A long-awaited park on Detroit’s west riverfront will open this weekend with a lively schedule of music, food trucks and family attractions.
The $80 million Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, in the works for eight years and under construction since 2022, will host the annual Detroit Harvest Fest to inaugurate the 22-acre space, situated between the Riverfront Towers and Ambassador Bridge.
The action will kick off with a 10 a.m. grand opening ceremony, which is open to the public, on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Along with the built-in park amenities — animal-themed tall slides, water gardens, playgrounds, a sports pavilion — the weekend will feature an assortment of special stuff. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy will also debut the latest stretch of the RiverWalk and a connective boardwalk by Riverfront Towers.
The two-day event is free. Here’s a glance at what’s happening:
Music
The Ralph Wilson site is no stranger to music: In its former life as West Riverfront Park, the space hosted events such as the Mo Pop Festival and Downtown Hoedown, along with performers including Smokey Robinson and Jimmy Buffett.
This weekend, a lineup of artists on four stages will be highlighted by headlining group the Jacksons at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Summit Main Stage. It’s the latest Motown homecoming for the band, led these days by brothers Marlon and Jackie Jackson.
That main stage, situated on the grassy DTE Foundation Summit, will also feature performances Sunday, Oct. 26, by Detroit’s Testimony Sings (3 p.m.) and Larry Lee & Back in the Day Band (4:30 p.m.).
More local acts round out the two-day roster, with neighborhood performers on the Michigan Lottery Southwest Stage; R&B, hip-hop and house music on the Soaring Eagle 8th Street Stage; and a variety of art, dance and acoustic music at the Coffee House pop-up space.
The full entertainment schedule is below.
Food
A food truck rally will host 35 local vendors, with cuisine ranging from ethnic to pizza to chicken wings, along with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
They’ll include popular trucks such as Balkan House, Cousins Maine Lobster, Egg Roll Diva, Fork in Nigeria, Galindo’s, Island Noodles and Nepantla Cafe.
Southwest Detroit traveling coffee bar Cafecito Alvarez will be stationed at the Coffee House throughout the park’s opening weekend.
The full list of participating food trucks can be found at detroitharvestfest.com.
Family fun and more
Children’s programming will run daily across the park site, including Halloween-themed spots such as a pumpkin patch and trick-or-treat zone. Costumes and candy bags are encouraged.
Other features include an adventure trail, an art alley and the fluorescent Park After Dark Glow Party (6 to 8 p.m. daily), with a giveaway of glow materials.
At the William Davidson Sport House, the Detroit Pistons Academy will host a basketball zone 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday with drop-in games, and a glow yoga session happening at 6:30 p.m. that day.
On Sunday, activities at the sport house include Zumba (11:30 a.m.), a training session (12:30 p.m.), a hustle class (1 p.m.) and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament presented by the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan.
Parking
Free shuttles will ferry attendees 9 a.m.-to 9 p.m. daily from a pair of complimentary parking structures, the Bagley Mobility Hub at 1501 Wabash and Assembly Parking Garage at 1701 W. Lafayette. Shuttles will also run from the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation at 2835 Bagley and Clark Park at 1161 Clark 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park grand opening entertainment schedule
Saturday
Summit Main Stage
Michigan Lottery Southwest Stage
Soaring Eagle 8th Street Stage
Coffee House
Sunday
Summit Main Stage
Michigan Lottery Southwest Stage
Soaring Eagle 8th Street Stage
Coffee House
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ralph Wilson Park grand opening guide: Music, food trucks, parking, more
Reporting by Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
