Annual Dowagiac Summer Festival sets attendance record

Published 2:17 pm Monday, July 22, 2024

By Max Harden

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DOWAGIAC — Dowagiac’s annual summer festival returned this weekend in historic fashion.

The Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Dowagiac Summer Festival and BBQ Competition Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 in downtown Dowagiac. Festivities took place both Friday and Saturday. Front Street was closed in the central business district to vehicle traffic as a record-setting 4,500 people explored vendors, sidewalk walk sales, food trucks and activities.  

“The Dowagiac Summer Festival and BBQ Competition was a huge success,” said Dowagiac Chamber Marketing and Event Coordinator Matt Money. “There was fun had by all ages. The new pop up splash pad was a hit and we are so excited to make it bigger and better next year.  We had more than 80 vendors on Front Street, 350 Steve’s Run participants, 26 teams participating in the BBQ competition and 26 judges traveled from all over the nation to join us in Dowagiac. Oak+Ash hosted a great evening of live music, BBQ and beer on Friday night.”

Friday night, hundreds of runners gathered for the annual Steve’s Run 5K. Families browsed summer sales at retail specialty shops, and the booths of artisans, community organizations and commercial vendors.

The barbeque competition, featuring chicken and pork rib categories, took place Saturday in the Slope’s parking lot. While shopping local vendors and storefronts, guests were able to both see and smell the contestants in action. The competition was fierce, with KCBS-certified BBQ judges judging the meats based on KCBS standards. When the dust settled, Brian Calhoun of Weez’s Groovin’ BBQ of Grace Lake, Ill. took home Grand Champion honors.

Money said the chamber has already begun brainstorming how it can make the festival even better next year, including adding a people’s choice category.

The event was sponsor-driven through the support of 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.

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