Detroit, Michigan – Detroit is getting ready for fall with two family-friendly festivals in its newly renovated Arts Alleys. There will be music, food, and a sense of community on the Passage to Wellbeing Alley and the Burrell Trail Alley on Saturday, September 20. This will give residents a chance to celebrate the season together.
The inaugural fall event at the Passage to Wellbeing Alley, which is between Manistique and Phillip streets and between Korte and Scripps streets, will start at 3 p.m. The schedule has a great mix of artists, including Detroit rap icon Big Herk, blues powerhouse Thornetta Davis, and special guests Angela Davis and Rita Renee. Ms. Tammy Black, a community leader and alley stakeholder, will release her new tune, “I Am Light,” adding a personal touch. She said the work was a tune for everyone to dance to, think about, or just enjoy.
“It carries inspiration, calming energy and healing vibes. Music is such a powerful tool for mental health: it helps reduce stress, uplift the spirit, restore balance and connect us with one another,” Black said.
Guests are welcome to bring chairs or blankets to sit on during the shows. The event organizers want it to be a mix of fun and positive messages that will not only celebrate the season but also bring people in the community closer together.
The “Boots on the Ground” fundraiser for Alkebu-Lan Village takes place later that night in Burrell Trail Alley. The event will start at 6 p.m. at 7701 Harper Avenue and include supper, dancing, and music by DJ Ray O’Shay. For extra fun, guests can even dress in western style for the evening. The money raised will go to local programs, which will strengthen the alley’s function as a place for both cultural and community investment.
These two alleyways are part of a bigger change. The Office of Arts, Culture, and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE) coordinated the redesign of nine places as part of Detroit’s $5.4 million Arts Alley initiative. The goal of the project, which is part of Mayor Mike Duggan’s “Blight to Beauty” campaign, is to turn empty areas into lively cultural centers. The project wants to improve communities and provide Detroit’s creative workers more chances by adding art, performance, and gathering spaces to the city’s fabric.
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Detroit ACE is still working with community groups and organizations to make arts and culture more available throughout the city. These kinds of activities turn the alleyways into more than just paths; they become venues where people from the neighborhood and artists come together to celebrate creativity, legacy, and the strength of community.