Motorcycle ride through The Weirs, drive-in movies, fireworks part of celebration of Laconia legend Charlie St. Clair's life

LACONIA — Charlie St. Clair was a larger-than-life figurehead of the Lakes Region community, and it is only fitting an entire day of events involving things he loved is scheduled to remember the late Laconia Motorcycle Week executive director.

St. Clair, 76, died on Aug. 22, from injuries following a motorcycle accident on Aug. 4, in Avon, Ohio.

He was embarking on his 50th trip to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, when a tire malfunction caused him to crash his motorcycle on Interstate 90 West. St. Clair was sent to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, and later died of heart failure.

Cynthia Makris, St. Clair’s cousin and president of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association, said they needed to figure out how to get his remains back to the city. Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home was tasked to bring St. Clair's body home, and his body arrived last week.

His death has been a shock to the Lakes Region, and the state, as St. Clair was a man whose reach saw no bounds. St. Clair not only led Laconia Motorcycle Week, but he was Sachem, graduating in 1969, from Laconia High School, a state representative of seven years, Laconia Planning Board chair, and former interim mayor.

St. Clair was owner of the Laconia Antique Center downtown, and was a proponent of just about all things Laconia. Loved ones who spoke about St. Clair all said he was proud of his home city, and the motorcycle rally he passionately organized each year helped put Laconia on the map.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home.

Charlie’s last ride through Weirs Beach will be Thursday, Sept. 10. Staging for motorcycles and cars will be at Opechee Park starting at 8 a.m., and the ride will leave at 9:15 a.m. It will end at Union Cemetery, at the Academy Street entrance, and he will be laid to rest at his family’s plot at 11 a.m.

A celebration of life will follow at The NASWA Resort at The Weirs. Attendees are asked to use parking all throughout Weirs Beach, as a large crowd is expected.

Later in the evening, the Weirs Drive-In Theater will pay tribute to St. Clair with showings of “The World’s Fastest Indian” and “Turbo.” Cindi Baldi, the daughter of Pat Baldi who owns the Weirs Drive-In, said the two movies were chosen specifically in St. Clair's memory.

“The World’s Fastest Indian” is about an unconventional man who rebuilds motorcycles, travels around New Zealand, and touches the lives of people along the way. “Turbo” is a kids’ movie about a snail who has dreams of being a race competitor, and beats all odds to race in the Indy 500.

“I felt like Charlie definitely tilted some windmills, and did things people thought were impossible, but pulled them off,” Baldi said.

Baldi knew St. Clair well, as the drive-in hosted many events for Motorcycle Week. St. Clair was a “man who brought people together,” and Baldi wanted to honor that notion.

“He was such a huge supporter to The Weirs and loved the drive-in,” she said. “We’re going to miss him tremendously. Charlie loved this community, and always pushed for things to happen, so we thought we’d love to have a night open to the community to celebrate him.”

The event is free and open to the public, and people can show up and set up anytime during the day. The concession stand will not be open, because Baldi didn’t want any profit being made off the event, so she said people should bring their own snacks to enjoy.

There are basketball hoops onsite, so anyone who shows up early can bring a basketball to shoot around. There are also pool tables, foosball, cornhole and other games. Others can bring blankets and lawn chairs to get comfortable for the movies. People will be able to walk in and out as they please, with easy access to Weirs Beach.

Baldi asks that anyone attending arrive to the drive-in by 7 p.m. The movies will begin at 7:30 p.m., and finish up in time for the fireworks at Weirs Beach, starting at 10 p.m.

By many accounts, St. Clair loved fireworks. He spent many years as a pyrotechnic, setting off fireworks at events throughout the Lakes Region, including at Gilford Old Home Day. The display will serve as a final tribute to the beloved Lakes Region icon.

Jenn Anderson, who is St. Clair’s best friend and deputy director of Laconia Motorcycle Week, has been responsible for handling arrangements following his death. That includes tending to finances, funeral arrangements and making sure his body got back home to Laconia.

A crowdfunding campaign she set up has already raised more than $26,000 toward a $30,000 goal, which will be used for funeral and burial expenses, as well as St. Clair's financial obligations and unexpected costs following his death. For details, visit gofund.me/a9bdfa579.