City announces return of concerts
Sterlingfest now Oktoberfest with acts by Plain White T’s, Lou Gramm, Asia
A number of signature events in Sterling Heights — such as Sterlingfest — will take a different look this year, but are still scheduled to be held, city officials announced Tuesday night.
City leaders said the familyfriendly package of mostly outdoor events and amenities are included in a package known as Break-Free Blast. All will be held based on current public health guidelines in response to the pandemic.
The Break-Free Blast is a reference to life in Sterling Heights hopefully returning to some sense of normalcy, according to Mayor Michael Taylor.
“With all of the cancellations last year, I know myself and our City Council challenged the administration to come up with a plan so that we can do something in the summer of 2021 responsibly, and do it in a way to give our residents something to look forward to,” he said at a press con
ference held at the city’s Community Center.
The biggest change in the events lineup this year is changing Sterlingfest, traditionally held at Dodge Park in late July, to Oktoberfest held in October. Officials are pushing it back in the calendar, hoping capacity restrictions will be lifted by then.
The three-day event is Macomb County’s largest free music festival will also include numerous food offerings and amusement rides, but no fireworks.
This year’s main event performers were supposed to headline the 2020 festival before it was cancelled.
The rock band Plain White T’s — best known for the 2005 hit “Hey There Delilah” — will entertain on Oct. 8. Lou Gramm, billed as the Original Voice of Foreigner, and Asia featuring John Payne will play Oct. 9. The scaled-back event includes six local favorite musical acts who will play the Beer Pavilion. The event will include a food truck rally with vendors offering a wide variety of taste treats.
Other Break-Free Blast events include:
• Memorial Day – City leaders will pay tribute to local veterans with a brief ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. on May 31 in front of City Hall including remarks from Sterling Heights elected officials and an unveiling of the newly renovated City Hall Memorial Garden. Following the ceremony, a multi-vehicle Memorial Day “cruise” in honor of local heroes along will take on an expanded route.
Sterling Heights pivoted from a Memorial Day Parade to a similar event to kick off the summer of 2020.
• Cultural Exchange – On June 18 at 6 p.m. Sterling Heights will celebrate the various cultures that make up the fabric of the community. This year’s event will be held under the Dodge Park Farmers Market and will feature several cultural performances from local groups, ethnic cuisine from a variety of food trucks and displays featuring the history and traditions of various cultures.
• Summer Thursdays – From May 27 to September 30, residents will have three opportunities for fun. From 3-8 p.m., the Dodge Park Farmers Market will offer fresh local produce, food trucks and more. Beginning at 5 p.m., Patios ‘n’ Pints across the street offers local craft brews in a casual atmosphere next to the Upton House Museum. Breweries will rotate each week, and additional beverages will also be available. At 7 p.m., the Music in the Park series returns with live, local music from multiple genres and eras at the Dodge Park Amphitheatre.
• National Night Out – On Aug. 3 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Sterling Heights police will be on hand to meet and greet residents. This event, planned for various communities across the country, is designed to strengthen relationships between law enforcers and their community.
National Night Out includes games, prizes, a chance to learn more about local public safety organizations and more.
• Sterling Frights takes place on Oct. 23 with a celebrations of the spirit of Halloween. Included are music, games, attractions, food and photo
opportunities, all designed around public health guidelines.
• A Sterling Christmas closes the year on Dec.
4. The event includes the city’s annual tree lighting highlighted by Santa’s arrival. There will be several
holiday activities for all ages.
In addition to scheduled signature events, officials said the Break-Free Blast includes multiple seasonal amenities offering the opportunity to walk/ run, skate, pedal, paddle or splash.
The Sterling Heights Splash Pad is scheduled to be open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Residents and visitors can canoe or kayak the Clinton River from April to October. The Sterling Heights ice rink is open early December to early March, and the city’s skate park and connected public trail system, including respite locations and bike repair stations, are open all year long.
Melanie Davis, the city’s community relations director, said plans are in place to “scale up or scale down” attendance limits, depending on health guidelines as dictated by the COVID-19 crisis. “People are very eager to end this isolation,” she said.
Members of the City Council joined City Manager Mark Vanderpool, police Chief Dale Dwojakowski, parks director Kyle Langlois and officials from the Sterling Heights Regional Chamber of Commerce in making the announcement.
“It’s been a long lockout,” the chief said. “I think we’ve all been virtualed out.”