05/29/2026
Some thoughts from the Co-Chairs of The Summer Fest:
We’d like to take a moment to clarify the purpose behind our Young Entrepreneurs Village and the small vendor fee attached to participation.
This program was created to give kids a real-world opportunity to experience creativity, responsibility, customer interaction, and the excitement of building something of their own in a supportive community environment. The fee is not intended to discourage participation or profit from children, it simply helps cover a portion of the operational costs associated with providing booth space, setup coordination, promotion, supplies, and event infrastructure during a large-scale festival.
Most importantly, this program exists because we believe in investing in the next generation of local makers, creators, and business leaders. We are proud to provide a platform where kids can showcase their ideas, interact with the community, and feel supported while doing it. This is why we have multiple businesses willing to step in and cover the cost of these young vendors.
We’d also like to address the use of AI in our flyers. We understand that not everyone will love every design, flyer, or post that gets shared for the Imlay City Summer Fest and that’s okay. What matters most to us is the heart behind this event and the people working tirelessly to make it happen.
The Summer Fest is organized by volunteers, local supporters, and community members who are donating countless hours to create something positive for Imlay City. Every sponsorship secured, every vendor recruited, every kids activity planned, and every post shared comes from a genuine place of wanting to bring our community together.
Like many community events, we use the tools and resources available to us to help stretch limited budgets while focusing our funding on experiences for families, entertainment, activities, and keeping parts of the festival free for the public to enjoy. That does not mean we care any less in fact, it’s quite the opposite.
At the end of the day, this event exists because people care deeply about this town and are willing to put in the work to keep community traditions alive.
We’re proud of what’s being built, and we’re excited to continue growing alongside the community we serve.
As always, we appreciate respectful feedback and conversations that help us continue improving the Summer Fest experience for everyone.
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