”

As for the Goldendoodle sisters, a medical setback for Lacey Jo – the oldest – prompted the books.

In August 2025, “She started pawing at her eyes,” Samoranski said.

Dr. Samoranski walks the real Lacey Jo and Savannah in the Lakeside Park loop he references in book

Two days later, after a visit to the vet and treatment with eye drops, Lacey Jo was still pawing at her eyes and bumping into things. A specialist determined she had inflammation that, if untreated, would lead to glaucoma.

Within four days, Lacey was blind in her right eye and had only 25 percent vision in her left eye. It was a heart-wrenching time. Goldendoodles do not generally get glaucoma, and other breeds that develop the condition don’t do so until they are 13 or 14 years of age.

“For her to be five years old and to have this condition was devastating for us. I needed a coping mechanism,” Samoranski said. “And that mechanism was the writing of the books. We have thousands of pictures and all of these stories and all these different things that had happened, so I decided I was going to start writing the books and gear them obviously toward kids.”

The books explore themes that kids deal with on a daily basis – understanding teamwork, sharing, helping, and supporting others, for example – are issues Samoranski sees in the pups. Artificial intelligence was used to help transform family photos of Lacey Jo and Savannah into lively, colorful illustrations on the printed page.

“There are a lot of things that happen with kids and with siblings, but here it’s happening with my dogs,” Samoranski said. “As their relationship and their bond continued to flourish, and they would have these adventures, it struck me that these are the same things that happen with toddlers and with younger kids. So I just started writing.”

He added, “The books are perfect for bedtime stories, grandparents and parents reading to early readers. I start from the point of ‘What are the girls doing?’ That natural engagement, that kind of shows us a story in action, an emotion, and how can that relate to kids?”

His seventh title will be in bookstores and online soon. But Samoranski, who’s been teaching since 1992, has completed 18 stories so far. So, Lacey Jo and Savannah will be romping through childhood imagination for years to come.

“Everybody has a side hustle,” Samoranski said, “and I guess (the books) have turned into that for me.”

For more information about the adventures of Lacey Jo and Savannah, visit www.goldendoodlesisters.com.

Veterans taking veterans boating

Finding fellowship on Logan Martin Lake

Patriotism filled the air and boat wakes cut across Lake Logan Martin as veterans came together, not for duty, but for fellowship, gratitude and a day of well-deserved appreciation.

Houston Project, a veterans assistance program based in Pell City, hosted the Second Annual Veterans Taking Veterans Boating event on May 20.

Five boats captained by Navy, Air Force and Army veterans took 19 residents from the Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home out on the water for a morning filled with sunshine, laughter and connection.

“Their smiles said it all,” said Michelle Tumlin, founder of Houston Project. “We could tell they were making wonderful memories.”

Dawn Lovell, a Navy veteran, talks with fellow vet at lunch

Houston Project was founded in honor of Tumlin’s son, Houston Tumlin, an Army veteran who died by suicide in 2021. The non-profit organization provides financial assistance, connects veterans with critical resources and raises awareness about PTSD, depression and suicide.

“A main focus for us is to love on veterans as much as we can,” Tumlin said. “We want them to know they are not forgotten once the uniform comes off. Too many struggle in silence, and if we can bring even a few moments of joy, connection or hope, then we are doing exactly what Houston would have wanted.”

The Veterans Taking Veterans Boating event was founded by Dawn Lovell, a Navy veteran and a member of the board of directors for Houston Project.

“I started this event because I wanted veterans to have the chance to connect with one another in a peaceful, uplifting environment,” Lovell said. “There is something healing about being on the water, and when veterans are serving veterans, it creates a bond that words can’t fully describe.”

After a few hours on Lake Logan Martin, the veterans, staff members from the Veterans Home and Houston Project volunteers fellowshipped at Lakeside Park with a lunch of smoked pork chops, chicken, macaroni and cheese, baked beans and banana pudding catered by Russell and Cindy Howard.

