At one point or another, you’ve probably been asked, “Why do you live in Detroit?”
Sure, the winters are gloomy, the public transit is trash, and you really need a sense of humor to continue to support Detroit sports team. Despite all of this, Detroit is home, and it’s one that we fiercely protect. Check out these 20 things that only a Detroit could love.
Words by Mike Dionne
Getting drunk at 19 (thanks Windsor!)
We love telling tales of those few times we can remember between the ages 19 and 21, where a night out at the bar was worth the trip across the border to Canada.
Photo via Johan Fehr / Shutterstock.comWatching traffic
Okay, the official name is the “Woodward Dream Cruise.” It’s one weekend in August where anyone who lives or works near Woodward either pulls up a lawn chair to watch cars inch by, or bitch about how inconvenienced they’ve become by car enthusiasts. We love our Motor City muscle, and we’ll breathe in all the fumes to prove it.
Photo via Steve Lagreca / Shutterstock.comBeing “versus everybody”
It often feels like it’s Detroit against the world. If you’ve never been here, you likely hold an unfavorable opinion of the city. But we don’t give a shit because we embrace the motto of Detroit vs. Everybody.
Photo courtesy of Hannah Ervin / Detroitstockcity.com Credit: Hannah Ervin / Detroitstockcity.comBeing the perpetual “comeback city”
”Detroit’s coming back though.” How many times have you uttered such a phrase? Or heard someone else declare that Detroit is on a trajectory toward its former glory? When will we finally “be back?” The rebirth is ongoing, and we love it.
Photo via Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.comWhen DEMF was free
”Movement? Oh, you mean DEMF? Yeah, I used to go when it was free.” Being the birthplace of techno is a love/hate endeavor for Detroiters. We love to claim the title while we dance in dark and dingy warehouses, but now we have to pay a pretty penny as big-name DJs take over Hart Plaza every Memorial weekend.
Photo courtesy of Leah Castile / Detroitstockcity.comEminem & Kid Rock at the same time
One is a national hip-hop treasure and in the conversation for greatest of all time. The other is a joke to hip-hop, rock and country. One is a Trump disser. The other, an outspoken Trump supporter who almost ran for office. It’s impossible that anyone could love both unless you are from Detroit – as that is the only common ground between them.
Photos via Jstone / Shutterstock.com and Bryan Busovicki / Shutterstock.comUp North
The debate about where “Up North” officially begins rages on. But to Detroiters, the majority of our beautiful state is technically up north. That’s just more of a good thing, right?
Photo via Tom Reichner / Shutterstock.comh3>Talking shit about Detroit while defending Detroit
Much in the same way you would complain about your mom to your friends, but as soon as someone said anything negative about your mom, you would shut them up. That’s Detroit. We love to bitch and complain about the sports, the weather, the roads, the politicians, the events. But if anyone agrees with us, they are idiots who don’t know anything about the city we love more than any other — ours.
Photo courtesy of Eric Liu / Detroitstockcity.comP?czki Day
The rest of the country calls it Mardi Gras, French for “Fat Tuesday.” But here, it’s tradition to line up in the cold in Hamtramck to get an authentic piece of Polish heaven in the form of a jelly-filled doughnut.
Photo courtesy of Brent Hofacker / Shutterstock.comThrowing octopuses on the ice
It might not happen as often these days, and the ice might be graced with the name of a soggy pizza chain instead of a hardened boxer, but as long as we claim to be Hockeytown you can bet someone will sneak a slimy sea creature in their pants to show their support of our Red Wings.
Photo courtesy of J.Chizhe / Shutterstock.comBeing north of Canada
To anyone else, being north of Canada sounds like a miserable, cold and secluded existence. But as we look south across the Detroit River at Windsor, we know that we’ve got it pretty good.
Photo courtesy of Stevie Ansara / Detroitstockcity.comRock, soul and techno
Motown. Detroit Rock City. The Birthplace of Techno. Detroiters are the only ones who can claim they are from all three at once. We love our diverse musical history.
Photo via James R Martin / Shutterstock.comFowling
”Hey, we should combine two sports into one! And we should drink while we play!” Football, bowling and beer. Born in Detroit. What’s not to love?
Photo courtesy of Kemberly Groue / Wikimedia CommonsDetroit brand loyalty
Who but a Detroiter stocks their cupboards with nothing but Better Made chips, McClures pickles, Vernors, Faygo, and Strohs? If it’s from Detroit, we love it.
Photo via Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.comA coney island right next to a coney island
Detroiters love their coney dogs. Only here does it makes sense for two almost identical establishments to co-exist right next door and people will draw a line in the sand to defend one over the other.
Photo via Cynthia Longhair Douglas / Shutterstock.comDallying in an alley
Speak of spending a late night in a Detroit alley to a non-Detroiter and they might question your well-being. But if they know about Dally In The Alley — held the first Saturday after Labor Day since 1977 — they will want to join you for the party to end all summer parties.
Photo by Javin Hampton-Latimore Credit:Javin Hampton-LatimoreCelebrity lawyers
Bernstein. Fieger. Kayrouz. These are household names and faces that grace billboards everywhere you look. You love them — whether you like it or not.
Photo by Brian RozmanThe Nain Rouge
Old French folklore about a red dwarf whose appearance has foretold misfortune since 1883. The story is so loved (or feared) by Detroiters that we now hold a parade each spring to celebrate “the demon of the strait.”
Photo by Julia Pickett”Don’t Stop Believin’”
You know the line. You’ve sung it in the third period at Red Wings games. You’ve joked about how there’s no such thing as south Detroit because that’d be Windsor. Why do we keep doing it? We must love it.
Photo courtesy of kaitlyn / Flickr
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