STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Sterlingfest in Sterling Heights kicks off this Thursday with increased safety protocols to help prevent brawls seen at other festivals this summer including at Berkley Days and Marysville Summerfest.
This year, Berkley Days had to close early Saturday after a massive brawl broke out. They faced a similar situation in 2023 and are reconsidering plans for 2025.
Last year, three people were arrested after a series of fights broke out in Dearborn Heights. Police also closed Marysville Summerfest early this year due to fights, and a similar situation also happened in Center Line.
Previous report: Teenage fights for a second year in a row have Berkley Days festival organizers evaluating event in 2025
This had the city of Sterling Heights on alert as they prepared for Sterlingfest 2024, a festival that's expected to bring in over 150,000 people.
"We heard that there were other festivals that had some issues with fighting, so we wanted to make sure we were proactive," Melanie Davis with the city of Sterling Heights said.
The Sterling Heights Police Department told 7 News Detroit that this year, the carnival area will be fenced off, masks will not be allowed in the carnival area and after 8 p.m. each day, children 17 and younger will have to be accompanied by someone over the age of 25 if they don’t have a purchased ticket or wristband.
The department has also reached out to other police agencies involved in some of the previous brawls this year to get tips and advice.
“We are aware that there are fights out there at other carnivals that have shut them down, so myself and my team reached out to other departments to see what happened and what we can do to curtail that," Sterling Heights Police Lt. Aaron Susalla said.
They also have cameras that will be observing the festival and have added patrols, not just to prevent violence but to also help parents who may lose a child. The department also recommends parents take a picture of their child before heading to the festival, so they can be easily identified if lost.
The added protections make residents planning to attend the festival and those who live near it feel better about the entire experience.
"I think it’s worth it just to protect people, so we don’t have any incidents," Sterling Heights resident Fred Torongo said. “This has become quite the festival.”
Sterlingfest runs from July 25 through July 27. There are four stages of live music and a drone show is happening at 9:30 p.m. Thursday. You can find more information on tickets and times on the city's website.
