  |
Spotlight Community This Month’s Spotlight Community: Detroit Detroit is home to 860,521 residents, thousands of daily commuters and is an urban wonderland for hundred of thousands of visitors each year. It has a diverse and dizzying array of things to discover that makes it the perfect place to live, work, play and visit. Made up of a Central Downtown area and number of neighborhoods including Woodward treasures, Boston-Edison, Midtown/Cultural Center, New Center, Palmer Woods and more, it could take a lifetime to acquaint one’s self with everything that makes this city so special and unique. Home of the birthplace of the automobile, Detroit has a history that can not be duplicated and is still evolving. Form the Piquette Ford Plant where Henry Ford developed the Model T to Tech Town where innovative start up’s are moving Michigan’s economy forward Detroit is a one of a kind city with something for everyone As the urban core of Southeastern Michigan, Detroit is the place to be to satisfy your hunger for the arts. The city offers the most theater seats outside of New York with historic theaters such as the Fox, The Fillmore, The Fisher and Gem bringing Broadway to the area. Those searching out plays and musicals can also find local talent being showcased at Wayne State University’s Hillberry and Bonstelle theaters as well as the Plowshares Theater. In addition to the successful culture of theater in the city, performance arts lovers are treated to performances by the Michigan Opera Theatre and visiting dance troupes at the historic Detroit Opera House.
For residents and visitors, musical appetites are satisfied by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, led by the legendary Leonard Slatkin as well as visiting musicians ranging from Etta James to Wynton Marsills. Fans of Detroit rock, hip-hop and more can always get their fix at legendary music hot spots such as The Magic Stick, St, Andrews Hall, Alvin’s and the world renowned Baker’s Keyboard Lounge. Detroit is also home to bevy of art galleries including the Detroit Artists Market, CPop and two of the most prominent museums in the Midwest, The Detroit Institute of Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Detroit is also home to a wide variety of the Metro area’s signature events. Woodward Avenue which is the main artery of metro Detroit is the home of the oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in the country, The America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade delighting kids of all ages and brining out the inner clown in many since 1924. Another key event include Movement. Paying homage to all things Electronic Music in its birthplace this festival is the largest electronic music festival in the world. Held every Memorial Day weekend, it draws visitors from almost every country on the planet for 3 days of non-stop music from the best DJ’s and artists around the world. For those who eat, sleep and breathe America’s music Jazz, there is the Detroit Jazz Fest. Over the last 30 year’s the DJF has reigned as one of the best music festivals in the country. Showcasing the best the Jazz world has to offer such as Christian McBride, The Clayton Brothers, Lalah Hathaway and more, this free festival has become a Labor Day tradition for many.
Taking place at the gateway to Detroit since 1849 is the Michigan State Fair. The oldest state fair in the county, and the only one held on an urban byway, the MSF brings together families form all over the state to pay homage to Michigan’s agriculture heritage. Showcasing the best food, music and carnival games & rides it is one of the funniest events along the byway. In the last 7 years, Detroit has seen a Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the NFL’s Superbowl, the NCAA Men's Final Four, and two Stanley Cup parades, just some of the reasons why the city has earned the title of being one of the top sports towns in the country. Sports fans visiting the city are also treated to a rarity. On occasion during weekends in October, they can attend a Tigers, Lions or Red Wings game as each stadium is in walking distance of each other, making the ultimate sports weekend a reality.
|