Fraser Lions Carnival

FRASER — The Fraser Lions Club is getting ready for its biggest bash of the year — the Lions Carnival — in Steffens Park this month.

This year’s carnival will be July 16-19 and includes games, rides, entertainment and raffles. A food and beer tent is open daily, and the event is held in conjunction with the city of Fraser’s fireworks, picnic and parade on the final day.

“Come on down and have some fun,” said Lions member Dale Moase, past president of the club and this year’s chairman of the carnival. “We usually have 22,000 (people in attendance) on Sunday alone.”

The carnival is the Lions Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Money raised during the four-day event is used to support charities throughout the year, including the Penrickton Eye Center, Leader Dogs for the Blind and others.

This year’s carnival will have a special meaning for the Lions Club. It’s being held in honor of Lions member Tony Lawson who died March 31, said Lions member Gregg Smith. The carnival was Lawson’s labor of love, as he took the reins to make it a success every year, Smith said.

“Tony was the chairman right up until last year, when I took over,” Moase said. “Now his grandson, Matt Hemelberg, is going to be co-chairman.”

Hemelberg was also sworn in recently as the new club president.

The carnival will have all of the same rides and midway games as it does every year, and a classic car show will be held on July 18, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. Judges will select winners, who receive trophies.

“We have entertainment every night,” Moase said. “Thursday we have Underground Sun with Brothers Righteous as the headline band.”

Other bands performing during the carnival include the Killer Bees and Cadillac Cowboys.

The club also raffles off a motorcycle each year, and this year it’s a Harley Davidson Road King. Tickets are $10 and will be sold for the duration of the carnival. The winner will be drawn July 19 before the city’s fireworks display.

“We also are going to have tickets available at a discounted rate for Oktoberfest, our New Year’s Eve party, Superbowl (party) and St. Patrick’s Day party,” Moase said.

A 50-50 raffle is held, and the club will raffle off TV sets daily.

Another charity benefiting from the carnival is the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The John F. Kennedy Knights of Columbus, based in Clinton Township but which was formed in Fraser in 1963, is getting businesses and organizations involved in a Dog Days of Summer fundraiser. The fundraiser is not affiliated with the Lions Carnival, but will take place inside the food tent all four days of the event.

“We have 30 local businesses that have agreed to decorate doghouse silhouettes,” said Kim Weston, fundraiser chairperson for the Knights of Columbus.

The Fraser Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter is expected to participate, as is the Fraser Public Schools District and Flagstar Bank, Weston said.

“We’re inviting the public to vote for their favorite,” she said. “It only costs 25 cents (to vote), and they can vote as many times as they want.”

The winner gets a plaque, and the money raised will go to the MDA.

“This is the first time we’ve ever done anything like this, and the response has been wonderful,” Weston said. “I’m pretty sure we’ll be doing it again next year.”

The Fraser Lions Carnival will be held at Steffens Park in Fraser, located behind City Hall at 33000 Garfield Road, at 14 Mile Road.

The carnival begins July 16 and is open 4-11 p.m. The carnival will continue July 17 from 4-11:30 p.m. and on July 18 from noon-2 a.m. The final day of the carnival is July 19 from noon-11:30 p.m. The city also holds a parade, picnic and fireworks display on that day.

Beer and food tents are open daily. Wristbands for all-day ride access can be purchased for $18 July 16 or for $20 July 17-19.

For more information or an entertainment schedule, visit www.fraserlions.com.

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