Marina Fest Celebrates Sister Bay’s Boating History

By Sara Rae Lancaster, Peninsula Pulse – August 31st, 2022

Shadow – the 26-foot Chris Craft boat once owned by the late Jack Bunda and now owned by the Sister Bay Historical Society — will be on display at the Vintage Boat Show Sept. 3. Photo courtesy of Sister Bay Historical Society.

When Marina Fest takes over the Sister Bay Marina Labor Day weekend, it may look like just another festival. But its roots run much deeper.

“Yes, it’s another fall festival – or the start of the fall festivals – but it’s also a celebration of the end of the boating season,” said Scott Baker, one of the festival’s committee members. “We have a beautiful, 150-slip marina, so this is a way to highlight it.”

A highlight of any marina is, of course, the boats, and the vintage wooden boats on display at Marina Fest tell a story of Sister Bay’s maritime history and offer a fun stop for boat enthusiasts, or even those who just crave a touch of nostalgia.

“Years ago, Jack Bunda got the idea that [the village] should have a wooden-boat show at the marina,” John Blossom said. “So really, Jack created what was Marina Fest back then.”

That tradition continues Saturday, Sept. 3, when 25-30 vintage boats will be on display as part of the festivities, including the 1929 Chris Craft wooden runabout, the Shadow, previously owned by Jack Bunda and recently purchased by the Sister Bay Historical Society. The boat has spent its entire life in Sister Bay, with only two owners prior to the historical society.

Like many of the boats that will be on display, these wooden boats showcase and help preserve an important part of Door County’s boating history.

“For some, it’s an appreciation of the workmanship and the gorgeous craftsmanship, but for others, it’s sentimental,” Blossom said. “People will come up to me and say, ‘My dad had a boat like this,’ or ‘I remember growing up with a boat like this.’”

The vintage boat show kicks off at 8 am and will be on display until 5 pm. Marina Fest activities take place throughout Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-5.

Kids’ boat building is one of several activities planned for the festival’s youngest attendees. Photo by Rachel Lukas.

2022 Sister Bay Marina Fest Schedule of Events

Sister Bay’s Marina Fest includes fun for the whole family Sept. 3-5, with food, beverages, kids’ games, boat building for kids, arts and crafts, a tractor-pull contest and music spread from Waterfront Park to Marina Park.