2-6 WED-SUN • FUN FOR ALL TasteFest — For 15 years, Detroit’s Comerica TasteFest has been tantalizing the taste buds and entertaining the summer sandals off many a local. Making its home in the heart of the New Center, this family-oriented shindig is an honest-to-goodness cross section of the best food, art and entertainment that Detroit has to offer. This flavorful five-day event will at the minimum take your mind off the summer blahs and at the most, keep you rockin’ and chowing for five days straight. This is a good thing. Headlining bands include, Los Lobos, Rusted Root, Wilco, Billy Preston and Floetry. And local acts include: the Dirtbombs, Carl Craig, Blanche, Audra Kubat and the Elevations. And don’t miss this year’s first spoken word stage and the highly decadent “Dessert District.” At Detroit’s New Center, located on West Grand Boulevard between Woodward and the Lodge Freeway. Call 313-872-0188 or visit www.tastefest.com for more information.
2 WED • ART Antonio Carreño — He’s been compared to the likes of Miró, Chagall and Norman Lewis. Antonio Carreño’s popularity as an abstract painter has grown immensely over the past few years. A former student at the National School of Fine Arts in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (where he was born and raised) and the Arts Student League in New York, N.Y., this classically trained painter has developed a style all his own. Most appreciated for his subconscious contextualization and attention to the cyclical nature of life, Carreño is a name to remember. At the G.R. N’Namdi Gallery (66 E. Forest, Detroit). Call 313-831-8700 for hours.
2 WED • ART David Scherer — Having been recently featured on HGTV’s “Modern Masters” for his unique clock-making techniques, one might be surprised to learn that David Scherer is a self-taught artist. Creating with found objects and paint, the energy of his work is nothing short of rousing. The three-dimensional and colorful style of his works have made his artwork popular the world over. Found in many private and corporate collections, Scherer’s work is best described as très moderne. At the Biddle Gallery (2840 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte). Call 734-281-4779 for more information. Runs through Aug. 31.
4 FRI • MUSIC Smokey Robinson — What can one say about Smokey Robinson, that hasn’t been said a million times before? Bob Dylan once referred to him as “America’s greatest living poet,” and the songs that Robinson performed with the Miracles are a sound track to the 1960s. Maybe it’s his sugary-sweet voice or maybe it’s those piercing green eyes, but a show from Smokey is a show for anyone who thinks extraordinary is the way to go. At DTE Energy Music Theatre (Sashabaw Road off I-75, Clarkston). Call 248-645-6666 for tickets.
5-6 SAT-SUN • FUN FOR ALL La-De-Dahs Old-Time Baseball —The Tigers are ripping out your baseball heart with a knife and fork, but whatchagonnado? Take your baseball needs elsewhere, we say … to Greenfield Village to be exact. As part of the village’s ongoing dedication to the preservation and appreciation of American history, their very own old-time baseball team, the La-De-Dahs, are now at your service. Based on an actual amateur baseball club which played in Waterford in the 1880s (and whose existence was discovered while doing research on the village’s J.R. Jones General Store), the legacy of this local ball-and-stick club has fast become a favorite attraction. At Greenfield Village (20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn.) Go to www.hfmgv.org for a complete summer schedule. Game time 1:30 p.m.
5 SAT • FUN FOR ALL All Day All Night — Belle Isle is having a block party, folks. Hosted by 97.9 FM WJLB personality Kim James and featuring a basketball dunk contest, MC and DJ competitions and a slew of other goodies, this is the weekend for talented Detroiters of all walks of life. MC and DJ competition winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the Apollo Theater in New York City and triumphant ballers will receive $1,000 cash and free Adidas gear for a year. Free and open to the public, this all-day event is a perfect way to spend a hot summer day. At Belle Isle (East Jefferson at East Grand Boulevard, Detroit). Call 313-393-4075 for more information.
