Thousands to visit downtown Battle Creek in search of breakfast during National Cereal Fest

BATTLE CREEK — Thousands of hungry people are sure to hit the downtown streets of Battle Creek this weekend in search of breakfast as the city celebrates its rich history with cereal.

The National Cereal Festival — a family-friendly event celebrating the city's heritage as the birthplace of the cereal industry — features a variety of entertainment including live music, live animal shows, children's activities, arts and crafts and inflatables — not to mention free breakfast. Sponsors include WK Kellogg Co, Kellanova, Post Consumer Brands, Kellogg Community College, Prairie Farms, Duncan Aviation and the Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, among others.

Festivities kick off Friday with the Grand Cereal Parade at 6:30 p.m. The parade starts at the Kool Family Community Center and travels down VanBuren Street to McCamly Street, and then on McCamly to Michigan Avenue back to the Kool Center.

In conjunction with the festival, the Battle Creek YMCA will host the Cereal City Classic 5K/10K, beginning at 7:45 a.m. Saturday.

The festival first took place in 1956 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Kellogg Co. The event was held four times between 1958 and 1962 before Battle Creek made it an annual celebration beginning in 1976.

Officials canceled the festival in 2009, but local business owners and volunteers stepped in that year to continue a streak that lasted until 2019. The 2020 and 2021 festivals were postponed due to COVID-19.

For more information or to volunteer, visit kelloggarena.com or call 269-963-4800.

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: National Cereal Festival returns to downtown Battle Creek this weekend