It makes me absolutely sick to know that the St. Ignace Arts Dockside arts and crafts festival may becoming to an end after 32 years. And all because some boaters threatened to go elsewhere? Over parking? How ridiculous is that?

Gene Elmer states he could lose $20,000 in revenue on a marina in debt. If you couldn’t afford to build or operate a new marina, why was it built in the first place? It’s not the art show’s fault this marina is in debt, so why should it suffer because of it?

Mr. Elmer also said other marinas he contacted don’t give up parking or space for special events. Excuse me, but this is not Rogers City or any other place. Just because other marinas do something does not give the St. Ignace marina the right to do so. What’s next? Car show? Truck show? Fish Feast? Music Festival?

And what do you think the City of St. Ignace will lose without the arts and crafts festival? Restaurants, motels, and the downtown area will lose out on hundreds of patrons who flock to events such as this to visit our area and spend money.

The city is supposedly built on tourism. To throw away a festival of 32 years, which invites tourists to our area and spend dollars here, because of some whiny boaters is absolutely absurd to me.
Christopher Zagar
St. Ignace