Here's where to get your Boat Week merch this week

Whether you’re participating in Saturday’s historic Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race or visiting downtown to join in on the Boat Week fun, there are plenty of places to pick up a T-shirt or nautical souvenir to commemorate the occasion.

This year marks the second that MI Passion, 229 Huron Ave., has carried T-shirts with the Bayview logo for the Mackinac race — now with the emblem for its 100th anniversary.

But they’re going fast.

Boutique owner Anita Varty said she bought over 600 shirts, and by midday Thursday, had fewer than 200 left. Those include a women’s V-neck and a unisex shirt in white and gray colors. The race logo is shown enlarged on the back with a smaller version on the front chest of the shirts.

The shirts ranged in cost from $29.99 to $34.99. MI Passion was slated to be open until 8 p.m. Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Although they had plenty of other Michigan-made and nautical items, particularly themed for the lake and river, Varty said she was excited to be part of celebrating its 100th anniversary.

“The most exciting thing for me is seeing everybody out,” Varty said. “Like the energy downtown, I so looked forward to this week.”

Official Mackinac shirts can otherwise be purchased on Mackinac Island and through the Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit.

Port Huron Yacht club carrying 'Mac 2024' merch

The Port Huron Yacht Club’s women’s auxiliary is selling a variety of merchandise for both the club and specific items with a Mac 2024 logo, celebrating Port Huron’s spot as a start to the race but unaffiliated with the Bayview’s race merchandise.

Missy Smith, the auxiliary’s commodore, said the display of apparel would be out from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday and Saturday morning with whatever items were left unsold. Typically, she said they only acquire enough to sell out, having first started selling items five weeks ago and on Wednesday for Boat Week.

“And it’s looking like this year we will probably sell out," she said. "… That’s what I’ve been telling everybody on their boats. ‘Oh, I like that shirt.’ If you want to get one, I would go now.”

As of midday Thursday, the merch included women’s V-neck T-shirts, regular unisex cotton T-shirts, and men’s long-sleeve sport tech shirts all in several colors, as well as hooded zip-up sweatshirts and tank tops. There were also yacht club sweatpants that didn’t have the Mac 2024 logo and sandals.

“And then, this year, we bought a new item, and it’s a T-shirt hoodie,” Smith said. “So, it’s T-shirt material, but it’s long-sleeved, and it has a hood. They’re really comfortable. And we have those in three colors.”

Prices for the local club’s merchandise, Smith said, ranged from $20 for tank tops to $60 for the zip-up sweatshirts with T-shirts falling in between.

Plenty of other stops with nautical-themed items to celebrate

Outside the official race shirt and local yacht club merch, a few other spots downtown had displays with boat-themed or items with anchors and other nautical symbols.

The Huron Lady II, for example, docked on the East Quay Street side of the Black River, had hats and T-shirts — the latter prompting you “take a ride” — on display for sale with small icons of the iconic cruise.

Elsewhere, the downtown shoe store District 43 also carried plenty of other items, such as through the Michigan Boat Company label.

“That’s our company,” said store owner Jorja Baldwin. “So, we have Michigan Boat Company. We have Motor City sun shirts, Michigan Boat Company tank tops, and an unofficial Michigan Boat Company Mackinac shirt.”

Baldwin said District 43 would be open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and closed on Saturday.

When asked about their apparel, she said, “I like them all. It’s tank tops, T-shirts, sweatshirts because it’s Michigan. I feel like we have a little something for everyone. We have women’s tanks, and then, unisex things. The river mermaid because I like we can tie in the Black River and Lake Huron experiences.”

Contact reporter Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com.