Things to do Thursdays

African World Festival- Aug. 20-22

Detroit's most talked about celebration of African and African American culture is back. Hosted annually by the Charles H. Wright museum of African American History presents 2010 African world Festival. Join thousands of fellow Metro Detroiters as we welcome African Countries to the Motor City. Enjoy music, food, vendors with unique items for sell, Don't miss the legendary Omowale Cultural Society + Stiltwalkers. 

FREE. Hart Plaza, Woodward Ave. and Jefferson Ave., 313-494-5844 or AfricanWorldDetroit.com 

 

 

Hot Summer Nights Music Fest- Aug. 21

Hot Summer Nights Music Festival is a showcase of the diverse culture prevalent throughout Metro Detroit and raise money for local non-profits. “Metro Detroit is a musical hot spot featuring everything from rock and roll to fusion to hip hop,” said Frazier, who is coordinating the event. “Hot Summer Nights brings all those sounds together to showcase the community.”

For more information, visit www.generalpopulation.org or call 313.598.0408. Sponsors for the event include Focus: HOPE, NAACP-Highland Park Branch, General Population Music & Community Group and the Detroit Hip Hop Congress.

 

 Health & Safety Fun Festival- Aug. 19

The Wayne County Department of Public Health's Annual Health and Safety Fun Fest will offer bicycle, book bag, and school supply giveaways for children. Vaccinations, Lead Testing and other Health Screenings such as HIV/AIDS, Blood Pressure and Immunizations will also be provided on site.

10 am. FREE. The Wayne County Department of Public Health, 33030 Van Born Rd., Wayne. 734-727-7000.

 

AfterSchool Back 2 School Fair- Aug. 21

This 9th annual event hosted by Detroit Public Schools and The Youth Connection will feature activities and extra-curricular courses offered students and parents for the new school year.

10 am-2 pm. Belle Isle. 313-826-7099 or TheYouthConnection.org

 
Please make sure to visit, The "D" Spot: http://teamowens313.wordpress.com

Things to Do Thursdays: Detroit Belle Isle Park--Largest in America

OK Detroiters, when is the last time you've been to Belle Isle?

 

 

Belle Isle is a 982 acre (3.9 km²; 2.42 sq mi) island park in the Detroit River managed by the Detroit Recreation Department. It is connected to the rest of the city by the MacArthur Bridge. It is the largest island park in the United States.
It is home to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory (1904), the Detroit Yacht Club, the Detroit Boat Club, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, a Coast Guard post, and a municipal golf course. The city maintains a Nature Center where visitors are able to traverse wooded trails and view wildlife natural habitats. The island includes a half-mile (800 m) swimming beach.

Belle Isle was founded as the largest city-owned park in America in 1845; it was landscaped in the late 19th century by Frederick Law Olmstead, the landscaper of Central Park in Manhattan. (Belle Isle is larger than Central Park!) The Lighthouse on Belle Isle was designed by Albert Kahn.

What can you do at Belle Isle?

The Nature Zoo

The Athletic Complex

Picnics

Fishing

Walking/Running/Biking

Golf

Check out Belle Isle this weekend!  Discover or re-discover the joys of nature right in the City of Detroit!

Detroit's Unique Neighborhoods: Lafayette Park

Image via Wikipedia
If you're driving around downtown Detroit, you can't miss it: the 78-acre Lafayette Park Group of housing options. There are apartment co-ops called the Pavillon, low-level townhomes, and the seminal Lafayette Towers. Lafayette Park is on both the City of Detroit and National Historic Registers. Designed by world-renowned architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the site was intended to diversify the residential area, although the historic Black Bottom neighborhood on which Lafayette Park is built was razed with the enlargement of the I-75 freeway. The Lafayette Park site is the largest collection of Mies van der Rohe buildings in one place in the world.





 

Image via Wikipedia




The area is intended to be a "walkable neighborhood", with extensive greenspace and a network of pedestrian walkways to allow residents to shop at the mini-shopping plaza and attend the public school without crossing a major thoroughfare.  Each of the three types of housing in Lafayette Park was designed with Mies van der Rohe's signature use of steel, glass, and concrete. Lafayette Park is located just east of downtown near Chene Park, Belle Isle, and the I-375 connector to I-75. The shopping center, which had been in decline, has begun a renaissance, including a new full-service grocery store. The boundaries of Lafayette Park roughly include: Rivard, East Lafayette, Orleans, and Antietam.


Shameless Plug: Please read my husband's blog The "D" Spot...

If you enjoyed this post, please share it and subscribe to updates!

