Cold weather blows, but winter can be a blast — and it is, thanks to Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends. Entering its 14th year, the fest will switch to a four-weekend, totally free admission format this year, continuing the tradition of wintery, family-friendly programming full of marshmallow-roasting, ice sculptures, free ice skating (on the first and last weekends), zip-lining, a Polar Plunge to support the Special Olympics, and the return of a festival favorite, the 30-foot slide. This year’s musical lineup welcomes headliners Thornetta Davis and Laith Al-Saadi, DJs as part of the Movement Music Festival showcase, as well as 30 other artists.
Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekends take place Friday, Jan. 19-Sun., Jan. 21, Friday, Jan. 25-Sunday, Jan. 27 and Friday, Feb. 8-Sun. Feb. 10, Friday, Feb. 15-Sunday, Feb. 17 starting at 11 a.m. each day at Campus Martius, downtown Detroit; 248-541-7550; winterblast.com; Event is free and open to the public.
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This article appears in Jan 9-15, 2019.