Michelle Tumlin, founder of Houston Project

“We are incredibly grateful to the staff at the Veterans Home for the love and care they give every day, and to the volunteers who showed up and worked tirelessly to make this event possible,” Tumlin said. “This truly takes a village, and ours is full of people who deeply care about our veterans.”

Organizers said the timing of the boating event was intentional – held in the days leading up to Memorial Day.

“We hold this event so close to Memorial Day because it reminds us that service does not end when someone leaves the military,” Lovell said. “It’s a way to honor those who served and those who never came home while still celebrating those who are here with us.”

As Memorial Day approached, Tumlin also reflected on the families who carry the loss of their loved ones.

“Memorial Day is not just about remembrance,” she said. “It’s a day for gratitude and grief to exist side by side. We honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, and we also honor the families that continue to carry that loss every single day. Their sacrifice lives on, and they should never be forgotten.” l

Editor’s Note: For more information about Houston Project, go to www.houston-project.org or visit Houston Project headquarters at 1916 Cogswell Ave., Pell City.

Lakeside Live

Music festival and more returning to Logan Martin Lake

Story by Paul South
Photos by Strides Media

Tricked-out cars, tasty eats, talented artists, crafts artisans and red-hot local bands return to Lakeside Park this fall for the sixth annual Lakeside Live Musicfest, set for Sept. 19,

The free event that’s a can’t-miss fall festival in the Logan Martin area, also benefits local charities and celebrates veterans and local first responders.

Musicfest Executive Director Casey Cambron is pumped up for another great family-friendly event, which last year drew some 6,000 people, generating about $25,000 for local charities.

“Our goal every year is to donate at least $20,000 to at least one major charity,” Cambron said. “That’s always a goal.”

He added, “We’re going to help as many people as we can. Our goal is to give back to our community where we can have the most impact. We’re going to donate to multiple charities, of course. Last year we donated to nine organizations. Some were charities, some were organizations like (Pell City) Parks and Recreation to help with park upkeep.”

Battle of the Badges a fierce competition

The festival, put on by the nonprofit Five16 Foundation Cambron founded, helps veterans’ groups and child-focused charities as well.

Food and drink, apparel, arts and crafts will be available for sale. Admittance is free, thanks to the generous support of business sponsors, large and small, ranging from Keith Clements and Lakeside Boathouse, Rodney’s Marine and LakeLife 24/7, to committed small businesses like Reba’s Weiner Wagon.

As an aside, Reba’s enters a muscle car in the Lakeside Musicfest car show each year.

“Every time I walked in the door, whether it was a small sponsor or a big sponsor, they were in. The community supports it, and we could not have this show without it,” Cambron said. “All of them tied together makes it great.”

Music for every taste – from country to R&B to rock – will provide the backbeat for the festival. The gates open at 10 a.m.

Popular Birmingham-based band Deputy Five will be the headliner, covering tunes by country legends like Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash to Southern rock, like Lynyrd Shynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama.

“We try to have music that hits all the genres that hits home for anybody who comes out,” Cambron said.

As for the festival’s annual car show, some 250 vehicles are expected. Not only does the competition reflect competitors’ pride in their cars and trucks, it also puts community pride on display. The Pell City High School wrestling team helps with logistics of the popular event within an event.

“I’m a car guy. I’ve hosted many, many car shows.” Cambron said. “The car scene really turns out for this event and really, really supports it big. That’s one of the coolest factors of it, seeing a lot of cool cars come out, whether it’s a lifted car or lifted truck, low cars or low trucks to classic cars. It’s all over the place. We raise a lot of money on just the car show side.”

Entry for the car show is $20 per vehicle. It’s a judged show, with 75 or more awards given to winners.

For Denise Olivastri, a member of the Foundation’s board of directors, it’s more than a fun event, it’s a celebration of giving back to the community, supporting local causes in Pell City and across St. Clair County.

“This is more than just a music festival,” she said. “Giving back feels great, because it connects us to something larger than ourselves, and we couldn’t achieve our mission and vision without our generous sponsors, donors, vendors and all (the people) that attend and support us every year.”

