Port Clinton kicks off Walleye Festival weekend

pfanner@sanduskyregister.comThe 35th annual Walleye Festival kicked off earlier this week in downtown Port Clinton.The first few days, while popular, were plagued with cold, windy weather.That changed Saturday morning, when the sun broke out and temperatures reached the mid-70s — just in time for the annual Walleye Festival's grand parade."This is always a lot of fun for the kids," Port Clinton resident Teresa Howell said. "It seems like it gets smaller every year, but it's always a great experience."Howell's two grandsons, Cole McNamara, 8, and Joseph Campbell, 2, both jumped at the chance to grab candy, toys and other treats thrown from passing floats during the parade.Participants in this year's parade lined up on Madison Street just south of the Ottawa County Courthouse. The parade route eventually took floats and characters past the Walleye Festival at Water Works Park.The festival featured more than 140 vendors and dozens of rides — including fast spinning rides and a Ferris wheel — for locals and tourists to enjoy."We're super excited to be back," said Laura Schlatcher, president of the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce. "We've packed the park and we're ready for another big year."Schlatcher said she expected between 5,000 and 12,000 people to visit the festival on a warm, sunny day like Saturday."Saturday was a perfect day for the festival," Schlatcher said. "We could see a record number of visitors this year."The festival has grown into an event that thousands of people flock to from all over the state.In total, those visitors help bring in more than $1 million in local revenue each year, Schlatcher said."The parade is usually one of our most popular events," she said. "We're just really excited to continue to offer this family-friendly event each year."The festival brought hundreds, or perhaps thousands of families out to Water Works Park Saturday.Among them: James and Ashley Knight, who brought their 3-year-old son Eli and his infant sibling to the festival."The festival has gotten even better since we moved here in 2011," James said. "It's great now because we can get the kids on some of these rides."The Walleye Festival is scheduled through Monday at Water Works Park. Dozens of special events, along with some new guests, are still scheduled for the festival in the coming days. Register photo/PATRICK PFANNER The "YoYo" swing ride flings guests through the air near Lake Erie Saturday at the Walleye Festival in Port Clinton. Register photo/PATRICK PFANNER Port Clinton resident Ashley Knight rides the ferris wheel with her son Eli, 3, Satuday afternoon. Register photo/PATRICK PFANNER Thousands of guests packed Water Works Park Saturday for the 35th annual Walleye Festival. Register photo/PATRICK PFANNER Wylie the Walleye waves to residents on Madison Street during the Walleye Festival grand parade.Register photo/PATRICK PFANNER Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Levorchick hands out a sheriff's office Frisbee to Cole McNamara, 8, of Port Clinton during the Walleye Festival grand parade.