BERKLEY, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Berkley Days festival will not return this summer, and the future of the long-running community event remains uncertain.
Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report:
The Berkley Days Association announced Thursday they "made the decision not to hold Berkley Days this year, but is planning for an exciting centennial celebration in 2026! Berkley Days has been run by a dedicated group of volunteers for nearly 100 years."
"I'm kind of disappointed, I thought that was a great tradition for kids," said Jim Sinclair.
Sinclair, who grew up attending Berkley Days, hopes to see the festival return.
"There's a lot of youngsters that are missing out, that was a great memory for me from elementary all the way up to junior high and high school, too," said Sinclair.
I reached out to the association for more information about why this year's festival was canceled, but did not receive a response.
Over the past few years, fights between minors have broken out at the festival, causing it to close early.
2024 Report: Fighting teens causing chaos have Berkley Days organizers evaluating its future
Local business owners expressed concern about the cancellation's impact on downtown foot traffic.
"We're sad to see how everything has transpired over the last couple of years," said Janine Braun, owner of the Artsy Umbrella in downtown Berkley.
She remains optimistic about collaboration between local organizations.
"We're confident too that the chamber of commerce and our DDA, along with our city planners and stuff... they involved the businesses, the businesses here are a very tight-knit kind of community," said Braun.
While Berkley Days won't happen this summer, Sterling Fest, an art and music fair in Sterling Heights, will take place during the last week of July with enhanced security measures.
David Allen, Acting Deputy Chief with the Sterling Heights Police Department, explained their approach to event safety.
"Last year was very, very successful. We implemented fencing around the carnival area, then we did a few other things with curfews for minors," said Allen.
The Sterling Heights event will also utilize AI-equipped cameras throughout the fairgrounds.
"Which is very beneficial not only if someone is causing a problem to identify that person in the crowd, but also for children who may get lost," said Allen.
Berkley residents are now looking ahead to what might replace their traditional community celebration.
"It should be I feel more focused on family and community," said Braun.
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