STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – One of Metro Detroit’s biggest summer festivals is back this weekend in Sterling Heights, and it has a pretty unique story.
In 1983, the Sterling Heights Parks and Rec Department had a simple idea: a three-day outdoor party in Dodge Park. They called it Solid Gold Summerfest. Back then, evening concerts, dance parties, and hot-air balloon liftoffs — that was it.
But people loved it, so it grew and grew and grew.
By 1991, they added an arts and crafts fair. The name eventually changed to Sterlingfest — and today it is one of the biggest community festivals in Michigan: 120 thousand people over three days.
So what is there to do? A lot.
A juried art show, carnival rides, kids’ activities, restaurant row, A 5K run, live sculptures by Michigan artists, and of course, live music on multiple stages.
The venue has even expanded beyond Dodge Park, now including the Sterling Heights Civic Center and the historic Upton House.
Sterling Heights Assistant City Manager Dale Dwojakowski and Stacy Ziarko, President and CEO of Connect Macomb, joined Local 4 Live to help us navigate everything this year.
You can watch the full interview in the video at the beginning of this article.