Schooner Fest Sets Sail

The fest returns with ships, art, food, symphonic music, and much more

Aug. 10, 2014

In the early days of Traverse City’s Maritime Heritage Alliance (MHA), the membership would launch as many boats as they could in an impromptu "just for fun" regatta that would kick off the sailing season.

These days, the Alliance holds this regatta, now called Schooner Fest, with a little more purpose: as a fundraiser for the organization.

But the fun’s still there in full force, too, as evidenced by the parade of sails celebrating Michigan’s maritime heritage.

HISTORICAL SHIPS

The festival’s Jay Ruzak explained that part of what makes Great Lakes schooners special is the boats’ ability to sail more into the wind, a trait that gives them greater maneuverability.

"This made them more valuable in the business of Great Lakes trading," Ruzak said. "They also played an important role in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 by outmaneuvering the larger, full-rig ships of the British."

Technically, Ruzak explained, a schooner has a minimum of two masts and as many as five, with the main sail in the aft of the boat, and the smaller sail up front.

Explaining such details to the public – and letting them see the examples in "real life" via the ships themselves – is part of the MHA’s mission. The public can actually sail on some of these historic boats during the festival, and enjoy a host of additional maritime-related activities.

Visits to the Discovery Center and the MHA’s buildings will offer the opportunity to view actual boat restorations in progress, and several presenters will share information on Lake Michigan shipwrecks, nautical preservation of lighthouses, and underwater marine reserves.

Even the Old Town Playhouse is getting into the act.

"The [OTP’s] presentation of the "˜Myth of November’ is about the sinking of a ship off Omena Point that most people are likely unaware of," Ruzak said

MARITIME MUSIC

Event chair Cindy Ruzak added that there are many more future events on the Schooner Fest schedule.

"In addition to the traditional deck tours and sailings on the schooners, several events are being planned in collaboration with other organizations and venues "¦ all with a nautical theme as the constant," she said.

The Traverse Symphony Orchestra of Richard Wagner’s "Flying Dutchman" along with other musical works will be held on Sunday, Sept. 21, followed by a reception aboard one of the schooners that will feature music from "H.M.S. Pinafore" and "Pirates of Penzance" by Gilbert and Sullivan.

The State Theatre will host several nautical themed movies that same week, along with hosting one of the main events of the Schooner Fest: the presentation "STORM," a multimedia visual presentation of shipwrecks and storms on the Great Lakes with accompanying music by Dan Hall and Ric Mixter.

Downtown, participating stores (marked by a pirate’s face in the window) are hosting a kids’ treasure hunt. There will also be a piratethemed pancake breakfast at the Discovery Center Saturday and Sunday mornings, with music by Saldaje both days, Cindy Ruzak said.

NAUTICAL MAJESTY

Further collaboration between local restaurants and businesses will add even more events to the list, from Black Star Farms’ Fish Boil to The Watershed Center’s nautically themed artist competition.

Several of the deck tours at Clinch Marina will feature music by Tom Kastle, whom Cindy Ruzak called "a renowned singer of nautical ballads who is a fixture at many such tall ship events."

All the collaboration is part of the MHA’s aim to continue long-term financial sustainability of their own organization as well as other maritime causes, Jay Ruzak said.

"It is a sight that we find inspiring each time we have participated in such events elsewhere," he said. "[It could] also provide for others what might be a once in a lifetime experience."

The Maritime Heritage Alliance’s Michigan Schooner Fest 2014 will take place Sept. 19-21. For a full schedule of events, visit maritimeheritagealliance.org or call (231) 946-2647.