The show still went on for some Metro Detroit concerts and art festivals on Thursday, despite thick smoke from Canadian and Minnesota wildfires that swept across Michigan on Thursday morning, prompting an air quality alert that has been extended through Friday.
Detroit’s beloved Concert of Colors shifted some of its programming indoors on Thursday, while a concert for rocker John Mellencamp was still scheduled to proceed Thursday evening at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston.
“Smoke won’t bother Mellencamp,” wrote Duane Wolski in a post on Pine Knob’s Facebook page.
With hazy skylines and a strong burnt smell, Detroit ranked the most polluted city in the world on Thursday morning.
Ranked hazardous on the Air Quality Index (AQI) scale, Metro Detroit is facing extremely poor air quality that “poses serious health risks to the entire population.” As officials urge residents to limit time outdoors, the smoky conditions are also testing the resilience of Michigan’s summertime economy. From golf courses and festivals to outdoor concerts, organizers and businesses are weighing whether to press ahead as poor air quality lingers.
Major concerts and festivals monitor conditions
At the Ann Arbor Art Fair on Thursday, one of the largest art fairs in the country, which draws thousands every year, organizers said artists could close their booths early Thursday and open later than scheduled on Friday due to the smoke.
The fair was scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Organizers said vendors may now opt to close for the day at 3 p.m. Thursday and reopen at noon on Friday — though they may also remain open as scheduled.
The Thunder Over Michigan Air Show, meanwhile, is scheduled to begin Friday at Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti. As of Thursday midday, organizers are continuing to monitor air quality and have not yet decided whether any schedule changes will be necessary.
The Henry Ford in Dearborn closed Greenfield Village and the Ford Rouge Factory Tour on Thursday because of the hazardous air quality, saying the decision was made “to protect the health and safety of our guests and team members.” Its other public venues remain open.
As for national tours, along with Mellencamp’s “Dancing Worlds Tour” featuring his greatest hits, country singer Hank Williams Jr. is still on to perform at the venue on Friday. As of Thursday evening, neither concert had been canceled or postponed.
Performances at smaller venues have been canceled.
A concert featuring a Led Zeppelin tribute act scheduled at the LaFontaine Family Amphitheatre in Milford Township has been canceled “due to the dangerously poor air quality and extreme heat.” The Farmington Concert Band’s show at Heritage Park is also canceled, as is the outdoor music programming at Royal Oak’s Centennial Commons. A public jazz concert set for outdoors at Kercheval and St. Clair in Grosse Pointe is being postponed.
The annual, free Concert of Colors taking place through Sunday at various venues in Midtown has made changes to Thursday’s schedule. Performances previously scheduled to be outside the Detroit Historical Museum will be inside the museum in the Gallery of Culture. The Arts & Scraps activities will be inside the Michigan Science Center.
Outdoor recreation slows
The Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society expects to cancel its Friday rides because of the unhealthy conditions.
“With the way it’s showing today, really, nobody should be bicycling,” Board Member Cheryl Cunningham said. “When you’re cycling, you’re basically intaking a lot more air than if you’re just walking, which isn’t safe. The rider leaders are pretty good about canceling rides if conditions aren’t safe.
The city of Pleasant Ridge closed its municipal pool on Thursday.
For the Rackham Golf Course in Huntington Woods, golfers have not been deterred by the looming smoke, said associate Mark Santa Maria.
“Smoke has been pretty heavy,” Santa Maria said. “We are still open, though. There have been a few people canceling, but it’s still pretty full and play has been steady.”
With outdoor exercise discouraged, some indoor businesses are also responding to the smoky conditions.
Planet Fitness is offering free gym access at locations in Michigan, Indiana and Ontario while poor air quality persists.
Staff Writer Max Reinhart contributed.
atisch@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Poor air quality in Metro Detroit impacts concerts, festivals and other activities
Reporting by Alyssa Tisch and Melody Baetens, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alyssa Tisch and Melody Baetens, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
