The Summer in the City Festival in Steinbach is wasting no time getting ready for next year. Organizers are now actively looking for community sponsors for the 2027 event, set for June 18-20. A new ‘Become a Sponsor’ section on the festival website spells out all the ways local businesses can get involved and help keep southern Manitoba’s biggest free outdoor party going strong.
The festival regularly draws close to 40,000 people to downtown Steinbach’s Main Street over three days. But rising costs for entertainment, equipment rentals, and insurance are putting pressure on the event’s budget, and festival leaders say competition for sponsorship dollars is heating up.
Businesses that step up can choose from a range of sponsorship packages. Options include naming rights for specific Main Street blocks or festival areas like the Cultures, Kids, and Sports zones. Companies can also become presenting sponsors for the Friday or Saturday night mainstage concerts, or put their name on the mainstage bleachers, info booths, first aid stations, and family tents.
Sponsorship director Carly Koop says businesses interested in backing the festival can reach her directly at [email protected]. The 2026 festival featured Steinbach Credit Union as presenting sponsor, along with supporters at the Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Friends of the Festival levels.
The City of Steinbach contributes an annual grant to the event, recently increased to $65,000. First launched in 2008 by the Steinbach Arts Council, local radio stations, the city, and the federal government, the festival has grown into one of southeastern Manitoba’s biggest summer draws, with a mix of midway rides, cultural programming, live music, and food vendors.