Detroit Staycation: Labor Day Weekend Festivals

Summer's almost over, but Labor Day Weekend offers lots of fairs, festivals, concerts, and family-fun activities in and around Detroit. Don't tell your boss I said so, but you might as well take Friday off, too--so much to do and see!

The Michigan State Fair

Last week, I posted about the Michigan State Fair, which began on August 22. It continues this weekend through Labor Day.

Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix

Belle Isle roars again this year with the 2008 Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix Race, with proceeds to support the beautification and maintenance of Belle Isle. Every year, Detroit families participate in "Free Prix Day", where festival goers can observe qualifying races, see the drivers and cars up close, and enjoy food, beverages, and rides. There is no parking on Belle Isle during the Grand Prix. This year's racing activities begin on Friday, August 29, and culminate with the big race of the American Le Mans Series, the IndyCar Series, and the SCAA SPEED World Challenge GT Championship on Sunday, August 31. The Grand prix is run by a subsidiary of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, chaired by Roger Penske. For further event and ticket information, visit the Grand Prix Website.

Chrysler Arts, Beats and Eats

Over 200 musical performances, 155 artist exhibits, and 50 restaurants will be featured at the 11th Annual Chrysler Arts, Beats, and Eats in Pontiac. Starting Friday August 29 at 4 pm, and continuing through Labor Day at 8 pm, the Arts, Beats, and Eats Festival will also feature "Recycle and Bicycle": making a difference by Going Green. Festival-goers will also have a chance to become amateur bloggers at the "Blogin Cafe'" equipped with 50 computer stations and guest celebrity bloggers. Local bands and musicians will be featured on several stages representing various music genres: smooth soul, jazz, r&b, rock, alternative, rockabilly, and techno. A complete listing of the cuisine, music, and art activities is available here.

Detroit International Jazzfest

The 29th Annual Jazzfest (formerly known as "Detroit Montreux) will take place from Friday, August 29 through Monday, September 1 downtown at Hart Plaza. This year's theme is "A Love Supreme: the Philly-Detroit Summit", featuring artists from both Philadelphia and Detroit. From Philly, artists include Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, pat marino, and Christian McBride, the 2008 Artist-in-Residence. Detroit music legends Barry harris, Geri Allen, Kenny Burrell, and Gerald Wilson will appear. Lalah Hathaway, Ravi Coltrane, and Brandon Lee are just a few headliners. Full information is available on the website.

Shameless Plug: Please read my husband's blog, The "D" Spot...

If you enjoyed this post, please share it and subscribe to updates!

Detroit's Fabulous Fountains

Fountains--have you seen the fantastic fountains in Detroit lately? Before summer slips away and the skies start to turn gray (hey, that rhymes!), take some time to revel in the beauty of Detroit's outdoor fountains...

 

The Scott Memorial Fountain at Belle Isle

  

The Fountain at Grand Circus Park

  

The Woodward Fountain at Campus Martius

  

The Atrium Waterfall at Compuware HQ

The Dodge Fountain at Hart Plaza

I know I missed the Atrium Waterfall at the International Center; as soon as I get a picture, I'll add it to this post.  Did I miss any others?  Please let me know in the "Comments" Section...

Shameless Plug: please read my husband's blog The "D" Spot...

If you enjoyed this post, please share it and subscribe to updates!

Riding Your Bike in Detroit? Have Your License?

----------------
Now playing: The Caravans - The Lord Will Make A Way
via FoxyTunes



Just as we start thinking about hauling our bikes out of the garage to save money on gasoline like our Governor who has started "biking to work", the City has reminded us that we need a license for our bikes!

Detroit's bicycle license ordinance states:
"It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or use a bicycle propelled wholly or in part by muscular power upon any of the streets or sidewalks of the city without first obtaining a license therefore from the city."

The ordinance has been in place since 1964; but the Detroit Police are going to start to actually enforce the ordinance again. They say it is to help locate/recover stolen bicycles, but if you're caught without a license starting on August 7 2008, you'll get hit with a $55.00 fine!

The cost is actually minimal: $5.00 for a 5-year license; it's just something else to add to your "to-do" list! (I wonder if next they'll pass a "no talking on your cell with biking" law!)

The licenses can be obtained at any of the six Detroit Police Districts between 9 am and 5 pm Monday - Friday. For further information, you can call the Detroit Police Office of Public Information: 313.596.2200.

Once you get that license, though, you can enjoy riding along the Detroit Riverwalk and around Belle Isle...the beauty and serenity will be worth it...not to mention great exercise! Also explore Campus Martius, Palmer Park, and Chandler Park (Chandler Park is part of the Wayne County Parks and Recreation System)...let me know in the comments section about other great places to ride your bike in Detroit!

Also check out "Detroit Bikes", a group that promotes group riding tours around Detroit.

Happy Riding!