ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI — The first-ever Pizza Palooza event in St. Clair Shores, organized by the Optimist Club, exceeded all expectations by attracting over 1,900 attendees and raising substantial funds for a local family.
Held on July 7, the event saw a surprising turnout despite concerns about holding it during the Fourth of July weekend. Bryan Owens, a member of the Optimist Club and the event coordinator, initially anticipated a modest crowd of 500 to 700 people.
“I thought we would have between 500 and 700 people show up, and we had that many people the first hour,” said Owens. “We ended up having 1,900 people show up and everyone was running out of pizza by 3:00.”
The event aimed to crown the best pizza in St. Clair Shores while also raising funds for stem cell therapy for 3-year-old William Kemp, who has autism. William’s therapy is expected to help him form sentences, significantly improving his quality of life.
Generous donations were a hallmark of the event. “Party Adventure donated some 700 plates, and at 1 p.m., I got a call from the front tent saying we were out of plates. They came through and brought over more plates for us right away,” Owens explained.
Attendees had the opportunity to vote for their favorite pizza, and a panel of judges conducted a blind taste test to determine the best pizzas in various categories. The results, announced at the July 15 City Council meeting, were as follows:
Best Round Pizza: Detroit Style Pizza Company
Best Gluten-Free Pizza: Detroit Style Pizza Company
Best Overall Pizza: Detroit Style Pizza Company
Best Square Pizza: Philly’s Original Cheesesteaks
People’s Choice: Ray’s Pizzeria
All winners received a commemorative pizza tray-style plaque, courtesy of Woods Trophies.
The event was a resounding success, raising $16,000 for the Optimist Club, with $9,000 specifically donated to the Kemp family for William’s treatment.
“William has autism and this therapy will allow him to be able to form sentences,” said Owens. “He is a fifth-generation St. Clair Shores resident, and we wanted to help him. That is what Pizza Palooza was all about.”
Thirteen local restaurants participated in the event, including Jets, Sorrento’s, Firehouse Pub, Gilbert’s, Bourbon Shores, and Ferlito’s. The enthusiastic participation from both the community and local businesses highlighted the strong spirit of support in St. Clair Shores.
St. Clair Shores Mayor Kip Walby expressed his gratitude to the Optimist Club for their efforts and commended the community for their unwavering support.
“The people of St. Clair Shores are just fantastic,” said Walby. “They always come, they always participate, they always give.”
With such overwhelming success, the Optimist Club’s inaugural Pizza Palooza not only showcased the best pizza in town but also reinforced the community’s commitment to supporting one another, making it a truly memorable event.