BYRON CENTER, Mich. — The Byron Days Festival is marking 90 years of bringing the Byron Center community together, drawing families and neighbors to Whistlestop for a weekend of celebration.
The Palladino family is among those making the trip out this year.
"It's a ton of fun. It's always cool to see the community get together, have a great time, come out here at Whistlestop. We're right down the way, so we can just walk here, which is always a blast," Jordan said.
The festival has become a staple on the community calendar for many residents.
"It just kind of becomes part of the year, people plan their vacations around it, and we just have our big celebration event once a year and celebrate what makes Byron Center great — the Byron Center area, which is an awesome community," said Scott Ellison, Stage Manager for the fest.
Festival Director Jenny Deamud has helped grow the event over the years, keeping it relevant as the community has expanded.
"With new growth comes new people and new interests and different age groups," Deamud said.
Inclusivity has been a guiding principle for the festival's organizers.
"We're very intentional about making it inclusive and accessible for all, and that, and and so that that just that that brings in more people because it it's accessible and available to everyone," Deamud said.
The festival dates back to 1936, and archival footage of the original parade shows just how much Byron Center has changed. What is now 84th Street was once a dirt road running through a much smaller town.
"It just warms my heart, you know, and just looking at how much this community has evolved, and that connection was part of this community 90 years ago, and it still is today," Deamud said.
The festival runs through the weekend. With free admission to come enjoy the events.
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