MANITOWANING—Finally, summertime weather, and just in time for the Southeast Manitoulin Lions Club’s Summerfest Weekend which, by all accounts, was a raving success.
Manitowaning folks have community spirit, and it shows when it comes to the annual Summerfest parade with a plethora of great floats and more clowns than you can shake a stick at! The Horticulture Society took first for best float, followed by the Agriculture Society for its entry.
New to the Lions Pavilion stage this year was a Saturday afternoon filled with music which was well received by the appreciative audience. The music provided a great backdrop for the horse pull too. With seven entries, Wikwemikong’s Jerome Pheasant, and his horses Dick and Pete, won first place with a pull of eight feet at 5,500 pounds.
Everyone’s favourite event, the Sunday afternoon smash-up derby, was extremely well attended by both crowds and drivers, with over 25 cars entered in the derby. Jason McMurray, won the first heat, Colin Jewell the second, Phil LeBrocq the third heat, Jack Parkinson heat four and Derrick Leeson heat five.
The overall champion, and claiming the $1,000 purse, was Jason McMurray, in his Cadillac, with hometown boy Cody MacKenzie winning the consolation prize in the ‘last man standing’ event.
The best hand-painted car went to Tim McDonald with best spray-painted car going to B. Pitawanakwat. If there’s enough interest next year, a mini van category will be introduced. Smashing!
The winner of the 50/50 draw was Chris Cheechoo of Wikwemikong with a $460 take-home.
“Overall I think it was a very successful event,” Lion Marilyn Moggy told The Expositor. “Everything went really well.”
