In honor of 313 Day in Detroit, the Belle Isle Conservancy is hosting a day full of free, family-friendly activities on the island, including the reopening of the Belle Isle Casino.
The casino, which has been closed since 2023 due to roof, interior, and infrastructure upgrades, will have a ribbon cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday, Belle Isle Conservancy President and CEO Meagan Elliott told BridgeDetroit. The casino received $4.75 million in federal relief funding.
“There’s been a significant amount of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) dollars invested in the project, and I know that everyone has been so eager to see it reopen,” she said. “You constantly see people wandering around the veranda, wondering what’s going on inside the building. We’re really excited to be able to open the doors fully and let folks take tours, and then also just celebrate that this beautiful, historic building is again open to the public.”
In honor of 313 Day, the conservancy is hosting “Your 313 Day Getaway” as a way to uplift Belle Isle and show the different offerings the 982-acre island park has to offer, Elliott said. 313 Day is a reference to Detroit’s area code and has become a day for celebrating the city.
The 313 Day events are part of Belle Isle Conservancy’s rebrand. In January, the nonprofit launched a new website with the aim of making it easier to plan visits and interact with the conservancy. The venture includes curated content for island visitors, a space to share Belle Isle memories, information on the conservancy and how to support it, a centralized calendar and Spotify playlists for the island.
“We thought it really made sense to celebrate that even further on 313 Day,” Elliott said.
313 Day on Belle Isle will include extended hours for the Belle Isle Aquarium, Belle Isle Nature Center and Dossin Great Lakes Museum. The aquarium and museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., while the nature center will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Belle Isle Aquarium will host a series of “Planting Seeds, Growing Minds” storytime events for National Reading Month at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
From noon to 5 p.m. at the Remick Bandshell, visitors can experience “Portal” by designer and educator Salam Rida. Created in partnership with Michigan Central and Newlab, Rida will collect stories of people’s memories of the island through a mobile podcast studio, Elliott said.
“I’ll be doing some interviews with folks in there,” she said. “Anyone’s welcome to come and share their story.”
From 3-7 p.m. at the aquarium, the Metropolitan Museum of Design Detroit will host a Biomimicry Design Challenge, where participants can create nature-inspired solutions.
Music On Belle Isle Group (MOBIG) will host some activities under the Flynn Pavilion, also from 3-7 p.m.
“I think that they’re going to have a variety of instruments that people can try out in the space, and they’re also going to be sharing the history of music on Belle Isle, which is a project that they worked on with the Detroit Historical Society,” Elliott said.
In the Belle Isle Gift Shop, Detroit artist Tony Whlgn will have his 313 Day capsule collection, featuring limited edition t-shirts and tote bags, she said.
To finish out the day, folks can celebrate the reopening of the casino with a 313 Day house party beginning at 6 p.m., featuring DJ Bruce Bailey. Registration is not required, but the event will be limited, Elliott said.
Elliott said that 313 Day is a love letter to Detroit and she’s looking forward to seeing people enjoying themselves in one of the city’s quintessential spaces.
“It’s beloved for a reason,” Elliott said. “We’re here for everyone, this is your park. I hope everyone comes out and either uses Belle Isle to come alive or to get some respite.”
Here are some other 313 Day events happening around Detroit:
- 313 Day at Valade: The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, in partnership with WDIV-TV and Raise the Flag Detroit, is hosting 313 Day at Robert C. Valade Park, beginning at 3:13 p.m. Friday. The free, family-friendly event will feature poetry readings from Inside Out Literary Arts, chess tournaments with Wise Guys Chess Club and food from Smokey G’s Smokehouse, Detroit Original Seafood and Detroit Panzerotti. At 6 p.m., runners can participate in We Run 313, a 3.13-mile race along the riverfront.
- 313 Day at The Station: Michigan Central is hosting a 313 Day edition of their monthly music series Fridays at the Station, starting at 6 p.m. Artist Kamau Baaqi opens the evening with a live performance featuring soundscapes shaped by the natural acoustics of Michigan Central. Later, DJ Waajeed will take over, guiding the room through generations of Detroit music — house, hip hop, soul and techno. Tickets are $15.
- Pistons 313 Day game: The Detroit Pistons will play against the Memphis Grizzlies in a 313 Day face-off, starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Little Caesars Arena. But before the game, fans can participate in a pregame experience in the arena’s Chevy Lounge, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The experience includes a Pistons Academy half court basketball activation, complimentary sneaker cleaning and exclusive 313 Day shoe customizations from Clean Sneaker Co. Upon entry at 6 p.m., the first 3,130 fans will receive a fourth edition of the popular Pistons 313 Day chain and at the Team Store, people can purchase a “DETailed Design” capsule, featuring an exclusive hat design by Big Sean, as well as four t-shirt designs from the rapper and three Detroit artists. Rapper Skilla Baby will perform the halftime show, alongside the Detroit Youth Choir. Tickets are still available on Ticketmaster, beginning at $67.
- 313 Day concert: In addition to the Pistons game, Skilla Baby will headline a concert at the Garden Theater in Midtown from 6-10 p.m. Friday, hosted by sneaker store Snipes and Adidas. The event will also feature DJs Killa Squid and Flexx Live. The concert is free when people download the Snipes app and sign up for Reserve. Snipes will also have an exclusive 313 Adidas Top Ten High sneaker available at its stores.
- 313 Day featuring Shigeto: The Shinola Hotel will have a vinyl DJ set featuring Detroit artist Shigeto from 6-9 p.m. Friday. Seating is first come, first served. Shinola’s Evening Bar will serve Detroit-themed cocktails throughout the weekend, including a dirty vodka martini with Detroit City Distillery’s Gilded Age Vodka, Two James Nain Rouge Absinthe and McClure’s pickle brine. Or, go for the Last Word with Valentine Distilling’s Liberator Gin, or a Boulevardier featuring Two James Blackthorn Bourbon. Along with the trio of Detroit-themed cocktails, people can stop in for a secret menu item featuring an iconic local brand.
- 313 Day at The Brakeman and Penny Red’s: Raise a glass to the D with select local drafts for $3.13 all day at The Brakeman in downtown Detroit. Local DJ Lamchop will spin tunes from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. Meanwhile, next door at Penny Red’s, the restaurant will offer sides like macaroni and cheese and honey butter biscuits for $3.13.