Check out our staff picks of the top things to do in Detroit for the next 7 days!
Scroll down to view images
Page 1 of 2
1 of 23
Wednesday, 6/21 Halo Circus @ 20 Front Street Halo Circus is a bilingual alternative rock band, led by their fabulous singer Allison Iraheta, who was an American Idol finalist a while back. The band has amassed a lot of success, with John Taylor of Duran Duran calling them the best live band in the country thanks to their dark, soaring rock. They’ve performed with big time musicians like Heart and Emmylou Harris, and are climbing to success as you read this. They’ll be joined by Ruby Rose Fox, a soulful rock ’n’ roll singer who will leave you electrified. She’s won a bunch of awards at the Boston Music Awards and is definitely worth a listen.
2 of 23
Wednesday, 6/21 United States of Detroit screening @ Fisher Building Detroit is usually shown one of two ways in the media — shots of ruin porn or a hyper-positive Pure Michigan-esque drone shot over downtown. Director Tylor Norwood explores the communities in between those two extremes that are often left out of the conversation. Though he touches on gentrification and urban sprawl, he focuses on the Detroit Hustles Harder mentality that pushes residents and leaders to work together to save their blighted neighborhoods. Community activists will moderate a panel discussion after the first film screening in the Fisher Theatre for over 30 years. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., screening at 6 p.m.; 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; thefisherbuilding.com/rsvp; Tickets are $10.
3 of 23
Thursday, 6/22 Motown in Zimbabwe: Joyce Jenje Makwenda with Dr. Melvin Peters @ Cultivate Joyce Jenje Makwenda isn’t from Detroit. In fact, she isn’t even from the United States. Her home is in Harare, Zimbabwe. Yet, she’s acutely aware of the role Motown has played in the creation of early urban culture. The archivist, historian, ethnomusicologist, and writer will spend some time in conversation regarding the influential genre with Dr. Melvin Peters during this installment of the University of Michigan’s popular Penny Stamps speaker series. This speaker series was born out of Makwenda’s months-long research residency in partnership with the Stamps School and the Zimbabwe Cultural Centre of Detroit. Starts at 6 p.m.; 307 N. River St., Ypsilanti; stamps.umich.edu; free.
4 of 23
Thursday, 6/22 Maureen Choi Quartet @ Cliff Bell’s Classically trained violinist Maureen Choi has a passion for Latin Jazz unmatched by any other successful jazz performer. Since 1993, she’s brought her music all over the world, including in Madrid, Spain, where she is currently based teaching music at a satellite of her alma mater, the Berklee College of Music, abroad. Her first jazz album with the Maureen Choi Quartet was released in 2011 and garnered acclaim from seasoned jazz connoisseurs as well as the average listener. Doors open at 8 p.m.; 2030 Park Ave., Detroit; cliffbells.com; Admission is $15.
5 of 23
Thursday-Sunday, June 22-25 Taylor Summer Festival @ Heritage Park Look, the city of Taylor gets a bad rap, but the enormous southern suburb has some good qualities, we promise. One is their annual summer festival that features an enormous midway, a color run, family fun area, and live music by the likes of local band Sponge as well as ’80s rockers Warrant and that guy who played Gil on Gilmore Girls (OK, you probably know him as Sebastian Bach). The festival is free, but various activities will come with a charge. For example, midway armbands can be purchased at varying prices, the color run is $25, and VIP accommodations for live music cost upwards of $35. Check taylorfestival.com for full details and pricing. Open 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday; 734-287-6550; taylorfestival.com; entry is free, but there is a $10 general admission fee for concerts.
6 of 23
Friday, 6/23 Monica & Ashanti@ Chene Park The boy might be hers, but Monica’s agreed to share a tour with the one and only Ashanti. Monica has been making music since the ’90s (and she’s only gotten better with time), and she’s had success with reality television, including on The Voice, where she served as Cee Lo Green’s mentor. Ashanti has been working since she was a kid. Dancing professionally, acting in Disney’s 1989 film Polly, and getting discovered by P. Diddy’s Bad Boy Records when she was 16, it’s clear that she’s never taken a break. She’s come a long way since the days of “Foolish,” and she recently appeared with Ja Rule on The Hamilton Mixtape, but this show with Monica is sure to delight ’90s Top 40 R&B fans. Doors open at 8 p.m.; 2600 Atwater St., Detroit; cheneparkdetroit.com; Tickets are $36-$56.
