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player ready...For the most part, a decent-sized, full-fledged fish boil — a major element of the cuisine and social life of Door County, Wis. — is a summertime affair.
Fresh-caught whitefish are more plentiful during the summer and so are the tourists who consume them, dredged up out of a steaming cauldron along with boiled red potatoes and cole slaw.
As a result, when Julian Hagen, a full-time farmer/part-time musician and fourth-generation Washington Islander proposed an off-site boil and music fest at FitzGerald’s Nightclub in Berwyn to his cousin Ken Koyen (full-time farmer/part-time fisherman and fish boil entrepreneur), winter was the best opportunity.
Cold weather didn’t keep away the fish boil aficionados, however. More than 330 showed up for the first FitzGerald’s event two years ago, and more than 400 took part last year. And Hagen and Koyen are confident they’ll sell out the roughly 300 dinners (based on how much fish Koyen thinks he can catch) they’re serving up Feb. 4. Two separate boils are planned, beginning at 4:30 p.m., along with an evening of eclectic music. Attendees can come for the music only or the music and the meal.
Fish boil tickets must be purchased in advance at FitzGerald’s, 6615 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn, or on the FitzGerald’s website, www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
“We thought it would be fun to do something out of the ordinary in the winter,” said Hagen who had contacts at Fitzgerald’s.
Koyen said there’s an element of spectacle involved that’s helped boils become more popular.
“The show is a good part of the appeal,” he explained. “Especially the boil over, the finale, when you increase the heat under the kettle until all the impurities inside the kettle boil out over the edges. Then there’s a big puff of smoke and the boil over knocks the fire down to the point where you can grab the baskets of food and take them out.”
Hagen has played his share of fish boils, performing original songs as well as folk, country and rock covers. And he’ll be featured in the roster of performers playing on stage (and jamming in the side room) beginning at 4:45. An easy-listening mix of folk, country and light rock is scheduled through dinnertime, until 7:30, when the Island All-Star Band will pick up the tempo with a more rollicking mix of rock, country, blues and gospel.
“It’s going to be a real interesting mix of performers and that’s what’s going to make this more of a festival than just a big fun meal,” Hagen said.
Though Hagen and Koyen both emphasized that the event is meant, first and foremost, as a social event.
“Even though we’ll be switching to bands later in the evening, it won’t be anything you can’t talk over, sing with or dance to,” Hagen added. “It’s a chance for people to get together and socialize.”
Washington Island Fish Boil Festival
When: begins at 3:30 Feb. 4
Where: Fitzgerald’s Nightclub, 6615 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.
Tickets: $15 festival admission plus an additional $17 for the fish boil dinner or an additional $12 for the bratwurst dinner. Festival admission required when purchasing a dinner. Dinner tickets must be purchased in advance.
Contact: 708-788-2118; www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com
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