It helps that Mark Molnar not only speaks loudly, but has something to say.
With a booming voice that commands attention and lung capacity on his side, the cityÂ’s town crier bellowed to bronze in a North American mouthpiece showdown this weekend.
Molnar regaled judges with three cries about hometown St. Catharines, host city Annapolis, Md., and William, Penn.
“They like a bit of humour in a cry. They like it interesting,” Molnar said Monday, explaining how judges work.
“I try to liven it up a bit. I try to put some life into what I say, and I think that works for me.”
The North American Town Crier Competition saw 24 orators from B.C. to Bermuda pitch their pipes.
Competitors had to submit in writing three cries between 100 and 125 words prior to the competition. One of the five judges read along during their performances, giving penalty points if a word was mispronounced or skipped.
Town criers were also judged on their entrances and exits, content of the cries and clarity and volume, which Molnar said he rarely has a problem achieving.
“Some of the guys, by the second cry they were hoarse. As soon as that happens, you’re in trouble,” said Molnar, who warms up his voice before events.
All competitors had to be officially appointed by a municipality and be members of a guild. The majority were from Ontario, which has the largest population of town criers.
In Niagara alone, there are official town criers in Thorold, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls, Port Colborne and Welland, while the Town of Lincoln is also covered by Molnar.
OntarioÂ’s criers are of a high quality, with Port Perry and Kingston representatives taking the top two spots. The provinceÂ’s competition, in which Molnar will be taking part, is held in June.
Molnar seemed born to use his chops. In the early Â’80s, while in the navy, he stumbled upon the first town crier world championships taking place in Halifax.
“I turned to the person beside me and said, ‘I could do that,’ ” he recalled. The Halifax town crier overheard him and invited Molnar onstage, where he managed to call out with the best of them.
Years later, at a charity event in Port Dalhousie, Molnar noticed the crier was from out of town.
After learning the official St. Catharines crier had moved to Korea five years earlier, Molnar asked the city to appoint him to the job.
A crier contest was held in 2004, and Molnar won.
Since then, heÂ’s been a frequent guest of the Niagara Wine Festival, Santa Claus parade and Canada Day events, among dozens of other public and private occasions, much to his delight.
It seems the shiny pewter plaque from the North American competition is icing on the cake.
“What other job do you get to dress up funny and yell at people,” he asks, “and they can’t yell back?”
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This article and photo originally appeared in the St. Catherines Standard 
David McKee, a town crier since 1991 in Brantford, Ontario, performs in the North American Town Crier Championships at the Annapolis City Dock.
