Submitted by Don Sovey
(Photos by TCJ Staff)
Since we moved here 45 years ago our family has seen many great improvements in the city and surrounding townships. It is a great place to work and raise a family. Our children attended Charlotte Public Schools from Kindergarten to graduation and are now doing very well.
Charlotte has grown in its attractiveness as a destination and now is a very welcoming community for young families. It has added many assets, activities, and attractions that positively affect the quality of life.
When I tell nonresidents that this city now hosts 27 festivals it is hard for them to comprehend that possibility. It is true, and the volunteer group called Festival Alliance has been monitoring the festival growth for over five years now. Survey data shows that the festivals may attract as many as 200,000 people to Charlotte.
Festival Alliance is an informal group of volunteers that meets monthly to discuss the current status of festivals and provide communication and assistance where needed.
Following the development of the community’s first Community Strategic Plan in 1998, the City of Charlotte and a group of interested citizens worked with an outside adviser called HyettPalma to develop a Charlotte Downtown Blueprint. They advised that a “signature event” should be developed. “Such events are a typical part of community life in small and large cities alike. They serve to advertise downtown to eventgoers in the hopes that they will return as customers in the days, weeks, or even months after the event. Therefore, one signature annual event that is held solely in downtown Charlotte should be created,” the report said.
As a result of this idea, Celebrate Charlotte Festival was born shortly thereafter. This festival continues to grow and is going strong today, now called Charlotte Celebrates. It is the most recognized festival following Frontier Days and Eaton County Fair in our community. Following the end of the pandemic, Michigan Nordic Fire Festival has grown significantly and now attracts an attendance of 14,000, many from outside the community.
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce Director Courtney Mead said, “Hosting 27 festivals helps us tell why Charlotte is a great place to live and why it is a great place to visit.”
“With the festivals, we continually see new people experiencing Charlotte and they provide great activities for residents. The festivals also promote businesses including the slow parts of the year. Most festivals are very affordable to attend,” said Bryan Myrkle, City of Charlotte Economic Development Director.
Statistics show that the majority of festival attendees are in the age range of 25 to 35. This is apparent if you attend Michigan Nordic Fire Festival, now hosted at Eaton County Fair Grounds in February of each year. Many travel from other cities and states to attend the festival. This festival utilizes about 500 volunteers to help host the event.
Business owner of KISSolutions, LLC, and Festival Alliance member Tammey Wine said the festivals are about economic vitality for Charlotte. “Charlotte is now a destination for many reasons. The festivals also provide networking opportunities for businesses to get to know each other through working with the people that help put on the events. We are always looking for ways to highlight business and we know that restaurants and motels are full during the festivals,” Tammey said.
One 2001 Charlotte High School graduate said that Charlotte has become very cool now. He attributes this to the mix of great restaurants, the development of Crandell Lake and the surrounding Rotary Trail, and the fact that Charlotte has 27 festivals.
As a resident, one of my observations on the reason for festival development is that three organizations have worked closely together to make Charlotte a welcoming place. The organizations are CharlotteRising, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Charlotte. They have all worked toward a common goal of making Charlotte a better place.
Annie Williams, CharlotteRising Director, said “the festivals provide additional traction for businesses. The festivals create a sense of community and greater comradery, even in neighborhoods where we can see there is more being done together.”
The festival listing by month is:
January – Wine Walk
February – Michigan Nordic Fire Festival
March – Pub Crawl
April – Eaton County Expo; Maker’s Fest
May – Spinsanity Flow Down; Memorial Day Parade
June – Concerts on the Square (Charlotte Chamber) – June through August; Summer on the Commons (First Congregational Church Commons – June through September; Magical Realm Fantasy Faire; Charlotte Celebrates; Arts Night Out; Charlotte Bluegrass Festival; Rotary Beach Block Party (2024)
July – Eaton County Fair
August – Taste of Eaton County; Pig Palooza; Mid-Michigan Gospel Festival
September – Festival of Oddities; Ghost Hunt/Haunted Courthouse; Frontier Days; Charlotte Acoustic Festival
October – Fall Fest / Cider Stroll; Halloween Parade
November – Lighted Holiday Parage; Festival of Trees
December – Char-Lights
