A summertime block-party-style event with live music is coming to downtown Sterling this summer.

Sterling Street Fest, a one-day, afternoon-to-evening event featuring live bands, food and activities, will take place Saturday, July 25.

The Street Fest is a culmination and a combination of efforts to revive the popular block party event and to bring a regular family-friendly event, along with live music, to the downtown area.

“In 2020, there were a couple of us who wanted to bring back the block party, Newmanfest, something like that, trying to bring everything back downtown, and set it up as a family community event. COVID ended that, and now we’re back,” Sterling public works superintendent Brad Schrader said.

Schrader, Sterling City Clerk Teri Sathoff, Sterling Main Street Executive Director Janna Groharing and Bailey Schneiderbauer, Sterling market president at Sauk Valley Bank, told the council about their plans Monday at the regular Sterling City Council meeting.

Sterling Street Fest will run from 2 to 8 p.m. on the block of Third Street from Locust Street to First Avenue. The event will feature three bands, with a local band playing from 2 to 3 p.m., and regional bands playing from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m.

“The plan is for it to be a totally free community event. There will be no charge to get in to hear the bands or the events and activities for the kids,” Schrader said.

Food and drink, including alcohol, will be available from the bars and restaurants in the downtown area, and the group plans to invite food and beverage trucks in to complement the offerings from the local businesses.

“The plan is that they can go to the bars and bring their food and cocktails or whatever out into the area. We’ll be meeting with the bars and restaurants in the area, and hopefully, they can do some specials. We will complement that by bringing in food vendors, food trucks, beverage trucks to add what we are missing,” Groharing said.

The event is scheduled to run from mid-afternoon through mid-evening.

“We want to see people downtown, and we want it to be family-friendly, then the activity will shift to the bars downtown if they want to stay after 8 p.m.,” Groharing said. She said she has been in touch with Brink’s Bar and Grill about post-event entertainment there.

Schrader said the earlier end time also gives volunteers time to break down the stage areas and get Third Street opened back up. Groharing also said that the earlier finish is an incentive to attract volunteers.

One of those is Sterling Ward 3 Alderman Josh Johnson, who gave his enthusiastic approval of the event and offered to help.

“I’m all about this. I love the fact this is actually happening. I think Sterling needs to take advantage of something like that. Thank you for doing this. You see the Petunia Fest, and you see what goes on in Rock Falls. People want something, and Sterling doesn’t have its own event, so I am very excited about this,” Johnson said.

The group asked the council to be able to tap into the city’s event fund to cover deposits.

“We are here to ask for the ability to tap into that fund to front some of those deposits. As sponsorship dollars come in, we will replenish it as best we can. This year, our goal is to break even on the event. It’s not meant to be a money-maker or anything. We are hoping to break even and start a new tradition,” Groharing said.

In answer to an inquiry from Johnson about how much is in that fund, Scott Shumard, city manager, said the fund has around $40,000. Shumard said the consensus from the council was all that was needed to allow expenditures from the account.

“I think we need to give them a little bit more free rein, autonomy, to say this is what we need for a first-time event. I would go as far to say not to exceed $20,000. If you need more than that, let us know,” Johnson said.

“The intent is to replenish what we take so it’s there for future events,” Sathoff said.

In answer to a question from Mayor Diana Merdian, Sathoff said the group will work with the Sterling Police and Sterling Fire departments and follow their recommendations for police and EMS coverage for the event.