CommunityLink
Sturgis, MI
Recreation"Recreation Revealed"
Sturgis offers opportunities for recreational activities unparalleled in any other city. The area sports
55 lakes, six rivers and other bodies of water, offering plenty of chances for swimming, boating, fishing and water skiing. Other activities available in this
sportsman’s paradise include golfing — there are seven public and three private courses within a 25-mile radius of Sturgis — a 32-lane bowling alley, two miniature golf courses, 15 tennis courts, baseball and softball diamonds, and much more.
Small game and trophy deer are abundant in St. Joseph County, making the Sturgis area a popular place with hunters. St. Joseph County Conservation and Sportsman Club, an excellent and safe place to practice skeet, trap and target range shooting, is a 15-minute drive west of Sturgis. Hunter’s safety courses are offered yearly to the public.
Sturgis has many exciting physical activities for people of all ages, including the Sturgis Community Pool, which offers year-round fun with indoor and outdoor swimming facilities; classes for all ages are available.
The Doyle Community Center, a 75,000-square-foot facility on North Franks Avenue, is the largest health, fitness and recreational facility in Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana.
The Center offers a wide variety of facilities and programs:
• four indoor courts for basketball, volleyball and tennis
• a four-lane run/walk track
• fitness rooms that are well-stocked with training equipment
• a children’s playroom
• conference room facilities
• activities like roller hockey, sand and court volleyball,
kick boxing, tee ball, golf, tennis, aerobics classes,
Tae Kwon Do, and dance of all kinds
• health and fitness programs
• adult, youth and intramural sports leagues for basketball, tennis and volleyball
• family programs like movie nights, treasure hunts and free nights
Within St. Joseph County and surrounding Sturgis are 13 county park facilities, eight of which are located adjacent to a river, lake, creek or stream. These county parks include such features as flower gardens, benches, boating, nature trails, hiking, sports fields, picnic areas, playgrounds, fishing, canoeing, and winter snow tubing and ice skating.
Camp Fort Hill Nature Center is a 228-acre park on Tamarack Lake, just 12 miles from Sturgis. Originally used by Native Americans as a signal hill, Camp Fort Hill was purchased by a nonprofit corporation as a 160-acre plot in 1932; 68 acres were added in 1984. The park features swimming, a climbing wall, an annual “Buddy Fishing” outing, day camps, nature trails and camp programs, all providing educational and recreational opportunities for youth and adults. The camp is a favorite for families, churches, schools, scouts and other groups.
Sturgis has officially been titled “The Gateway City,” opening the gates of Michigan to all who wish to visit this wonderful state. No other event expresses this invitation so eloquently as Michigan Week, sponsored by the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce. Sturgis has been the designated kick-off city for this statewide May celebration for more than 45 years. The weekend festival features a host of exciting activities, including a health fair, a run/walk event, a road rally, a petting zoo, a pancake breakfast, a historic showcase, a variety of competitions, a dog show, an arts and crafts fair, rides and inflatables for children, a car show, many different food vendors, and much more. The Friday evening of the festival is celebrated at the Sturges-Young Auditorium with a peerless dinner, speeches by dignitaries and a musical program presented by the Sturgis Wind Symphony, among other delights. In 1999, the Chamber of Commerce and the Sturgis community received the Michigan Week Community Achievement Award in recognition of this magnificent festival.
Ribs on the Runway is held at the airport on the Fourth of July. This festive event includes a splendid fireworks display, a ribs cook-off competition, bands and fun of all kinds. The last weekend in July features citywide sidewalk sales.
Fun Fridays are held every Friday night throughout the summer, from the first Friday in June to the last Friday in August, between the hours of 5 p.m. and
8 p.m. Held on Pleasant Avenue, Fun Fridays features live music, food, a farmers market, and a number of attractions and games for children.
Other festivals and recreational spots in St. Joseph County include:
• Three Rivers Water Festival in June
• The Covered Bridge Festival in Centreville, in July
• The Colon Magic Festival in August
• The St. Joseph County Grange Fair in Centreville, in September
• Nottawa Fruit Farms in Centreville features fall hayrides, a petting zoo, pick-your-own berries, a retail store and bakery.
• In Jones, Michigan, the Swiss Valley Ski Area offers seven lifts and 11 ski runs up to 1,800 feet long. Swiss Valley is a family fun area with reasonable rates and 100 percent snow cover.
• Just 30 minutes from Sturgis in Shipshewana, Indiana, can be found fabulous attractions such as the huge Shipshewana Flea Market (May through October), the Mennonite Visitor’s Center, unique dining, the Shipshewana Livestock Auction, a myriad of unusual stores and shops, and the monthly Northeast Indiana Folk Music Gathering, which provides a hands-on folk music experience.
When visiting Sturgis, ample choices for accommodations are available. Excellent bed and breakfasts and several hotels and campgrounds are scattered in and around the town.
The opportunities for fun and excitement are so immense and diverse, you might think Sturgis invented the word FUN!
