Held Labor Day weekend, ending with the Polish Day Parade on Labor Day. Live music on three stages, carnival area, beer, and food tents line a half mile stretch of Joseph Campau from Caniff to Carpenter.
It was the worst of times when the Hamtramck City Festival was first proposed in 1980.
The city was in the depths of the worst crisis it had ever faced. The Dodge Main factory had just closed. For seven decades the factory had defined Hamtramck, providing tens of thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of revenue.
The mood of the city was grim as it faced an uncertain future. At the time, then-Mayor Robert Kozaren, with the help of a group of dedicated citizens, conceived having a huge city festival that would not only boost the spirits of the residents, but also show everyone else that Hamtramck was a tough town that could smile in the face of a crisis.
In short order, the first festival was planned for late September. It was a chilly Friday when the bands stuck up for the first time at the festival on Joseph Campau, just north of Caniff.
From the start it was a huge success, with over 100,00 people attending. If there is one thing Hamtramckans know well it is how to party. But it wasn’t just for Hamtramckans. People from across the metro area came to the festival to enjoy the music, food, crafts and all manner of fun.
The following year the festival was moved up to Labor Day to take advantage of the better weather and longer holiday weekend. It also became associated with the annual Polish Day Parade on Labor Day.
The Festival has changed over the years, with different vendors and entertainers, but has been remarkably consistent in its ability to deliver a great time for all.