The Michigan Brown Trout Festival Officially Kicks Off!
All eyes might be on today’s 49th Annual Michigan Brown Trout Festival, but the real unsung hero’s of the event would be the volunteers who signed up to help out during the festival, making sure that everything runs smoothly. But who are this years volunteers?
We first spoke to Rita Sands from the 184 Order of the Eastern Star Club who said, “This is Lincoln Chapter’s second year of being here. We had heard that the brown trout was looking for volunteers, our organization decided to give it a try and we are very pleased we did.”
Pam Werth who was a past volunteer with a different Masonic club also returned to volunteer this year. However, this year she came without her club saying, “I’m volunteering this year because our masonic group has not been able to continue as a service club, and I am here to help the new club [184 Order of the Eastern Star Club] get acclimated and teach them the ropes.”
What are the volunteers and the workers looking forward to the most at this years Brown Trout Festival you might be asking? Volunteers Kristina and Gregory Anderson from the Alcona Lodge 292 Mason’s Club said, “I’d love for somebody to catch the Tags Brown Trout, I would love it.” 
Gregory added, “Yeah me too.” Kristina continues, “It’s probably worth about $50,000 dollars by now, it hasn’t been caught in about 8 or 10 years or more. So it would be really really cool seeing somebody catch that.”
Dave Trojan the Lead Singer of Bayou County, a traveling Creedence Clearwater Revival cover band also stated what he’s most excited about, “Elephant Ears! The Elephant Ears, everybody’s been talking about Elephant Ears and I don’t even know what they’re about so pretty excited for that.” Dave adds, “I’m also excited for the show, excited to be with the people. Everybody’s been absolutely so wonderful to us already, with the radio station or the locals here just everything, we’re just to blessed to be here with you guys.”
To a small community like Alpena, the Michigan Brown Trout Festival is a huge deal and very important to our communities economy and tourism.
