Hundreds visit Port Clinton for annual Walleye Festival
PORT CLINTON - As 16-year-old Cambree Lonsway tilted back and forth and around in circles on the Rock-O-Plane on Saturday afternoon, she was convinced her life was going to end right there at the Walleye Festival.
“I thought I was going to pass out and die all at the same time,” Lonsway said. “I swear I saw my ancestors.”
Lonsway’s friend, 16-year-old Aurora Fillmore, had a different experience sitting on the ride next to her.
“It was fine. I didn’t feel anything,” she said.
Lonsway and Fillmore, both of Port Clinton, were among the hundreds of people who attended the 42nd Annual Main Street Port Clinton Walleye Festival from May 25 to 29. In addition to rides, the festival featured vendors, live entertainment and fair food. Proceeds from the festival create the majority of the operating budget for Main Street Port Clinton, which provides funding for downtown beautification projects, annual events and business grants. That means the impact of the Walleye Festival is felt all year long.
Many return for their favorite rides, vendors
Among the eventgoers was Nancy Castillo, a Port Clinton native who has attended the festival every year since it started. This year, she brought her granddaughter with her. Over the years, Castillo said, the festival has grown.
“My favorite part when I was young was the merry-go-round, but now I like to just come and watch all the people. I run into a lot of people I know,” she said.
On Saturday morning, 5-year-old Averie Stokes rode in the LogistiQ float in the David W. Leonard #2295 Fraternal Order of Eagles Grande Parade with her parents, Daquanne Stokes and Alexis Ehrnsberger, and then the three stopped by the Walleye Festival so Averie could enjoy the rides.
“I rided slide, and I rided the dragon,” she said. “My favorite ride was the Typhoon.”
Seven-year-old Emerson Boling of Michigan and his mother, Whitney Conrad, also rode the Typhoon. Boling said he also rode the swing and ate a hot dog at the festival.
“I loved the Typhoon. It’s just really fun. You go up, and it’s really fast,” Boling said.
Among the many carnival games at the festival was the ping-pong toss game that featured live goldfish as prizes. The game was manned by Carol Beck of Urbana, who said a lot of people won fish at the Walleye Festival.
Beck has spent the last 15 years following Durant Amusements around the state to work at various festivals and fairs. Although the job requires her to spend long hours in the hot sun, she keeps returning each summer.
“I just love people, I guess,” she said.
Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Walleye Festival held in Port Clinton for 42nd year
