The Detroit Parks Coalition (DPC), a diverse group of park leaders and advocates working to support healthy, equitable, and vibrant parks in Detroit, today announced its extensive summer programming schedule, inviting metro Detroiters ages 0-99 to enjoy an exciting lineup of fun, free, community events hosted in 24 of Detroit’s parks and public spaces. The programming represents more than $500,000 of investment covering all city council districts.

To help city residents stay up to date on events and programs happening in Detroit’s
parks, DPC has launched an events calendar now accessible on the DPC website. This dynamic calendar offers a centralized platform for promoting and discovering upcoming park events, simplifying the process for all residents. The calendar can be found here.

New this year is a partnership with the Detroit Public Library, featuring free reading and literacy programs at five neighborhood parks that are located near library branches. Library event participants will also be able to register for a Detroit Public Library card onsite at the park.

Also new is a regrant program administered in partnership with The Kresge Foundation, providing funding and support for youth and family-focused summer parks programming.

“Free, high quality, and easily accessible park programs connect Detroiters to their local parks and neighbors within their communities,” said Yvette Pullom-Bass, program director for the Detroit Parks Coalition. “The Detroit Parks Coalition and our partners are committed to enhancing the lives of Detroiters one park at a time.”


YOGA IN THE PARKS
June 1 – September 1
In partnership with Yoganic Flow, DPC is offering free yoga classes in several of its member parks. Yoga classes are accessible to all ages and abilities at the following locations:

• Eliza Howell Park: Mondays at 6 p.m. by the stickwork sculpture
• Clark Park: Wednesdays at 6 p.m. by the ice rink
• Pallister Park: Thursdays at 6 p.m.
• Palmer Park: Saturdays at 9 a.m. by the community garden
• Chandler Park: Saturdays at 10 a.m. by the playscape
• Rouge Park: Sunday at 9 a.m. by the basketball courts

Pre-registration is recommended, but not required. Yoga class sign-up is available here. Yoga in the Parks is supported by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP
Summer – Fall 2024

The Detroit Parks Coalition and Detroit Public Library are teaming up to offer reading & literacy programming in parks around its neighborhood branches. All summer long, parkgoers will experience library programming and can sign up for free library cards at existing park events. Partnering parks and branches include:

• Bowen Branch/Clark Park
• Campbell Branch/Patton Park
• Chandler Park Branch/Chandler Park
• Duffield Branch/Curtis Jones Park
• Sherwood Forest Branch/Palmer Park

Check the DPC events calendar for specific program dates.

PISTONS NEIGHBORS PROGRAM
June 17 – August 16

In partnership with the Detroit Pistons Foundation and the City of Detroit Parks & Recreation Division, DPC hosts free drop-in activities for the whole family at 12 Detroit area parks. Activities include free sports clinics, live music, dance classes and visual arts. Programming, managed by Come Play Detroit, will be provided by local vendors and presented in partnership with community-based park organizations. A full schedule of events can be found here.

• Bradby Park
• Chandler Park
• Circle Forest
• Clark Park
• Cool Cities Park
• Ella Fitzgerald Park
• Farwell Park
• New Center Park
• O’Hair Park
• Rouge Park
• Van Antwerp Park
• Yates Park

“The Pistons Neighbors Program enters its fifth year of creating opportunities at city area parks designed to bring Detroiters together for free, family-oriented activations throughout the summer,” Chris Economeas, Detroit Pistons Director of Community and Social Responsibility said. “With our partners at the City of Detroit, William Davidson Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, we’ve expanded the Neighbors Program to a record 12 Detroit area parks in 2024, ensuring Detroiters have even more access to fun and engaging activities in their own backyard.”

As a culmination to a summer of sport instruction, the Pistons Neighbors Program will feature two citywide tournaments, bringing youth from parks across the city together to meet one another and test their skills:

• Palmer Park will host an All-City Tennis Tournament August 10 for children ages 6 – 17. The tournament is presented in partnership with the Detroit Pistons Foundation, USTA, the Motor City Tennis Club and Palmer Park Tennis Academy.
• The year’s 3v3 in the D will take place August 17 on the beautiful Detroit Riverwalk at Cullen Plaza (1340 E. Atwater, Detroit, MI 48207). This free youth three-on-three basketball tournament will feature a skills workshop, along with a 3-point and free throw competition. This event is presented in partnership with the Detroit Pistons Foundation, Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and the William Davidson Foundation.

The Pistons Neighbors Program is a partnership between the City of Detroit, Detroit Parks Coalition, and Detroit Pistons Foundation, and funded by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and the William Davidson Foundation.

