Having lived in Ann Arbor before moving to Detroit, my wife and I are used to enjoying non-waterfront summer entertainment. Summers in Ann Arbor for us were spent playing sports, enjoying outdoor dining and watching free entertainment at the month-long Top of The Park festival. As good as we had it in Ann Arbor, I am happy to say that there is even more going on during the summer in Detroit. Here are just a few of the options that we have discovered so far.
New Center Park Summer Series
Not to outdone by Ann Arbor’s Top of the Park, the New Center Park Summer Series runs the entirety of June, July and August. Offerings include Wednesday night movies, Thursday night live music, and Saturday night dance parties. Best of all—the events are free of charge. We’ve got our eye on the Alice in Wonderland showing on July 16th.
Campus Martius Summer in the Park
In case you are more of a downtown dweller, there is no reason to miss out on the outdoor fun. The Campus Martius Summer in the Park Series is jam packed with activities too. Events range from music and movies to yoga and a beach bar. Also on the list this year is live streaming of the US’s World Cup soccer matches. Here’s hoping the US team gives our crowd plenty to cheer about.
Come Play Detroit
Come Play Detroit is Detoit’s organizer of amateur sports. While they do have winter leagues too, my preference has always been for outdoor sports. From basketball to softball and kickball, CPD has a league to appeal to all sports lovers. I myself have opted for their beach volleyball league. As such you will find me, and many of my fellow fellows, at the riverfront every Wednesday night defending our (currently) undefeated record.
So much more…
These activities really just represent the tip of the iceberg for ways to pass the summer nights in the city. There are many other good options to explore; restaurants with outdoor seating, baseball games at Comerica Park, and one of my new favorite pastimes, Detroit City Football Club matches at Cass Tech just to name a few. Whether you live here or something else pulls you in to Detroit over the summer one thing is for sure, you will never run out of options for things to do. What is your favorite summer pastime in the city?