Metro | Published July 12, 2023
1. Festa Italiana
July 14-16 • Sterling Heights
Festa Italiana will celebrate Italian culture with food, music, contests, kids activities and more July 14-16 at Freedom Hill County Park, 14900 Metropolitan Parkway in Sterling Heights. Event hours are 5-11 p.m. July 14, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. July 15 and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. July 16. For more information, visit iaccm.net/events/festa-italiana.
2. Berkley Street Art Fest
July 15 • Berkley
The Berkley Street Art Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 15 on Coolidge Highway between Catalpa Drive and Beverly Boulevard. Attendees wanting to enter the chalk art contest can register for $30 for a team of up to four people, $25 for an adult and $15 for a child. There will also be a culinary arts corridor on Dorothea Road with more than 30 artisanal food vendors; the Shop for Good Village, which is a collection of recycled vintage vendors and ethically produced global products; and a kids activities area with a foam factory and bounce house. For more information, visit berkleystreetartfest.com.
Read the story: Colorful Street Art Fest back for 6th year in Berkley
3. Rochester’s Sidewalk Sales
July 13-15 • Rochester
Back for its 68th year, Rochester’s Sidewalk Sales will offer bargains galore and much more from downtown merchants from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 13-14 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 15 along Main Street and various side streets. Presenting sponsor Chief Financial Credit Union will host a fun activity in front of City Tavern, 423 Main St., while kids can enjoy a craft from noon to 3 p.m. in front of See Eyewear, 417 Main St. For a complete schedule of events, visit DowntownRochesterMI.com.
Read the story: Sidewalk Sales, Dancin’ in the Street, Explorers Club return
4. The Oddities & Curiosities Expo
July 15 • Novi
The Oddities and Curiosities Expo, with more than 150 vendors and artists, will return 10 a.m-6 p.m. July 15 at the Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave. in Novi. The event brings together unusual things such as taxidermy, preserved animal specimens, original horror and Halloween-inspired artwork, antiques, handcrafted oddities, skulls, bones and funeral collectibles. The show will also feature photo opportunities, tarot reading, sideshow performers and concessions. Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 at the door, and children 12 and under will be admitted for free. For an additional $7 per person or $5 in advance, attendees can enter the Oddities Museum, a 1,600-square-foot carnival sideshow reminiscent of big top attractions of the early 1900s. For more information, visit odditiesandcuriositiesexpo.com.
5. 'The SpongeBob Musical'
July 14-23 • Royal Oak
The Stagecrafters Youth Theatre presentation of “The SpongeBob Musical,” which tells the story of Bikini Bottom facing the destruction of its world and needing a hero to step up, will run July 14-23 at the Baldwin Theatre, 415 S. Lafayette Ave. in Royal Oak. The cast features members ages 8-18. Tickets cost $10 for youths and $15 for adults, with a $3 fee per ticket, and can be purchased at stagecrafters.org.
Read the story: Local production of ‘SpongeBob’ musical ready to laugh its way to stage
Bonus: Philippine Independence Day celebration
July 15 • Southfield
The Filipino American Community Council of Michigan is moving its kalayaan, or Philippine Independence Day celebration, to the Southfield Pavilion, 26000 Evergreen Road, after being housed at Halmich Park in Warren for more than 25 years. The free event, scheduled for 10 a.m.-8 p.m. July 15, will feature welcome remarks by the Filamcco president; a beauty pageant court and the winners; songs, dances and martial arts demonstrations; ethnic performances from Asian groups; a fashion walk; and gaming with competitions, karaoke and cosplay. For more information, visit facebook.com/FILAMCCO.
For more events, visit our Community Calendar at candgnews.com/calendar. To upload your own events for free, create an account at login.cityspark.com.