“The impact that this five-day festival has on our local economy is outstanding,” said Nicole Kochensparger, president of Main Street Port Clinton and the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce.
That outstanding impact is what made last year’s cancelation so difficult, she said, but it also has encouraged them to make this year’s festival better than ever.
Gear up for music, rides, parades, vendors and programs
Described as “one of Ohio’s premier outdoor weekend celebrations,” this year’s 40th annual Walleye Festival will feature live musical performances, carnival rides, educational programs, other activities and more than 130 vendors from around the country.
The Beacon
Port Clinton will be waking up next week to an explosion of fun and games, parades and music, and a cornucopia of good food. It will all be waiting at Waterworks Park for the 40th annual Main Street Port Clinton Walleye Festival.
The five-day celebration opens next Thursday at 5 p.m. and is one the city deserves, after Covid-19 mandated one of the toughest years on record. But Port Clinton is also a town that knows how to throw a great party. The Walleye Festival also marks the launch of the Memorial Holiday Weekend and the summer season, and it should be a dandy.
The Beacon
Arch City Lights, a collective of musicians based in Central Ohio, will be playing popular covers from Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars when they headline the Music on Madison stage in downtown Port Clinton on May 30 at 8 p.m.
Port Clinton will be the music capital of the North Coast on Memorial Day weekend.
The new Music on Madison stage in Port Clinton’s downtown area will feature Bridges on Friday, May 28, followed by Out of the Blue on Saturday, May 29 and Arch City Lights on Sunday, May 30. All bands will jump on stage at 8 p.m.
The Beacon
BY D’ARCY PATRICK EGAN
The new M.O.M Stage in downtown Port Clinton will make its debut on Saturday, May 1, and 40 acts have already been lined up for the 2021 M.O.M. Entertainment Schedule that will run on Thursday through Saturday from June 3 through Sept. 8.
“It is going to be an amazing summer for Downtown Port Clinton,” said Mayor Mike Snider, who had a lot of praise to spread around.
“We have a great entertainment coordinator, Ron Nisch, putting this all together, and the downtown merchants have all been behind our efforts,” said Snider. “We have to thank Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, for donating a $25,000 stage to the city to create an amazing M.O.M. Entertainment Stage on Madison Street.”