By Anelia K. Dimitrova
Ready, Set, Summer!
This is this year’s theme for Sturgis Falls 2025, which sounds just right.
In Cedar Falls, the kick off of the summer season means Sturgis Falls is here.
And so is the excitement of a fun-packed three-day festival, starting on Friday, June 27 through June 29.
It is the 49th edition of the annual town celebration, named after its first settler, William Sturgis.
Each year, the event brings thousands of visitors to town for a reason.
It is a homecoming for high school and UNI graduates who treasure precious memories of being together in their formative years.
It is also a great time for family reunions, the time when sons and daughters who had left town for a job and started a family elsewhere, reconnect with their roots.
And it is, without question, the summer highlight for town folk, who are great hosts and love music, food and community.
But in order for all this to happen, scores of volunteers have worked hard for months to make it a memorable experience.
There’s something for everyone at Sturgis Falls. There will be a lot to see and do, so pick as you go. Here is the full schedule.
Four locations – at Overman Park, Main Street Stage, River Place Plaza and Cedar Basin – will showcase local and national bands ranging from jazz to country to rock ‘n’ roll, among other genres.
Kids events throughout the festival will keep the children busy and engaged in activities, ranging from magical performances to chalk art, to Lego building. One of the most enjoyable will be the 30th Annual Children’s parade at 4:45 p.m. on Friday.
Saturday’s parade will be a sight to behold as it will feature the spirit of the town.
The parade will be headlined by Dennis Downs, the conductor of the Cedar Falls Municipal Band, in his role as the grand marshal. A quiet guy in his private life, he is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to advocating for the municipal band. His life accomplishments include being the main driver for the fundraising to build the Overman Park Band Shell.
On the parade route, you will also see UNI’s mascot panthers, TC and TK, who will serve as celebrity marshals.
The official host and hostess of Sturgis Falls, Scott and Sarah Gall, the owners of the Runner’s Flat, will also be there.
After the parade, be ready for adventures in terms of music performances and culinary choices all day Saturday.
An antique car show and an art fair will be among the highlights on Sunday.
Food and carnival rides will be available at Gateway Park.
Downtown bustles with energy to get things ready Friday
On Friday morning, I took a walk around 10:30 a.m. to see what the downtown looked like in anticipation of one of its biggest events.
Several other walkers were checking out the set-up as well.
Here’s what it looks like on the ground:
From the Cedar Falls Public Library headed toward the Cedar River, the streets are pedestrians only, so park advisedly. Here’s the parking and safety detail.
Washington Street will be the only through street, the city said.
During my walk on Friday, I first spotted Cedar Falls Police Lt. Gavin Carman, who had just finished putting orange cones across the street to make sure the message is clear–the streets are closed for traffic, but this area will serve as an emergency access point.
Further down the street, Jesse Armstrong, the owner of BigFoot Betty’s, at 419 Main Street, was setting up a tent for his food offerings during Sturgis.
More preparations were under way, with tables and benches positioned on the street, so guests can sample food offerings and drinks from the food establishments during the festival.
All business owners in the downtown area are excited to welcome regulars and newcomers during Sturgis.
In anticipation of a busy festival, streets are colorfully adorned with the usual baskets and flower pots which make the downtown unique, but for the celebration, you would also find blue and pink trash cans and containers for plastics, where you should discard your trash accordingly.
The busiest space on Friday morning was around Second Street, where the Main Stage was coming together.
It is impressively robust, and oversized cases with music equipment were waiting to be positioned on it.
Along with the crews that worked on the setup of the stage were also a number of local volunteers.
Among them were Mitch Blanshan and Neal White, who helped organize the music acts.
This was Mitch and Neal’s first year volunteering at the festival, and they brimmed with enthusiasm.
“We have a lot of people who know what they are doing, so we are able to pitch in,” Mitch joked.