And in America’s 250^th year of independence, the festival represents the spirit of Pell City and St. Clair County, Cambron said. A big part of the festival, the annual “Battle of the Badges,” a good-natured competition between police and firefighters, helps build bonds with the community, Cambron said. “Usually in town, most people don’t get to know our police and fire department. It’s usually in a stressful situation. It’s fun to get to know our police and firefighters,” he said. “The people get to know first responders in a positive light.”

To celebrate the nation’s birthday at the same time makes it even more spcial. “As a group, we love our community so much. Two-fifty is a cool number for what we do. We love to support our police and fire departments. We love to support our veterans in the area, whether it’s a big year like this one or not. We really cherish what we have here.”

For Cambron, who’s hosted successful car shows across America, the festival says something about the magic of St. Clair County.

“I myself have been a lot more involved in our community with Chamber (of Commerce) events, with Rotary events, and I’ve started to see that Pell City and St. Clair County are unlike anywhere I’ve ever been,” he said. “Nothing has been as successful as the way I’ve done things in Pell City. I think that’s because in Pell City, there’s a different atmosphere. There’s a larger love for community here than I’ve ever seen anywhere else.”

Cambron defines the tremendous response. “Every year, we hope to have a good turnout, and every year we do. It doesn’t surprise us. It humbles us.”

The mission of Lakeside Musicfest and the Five16 Foundation is simply, “to shine a light in the world,” Cambron said.

The event brings “energy, excitement and hometown pride to Pell City and St. Clair County.” Referencing the mission, Olivastri added, “Events like ours shine a positive light in our city, in addition to generating tourism and encouraging economic activity. It’s a wonderful feeling to see the impact it has.”

In the Kitchen at The Shack

Barbecue with a side of family and heaping of love

Story by Scottie Vickery
Photos by Mackenzie Free

The Shack BBQ restaurant in Talladega has won lots of awards for its smoky, tender meat and fall-off-the-bone ribs. It’s earned rave reviews in magazines, newspapers, blogs and from the many celebrities who have dined there.

But the only thing that really matters to owners Sharon and Rickey Frieze is keeping their customers – some who have been coming to the restaurant for decades – well fed and happy. “I’m feeding the fourth generation of some families,” said Sharon, whose parents opened the barbecue joint on July 1, 1983.

“We just feel so good when we see people our age bringing their kids and grandkids and saying, ‘We won’t eat barbecue anywhere else,’” Rickey added. “That makes you feel good, and it’s why we’re staying.”

Located on Stemley Bridge Road, just minutes away from Logan Martin Lake, The Shack has become a staple for lake lovers as well as locals. “The water has really helped us,” Sharon said. Her husband agreed. “It’s a world of difference between winter and summer here. People quit coming to the lake in the winter,” he said.

Folks heading to the lake aren’t the only fans, though. They’ve served celebrities like Billy Ray Cyrus, members of The Temptations, David Arquette, Bobby Bowden, NASCAR drivers, a Seattle Seahawks player, and Donna Douglas, who was Elly May Clampett on “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

They’ve got admirers in New York, Wisconsin, Texas and even France. One day Rickey heard a helicopter flying real low and went outside to investigate. “The thing landed on the grass across the street and two guys got out of it and came over here to eat,” Rickey said, shaking his head.

Sauce in their veins

It all started with a single Boston butt. Sharon’s parents, Haskell and Dot Hann, were looking for something to keep them busy after their four kids – Wayne, Sharon, Jeff and Shane – were grown. “My daddy sold cars, and my mama was going to sell minnows and fishing supplies, but they got bored. At least my mama did,” Sharon said.

A family friend, Cyril Fulmer, suggested they smoke a butt and sell it. That sounded like a good idea, they tried it, and people came back for more. They kept making barbecue, the crowds kept coming, and Haskell eventually built a restaurant out of railroad crossties that was known as “Hack’s Shack.” Not long after, he added a red antique caboose, which now serves as the restaurant’s kitchen.

