The Lowell Township BridgeFest is back for a second year, giving the community another opportunity for people of all ages and interests to enjoy a day of fun activities at the Grand River Riverfront Park.
The Lowell Township Parks committee created the event that was first held last summer as a way to raise funds for general park maintenance, repairs, and improvements. All proceeds from the event this year will go toward funding Lowell Township Parks and Roanoke Ranch for Kids, a Lowell organization that helps at-risk children.
There will be live music, food trucks, and many sports events held June 28 at the Grand River Riverfront Park. Activities begin at 8 am and end at 6 pm. In addition, billed as the “Bands, Brews, and BBQ at BridgeFest,” there will be a barbeque cook-off, and local breweries will be selling beverages under a separate tent.
A large part of the event centers on several sports tournaments including pickleball, volleyball, disc golf, and ultimate frisbee. There will also be free ice cream, bounce houses, and the Lowell Area Historical Musuem will have the Betty Yeiter Fur Trade Interpretive Cabin open and staffed. There will also be free vision screenings for children provided by Alto Area Lions Club.
Organizer Jennette Stevenson says the focus around sports activities is due to the great accessibility Lowell parks provide for them.
“Over the years, our parks have become a main hub for several different sports events, but especially volleyball, pickleball, and disc golf,” she says.
Stevenson says they are building on last year’s success when more than 2,000 people attended the festival, and the committee has raised more than $31,500 for this year’s event from sponsors and donations so far.
“Last year, we received so much positive feedback from the community, and many more local businesses immediately started reaching out, excited to sponsor the next Lowell BridgeFest,” she shares.
Stevenson says the inspiration for the event came from a desire to provide fun for the community that would put a spotlight on the parks.
“When we first started brainstorming ways to raise funds for our general park maintenance, repairs, and improvements, we knew we wanted to create an event that could be for folks of all ages and interests. We all loved the concept of Ada’s Chili & Beer Festival, and we were looking for ways to highlight the amenities that our two parks already had,” Stevenson says.
Organizers are welcoming additional sponsors and volunteers to work at the event. You can also pre-pay for items in the BBQ and Brews tent.
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