Amazing to say the least. So much to say about this town and the friendliness of the people. It’s in my DNA. All of my grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins and childhood memories remain here, many have passed way. I was born and raised here and still consider it home, though I have been gone since 1977. We go back every year for Sturgis Falls.

In the 1980's and '90's, Sturgis Falls Celebration was little more than an afterthought to me, coming on the heels of the then-larger My Waterloo Days. My Waterloo Days has declined from what it once was, but Sturgis has remained strong, and if anything, has gotten better. I rediscovered Sturgis in 2005 and have attended regularly since then. The parade is a lot of fun to watch, and they have a great variety of live music on several stages. I especially like the more relaxed atmosphere of the Overman Park venue, and the shade is really nice when the weather gets hot. This year they moved the former Gateway stage to Main Street, and I thought that worked well. I was also glad to see the car shows return for 2 years in a row after about a 6-year hiatus. If they are not going to have a stage at Gateway Park anymore, might I suggest moving the car show to that space to bring it closer to the other activities? It is great that admission is free, but prepare to spend a lot on food if you go for the whole weekend!