“At first, all you could get was chips and a barbecue sandwich and that was it,” Sharon said. Haskell and Dot ran the restaurant, where all of the kids worked, until he passed away just over a year later at 53. Dot kept it going for six more years until Sharon and Rickey bought it in 1990. They’ve been running it ever since as The Shack BBQ. “Mom was still the head boss until she died in 1996,” Sharon said. “I just paid the bills. She was in charge.”

It’s still very much a family business. All of Sharon’s siblings continued to work at the restaurant for years, and each generation since then has come on board at some point.

“Every family member has been taught to cook – kids, nieces, nephews,” Sharon said, adding that even her niece’s 12-year-old twins help her pack up food and utensils for catering orders. “Somebody asked me where I get employees, and I say I grow ‘em,” she said.

She’s not lying. Their son, Michael, works full-time at the restaurant, and their daughter, Heather, works in a doctor’s office during the week but helps out at the restaurant on the weekends and holidays. “I made both of my children go to college and get an education,” she said. “This is a lot of hard work and dedication. That’s the secret.”

Employees who aren’t related by blood become family, as well, and some of their family members end up joining the crew. One employee, who works the front counter, was out back one day with her husband, who cuts wood for the restaurant. “I said, ‘We’re really busy, do you want to work,’” Sharon remembered. “We don’t have interviews. Either you fit in or you don’t.”

Barbecue, slaw, baked beans and ribs among Shack favorites

The ones that do stay a while. One of the cooks has been at The Shack for 35 years. One of the managers has been there for 40 of the restaurant’s 43 years, Sharon said. “We treat our employees well,” she said. “If they’re not family, they’re like family.”

Change is overrated

One thing that will never change is the way they cook their barbecue. “It’s all cooked out of hickory wood,” Rickey said. “We’ve been cooking here with hickory wood as long as I can remember. We stay with what we know works.”

Butts are smoked overnight for about 15 hours while the ribs are smoked for three or four. “A lot of things can change that,” Rickey said. “The temperature and how much wind there is changes how fast it cooks. You have to know what to look for and how to adjust.”

Customers can order their barbecue any way they like it. Some prefer the tender inside meat while others love the smoky flavor of the outside meat. Some want it chopped, which is always done by hand and not with a machine, while others prefer sliced. They also offer mild, hot, and sweet sauce

“Any way you want your meat, that’s how we’ll do it,” Rickey said. Sharon prefers hers straight out of the pit. “I eat my barbecue when we’re taking it off,” she said. “The scraps that stick to it are my favorite.”

What she doesn’t eat makes a good meal for the birds. “We’ve got a family of crows that love us,” Rickey said. “Everything that sticks to the pit we throw outside.”

While they’ll never change the way they make their barbecue, they have added some things to the menu over the past four decades. Burgers, hot dogs, chili dogs, chicken fingers and a barbecue stuffed baked potato have made their way into the lineup over the years.

Sides like coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, fries and onion rings are big hits, and those with a sweet tooth can choose between banana pudding and pecan pie. Customers can also order whole Boston butts, barbecue by the pound, and slabs of ribs.

While they’ve always had plenty of business to keep them going, there have been two times they worried about the future of The Shack. The first was about 27 years ago when a fire started in the wiring of a kitchen light fixture.

At the time, the kitchen had been a room off the back of the dining room – complete with red-checked tablecloths – and the old caboose was used for storage. While they were surveying the damage, “customers started coming in the same day,” Sharon said. “One of them said, ‘Does this mean I can’t get a barbecue?’ We still had the pits, we still had meat, so I made him a sandwich,” Sharon said.

The restaurant never closed. They turned the caboose into a functioning kitchen, sold take-out food through one of its windows and allowed guests to dine on picnic tables under the trees. It worked so well they’ve kept the caboose as a kitchen ever since and the original kitchen is now a storeroom.

COVID brought another challenge. “We were scared to death, but we got the word out that if you called in, we’d bring your food out to the car,” Rickey said. “People started calling in and calling in. It just blew our minds that people were so good to us.”

