Auburn Hills Heats Up for the 20th Annual Summerfest

The 20^th annual Summerfest was a hot one, but that didn’t stop Auburn Hills. Everyone came out to celebrate the beginning of their favorite season: SUMMER! Friday may have started with a little rain, but once the rain subsided, inflatable axes were thrown, hidden treasures were found in the sand, and tattoos were applied at the temporary tattoo parlor. The Ever After Photo Booth was a hit with families, couples, and friends, taking photos home, and local artisans were busy with customers.

Your City Council came prepared to scoop ice cream, wearing gloves, aprons, and hairnets. By the end of the night, they had gone through fourteen 3-gallon tubs of vanilla ice cream, which is over 1,300 scoops of ice cream! That evening, everyone, young and old, enjoyed an ice cream sundae with chocolate syrup and strawberries. There were even a couple of dogs who had a cup. Friday night finished with residents in lawn chairs listening to Trinity or dancing on the Knight Amphitheatre dance floor.

The pet parade kicked off our Saturday with all our stunning pets! We had pets big and small, scaly and furry, winning gifts donated by Emmys Pampered Pooch, Premier Pet Supply, and Sit Means Sit. Once our furry friends left the stage, our little friends took over for the cupcake walk and hula hoop competition. The kids had major talent and could hula with the best of them. They all left with a sweet treat and a brand-new hula hoop.

Saturday afternoon, the temperature reached a high of 90, but we had 55 classic cars parked by the riverside in the Optimist Club’s Classic Car Show and families playing in the splash pad while listening to the amazing bands. The night closed with Captain Fantastic, an Elton John Tribute Band, and a nice cool breeze to cool off those who stuck through the heat.  A big thank you to our sponsors, Genisys Credit Union and Ever After Photo Company, for your generous donations.

Thank you to all the organizations that joined Summerfest and provided their valuable time: Rochester Auburn Hills Community Coalition, Auburn Hills Public Library, Friends of the Clinton River Trail, Spinner’s Frolic, Therapy Dogs of Go Team, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and Auburn Hills Historical Society. Finally, the biggest thank you to our volunteers and staff, the event couldn’t have happened without these hard-working individuals.

Jacqueline Monroy, Senior Services Program Director