The Green Door in Beaver Bay, a North Shore staple since 1955, added another chapter to its history of memorable events on October 11, 2025, with its 4th Annual Herring Fry and Octobeerfest.
This fall celebration was first launched in 2022 by Baptism River Barbecue Co. and the Green Door’s former manager, Clayton Alborn of Silver Bay. Recognizing that the herring run happens in the fall, Alborn saw it as the perfect opportunity for an autumn counterpart to the traditional spring Smelt Fry, creating an event “to cap off the summer.”
Baptism River Barbecue Co. has been the culinary force behind the event since its beginning and continues to coordinate and host the celebration with the Green Door.
While the Smelt Fry uses a traditional recipe passed down through prior organizers, the Herring Fry is 100% Baptism River Barbecue Co.’s original North Shore fish fry recipe. They developed a distinct flavor profile: a crisp Hamm’s beer batter paired with a homemade tartar sauce packed with pickles, lemon, and dill, and served alongside freshly made coleslaw. Their goal is simple: to create the most delicious fried fish on the North Shore by combining the freshest possible catch with a perfect batter and a punchy sauce.
The fish couldn’t be more local or fresh. Clint and Leif Maxwell, a Beaver Bay fishing family, caught the 200 pounds of herring used for the event right in Beaver Bay on the morning of the celebration. The sheer volume of fish served over 300 hungry people!
The event is designed to be affordable for everyone. The all-you-can-eat fish fry ticket is priced at just $10, which covers the cost of food, supplies, and equipment. The financial goal of these events is to celebrate with the community and bring people together while celebrating the bounty of Lake Superior.
All proceeds from the $10 tickets are deposited into a dedicated Green Door Smelt Fry checking account. This fund is crucial for covering future event costs and purchasing equipment, a practice started by Baptism River Barbecue Co., which initially fronted all costs until the events became self-sustaining. The success of these gatherings relies entirely on volunteers who prepare and serve the fish, and Baptism River Barbecue Co. provides the use of their food trailer and cooking equipment free of charge.
Northshore Area Partners (NSAP) has held a meat raffle at the Octobeerfest for the past two years as a key fundraising effort. They also hosted a 50/50 raffle and a lottery ticket basket raffle. In a wonderful act of kindness, 50/50 winner David Varginia donated his winnings back to NSAP. NSAP often holds community events like bingo and meat raffles, offering a fun way for the public to support their essential services. Make sure to follow or stay up to date on NSAP’s events.
Guests enjoyed a great lineup of music throughout the day. The SouthPaws played various classic rock covers outside from 11 a.m. to around 3:30 p.m. Then Sam Hatch performed inside from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., playing original banjo and guitar songs alongside country covers.
The Green Door is keeping the fun going with its next big event: the first-ever Green Door Spooktacular Carnival! The carnival runs from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Halloween. Kids ages 1-10 can enjoy a pumpkin bouncy house and play a plethora of Halloween-themed carnival games for candy prizes. A decorated tent will provide a warm space, and there will be a hot cocoa and s’mores building station by the fire, along with complimentary popcorn. Baptism River BBQ Co. will also be on-site with a kid-friendly menu for purchase. The adult Halloween party kicks off later that night with Rev Limit starting at 8 p.m., playing ‘80s hair metal and hard rock! Stay tuned for more events by following their Facebook page at Green Door- Beaver Bay.
The annual Herring Fry/Octobeerfest and Smelt Fry are only possible because of the dedication of all the volunteers and sponsors. The Green Door extends its thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate and for Mother Nature’s perfect weather!
If you are interested in volunteering time, donating money, or sponsoring these events to keep the community celebrations thriving, please contact baptismriverbbq@gmail.com.
They hope to see everyone next year! Make sure to sign up for all the fun games. You don’t want to miss out. The minnow races were a blast!
