More than 1,200 concerts, family events, movie nights and other programs will grace downtown Detroit’s parks and public spaces this summer.
The Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) has unveiled a bustling slate of activities from now through October as the nonprofit organization aims to bring “simple, accessible, high-quality experiences” to 18 downtown spaces, in the words of DDP’s David Cowan.
The full calendar of events can be found at the DDP website.
Here’s a snapshot.
Campus Martius Park
Saturday beach parties in the sand at Campus Martius will feature a host of musical themes, including live country (June 20), rock (July 18), pop-punk (Aug. 29) and dance (Sept. 19).
Starting with “National Treasure” on July 3, Fridays will bring movie nights for nine weeks, with showings to include “Cars” (July 10), “Superman” (Aug. 14), “KPop Demon Hunters” (Aug. 21) and “High School Musical” (Aug. 28). Films will start at 7 p.m. each evening.
Along with the regular array of daily food trucks, Monday yoga sessions and Sunday kids activities, Tacos & Trivia will hit Campus Martius at 6 p.m. each Tuesday from June 30 through Sept. 15.
Cabana 313, a two-story open-air lounge, will be open throughout the summer.
Campus Martius will also host watch parties for the United States’ World Cup matchups against Paraguay (June 12) and Australia (June 19), with games showing on the big screen.
Beacon Park
Beacon Park’s Saturday summer music series will spotlight soul-blues singer Thornetta Davis (June 27), pop cover band Mega 80s (July 25) and country-rocker Rob Stone (Aug. 22) alongside an open-air market.
The 9-year-old park at Grand River and Cass will also host regular fitness events, including Workout Wednesdays, along with a second year of pickleball on the recently installed courts.
Cadillac Square
Along with weekday lunchtime offerings throughout the summer — what DDP describes as Michigan’s biggest recurring food truck rally — Cadillac Square will feature local vendors and artisans each Thursday in June.
The Detroit Phoenix Center, which supports underserved young people, will bring its YouthUp Mobile Unit to Cadillac Square from 6 to 9 p.m. June 5 and 12.
Capitol Park
The offerings in Capitol Park, at Shelby and State streets, will include biweekly Pilates sessions starting July 10, along with yoga classes on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Grand Circus Park
Dogs will be the star of the show one Saturday each month at Grand Circus Park, where themed events will include a Bark-B-Q and October’s Howl-O-Ween.
Meanwhile, Detroit jazz artists will accompany the selection of cocktails and food during the Bourbon Garden event on Thursday evenings.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit parks to host 1,200+ summer events across downtown
Reporting by Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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