A side of laughter

You can’t run a family business, Sharon said, without a lot of laughter, and they have that in abundance. “We cut up all the time,” she said. “This is our life, so we always say, ‘If we die on a holiday, just put me to the side. We’ve got customers to take care of.”

It’s not just a family joke. Haskell passed away right around Labor Day, and the family held his funeral after the holiday. Her brother, Jeff, a volunteer firefighter was killed in a car wreck in 2016 when he left The Shack on the way to a call. He died at the end of June 2016, and his memorial service was July 5.

“That’s what they would have wanted because they loved this place,” Sharon said. “The day my brother died, he had just sat and figured out what we were going to cook for the Fourth. He said we were going to sell 90 slabs of ribs that day. He was right. We sold 90 slabs.”

Over the years, they’ve had offers to buy the place, and they’ve thought about selling but just couldn’t do it. “I’m afraid they’d change things, and it just wouldn’t be The Shack anymore,” Sharon said.

“I love this place,” she said. “It’s not just the food, it’s the history. I don’t care if I lose a million or make a million, I just love the people. We hope our children and other kin people are still running it and making great memories for the next 40 years.”.

Baked Beans

117-oz can Bush’s Baked Beans
1/2 cup ketchup
¼ cup mustard
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup barbecue sauce
¼ pound chopped Boston butt, inside and outside meat

Mix all ingredients and cook in slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours.

Coleslaw

Large head of cabbage, chopped
1 pack grated baby carrots
2-3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup dill pickle juice
1-2 cups mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix well, chill, and store in a plastic bowl, not metal. Use it up by the next day

Coosa River Ramble

A fun day and a better future for our beloved river

Story by Carol Pappas
Photos by Bob Crisp

As each stroke of the paddle in the first ever Coosa River Ramble brought racers closer to the finish line, it pushed the Coosa River closer to a better future.

It was more than a race. It was a celebration of the Coosa River and the people working to keep it clean, healthy and thriving.

“It benefits our mission to protect the Coosa River and the communities that rely on it,” said Director of Community Engagement Abby Brown.

Logan Martin Lake and Lakeside Park became the destination point for about 60 racers from around the state and out-of-state for this new event to raise funds for Coosa Riverkeeper and its environmental efforts.

Kayakers and paddleboarders took to the waters just beyond the park’s beach, and it drew a cheering crowd of onlookers, fans and family. There were vendors and food trucks and prizes to give away. “It was a great time,” Brown said. “Tons of families came with the racers.”

Of course, it was June in Alabama, so “it was very, very hot, but a beautiful day,” she noted. In addition to cheering sections from the shoreline, residents cheered from docks up and down the race route.

The 24K course took paddlers to Coosa Island Marina and Towboat US and back, quite a trek racers were able to complete in about two hours. Winners captured titles in the 24K, 10K and 5K categories. The 5K and 10K versions were off the main channel near Lakeside Park. A 3K and 5K “fun float” used the same course without the pressure of competition.

The response to this inaugural event was “fantastic,” Brown said, noting that first responder volunteers and volunteers from Honda strengthened the community’s impressive show of support.

Butts to Go donated and served barbecue and trimmings for the racers and volunteers. Gift card prizes came from Dock’s and Daily Bagel. Sponsors and donors not only made the event possible, they helped make it a success story – financially and environmentally.

“We are so thankful for the community engagement,” Brown said. “We hope to continue to engage the paddler community again very soon.”

As part of its priorities, Coosa Riverkeeper patrols five lakes and dozens of creeks to identify and document pollution – and beauty – and keep abreast of what is going on in the river system.

It educates the public about the value of the Coosa River to its community, economy and environment.

Coosa Riverkeeper is a strong advocate for the river and the “thousands of families who rely on it for fun, food, and property value,” it maintains. “A river has a head and a mouth, but it does not have a voice to speak for itself in our classrooms, courtrooms, and town halls.”

That’s Coosa Riverkeeper’s job.

