The Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), with major support from the DTE Beacon Park Foundation, today announced an unparalleled lineup full of summer fun and free activities for families and individuals of all ages.
“Downtown Detroit is celebrated locally and nationally for having so many wonderful and active parks and venues,” said David Cowan, chief public spaces officer for the Downtown Detroit Partnership. “With 100 years of caring for our Downtown, the secret to success has always been providing a diversity of signature events while preserving opportunities to explore our city’s dynamic cultural, retail and entertainment scene. We invite everyone to celebrate our milestone by joining us this summer in the heart of Detroit.”
DDP’s six award-winning and historically significant, landscaped Downtown Detroit parks — Campus Martius Park, Beacon Park, Cadillac Square, Capitol Park, The Woodward Esplanade and Grand Circus Park — attract more than 4 million visitors annually through 1,600 innovative cultural experiences, programs, events and activations. This summer’s exhilarating lineup includes new and returning seasonal programming that reflects the diversity of Detroit’s neighborhoods and communities, features local talent and celebrates the spirit of our city.
In addition to the DDP, the DTE Beacon Park Foundation underwrites programming for Beacon Park, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary.
“DTE’s goal is to inspire and encourage engagement in the communities, while building productive and safe neighborhoods for families to raise their children and for businesses to thrive. For the past five years, Beacon Park has served as a focal point for much of this work and we are proud of the destination it has become in Detroit,” said Lynette Dowler, vice president of Public Affairs, DTE Energy. “We’re excited to celebrate this milestone by inviting everyone to experience the light, energy and motion happening at the park every day – from fitness classes and family fun days to outdoor markets and evenings filled with music – there’s truly something for everyone.”
LIFE IS BETTER AT THE BEACH
May marked the official season opening of The Beach at Campus Martius Park, the first and original urban beach that offers a sun-soaked oasis in the heart of Downtown Detroit. Now through September, visitors can sit back, sink their feet into the warm sand and relax in one of the many comfortable seating options, including colorful beach and lounge chairs, or have fun in the sun building sandcastles with the kids. Plenty of umbrellas and trees in the park offer a resort-like feel and staycation vibes for those looking to stay cool on a hot, summer day.
Live music returns to Campus Martius Park presented by BetMGM. Every Friday from 4-10 p.m. June 10 through August 26, the Friday Night Beach Parties will feature a rotating lineup of the best local and regional bands and DJs performing beachside, such as Brett Lucas, Root Vibrations, One Love Reggae Band, DJ Bruce Bailey and DJ Eddie Riot. On June 17, adult beachgoers can enjoy samples of the new Crown Royal Ready-To-Drink canned whisky cocktails in several refreshing flavors, while supplies last.
New this year, visitors to Downtown Detroit will have an open-air food and beverage option opening soon called BrisaBar. BrisaBar will be Campus Martius Park’s new seasonal outdoor restaurant and bar with stunning views of Downtown Detroit, courtesy of the Iconic Collection, metro Detroit’s premier hospitality group. Situated beachside at the park, BrisaBar reinvents the space formerly known as The Fountain Detroit and offers guests a fresh, contemporary culinary experience with creative selections and specialty cocktails and Happy Hour, plus live entertainment and specials to enjoy as the sun sets on Downtown Detroit’s skyline. It’ll be the place to dine casually and in style for lunch or dinner with a handcrafted cocktail or glass of wine or bubbly, while basking in the sun or underneath the stars.
SUPPORTING DETROIT’S SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS
To provide economic opportunities to small businesses and mobile food operators in Detroit, the DDP is proud to welcome back its popular Downtown Street Eats program, Michigan’s largest and most popular weekly food truck rally, which attracts more than 2,500 people per day now through Oct. 14.
Celebrating its 10th season in Downtown Detroit, this year’s Downtown Street Eats lineup features more than 80 food trucks and carts rotating at Cadillac Square and the Woodward Esplanade weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and during special events. City-goers are invited to come out and try a diverse mix of cuisine offered and to take their food to go or eat outdoors under shaded seating areas in the parks.
Beginning this Friday, June 3, visitors to Cadillac Square can shop till they drop, support small business owners and entrepreneurs and grab takeaway foods at Market Fridays, a weekly outdoor pop-up market. Local food and beverage purveyors, artisans and other vendors will bring
a colorful array of unique goods, including handmade accessories and beauty products. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., shoppers can peruse the market for gifts for themselves and others while waiting for their lunch order from Downtown Street Eats.
