Hosting one of the longest running festivals in Lansing, Church of the Resurrection, 1531 E. Michigan Ave., will present the 70th Annual Ox Roast Festival on Sept. 10 -12.
"This is the largest fund-raiser for our parish," festival chairman Vic Torok said. "There is something here for everybody."
Church of the Resurrection held its first Ox Roast in 1934 at Park Lake in Clinton County after the parish opened its doors 12 years earlier.
"It's wonderful that it survived for so long," said Arlene Platte, a 30-year Ox Roast Festival veteran. "It's like going to the same cottage every year, and you know the routine and it's comfortable."
The "ox roast" is actually quarter-pound beef sandwiches prepared from about 3,000 to 3,500 pounds of beef for the three-day festival. Platte said the beef is cooked in big vats at about 700 pounds at a time.
"People know the ox roast sandwich," said Margaret Costigan, a Church of the Resurrection member. "It's huge chucks of beef that's cooked for hours."
Besides the ox roast sandwiches, there are hot dogs, pizza and homemade soup to fill the stomach. Platte added that last year, 50 gallons of soup was made from the meat's broth and said she expects to make the same amount this year.
Platte has made the festival's sauerkraut for three decades alongside other committed workers. Platte said parish member Ray Kromer has cooked the beef at the festival for nearly 20 years.
"There will be about 300 workers at this festival, and the planning starts in February," she said. "It's good to see the value of working together. It's a community and people have bonded."
• Where: Church of the Resurrection, 1531 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing
• When: Sept. 10-12; 5-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday and noon-7 p.m. Sunday.
Festivities:
• Lucky Lou's Casino: 5 p.m.-midnight on Friday and 6 p.m.-midnight on Saturday, featuring 7 Card Stud, Black Jack, Big Wheel
• Raffle Booth: $2,000 Grand Prize, Wheelbarrow of Cheer, hourly 50/50, four bicycle giveaway
• Silent Auction: Bidding ends 6 p.m. Sunday
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• Carnival Games: Special low-priced tickets for Special Kid's Day on 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday
• Shamrock Pub: Beer, wine and malt beverages open 5-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday noon-7 p.m.
• Live Entertainment: The Kathy Engen Band 7-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights; Tom Heideman& Mary Koenigsknecht 12:30-1:30 p.m. Sunday, and Mas Ambicion 2:30-5:30 p.m. Sunday
• White Elephant Sale: 5-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday and noon-6:30 p.m. Sunday
• Baked Goods Sale: 5-9 p.m. Friday, noon-8:30 p.m. Saturday, and on Sunday, from noon until supplies last
Source: Church of the Resurrection.