Editor’s Note: To learn more about Coosa Riverkeeper, go to: CoosaRiverkeeper.org.

Spectacular summer for Logan Martin

Lineup of events keeps things hopping on the water

Story by Molly Gilbert
Submitted Photos

On Lake Logan Martin, summer isn’t just a season — it’s a feeling. It’s the hum of boat engines in the distance, the glow of late sunsets stretching across the water and the familiar sight of neighbors gathering in ways that feel both meaningful and effortless.

Some traditions are rooted in giving back, others in pure fun, but what they all share is a simple truth: life on the lake is best experienced together.

This summer, three standout events — the Riverside Poker Run, Dam Palooza and Christmas in July at Pier 59 — offer three very different ways to celebrate everything that makes this community special.

Riverside Poker Run: A Tradition Built on Community and Purpose

Now in its 17th year, the Riverside Poker Run has become a Father’s Day weekend tradition that feels as much like a family reunion as it does a fundraiser. Organized by the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO), the event began in 2008 as a creative way to raise funds—and has since grown into the organization’s largest annual effort to support projects that shape the heart of Riverside.

The poker run is a community event with plenty of neighbors getting in on the festivities

On the morning of the run, there’s a quiet buzz near Riverside Landing as boats begin to gather — pontoons loaded with families and friends, fishing boats easing into the current, jet skis darting between them. Participants pick up their $20 registration packets, complete with a map, poker chips and cards, then set off along a seven-stop route winding through the river.

Each dock along the way offers a chance to draw a card, but the experience is about far more than building a winning hand. This year, every stop is dressed in patriotic flair in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday, turning the route into a floating celebration.

“My motivation to be involved with the Annual Poker Run is the camaraderie between the community and other RBO members,” said Michele Molstad, president of the organization. “It’s a fun and great example of teamwork.”

That camaraderie shows up in the smallest moments — volunteers greeting familiar faces, laughter echoing across the docks and the steady rhythm of boats pulling up one after another.

“When you’re working a dock sometimes it feels like the run is off to a slow start, but it is not long before a constant flow of boaters on everything from pontoons to fishing boats to jet skis are lined up to participate and draw their cards,” Molstad said. “Even if they don’t have the makings for a winning hand, they are out enjoying the day on the water!”

Back at Riverside Landing, the celebration continues with Bucks BBQ and Bait Shop, food trucks, live music, raffles and prizes — including everything from best poker hands to a good-natured worst-hand award.

But the real impact runs deeper. Funds raised have helped build playgrounds, improve trails and enhance native habitats. This year’s event also marks the final push in a multi-year riverbank restoration project, with just 40 feet left to complete and a final $6,000 goal in sight.

“Every year I’m surprised with the turn out,” Molstad said. “We have had boaters from Lincoln, Talladega, Pell City and visitors from even further out-of-town spending the day with family and friends on the lake. Our mayor, Rusty Jessup, gets involved and announces the winners from the Riverside Landing each year. The poker run fundraising goes a long way in our Riverside community.”

Set for Saturday, June 20 (rain date June 27), the Riverside Poker Run is more than a day on the water—it’s a chance to be part of something that lasts long after the boats head home.

For more information, visit the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO) Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/riversidebeautificationorganization.

For more information about sponsoring or volunteering, contact RBO Vice President Stephanie Irwin at 205-821-8168. Riverside Poker Run registration will be from 4 – 7 p.m. Friday, June 19th, and Saturday, June 20th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All poker hands must be turned into the RBO staff by 2 p.m. on Saturday. Awards will be announced shortly after.

Dam Palooza: A Floating Celebration of Summer

If the Riverside Poker Run is about the journey, Dam Palooza is all about the gathering.

On June 27, boats from across Lake Logan Martin will make their way toward the dam, tying up side by side to form what has become one of the lake’s most anticipated summer traditions.

Boats line up and create safe area for swimmers

“You meet new people each year,” said organizer Kelly Collar. “It’s a fun annual event that’s become a tradition for decades. Something a little different from everyday lake life. Everyone looks forward to it.”

