The week of the 4th of July in southwest Michigan usually means cookouts, festivals, and fireworks.
And, while some events have been cancelled out of an abundance of pandemic-related caution, some will still be taking place as planned, albeit with social-distancing measures in place. A few are not cancelled but scheduled tentatively only.
Watershed Voice has called and Googled around the greater St. Joseph County area to bring you a list of what is and is not taking place on and around Independence Day. We’ve also found updates on other popular summer events in the area.
Please note that as pandemic conditions and weather can affect these events, they are subject to change. We have provided websites for each event and recommend watching them for the latest developments.
FIREWORKS AND SUMMER EVENTS HAPPENING NEAR YOU
Constantine: The Village of Constantine will be holding its fireworks display on the 4th of July, but the parade is cancelled. The fireworks display will take place at dusk at Fibre Converters Park, which is located at the corner of Meadow Lane and South Washington Street in Constantine. Personnel will be on hand to collect from vehicles the optional donations that help fund the display. Watch constantinemi.com for any developments.
Corey Lake: The Corey Lake Association will hold its annual fireworks show on Friday, July 3, 2020 at dusk, or roughly from 9:30 to 10:30 pm. Public property on and near the lake is limited; the lake’s public access is on County Line Road. The lake can also be accessed via Corey Lake Road and Coon Hollow Road. The Association’s annual Corey Lake Garage Sale will also take place as scheduled on August 1. Both activities can be subject to change based on pandemic developments. Watch coreylake.com for the latest information.
St. Joseph County Grange Fair: The Grange Fair at the fairgrounds on M-66 in Centreville will proceed at planned during the week of September 20-26. Activities are still being planned. Check with the fair’s website, centrevillefair.com, for the latest additions, changes, or cancellations. According to the website’s calendar, other events scheduled at the fairgrounds through the summer are mixed, with some cancelled and some proceeding.
Sturgis: A fireworks display is scheduled at dusk for the night of Thursday, July 2 at the Kirsch Municipal Airport, 1 Airport Road in Sturgis. Watch the City of Sturgis Facebook page for the latest information, or for more details, contact Julie Burkey at 269-659-7223 or [email protected].
Union City: Residents of eastern St. Joseph County can also head to this Branch County village for its fireworks display. According to a June 10 report on wtvbam.com, the event is scheduled to take place as planned at dusk on Friday, July 3 at the Union City High School Alumni Field, 430 West St. Joseph Street. The Union City Rotary Club stages the display. There will be COVID-19 restrictions in place, including closure of the concession stand and restrooms as well as cancellation of field games. The High School and Middle School parking lots will open at 9:00 pm. Attendees are asked to social distance and wear masks when required. There will be donation containers at the event to help fund the display. For the latest updates, the Facebook event page is Fourth of July Fireworks Union City.
TENTATIVELY POSSIBLE
Colon: Colon’s 4th of July fireworks and parade are cancelled. However, Sparkle Fireworks, Inc., the nonprofit that fundraises for and stages the village’s fireworks, may be setting up an alternative venue in the township outside Colon village limits. The event still has logistical hurdles to overcome, and so it may or may not happen. Organizers recommend watching the Colon Activities Facebook page for any developments.
Three Rivers: The Three Rivers Water Festival, which is sponsored by the Three Rivers Are Chamber of Commerce and normally takes place in mid-June, did not occur this year due to pandemic restrictions. However, some other summer events in Three Rivers may still happen. The Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority (TRDDA) has two events scheduled for later in the summer. Sass in the City is postponed to a date to be determined, pending further developments and planning. The event has its own Facebook page.
Three Rivers HarmonyFest, which occurs in the afternoon and evening the Sunday of Labor Day weekend in September, is tentatively planned to proceed on North Main Street in downtown Three Rivers, but with reduced attendance and social distancing measures in place. Any changes in the state’s COVID-19 restrictions could impact whether then event proceeds. If the tentative plan becomes final, TRDDA will make an announcement and set up a GoFundMe page to start fundraising. See the HarmonyFest Facebook page, downtownthreerivers.com, or the Downtown Three Rivers Facebook page for developments.
SUBSTITUTE EVENTS & CANCELLATIONS
Centreville: Centreville’s annual Covered Bridge Days will not take place as scheduled on July 17-18, according to the event’s Facebook page. Instead, event organizers will partner with the Centreville Downtown Development Authority to enhance this year’s Christmas in Centreville, incorporating some Covered Bridge Days features into that event.
Mendon: We first reported that Mendon Riverfest was still planned to occur on August 13-15, because the event’s website, mendonriverfest.com. is still active as of the date of this article. However, Watershed Voice has learned that this event is cancelled for the first time in its 33-year history.
Schoolcraft: The Village of Schoolcraft has cancelled its annual 4th of July Celebration at the Schoolcraft High School grounds, but it is promoting a special “Light Up Schoolcraft” event on Sunday, July 5th in appreciation of first responders who have put their lives on the line during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Village has asked residents to turn on their porch lights or display some other form of light in front of their homes at 9:45 pm. In a press release, the village said, “Let’s join together to show our appreciation to all of these brave women and men.” Watch villageofschoolcraft.com for the latest information.
Sturgis: Sturgis Fest 2020, originally scheduled for August 17, is cancelled.
White Pigeon: White Pigeon Days is cancelled. The two-day annual event, which features food, vendors, fireworks, and a parade, was previously scheduled for this year on July 10-11.
This article has been edited since it was first published. We learned that Mendon Riverfest is cancelled soon after publication, and updated its entry and moved it under the cancellations heading to reflect this.
Dave Vago is a staff writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.
