Festivals and Events

Detroit [1] hosts numerous events and celebrations throughout the year, including January’s North American International Auto Show (Cobo Hall, 1 Washington Blvd., 313/886-6750, www.naias.com [2], $12 adults, $6 children 7–12), which still offers the world a first-hand look of what cars will look like in the near and distant future.

In late June, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church holds the annual Opa! Fest (760 Wattles Rd., Troy, 248/362-9575, www.opafest.com [3]), a weekend filled with Greek music, traditional Greek folk dancing, and, of course, Greek cuisine, from kabobs and gyros to pastries and wine.

Over Labor Day weekend, there are at least two events worth attending. In Hart Plaza [4], the Detroit International Jazz Festival (313/963-7622, www.detroitjazzfest.com [5]) presents more than 85 free, open-air concerts and a world-class selection of music masters—the largest free jam in the world. The popular “Meet the Artists” series and free clinics in improvisation for students are designed to support the city’s vital jazz community and ensure its survival. Concerts are held all over the city in conjunction with the festival, including at Chene Park, home of well-attended annual events and open-air summer concerts.

Meanwhile, Belle Isle [6] is the site of the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix (www.detroitgp.com [7]), a fact that causes great chagrin to naturalists but brings big bucks to city coffers. Every Labor Day weekend, the birds and bees are drowned out by the drone of roaring Indy cars, which take over the western tip of the island on a 2.1-mile course, considered one of the most challenging in the world. Noise from the event can be heard throughout downtown and as far away as the Grosse Pointes [8].