The Sterling Community Center will celebrate the first week of spring with the first annual Spring Festival Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sterling Foundation chairman Kevin Chroninger described the event as a "scaled-down version" of Sterling Fest, Sterling Community Center’s annual fall celebration. The Spring Festival will provide local business owners an opportunity to introduce and sell their goods to the community. The event includes food, small businesses and handmade craft vendors. There will also be children's games and prizes outside.
Last year’s fall festival was negatively impacted by the rain. Although the festival was not canceled, outside vendors did not receive as much business as they anticipated. As a result, Sterling Community Center manager Sky Dantinne felt compelled to offer local businesses another opportunity to showcase their work in the spring.
Dantinne is excited about the "festival for all ages."
The community center will host 50 vendors, as well as entertainment and carnival rides.
"We have a mixture of vendors, from craft vendors, to businesses, to nonprofits," Dantinne said. "Food vendors will serve local yummy treats outside."
Family entertainment will be provided on the outdoor stage. Puppeteers will perform at 12:30 p.m. A local folk band, October Skies, will take the stage at 2 p.m.
Carnival rides, including a moon bounce, will be located in the Sterling Community Center parking lot. There will also be a library book sale.
Admission is free. Proceeds go to the Sterling Community Center advisory board and the Sterling Foundation.
"We want to give back to the community and this is how we do it. A big blow-out event to celebrate Sterling," Dantinne said.