Michigan Renaissance Festival returns with new attractions for 45th anniversary
It’s that time of year again for all of the fantasy fans, history lovers, and cosplayers to visit the magical world that is the Michigan Renaissance Festival. The beloved annual tradition, founded in 1979, is known for its eclectic collection of Renaissance-period performances, art, food, and games. And this year, to celebrate its 45th anniversary,…
Community-driven project aims to name every Detroit neighborhood
Detroit’s neighborhoods are as complex and rich as the city’s history. But not everyone agrees on neighborhood names, and the process for identifying those areas is often made without community input. That could soon change under an ambitious project by DETROITography, a popular platform that creates and shares maps and geographic data to offer insights…
Former UFO Factory, now dubbed UFO Bar, is hosting a grand opening this weekend
Popular Corktown bar and music venue UFO Factory closed in June, but it’s making a comeback this weekend as UFO Bar — with new ownership and, hopefully, a similar vibe. The spot posted to Instagram on Monday to announce that a grand opening celebration is set for Friday, Aug. 16 from 6 p.m.-2 a.m., with…
Duane Williams seeks exoneration as wrongful conviction cases mount in Wayne County
He woke up craving a smoke. It was about 2 a.m. March 5, 2013 when Duane Williams opened his eyes to the darkness of the Inkster home he shared with his wife and family. In his grogginess he grabbed a cigarette, then searched for a lighter, but never found one. Out of fatigue and frustration,…
Sheetz announces more Detroit-area stores
Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain Sheetz is continuing its expansion into Michigan, announcing four more stores set to open in the Detroit area in the coming months. The new locations include 8200 Telegraph Rd. and 20623 Eureka Rd. in Taylor, 45011 Garfield Rd. in Macomb, and 31925 Van Dyke Ave. in Warren. That’s in addition to…
Marcus Elliot is composing music to reflect the diversity of Detroit’s parks
Transformation is always at the heart of Marcus Elliot’s work. The Detroit saxophonist, composer, and educator says his upcoming project, Sounds from the Park, will be no different. Commissioned by the Detroit Parks Coalition, the collection of work will reflect the diverse stories, histories, and cultures of Detroit’s parks and their surrounding neighborhoods. Elliot’s creative…
Catching the Joshua Tree Dream Experience – Detroit – Benefit for Keep A Breast Foundation
Detroit, MI – The Joshua Tree Dream proudly announces the Detroit launch of “Glimpses of the Joshua Tree Dream.” This lifestyle photography book, created by Detroit native Lisa Schyck, captures the authentic desert living experiences of creatives in Joshua Tree CA. and the Hi-Mojave Desert. The book showcases a glimpse beneath the surface of this…
Lapointe: The ‘Hill-billy’ comes to (suburban) Detroit
In law school at Yale, Senator JD Vance of Ohio organized study sessions with classmates to examine “Social Decline in America.” His fellow scholars served as a de facto focus group for his hit book Hillbilly Elegy. One reading assignment Vance ordered was a lengthy essay in The Nation that was published in the mid-1930s…
Macomb County man files lawsuit over tiny home ban
A Shelby Township man is suing a municipality in Macomb County for preventing him from building a tiny home because of an ordinance that bars houses smaller than 1,200 square feet. Jordan McBain filed a lawsuit against Chesterfield Township in Macomb County Circuit Court on Monday, alleging the minimum square footage requirement – or what…
‘Hire N’ Fire’ cannabis industry job fair coming to Pontiac
Michigan’s cannabis industry is booming. According to a 2024 jobs report by Vangst and Whitney Economics, the Great Lakes State is the second-largest marijuana market behind only California, employing some 46,746 workers with 11,341 jobs added last year. The authors called Michigan’s growth “astonishing,” with cannabis sales topping $3 billion. An upcoming job fair aims…
Raise the Bar: Orchid Theatre
Check out Ferndale’s new Orchid Theatre, Detroit’s latest dance venue and nightclub. With a broad variety of music from Top 40, Hip Hop, R&B, House,Techno/Electronic, Country and Salsa you can expect an immersive, multi genre music experience featuring state of the art sound and lighting. Be the VIP you know you are and get bottle…
Michigan Central extends public viewing through Labor Day weekend due to popular demand
Michigan Central says that more than 100,000 visitors have walked through the doors of Detroit’s rehabbed train station since Ford Motor Co. opened them to the public in June. Due to the popular demand, Michigan Central is now extending its “Summer at The Station” tours through Labor Day weekend — so if you haven’t visited…
Afro Nation partners with Detroit Pistons to bring a pop-up basketball court to festival
The world’s largest Afrobeats festival is returning to Detroit — and this year, it’s collaborating with the Detroit Pistons. Afro Nation Detroit is combining music, art, food, and fashion with yet another aspect of culture — sports. Afro Nation Detroit announced plans to host a Pistons-themed activation area at the festival, featuring a “Pistons Home…
Eastpointe basketball coach alleges racial discrimination led to his firing
This story has been updated. The former head coach of the varsity boys basketball team for Eastpointe High School is alleging he was terminated after he filed a racial discrimination complaint against the district’s superintendent. Michael E. Railey was fired on April 15, just after his team won the district championship, a feat the school…
Kamala Harris’s jubilant Detroit rally ends in meltdown
Democrats have been delirious with joy ever since President Joe Biden finally ended his untenable re-election campaign last month, making way for a feel-good ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and her freshly announced running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. If they win in November, she will be the first woman to be elected president,…
Pressure mounts on Wayne County prosecutor to investigate misconduct cases featured in Metro Times
The Detroit Police Department said it’s “fully committed to cooperating” with prosecutors to review cases handled by a former police detective who terrorized young Black men for nearly two decades. The former detective, Barbara Simon, was featured in a two-part series in Metro Times that revealed she had confined young suspects and witnesses to small…
Caribou announces free Detroit pop-up DJ set
Dan Snaith, who has released a string of acclaimed records as Caribou, is planning on performing a free pop-up show in Detroit on Sunday. The artist teased the show on his Instagram page on Wednesday. According to the post, the venue will be announced the day of the show (though Snaith teased it will be…
Systems of oppression are ‘Still in Place’ for artists Yvette Rock and Shekenia Mann
A prolific art exhibit is tucked away in perhaps one of the most unassuming buildings on Detroit’s west side. In the lobby of Northwest Activity Center, a triptych of white paint creeps in on a black center. Lines of chalky white run across the black canvas, inching in from all sides, dripping ever closer to…
Michigan’s largest South Asian street food festival returns to Royal Oak
Named after the beloved Indian condiment, the Chutney Festival is set to return to the Royal Oak Farmers Market on Friday, August 23 from 4-11 p.m. Coined as Michigan’s largest South Asian and West Indian street food festival, this year’s event promises an even bigger experience than its debut last year, ending with an exclusive…
Free Will Astrology (Aug. 7-13)
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Legend tells us that the first person to drink tea was Chinese Emperor Shennong in 2737 BCE. As he lounged outdoors, tree leaves fell into his cup of water and accidentally created an infusion. Good for him that he was willing to sample that accidental offering. It took many centuries, but…