SUMMER YOUTH & FAMILY PARKS PROGRAMS

In partnership with The Kresge Foundation, the Detroit Parks Coalition has awarded the below
grants to community organizations providing free family park programs:

• $20,000 to 360 Detroit for 360 Park
• $20,000 to Bailey Park NDC for Bailey Park
• $15,000 to Canfield Consortium for East Canfield Art Park
• $5,000 to Clark Park Coalition for Clark Park
• $5,000 to Ella Fitzgerald Park Conservancy for Ella Fitzgerald Park
• $8,900 to Friends of Patton Park for Patton Park
• $7,250 to Friends of Rouge Park for Rouge Park
• $20,000 to People for Palmer Park for Palmer Park
• $20,000 to Popps Packing for Camp Carpenter Park
• $15,000 to Sidewalk Detroit for Eliza Howell Park

A full program schedule is available through the DPC events calendar.

“We see accessible, equitable, and vibrant parks and public spaces as integral to the quality of neighborhood life, particularly for youth and families. We are particularly proud to support community organizations to bring an exciting range of enriching experiences to Detroit parks this summer. We are showing that we can collectively move toward meeting the green-space needs of Detroiters,” said Wendy Lewis Jackson, managing director of Kresge’s Detroit Program.

FREEDOM ARTS FESTIVAL
June 19 – November 2

With support by the Knight Foundation and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Detroit Parks Coalition’s Freedom Arts Festival features music, dance, storytelling and art reflecting Detroit’s multicultural tapestry. The festival series brings together freedom, racial justice, history and connection to place through arts and culture.

• June 19: Dequindre Cut at Campbell Terrace from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. Juneteenth on the Cut: Stories from Black Bottom. Celebrate Juneteenth on the Dequindre Cut, which is at the eastern border of historic Black Bottom. Enjoy music from Dave McMurry, Reverend Robert Jones, Ian Moore, plus an open mic, vendors and food trucks.

• July 13: Chandler Park from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Music and Me: A Community Arts & Music Festival. Food trucks, kids programming and live music performances presented in partnership with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

• July 20: Clark Park from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Culture & Arts Festival. Celebrate the culture of Southwest Detroit with musical and theatrical performances from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and community.

• Aug. 3: O’Hair Park from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Arise Detroit Neighborhood Day. Join the O’Hair Park Community Association for a community fun day and resource fair, featuring live music and environmental art.

• Aug. 3: Selden Courtyard from 3 p.m. – 9 p.m. Midtown Pulse: A Techno and House Music Experience in Selden Courtyard. Dive into the beats of Detroit’s iconic house and techno music, celebrating their profound heritage and global cultural influence. This event is a tribute to the legendary status of techno and house music, deeply intertwined with the city’s history and fueled by its spirit of innovation. Get ready to groove to the electrifying sounds of techno and house against the backdrop of Midtown’s Selden Courtyard, surrounded by a diverse array of local restaurants. Join us for an afternoon of music, art, food and the unique sense of unity that defines Detroit’s music scene.

• Aug. 10: Palmer Park from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  The Ancient and Magnificent Musical Diversity of the Middle East. Victor Ghannam, a world-renown oud player and member of the National Arab Orchestra, will be joined by a stellar ensemble of artists on instruments such as the kanun, violin or nay (bamboo flute), and
  percussions in an afternoon promoting harmony and understanding through music and other art forms, food, and celebration.

• Sept. 28: Eliza Howell Park by the Stickwork Sculpture from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Songs of Freedom. Hosted by Sidewalk Detroit, “Songs of Freedom” will be an evening of impactful songs celebrating freedom and justice.

• Oct. 5: Rouge Park 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Buffalo Soldiers and Blues. The Rouge Park Buffalo Soldiers and Blues Freedom Festival will highlight the history of the Buffalo Soldiers, the all-Black U.S. Army units that distinguished themselves during westward expansion in the 19th century. The Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Association (BSHA) keeps the history of African Americans in the military alive by introducing youth in the community to horses housed in Rouge Park. Visitors can feed the horses, sign up for a horse ride and view the educational displays. Attendees will enjoy live Blues (the traditional color of the Buffalo Soldiers uniform) music from Big Pete and Friends as well as African drumming from Nanou Djapo. Food will be provided by Marichona’s Cuisine including Filipino lumpia in a nod to the Buffalo Soldiers’ service during the Philippine-American War. Family-friendly lawn games including horseshoes and corn hole will also be available.

• Nov. 2: Patton Park (Runners check in at 7 a.m.) Patton Park Run of the Dead. Certified 5k and 10k races in Patton Park to celebrate the Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), honoring deceased relatives and loved ones. Participants will celebrate by wearing traditional face-paint, flowers and attire. Enjoy light bites, local vendors and entertainment by COMPAS.

The Freedom Arts Festival is supported by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.

ABOUT DETROIT PARKS COALITION
The Detroit Parks Coalition (DPC) is an alliance of organizations supporting healthy, equitable, and
vibrant parks and public spaces. We are a diverse group of park leaders and community members who have come together to expand resources for Detroit parks. For more information, visit DetroitParksCoalition.com.