7 of 23
Friday, 6/23 Secret Walls @ Red Bull House of Art We know the free drinks and good music at these gallery openings can lead to long lines and a packed venue, but the globally recognized “Fight Club of the art scene” is worth the wait. Six artists split into two teams compete in a Marvel comic book-inspired live painting competition. Armed with only acrylic paint or black markers, the teams have 90 minutes to fill a blank canvas up to 25-feet tall. The final products are a unique collaboration of Detroit’s artistic styles and a look into the methodical chaos of creating within a time limit. Starts at 7 p.m.; 1551 Winder, Detroit; redbullhouseofart.com; free entry.
8 of 23
Friday, 6/23 Rays, Feelings @ UFO Factory From Oakland, Calif., we have the highly rated Rays, and if you’re in the mood for a band that cites the Modern Lovers as an inspiration then here is basically what you are doing tonight. They have a lot in common with the plethora of exceptional Australian bands that hang out around Mikey Young, who mastered their eponymous debut album, that just came out in March. Rays will be joined by Feelings, who will play the UFO Factory for the first time in a long time. They’ll also be joined by Kalamazoo up-and-comer Erik Nervous as well as the always wonderful Beauticians. Doors open at 9 p.m.; 2110 Trumbull St., Detroit; ufofactory.com; Tickets are $8.
9 of 23
Fri, 6/23-Sun, 6/25 Vintage Pop-Up Shop @ 32782 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak You know how you go to some vintage sales and it’s a little more “vintage-inspired” than actual vintage? Look, we know there is a place and time for both vintage-inspired and more traditional vintage sales, but let it be known that this one is going to be all vintage, all the time. Expect to find vintage toys, clothing, furniture, and collectible from “all eras.” The market will be held in a former Mr. Vape location in a strip mall on Woodward Avenue, so expect a small store setting. Runs 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday; 32782 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak; facebook.com/vintagepopupshop; free entry.
10 of 23
Fri, 6/23-Sun, 6/25 River Days @ Detroit Riverfront This celebration of Detroit’s gorgeous riverwalk will include so many different components, it would be impossible to list them all here. A few exciting elements are a 30-foot slide, ziplines, carnival rides, Diamond Jack riverboat tours, a Saturday morning “Yoga on the River” practice led by Bikram Detroit, and live music. To add an element of magic to the event, buskers will perform along the riverfront, captivating passersby with various sideshow tricks like fire breathing and stilt walking. Runs 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day; 600 Renaissance Ctr., Detroit; 313-566-8235; riverdays.com; Entry is free on Friday and $3 for adults on Saturday and Sunday, children 3 and younger and seniors 65 and older are free.
11 of 23
Saturday, 6/24 Detroit 67: Perspectives @ Detroit Historical Museum Were the events of July 23 to August 1, 1967 a riot, rebellion, insurrection, or revolution? What underlying problems contributed to that fateful week? How have those events shaped the city over the last 50 years? The Detroit Historical Society has spent two years sourcing diverse communities, scholars, and historical archives to answer these questions and provide a more encompassing look at the forces at work in Detroit. A complete schedule for opening weekend events, including curator lectures, family-friendly activities, group discussions, and a showcase of oral histories is available online. Starts at 10 a.m.; 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit: detroithistorical.org; free admission.
12 of 23
Saturday, 6/24 Arabian Nights Pride edition @ Menjos Gay Entertainment Complex Mix the longest running gay dance party with the flamboyance of Pride Month and you get a supercharged Paris-is-Burning-worthy night. All are welcome regardless of sexuality or gender, and a $5 cover charge goes to Al Gamea to promote an anti-homophobia campaign in southeast Michigan’s Middle Eastern communities and to help LGBTQ Middle Eastern men and women who were kicked out of their homes. You can simultaneously be in a club that inspired Madonna, support the community, and get down to the party’s resident DJ and Middle Eastern emcee. Starts at 9 p.m.; 928 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit; 313-863-3934; $5 suggestion donation will go to Al Gamea.
