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There are two different approaches for people when it comes to Fisherman’s Picnic.
There are the folks who hate the historic festival. I have friends and relatives who head as far out of Grand Marais as possible when events kick off. They will do anything to escape the crowds, the traffic problems, the visiting food vendors, the silly contests and sales and the parade.
Then there are the folks who love the historic festival, starting with the Lioness Buffet kicking things off on Wednesday night, the crazy competitions and the parade. There are people who are terribly let down when the Fisherman’s Picnic comes to an end with the Grand Prize raffle drawing on Sunday afternoon. I am one of the people who love Fisherman’s Picnic.
I enjoy watching the Log Sawing, the Fish Toss and Rock Skipping Contests and listening to Loon Calling. But
also recall some contests that are now just history, like the greased pole climbing contest. I don’t know how many years this competition took place. Maybe it was only one, but I remember it clearly. I still laugh at the thought of grown men slipping and sliding out to the end of a greasy telephone pole suspended out over the lake. I don’t remember what the prize was, but I’m sure it wasn’t worth the effort. But it was incredibly amusing to watch contestants splashing into the frigid Lake Superior water.
Another exciting event was
tug-of-war with fire trucks. Local fire departments gathered at the Coast Guard point, fire hoses ready. A large barrel was somehow suspended on
line between two tall poles. The fire departments aimed high-pressure water at the barrel and attempted to move it toward their opponent. Whichever fire department pushed the barrel across the middle was the winner. It was great training for the fire departments and great entertainment for the crowd.
In recent years, some interesting (and slightly disgusting) competitions were added to the Picnic—a hot dog eating contest at Blue Water Café and a pizza and pickled herring eating contests at Sven & Ole’s. The fellows who have been first and second in the pickled herring contest for the past few years are becoming familiar— they have returned year after year to take on the challenge— and to get their photo in the newspaper!
Last year, there was an unusual participant in the pickled herring contest. Among the husky guys and the hungry teenagers, there was an elegant looking woman, wearing Capri pants and a tasteful woven sun-hat. This lady sat quietly at the table with her little dish of pickled herring in front of her. When Sid Backlund of Sven’s blew the whistle for the herring eating to begin, she fastidiously nibbled on the tiny marinated fillets. As other participants devoured their fish at a rapid pace, she leisurely finished off about half of her container.
As the winner did a victory dance and the losers wandered off, holding their stomachs and proclaiming that they would never eat pickled fish again, the lady continued to enjoy her herring. She strolled off with her still half-full cup, daintily finishing it off.
I wonder if this clever lady will return for the pickled herring contest this year. I’ve probably given her secret away, so maybe she won’t. But watching for the enterprising woman will be just one of the wonderful things I will enjoy about Fisherman’s Picnic.
I hope you have a fabulous Fisherman’s too!
There is small danger of being starved in our land of plenty; but the danger of being stuffed is imminent.
Sarah Josepha Hale
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