Good day to you, Detroit! We’ve got another weekend packed to the gills with good times, so get out there and enjoy these fast moving summer days before they fly south for the winter.
Oh – and friends, we’re launching a podcast version of the City 5. Here’s our first trial episode below. Don’t worry, the post is sticking around and it’s here if you scroll on, but we wanted to give you a little sampling of what we’re up to.
Pig and Whiskey Festival – Friday-Sunday – Ferndale – Free Admission
First up, we have the annual Pig and Whiskey festival in downtown Ferndale. Area restaurants will set up shop around Troy Street for three days of Barbecue glazed gluttony. Enjoy grub from local favorites like Slows, Rubbed, Vinsetta Garage, and many more.
And what better to wash down a mouth full of ribs than with a glass of silky smooth whiskey. You can choose from close to 50 varieties of that sweet nectar, from Black Velvet to Wild Turkey, and just about everything in between.
Beyond the stellar food and booze options, your visit to the festival comes complete with an array of wicked local bands including Joe Hertler and The Rainbow Seekers, The Beggars, Will Sessions, and many more.
When the festival winds down each night you can head over to the Loving Touch and enjoy cheap drinks and more great bands for just $5. The festival runs Friday-Sunday and admission is free. For all the saucy details, click here.
Breath and Brunch – Saturday – Detroit – $20
If you’re reeling from a hedonistic Friday spent at Pig and Whiskey, then head downtown and take part in a little B&B action. No, we don’t mean bed and breakfast, but rather Citizen Yoga’s Breathe and Brunch event.
You’’ll start your morning with a slow flow yoga session led by local teachers Soojin Kim and Sitara Bird. Then after some deep breathing and, in my case, some very awkward looking posturing, you’ll unwind a bit more with a brunch fit for a fun loving guru. Complete with grub from Trader Joe’s, Ashe Coffee, Bloody Mary’s featuring Our Detroit Vodka and McClure’s bloody mix, and, of course, mimosas.
Things kick off at 10:30am and brunch will be served at 11:30. Tickets are 20 bucks and all proceeds will go to benefit the Common Ground Sanctuary. Tickets are going fast, so click here to get yours in advance, and satiate your mind, body, spirit, and appetite all at once this Saturday.
Crash Detroit Festival of Street Bands – Saturday – Detroit – Free Admission
If you’re still buzzing from the rich combo of deep breathing and alcohol consumption, then head over to Roosevelt park for Crash Detroit’s 2nd annual festival of street bands. If you’ve never experienced a street band before, what you’ll get is an unamplified group of musicians who specialize in injecting life into the spaces in which they perform.
This unique event consolidates this moving musical force into a centralized area, and encourages the community to get out and enjoy the sights and sounds of street band music and culture.
Technically, this thing kicks off on Friday night as local and national marching bands do surprise performances all across the city, but the fun continues in the park on Saturday as this free for all festival picks up steam and kicks out the fool hardy jams from 2 till 10 pm.
Admission to the event is free and drinks will be available for purchase and consumption. For more info about the event including volunteer opportunities, click here.
Milwaukee Junction Block Party – Saturday – Detroit – Free Admission
Now if marching bands aren’t exactly your thing, then check out Tangent Gallery and the Hastings Street Ballroom for part one of the Milwaukee Junction block party for the masses.
According to the their Facebook page, the event will pay homage to the neighborhood’s early days when Hastings Street was at the center of the African American culture in Detroit, as well as the center of the infamous Paradise Valley entertainment district, which is best known for capturing early recordings of John Lee Hooker and many others. While many of the buildings in the neighborhood are abandoned, much of the residential space is still functioning, along with galleries, studios, and industrial spaces.
Catch a glimpse of this historic area and enjoy an array of activities including live DJs, great food, and the Body Positive Detroit Underwear bike ride. The event runs from 5PM until 11pm and admission and parking are both free. It also appears to be a BYOB situation, so this one is certainly on the affordable side.
Oh, and if you’re planning to participate in the underwear ride, I’d suggest packing a little extra sunscreen to protect your pasty parts.
Nick Cave: Here Hear – Sunday – Highland Park – Free Admission
Last but certainly not least on this week’s list is the continuation of The Nick Cave Here Hear saga in Detroit.
Catch the first live performance of Cave’s enchanting and mind bending sound suits on Sunday at 4pm at Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park. The performance was choreographed by Marcus White and White Werx with music by DJ John Jammin Collins.
Admission is free and open to the public but space is limited to the first 250 visitors, so you may want to get there early. For more details on the event click here.
