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Ferndale Pride returns Saturday.

Select events happening in metro Detroit this week. Submit your events to metrotimes.com/calendar.

American Speed Festival

Thursday, 9/30-Sunday, 10/3: Do you like to live life in the fast lane? Are your speeding tickets piling up like a single CVS receipt? Does the Fast & Furious franchise get you hot, bothered, and questioning whether or not Vin Diesel is sexy or, like, totally busted? If you answered yes to any of those questions, there's an event for you, you speed freak. While we may have missed out on the North American International Auto Show this year, Michigan's love of cars is full throttle, which is why we've been given some non-NAIAS events to quench our thirst for speed, baby. The American Speed Festival invites car lovers to witness race cars of all eras partake in a speed showdown. The three-day event will include two days spent at a speed ring track where racers will compete in 10 different classes and one day dedicated to exhibiting unique cars, from Can-Am to historic stock cars, and more. In addition to fast cars, the event will feature the ticketed Checkered Flag Ball, a "groovy black and white" attire-mandatory event which honors master of motorsports Jim Hall and raises money for 1 Mobility, an organization that provides transportation solutions to Pontiac residents. The festival kicks off with the Dine and Drive event, which is described as "an all-day ground touring excursion to enjoy some of Detroit's most iconic venues." The ticketed tour, which includes food and drink throughout the day, will pay visit to the Lingenfelter Collection, which is home to a collection of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Corvettes. The tour will also visit the "Driven to Win: Racing in America" at the Henry Ford Museum. —Jerilyn Jordan

Ferndale Pride

Saturday, 10/2: Though the pandemic has, uh, let's just say thrown a wrench in some of our very gay plans over the past year(s), there is a bright side: Pride month has unofficially become a year-long celebration, because our support of the LGBTQAI+ community simply cannot be limited to a single month or event, Barbera. One of the state's most rainbow-powered pride fests sashayed away from June and, instead, dragged the day-long Ferndale Pride fest into October — and we're gagged. But, like, in a good way. Like when Roxxy Andrews gave us the gift that is her verse in "Read U, Wrote U" during Drag Race: All Stars 2. Anyway, we're here to make it clear (sorry, Roxxy!), Ferndale Pride will finally get to celebrate its 10th year — and they're going big. Per previous years, the event, which takes place along the main drag of Michigan's fave gayborhood, will kick off with a slew of gay weddings on the LIV Cannabis mainstage. The rest of the day will include access to more than 180 vendors with two performance stages. There's the DK Dance Stage hosted by Thots & Prayers and Green Buddha Cannabis Co., will see sets by DJs TYLR_, Dan Slater ft. Alan Gendreau, Deanne, Gaby Hemlock, and Brano. Meanwhile, the mainstage will host performances by Ella X, Reginald Hawkins, J. Santino, Alise King, a drag show, and by headliner — and former Metro Times' artist to watch — Siena Liggins. It should also be noted that Ferndale Pride has raised more than $250,000 for local charities since 2011. —Jerilyn Jordan

Willow

Monday, 10/4: By the age of 20, it is very likely that we all went through our fair share of phases, from hair, clothes, friends, crushes, music tastes, and, if you were like us, career goals. (RIP to our dream of becoming an astronaut veterinarian rockstar!) So it should not come as a shock that the progeny of actor Will Smith and reformed nu-metalist Jada Pinkett-Smith would go from whipping her hair back and forth on a kid-friendly party banger at just nine years old to dismantling the public's perception of what a young girl should look like, sound like, and talk about. Following in her mom's Wicked Wisdom is Willow, the newest pop-punk force, as evidenced by the 20-year-old's fourth record Lately I Feel Everything, a title that will likely still hold up once she's in her mid-30s and pulls her back out from sneezing. Anyway, the "t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l" singer teamed up with the likes of Travis Barker, Tierra Whack, Cherry Glazerr, and the queen of keeping it complicated, Avril Lavinge, for her record, which tackles big feelings, gaslighting, spirituality, and some good old fashion "Fuck You" energy. No, really, it's a song on the record, chill out. —Jerilyn Jordan

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