13 of 23
Saturday, 6/24 Water Seed @ PJ’s Lager House Water Seed, the greatest New Orleans funk band in a while, has proven themselves worthy of praise plenty of times. From headlining a sold out show at the Apollo to five amazing albums that have brought them plenty of acclaim and notoriety, Water Seed just won’t quit. You’re going to dance your butt off at this show, because they’re just so funky. The last time they were in the Motor City, they did a fantastic job, and they’re sure to amaze once more. Doors open at 8 p.m.; 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit; pjslagerhouse.com; $8 cover.
14 of 23
Sunday, 6/25 Burger Battle @ Eastern Market Shed 5 Every restaurant in the city claims to have the best burger, but only one is the true burger king. Over 20 chefs from metro Detroit’s new and tried-and-true restaurants will compete for the title of ‘Best Burger’ at Eastern Market. Each competitor will grind their own custom burger blend and cook up fresh sample sized burgers for guests and judges. A real life alternative to binge watching cooking competitions on Netflix all weekend. Entry gets you all you can eat sample burgers all night, do we really need to say anything more? Runs noon to 5 p.m.; 2801 Russell St., Detroit; detroitburgerbattle.com; tickets are $15.
15 of 23
Sunday, 6/25 Speakeasy Sundays: Flappers and Dappers @ Cliff Bell’s The leather booths, dark wood molding, and dim lighting in this renovated 1930s speakeasy are the perfect backdrop for Detroit’s only monthly burlesque revue. This month’s Flapper and Dapper theme travels back in time to the 1920s with sultry strip teases from vintage-inspired burlesque dancers, variety acts, and a live jazz band. Brush up on the Charleston and Fox Trot to take home the prize from the '20s dance competition. The theme this month encourages guests to come in period-themed costumes, though it’s not required. Starts at 7:30 p.m.; 2030 Park Ave., Detroit; cliffbells.com; 313-961-2543; General admission is $20-$30.
16 of 23
Sunday, 6/25 311 @ The Fillmore Theatre There aren’t many bands from Nebraska that stand the test of time quite like 311, who have somehow made it for 29 years, which is absolutely unbelievable. It’s with good reason though, because throughout their 12 studio albums, the band has maintained an excellent brand of alt-rock that’s just hard enough to elicit a cult following. 2017’s Mosaic will be released two days before this show, and its single, “Too Much to Think” is awesome as hell. Doors open at 6 p.m.; 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; thefillmoredetroit.com; Tickets are $35-$59.50.
17 of 23
Sunday, 6/25 Bleachers @ Saint Andrew’s Hall Jack Antonoff loves to make sweet, sweet indie pop; in addition to leading Fun and Steel Train, he’s the leader of Bleachers. Bleachers is great because it’s like listening to the music equivalent of the film Pretty in Pink. It is great ’80s and ’90s pop elements brought into a modern music scene. Gone Now, which just came out on June 2, is great. It’s synth-y, infectious, bubblegum pop, but it’s totally lovable, and more than danceable. Doors open at 7 p.m.; 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; saintandrewsdetroit.com; Tickets are $30.50-$42.
18 of 23
Sunday, 6/25 Train, O.A.R. @ DTE Energy Music Theatre You’ll love this concert faster than the devil. Geez, it’s been a long time since O.A.R. released “Love and Memories,” but what a song. Sometimes when bands release a song like that early on in their mainstream success, they go downhill, but O.A.R. has maintained their passion and refined their skill. You also don’t have to “really want to be the queen,” but you should make sure to “call all the angels” to have a great time seeing Train, who have grown up a lot over the years, trading “Drops of Jupiter” for “Hey Soul Sister.” You can bet that you’ll probably hear both though. Doors open at 7 p.m.; 7774 Sashabaw Rd., Village of Clarkston; palacenet.com; Tickets start at $25.
19 of 23
Ford Fireworks @ Downtown Detroit Here in Detroit, we’re used to our fireworks display happening a week before the rest of the country. We’re also used to sharing our Independence Day celebration with our Canadian neighbors. This year, new pedestrian walkways and green spaces will add to the downtown tradition. Though there are plenty of ticketed events happening around the area, we think the best option is bringing a blanket and some friends and posting up in the streets. A word of advice — get there early! The crowds get bigger every year and you want to ensure you get a great view. Fireworks begin at 9:48 p.m.; downtown Detroit; theparade.org/ford-fireworks; free.
