Here’s what you should know about Ash Wednesday, Lent season
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the period of Lent. They’re two of the most important liturgical events for Christians and help prepare them for Easter.
A popular spot in Clawson for Lenten fish fry will not happen this year.The fish fry from the Clawson Knights of Columbus for more than three decades will not take place in 2025.
Another popular metro Detroit place noted for its Friday Lenten fish fry will idle its fryers this season.
Fish dipped in batter will not be sizzling at Clawson’s Knights of Columbus No. 4188 on North Main Street in Clawson.
A message on the organization’s website states, “Our hall is in the process of being sold” followed by “no fish fry for Lent 2025.”
For more than three decades, the Clawson Knights of Columbus offered the fish fry each Friday during Lent. Run by Council members and volunteers, the fish fry was known for its buffet, being reasonably priced and attended by hundreds. Battered and fried fish, a baked fish option plus crab cakes were the main dishes.
But it was other items, too, that made this fish fry a huge draw.
“It was the variety and quantity of food you got,” said Terry Clayton, grand knight of the Knights of Columbus post No. 4188. “Ours was a buffet and what made ours so different was we offered a wide variety of foods, between the fish, crab cakes, mac and cheese, vegetables, French fries, cole slaw, dessert, and soft drinks and coffee.”
And all that variety paired with a buffet drew big crowds.
“We would usually get between 400-500 people on the seventh Friday during Lent,” Clayton said.
Serving hundreds of people on Fridays during Lent was also typical for Sweetest Heart of Mary Church in Detroit.
But last week, the church stunned fish fry followers with the news its popular fish fry would scale back for this 2025 Lenten season. The church’s fish fry featuring beer-battered cod plus other fish options, shrimp, and pierogi dinners, typically started on Ash Wednesday and happened every Friday during Lent.
Instead, the church will offer one fish fry dinner special event. Taking place on 5-7 p.m. on March 21 at the parish hall will be a buffet-style dinner with fried cod, grilled shrimp, pierogi, baked potato, mac and cheese, coleslaw and dessert. Tickets are $25 per person purchased in advance at givebutter.com/shmseafood.
Sweetest Heart of Mary’s fish fry is one of the church’s key fundraisers. Others are its annual pierogi festival, monthly dinners in the parish hall, and weddings.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.