Here's everything you need to know about this year's Sturgis Fest
STURGIS - The annual Sturgis Fest returns to the Electric City June 20-24 with a host of activities, food and fun.
Tuesday, June 20
Sturgis Fest kicks off at 6 p.m. with a reservation-only dinner at the Sturges-Young Center for the Arts, celebrating the 2023 Sturgis citizens of the year - Debby Mathis and Ken Mills - and a keynote address by Carol Griffith. The evening will celebrate the 50th anniversary of integrating women's sports into Sturgis High School. Griffith is a retired Sturgis High School teacher and Hall of Fame coach.
Wednesday, June 21
Family Night includes free carnival-style rides, sponsored by the Sturgis Area Community Foundation and its Youth Advisory Council, from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Century Bank side parking lot next to the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce. Food will be offered for sale, with everything sold for $1 per item. A vintage baseball game between the Sturgis Biscuits and the Elkhart County Railroaders is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the AutoPark Ford lot next to the Sturgis Historical Museum Depot. A free movie - "The Sandlot" - will be shown directly after the game in the same lot.
Wine Night at the Free Church Park from 6 to 9 p.m. has a general admission price of $5 for those 21 and older. Michigan-made wins and locally brewed beer will be available for tasting. VIP tickets are $25 for bonus offerings and can be purchased at locations listed on the chamber of commerce Sturgis Fest page.
Thursday, June 22
Sturgis Bike Night is scheduled for 5 to 9:30 p.m., with classic rock music provided by the Jim Cummings Band. A "hog rolls ride" will start at 6 p.m. from Route 12 Harley-Davidson off White School Road and roll into downtown Sturgis. A cornhole tournament will be put on by the Sturgis Eagles with cash prizes.
Friday, June 23
Friday night Sturgis Fest events start at 5 p.m. with the annual downtown car cruise-in. The first 200 classic cars arriving will receive a dash plaque. The second Hispanic Heritage Celebration will take place in Free Church Park from 4 to 8 p.m. with live music for all ages. The evening will conclude with the annual Electric Night Parade through downtown Sturgis.
Saturday, June 24
Saturday's theme will focus on outdoor sports. The 3-on-3 “Electric City” basketball tournament will be held at Sturgis High School in both gyms starting at 10 a.m. The third annual American Volksporting Association Sanctioned Volksmarch 5K will begin at 10 a.m. at Sturgis High School and end at the American Legion. Participants may also complete a 10K walk by looping back to the school from the legion. The walk is free and participants may catch a ride on transportation provided if need be. No registration is required to participate.
The walk is in honor of Sturgis' sister city, Wiesloch, Germany.
The Dave Locey Youth Triathlon will take place beginning at 9 a.m. from the Sturgis Community Pool. The triathlon is a free event for kids of all ages.
The festival will end at dusk with the annual fireworks display set off from Kirsch Municipal Airport.
Sturgis Fest is a community driven event made possible in part due to the sponsorships of area businesses and organizations, including platinum sponsors Morgan Olson, Sturgis Bank and Trust, Puff Cannabis, the City of Sturgis, the Sturgis Area Community Foundation and its Youth Advisory Council. Platinum-level sponsors contribute $4,000 or more to the festival.
Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kari Hatt said she is thankful to be part of a community that works hard to provide events like Sturgis Fest.
“Sturgis Fest is a lot of work to organize, but I am so excited to see everyone enjoying all the awesome things that are made possible by our sponsors and volunteers," Hatt said. "We couldn’t make this happen without them. There is truly something for everyone throughout the week.”
For a complete list of events and offerings, visit sturgisfestmi.com.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Here's everything you need to know about this year's Sturgis Fest
