At the end of July, Sterling Heights comes alive with Sterlingfest, the city’s 3-day festival in Dodge Park is always a good time.

One of Metro Detroit’s favorite summer festivals is back! Sterlingfest Art & Music Fair returns to Dodge Park in Sterling Heights from Thursday, July 23 through Saturday, July 25, 2026, bringing three days of FREE family fun with live entertainment, carnival rides, hands-on kids activities, delicious food and one of Michigan’s largest art fairs.

Whether you’re planning a family outing during the day or a summer date night with free concerts, Sterlingfest offers something for every age.

Sterlingfest 2026 Details

  • Dates: July 23-25, 2026
  • Location: Dodge Park & Sterling Heights City Center – 40555 Utica Road, Sterling Heights
  • Admission: FREE; Midway wristbands are $24 to $38
  • Festival Hours: 10am to 11pm daily
  • Parking: Free on-site/walkable parking is available at the locations listed below, and details about shuttle service can be found here.
    • Stevenson High School, 39701 Dodge Park Rd.
    • Metro Church of Christ, 40100 Dodge Park Rd. (across from City Center)
    • Grass Lot at the NW corner of 18 Mile Road and Utica Road

Family Fun at Sterlingfest

Sterlingfest combines everything families love about summer into one weekend. Kids can enjoy live entertainment and carnival rides while parents browse the juried art fair, grab dinner from local food vendors and stick around for free evening concerts. Best of all, admission is completely free, making it one of the best budget-friendly family events of the summer. Highlights include:

New This Year

Sterlingfest returns with traditional favorites and a few changes.

  • Sterlingfest Art Fair: Open daily from 10am to 8pm during all three days of the festival. This year, the Art Fair is relocating to the Dodge Park parking lot, swapping locations with the Midway carnival. 
  • Sterlingfest Midway: The Midway is moving to a new location this year and will be located in the parking lots in front of the Sterling Heights Public Library and Police Department. For everyone’s safety, the carnival will have one designated entry point and one designated exit point. After 8pm, guests age 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult age 25 or older in the carnival area. Masks are not permitted.
  • Local Author Book Sale: The Local Author Book Sale will not return to Sterlingfest this year. Instead, residents and visitors are invited to explore the library’s Authors & Artists Sale during Dodge Park Thursdays on July 16 and Aug. 20.

Photo credit: Sterlingfest, Facebook