Lakefest and the Logan Martin Charity Association donated an accumulative $37,500 to local organizations. According to director Justin Hogeland, the foundation was designed to showcase the lake and donate to local charities in the community.

2022 Lakefest took place May 20-22 and is promoted as the largest in-water boat show in the southeast.

Donations were made to Ragland high school, Pell City Police Foundation, Pell City Fire Department, Logan Martin Lake Protection Association, Sylacauga soccer team, LMLPA, heart of Pell City, Pell City High School basketball, Lakeside Hospice, Pell City cheerleaders and others.

The Charity foundation also has $10,000 set aside for the parks and recreation department to buy resources for upcoming projects.

“We’re honored to help them out anyway we can,” said Hogeland.

Hogeland said Lakefest did well financially this year: T-shirt sales, vendors and parking all contribute to the sales, but the main income come from sponsorships.

America’s First Federal Credit Union was the presenting sponsor of the event.

“Without them, Lakefest would not be possible,” said Hogeland.

As directors and co-owners, Eric Housh and Hogeland have spent the past four years trying to maximize the amount of money that they’re able to give to the community each year.

Hogeland said he was brought in roughly 10 years ago when the event was barely breaking even and unable to contribute to local charities. Now, the event is breaking even and giving back to the community more than ever. The grand total of money donated is $357,000.

Hogeland hopes within the next two years the event will hit half a million dollars in total donated to the community.

The team is already gearing up for Lakefest 2023.

“We have a lot of big changes coming next year and we’re very excited about it.”

Some of those additions have not been announced, but there will be more boat vendors next year. Hogeland said the larger the event is, the more they’re able to give back to the community.

He said a lot of his own personal passion for Lakefest comes from the happiness to be able to give money to the local sports teams because the price of equipment has risen so much over the years.

He also said he sees the difference their contributions to the LMPLA make, and it makes him smile to be out on the lake and see contributions that were made possible due to Lakefest.

Within the past year the foundation has donated to the LMLPA to buy light up buoys to increase water safety.

“It’s nice to be able to give back to them to help them buy supplies to put into Lake Logan Martin,” Hogeland.

More information and updates about Lakefest 2023 can be found on its Facebook page.