Hey Detroiters, welcome back to Culture Canvas!
In case you missed it, the bandshell at Palmer Park is now open and available to rent for events through October.
After being closed down for 17 years, the city of Detroit held a grand opening celebration Saturday. Musician Marcus Elliot, who was featured in Culture Canvas last month, performed at the venue, along with Anjelic, Bryce LP, Charles Scales and DJ Fingers. The concert was hosted by Detroit native and Grammy-nominated singer Dwele.
The bandshell restoration was a $3.56 million project funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The project also includes new restrooms, support structures for event staff and equipment, a new paved parking lot with 60 spaces and walking paths that connect people to the rest of Palmer Park.
The bandshell originally opened in 1938 on the Michigan State Fairgrounds at State Fair and Woodward on the city’s west side. The structure became a fixture at the annual event, staying there until the fair closed in 2009.
In 2020, the property was sold to Amazon for a new distribution center. However, there was strong community support for saving the bandshell, including a petition gathering campaign by the State Fair Development Coalition. The People for Palmer Park organization was instrumental in finding a new home for the bandshell. The city eventually decided to move the bandshell to nearby Palmer Park following an extensive restoration process.
I talked with Detroit General Services Director Crystal Perkins about what’s next for the bandshell and her memories of the venue.
BridgeDetroit: Do you have concerts lined up for the summer and fall?
Perkins: We are in the process of working on the lineup for the remainder of the season. There are still some things to do with the community and with artists, but we’ll have a couple more concerts before the bandshell closes for the season.
This is another asset that we have in the city of Detroit that will bring the community together in our green spaces. And we all know the health benefits of being outside, being in parks and green spaces.
BridgeDetroit: The bandshell is available for booking. How can people reserve the venue for an event?
Perkins: We have an online reservation channel and people can call our main number for the GSD recreation office at (313) 224-1100.
BridgeDetroit: What memories do you have of the bandshell growing up?
Perkins: I used to go to the fairgrounds as a child. That’s something that I look forward to doing every summer. I do remember the bandshell being there … and seeing people on that stage performing was a real nostalgic feeling for me on Saturday (during the reopening).
BridgeDetroit: What is it like seeing the bandshell being used in the community again?
Perkins: It’s really refreshing. The bandshell was in use for 80 years before the last concert was held. It saw entertainers from Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and the Jackson Five.
Detroit is a music city. Other than the Motor City, our other name is Motown and a lot of artists either got their start here or played here when they were just up and coming. It’s only fitting that we helped with saving the bandshell and that we were able to continue to celebrate the legacy of music that we have in the city.
As always, have a great week!
Cheers,
Micah
313 Scene
- The Michigan Shakespeare Festival’s abrupt cancellation this summer came as arts organizations around the state scramble to host fundraisers, pare down programming and make other adjustments amid state and federal funding uncertainty. The group is among hundreds of direct grant recipients in Michigan and across the country to be notified in May of funding terminations by the National Endowment for the Arts, part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to reduce or eliminate what his administration contends is wasteful spending through the Department of Government Efficiency.
- BridgeDetroit contributor J. Gabriel Ware wrote about R&B artist Ronnie “Detroit Zeus” Irons. Between making new music and touring, the singer – who grew up at Evergreen and Plymouth on the city’s west side and still lives in Detroit – spends his time giving back to the city that made him through his volunteer work and participation in charitable causes.
- With its 20th anniversary approaching in 2026, the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) is gearing up for some big changes and celebrations, starting with closing its main building for essential renovations starting Aug. 25. Critical infrastructure upgrades, including HVAC improvements, are scheduled during the closure, which will last through early 2026. The Woodward Avenue façade will also be redesigned with a new public window display. (Detroit Free Press)
- Whether you’re a regular at the Detroit Institute of Arts or it’s been years, a new exhibit is up now that showcases some of the best pieces our world-famous attraction has to offer, all in one area. “Highlights from the Modern Collection” opened earlier this month in three galleries and will continue until 2026. The exhibit features both rarely seen works of art and those stunners that you expect to marvel at when you visit the DIA, all shown in a “salon style” presentation. (The Detroit News)
What’s Going on in the D?
- The Jonas Brothers are bringing their “Jonas20: Greetings From Your Hometown” tour to Little Caesars Arena at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Openers include Marshmello, Boys Like Girls and Franklin Jonas. Tickets are still available, beginning at $121.
- The Detroit Jazz Festival returns for its 46th year in downtown and Midtown from Friday through Monday. The lineup includes Artist-in-Residence Jason Moran, national acts such as Branford Marsalis, Chris Potter and Maria Schneider, as well as local talent like James Carter, Endea Owens and Marion Hayden. As in years past, the festival is free.
- The Aretha Franklin Amphitheater is hosting its “Return of the Legends” hip-hop concerts at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Friday night’s lineup includes EPMD, Treach from Naughty by Nature, MC Lyte, Arrested Development, Black Sheep and Third Bass. Night two brings rappers Plies, Da Brat, Twista, Tela, Crucial Conflict, Do Or Die, Big Mike and Coo Coo Cal. Tickets are still available for both shows, starting at $52.
- The Redford Theatre is hosting a Broadway prom at 7 p.m. Saturday. Guests can enjoy a fun-filled night of musical theater featuring performances from local talent, themed drinks, dancing and photo opportunities. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets are $22.
- The Detroit Sandwich Party returns to Eastern Market from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. A partnership between the North Corktown Neighborhood Association and Eastern Market Corporation, the free event grew out of Detroit Sandwich Week, which is held every December. Attendees can purchase as many small-format sandwiches as they’d like, accompanied by beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages for sale.
