Wrestle the Lake

The 14th Annual Wrestle the Lake Poker Run will bring boaters to Lake Charlevoix on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, for a full day of recreational boating, poker hands, prizes and fundraising for the Charlevoix Wrestling Club.

The rain-or-shine event begins with registration and packet pickup from 9 to 10 a.m. at Ferry Beach Pavilion in Charlevoix. Participating boats are scheduled to launch at 10 a.m., giving crews the afternoon to cruise Lake Charlevoix and complete their poker hands.

All completed poker hands must be returned by 5 p.m. The event is organized as a recreational boating poker run rather than a race, with the winning results determined entirely by the cards collected during the day.

Boat registration is $85 and includes one poker hand, two event T-shirts and dinner for two adults. Participants who register after the Aug. 3 early-registration deadline will pay an additional $15 late-registration fee and may not receive the complimentary event shirts.

Additional poker hands may be purchased for $25 each, while extra T-shirts are available for $20. Additional meal tickets are $10, with children ages 12 and younger eating free.

One of the more distinctive features of the Lake Charlevoix event is its dinner service. Rather than requiring participants to leave the water for the meal, dinner will be served on the lake from the Burger Barge, allowing crews to remain part of the boating action throughout the day.

Cash prizes will be awarded for the top poker hands. The best hand wins $500, second place receives $250, and the event will also award $100 for the worst hand.

The annual Wrestle the Lake Poker Run benefits the Charlevoix Wrestling Club and combines a summer day on Lake Charlevoix with one of the community’s established boating fundraisers.