By Chris ThompsonIt’s time again for the Detroit Festival of the Arts, which means among other things, art and music from all over the world, international street performers, and the building of a 75-ton sand sculpture! This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 8, 9, and 10, the University Cultural Center Association (UCCA) and Wayne State University (WSU) present the 21st annual Detroit Festival of the Arts on Cass Avenue, Woodward Avenue, John R. Road, and Brush Street.

This family friendly event will bring together artists from around the corner to the other side of the world, from Detroit’s own poet Kawita Kandpal to a band from the Sierra Leone refugee camp, called Sierra Leone, to the Mexican American violinist, born in Oaxaca, Lila Downs. Artist booths will line Cass Avenue, where over 100 artists will put their work up for sale. Wayne State University’s campus will hold the Youth Artists Market, where there will be over 50 interactive activities for children, as well as puppet and pirate shows. Festival Special Events Director of UCCA Maureen Riley promises, “We guarantee you will come and find something you have fallen in love with.”

In providing a place for artists from around the world to perform so audiences can enjoy new flavors of art, the organizers of the festival first and foremost seek to promote Detroit, as well as attract new people to the University Cultural Center. This art-filled weekend in Detroit will be, Riley says, a magical environment where people of all ages, socio-economic statuses, and races will come together in a diverse group. She adds, “Nobody but the Festival brings this kind of stuff.”

The Detroit Festival of Arts began in 1987, when Wayne State University’s “Welcome Back Festival” merged with the UCCA’s own festival, “September Song.” More recently the festival was moved to June because the early summer month provided a better time to bring together people outside of the campus population. The move has proved positive, as it has enjoyed more success under the nicer summer weather and less family scheduling conflicts.

Area museums will be involved to help bring the arts community together as well, offering membership discounts during the Festival, and some museums will hold special events, such as the Charles H. Wright Museum showing a documentary about Sierra Leone as a companion to the band’s performance, and the DIA will host a mini-golf course and a 1926 European animated film, The Adventures of Prince Achmed. This Detroit tradition promises a great arts experience and lots of fun for everyone. Come out and support Detroit and arts from around the world.

The Festival is free for all ages. For more information visit the website at http://detroitfestival.com/

The poster for the Festival this year features artwork by Detroit artist Charles McGee. Read more about him here.