The fifth annual Sturgis BBQ Fest is slated for Saturday, September 30 in downtown Sturgis with 10 grill/pit masters scheduled to compete. Festivities will take place from noon to 7 p.m. along North and John Streets, and will include live music, several food vendors, kids activities, a beard contest, a corn hole tournament, and of course, live college football on the big screen.

An unprecedented local housing shortage in Sturgis has raised prices for homes and rent making it difficult for first-time home buyers to navigate the market successfully. John Carmichael, president of Root and Branch Real Estate LLC, hopes to fill this housing gap by developing a complex with 23 units, including studio, one bedroom, or two bedroom apartments.