HOUGHTON -- This year the Houghton Rotary Club guarantees some tasty dishes for their 5th Annual Seafood Fest Gala.  

With over 14 dishes and an American seafood theme, Chef Eric Karvonen is in the kitchen preparing for the sold out event.

“We’re really pleased with this year’s gala. It happens to fall on Flag Day, so I decided to do an American original feast of everything from the Pacific Northwest all the way across this great country of ours. We’re going to do some actual Northwest-style fire roasted salmon, we’re doing some soft-shelled crabs, and we’re also doing some Florida grouper,” said Certified Executive Chef Eric Karvonen.

Seafood Fest is Houghton Rotary’s largest fundraiser of the year.

“We’ve raised over $400,000 that has gone back into the community, and through the sale of seafood, it’s a great weekend event. The gala dinner is a very nice meal underneath the tents down at the park, so it’s got the atmosphere of the outdoors and a great specialty meal of seafood,” said Seafood Fest Chair Dallas Bond.

During the taste test, Houghton Rotary also took the time to honor nine different first responders from around the area. Each first responder went home with a certificate of thanks for their services.

This will be the 27th year for the Rotary’s Seafood Fest and it all starts June 15.