From the water, the scene feels almost like a neighborhood block party — just one that happens to float. Friends move easily between boats, kids splash in designated swim areas, and groups settle in for a full day under the sun. It’s the kind of event where familiar faces return year after year, but new friendships are just as much a part of the experience.

“It’s gotten bigger and bigger,” Collar said. “Last year was our biggest one — the most boats of any year and the most people. Last year was absolutely perfect, and therefore this year is going to be even better!”

Part of that growth comes from a few thoughtful additions that build on what people already love. Sponsors, including The Tiki Hut, ABC Towing and A+ Tire & Repair, are helping elevate the experience, while still keeping it free and community-driven.

“In past years, it’s been like 100 boats playing different music,” Collar said. “So the idea of one band and one source of music has been really exciting.”

After introducing a live band for the first time last year — hosted atop a houseboat provided by The Tiki Hut — organizers are building on that momentum. This year, the goal is to place the band on a floating stage right in the center of the tied-up boats, where everyone can gather a little closer and feel like part of the same crowd.

Even as the event grows, organizers are intentional about keeping the atmosphere welcoming for everyone. Designated swim areas, along with posted tips and guidelines on the event’s Facebook page, help ensure that the day stays both fun and safe.

“We definitely want people to know that it’s always kid-friendly. Dam Palooza is for everybody,” Collar said. “We’ve seen little children to grandparents. It just seems like everybody is having a good time. It’s always safety first.”

By the time the sun begins to dip, and boats slowly start to untie, what lingers most isn’t just the music or the size of the crowd — it’s the connections made along the way.

For more information, visit the Lake Logan Martin Dam Palooza Boat Tie Up Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LakeLoganMartinDamPalooza. Stop by The Tiki Hut to purchase a limited edition commemorative t-shirts for the 13th Annual Dam Palooza.

Christmas in July at Pier 59: Giving Back, Lake-Style

Later in the summer, the tone shifts — but the sense of community only grows stronger.

On July 11, Pier 59 will host its 17th annual Christmas in July celebration, an event that blends festive fun with a deeply meaningful tradition of supporting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB).

The Christmas in July Committee has a passion for supporting AIDB’s work. Each year, the event raises funds to provide Christmas gifts for approximately 350-400 students, many of whom might otherwise go without. With an estimated goal of $300 per child, the impact is both tangible and deeply felt.

Christmas in July is a team effort that brings the community together for a good cause

On the morning of the fundraiser, hit the water for a boat poker run that begins and ends at Pier 59. The live auction will follow and feature everything from handmade items created by AIDB students to vacation getaways, jewelry and sports memorabilia. Raffle tickets for a $10,000 cash prize and Boston butts are pre-sold to also help support the cause. There’s a sense of celebration in the air — equal parts festive and heartfelt.

For Magan Cline, being part of Christmas in July is all about the team behind it. After attending for several years and volunteering last year, she now helps as part of the committee, working alongside others to create a night that gives back in a big way.

“Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I love AIDB’s mission. It’s really like an eat, drink and be merry situation,” Cline said. “It’s super special to be a part of. I’ve toured AIDB and seen how much they do for these kids. It’s a great way for people to give back to the kids and help them as well.”

It’s that blend of joy and generosity that makes Christmas in July stand out. In a place where community already runs strong, it offers a chance to turn that connection into something meaningful for others.

For more information, contact: Magan Cline mmkcline@gmail.com or Becky Watson at 256-761-3318.

Celebrating Community

Taken together, these three events paint a picture of what summer on Lake Logan Martin is all about.

It’s early mornings launching boats and long afternoons drifting between friends. It’s laughter at a dock stop, music echoing across the water and neighbors showing up — again and again — for something bigger than themselves.

Whether you’re playing a hand in Riverside, tying up at the dam or bidding on items at Pier 59, each event offers its own way to step into the rhythm of the lake. And in doing so, you become part of the story that keeps this community coming back, year after year.

Because here, the best days aren’t just spent on the water — they’re shared.