Posen’s 75th Potato Festival closed Sunday after a weekend that brought music, dancing, family activities and large crowds to the community northeast of Alpena. The Posen Chamber of Commerce said attendance was especially strong Friday, when a Sawyer Brown concert helped bring visitors to local vendors and businesses earlier than in past years.
The festival began Friday with a concert hosted by Blackwater NE. Local band Off the Record opened the show, followed by Nashville country singer Hannah Marie Kelly. Sawyer Brown finished the night with songs from the group’s 45-year career.
Before Kelly’s performance, Presque Isle Sheriff Joe Brewbacker led a moment of silence recognizing 9/11 and invited local first responders onto the stage. Brewbacker also thanked emergency personnel for the calls they answer and the sacrifices they make to protect the community.
“These are the people that take the calls in the middle of the night that nobody wants to go on. These are the ones that get it done.”
Kelly performed original songs, including “Yo Momma’s Muscadine Wine,” along with covers of songs by Dolly Parton and Tanya Tucker. She told the crowd it was her first visit to Posen and that she hoped to return to northern Michigan.
Concert helped bring visitors to Posen businesses
Andrea Konwinski, president of the Posen Chamber of Commerce, said Friday’s attendance exceeded recent years and credited the Sawyer Brown show with encouraging people to arrive early and stay in town.
“We are super proud of the Sawyer Brown concert. We are so happy that Blackwater approached us and they could make it happen in Posen. It was wonderful.”
Konwinski said volunteers were surprised to see people visiting vendors and businesses Friday afternoon, before many of the festival’s traditional weekend activities began.
“Its never been so busy on Friday. We had so many people already going to the vendors. We have never seen people come out like that.”
The chamber president said the community is eager for Blackwater to bring additional concerts to Posen and generate more foot traffic for local businesses. She also said residents and festival organizers described this year’s grand parade as “the best parade ever.” The article credited favorable weather as another factor in the large crowds.
Konwinski thanked chamber board members and volunteers who organized the festival and managed its activities. She said some board members will soon step down and that the Posen community needs younger residents to take their places.
“My chamber board members and volunteers, they did such an awesome job. We couldn’t do it without our volunteers.”
Weekend included parade, races and family activities
Saturday’s schedule included an early-morning 5K, a potato pancake breakfast, a bump-n-run derby, carnival rides and polka dancing. The Posen School Trip Club held a craft show Sunday, while Options Pregnancy Center of Alpena hosted a Polish dinner fundraiser.
Roads were closed for the grand parade, which included floats from local farmers, businesses and community groups. Participants included the Budnik family, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, Michigan Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, and groups from Posen, Alpena and Rogers City.
The Friday concert took place at the Wolf Ridge Amphitheatre, which Blackwater NE CEO Mike Romanowski said was built in about three and a half weeks. Romanowski said the venue was packed, with attendees dancing and singing throughout the show.
“It was wonderful to see so many people come out to a band large enough that everyone knows. Everyone was having such a wonderful time. The place was packed. There were people dancing and singing and for a minute I forgot we were in Posen.”
Romanowski said Posen residents welcomed the performers and that the concert’s success showed the community could support future events. Blackwater NE plans to announce additional dates and event information.
“Get ready for the future dates and event information.”