Lunchgoers and shoppers also can listen to live music on Fridays at Cadillac Square as part of Lunchtime Acoustics, which is back and set to be better than ever. From noon to 2 p.m., musical acts representing a variety of genres will perform. The lineup includes jazz guitarist Eric Watson, Americana/Folk/Pop duo Keynote Sisters and modern pop artist Olivia Dear.
For those looking to do it all – shop, dance, drink and eat – there’s the Night Market at Beacon Park. From 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays, beginning June 4, attendees can shop local and support Detroit-based makers and entrepreneurs, while taking in live music from Detroit’s best bands and DJs. This summer’s lineup includes a variety of artists, whose performances are guaranteed to keep everyone on their feet. Visitors also can enjoy dinner and drinks at Lumen Detroit and from several food trucks.
Metro Detroiters will not want to miss the Beacon Park End of Summer Concert taking place Saturday, Aug. 27. The concert features Jamaican reggae and fusion from two-time Grammy-nominated artist Etana, who will wow and inspire with the uplifting message and inspirational sounds from her 2020 album, “Gemini,” and the just-released album, “Pamoja.” Headlining the concert is Skip Marley, a two-time Grammy and MTV Video Music Award-nominated, Jamaican-born artist that hails from the legendary Marley family (he’s the grandson of Bob Marley). His latest single is a feel-good reggae jam titled, “Change,” which was recently released on Island Records and is available on all streaming platforms.
RETURNING FAN FAVORITES
Movie Nights in the D returns and moves to 7 p.m. Thursdays, beginning June 9. Presented by Capital One Café and supported by Faygo, movie lovers and families and friends can bring their own chairs or blanket and settle in on the lawn to watch their favorite films on the big screen at Campus Martius Park during this free outdoor movie series. This summer’s schedule includes 12 weeks of movies, including “Jurassic Park,” “Independence Day,” “Encanto,” “Mamma Mia” and the “Wizard of Oz.”
The DDP is proud to partner with the Motown Museum for a pre-Juneteenth showing of “Summer of Soul,” a documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which celebrated African-American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity. The showing takes place June 16, and attendees are encouraged to arrive by 6 p.m. for special themed activities courtesy of the Motown Museum.
Detroit’s parks offer plenty of fresh, outdoor air and greenspaces for Fitness + Energy workouts that build stamina, flexibility, burn calories and sculpt lean muscles, as well as challenge beginners and athletes alike. At Beacon Park, residents and visitors can participate in a variety of free classes, such as City Glow Yoga, Fitness After Dark, Baby + Me and Hustle and Flow. At Cadillac Square, there’s Workout Wednesdays with First Responders 4 Fitness. At Capitol Park and Grand Circus Park, DDP welcomes Citizen Yoga on Wednesdays and Sundays, respectively.
From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, beginning June 6, Family Fun Days at Beacon Park return. Family Fun Days are a mix of free activities throughout the summer for all ages to enjoy, everything from music, arts and storytelling to fitness, crafts and stage performances. An annual Back-to-School Bash, complete with water inflatables, games and a book giveaway, will take place Sunday, Aug. 28.
Detroit’s off-leash dog park – Grand Circus Park – offers a plethora of themed-events and costume parties for the city’s four-legged friends and their humans. An annual dog prom and ice cream socials are just some of the fun scheduled that allows owners to have a howling good time with their furry friends and to meet other pet people. New this year is a free Bring Your Dog to the Movies event held in July, complete with a Christmas in July Toy Drive in partnership with Michigan Humane. To contribute, attendees are asked to bring a dog or cat toy.
SPECIAL PARTNER PROGRAMS IN THE PARKS
Hot Sam’s Presents Detroit’s Black Wall Street is scheduled to take place Saturday, July 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hosted by the family-owned men’s clothier that’s been a Detroit staple for more than 100 years and the DDP, it’s a one day event of culture and commemoration in the heart of Downtown Detroit for what Black Wall Street was in Tulsa, Oklahoma and for what the renaissance has been for black businesses in Detroit and throughout the nation. The event will include a fashion show at Campus Martius Park showcasing Hot Sam’s apparel, food trucks and live entertainment.
More details and a full schedule of events are available at DowntownDetroit.org/events.
Click here to view and download the Summer 2022 Brochure.