Dowagiac Summer Festival and Barbecue Competition Coming This Weekend
Published at 11:52 a.m. on Monday, July 15, 2024
- Now in its 38th year, the Dowagiac Summer Festival returns to downtown Dowagiac on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20. (Leader File)
DOWAGIAC — The sound of sizzling meats and the smell of smoky flavors will waft through downtown Dowagiac this weekend.
The Dowagiac Summer Festival, now in its 38th year, returns to downtown Dowagiac on Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20, with the second annual barbecue contest. The festival is one of many seasonal events hosted by the Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce.
The festival kicks off Friday at noon. Front Street will be closed to traffic in the central business district and lined with vendors, sidewalks, food trucks and activities. A pop-up splash pad with several splash pads will offer kids a chance to cool off from noon to 7 p.m.; families should consider bringing swimsuits and towels.
Steve’s Run, hosted by Southwestern Michigan College, will begin Friday at 6 p.m. The race will once again start and finish in downtown Dowagiac with proceeds going to cancer research and student scholarships. Steve’s Run includes a 5K run/walk, a 10K run/walk and a family fun run.
Following the race, Oak + Ash BBQ will host a party featuring the Black River Band from South Haven, Michigan from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., where runners, spectators, and festival-goers will be invited to enjoy a cold beverage, barbecue, and dance. Admission is free for adults, and race participants are asked to pay $5.
The festival continues Saturday. The carnival rides and bouncy castles, as well as the pop-up splash pad and a climbing wall are open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., along with “Dunk a Hero” sponsored by the Dowagiac Police Department.
The second annual barbecue competition, hosted by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, will also take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature 26 teams competing for the Grand Reserve trophy and will be held in the Slope parking lot, with a DJ spinning summer tunes and announcing the competition. Festival attendees won’t be able to sample the backyard barbecues, but plenty of food trucks and restaurants will be offering delicious meats and treats.
Miss Michele & Co. Dance Studio and Green Dance Academy will be performing from 1pm to 3pm at the corner of Commercial and Front Streets.
For the full schedule, visit DowagiacChamber.com or Dowagiac Chamber on Facebook.
The event is sponsored by Lyons Industries, ReLeaf Center of Dowagiac, Southwestern Michigan College, Sturgis Bank – Niles Branch, Midwest Energy & Communications, Padnos Dowagiac Recycling Center, Meridian Title, Xfinity and D.MottL Realty.
