The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) teams up with the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy and the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) to bring music, art and summer fun to three, free outdoor events at Rivard Plaza on the Detroit riverfront with 2nd Saturdays on the Riverfront. Each event will take place between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on July 11, Aug. 8 and Sep. 12.

This family-friendly summer extravaganza includes performances by Southpaw Isle Steelband on July 11, Biakuye Percussion Group on Aug. 8 and The Gratitude Steel Band on Sept. 12. All performances begin at 11 a.m. followed by a second set at 12:15 p.m. The event will also include art-making tables, airbrush and clown balloon artists, rides on the Cullen Family Carousel and the Marshall Music Instrument Petting Zoo (Instrument Petting Zoo only available on July 11 and Aug. 8).

The Rivard Plaza is located at 1340 E. Atwater St. in Detroit. Parking will be available at the surface lots at Atwater E. of Rivard and at Atwater and St. Antoine. Reserved seats are not required for the performances. Concertgoers should arrive early for best seating. Chairs will be set up for the performances, but attendees are also invited to bring their own chairs. For more information please visit detroitriverfront.org.

While rooted in Caribbean pan tradition, Southpaw Isle Steelband continually stretches the limits of the steelband sound with a repertoire that includes jazz, classical, samba and calypso influences. The group has presented workshops, assemblies, and educational concerts for students of all ages, including three sold-out performances as part of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Tiny Tots Concert Series at the Max M. Fisher Music Center.

Known for their energetic concert programs for children, Biakuye Percussion Group not only engages the audience with their unique brand of cultural fusion, but also provides education about African and American culture. Among the Akan people of Ghana, Biakuye means unity. It is this spirit of unity that brings the American and African members together to perform “melorhythmic world percussion.” Some of the group’s performance highlights include previous engagements with the Henry Ford II Fund Tiny Tots Concert Series, the Detroit Festival of the Arts and the African Xylophone Festival in New York City.

Based in Sylvan Lake, Michigan, The Gratitude Steel Band started in 1988 as an all Gospel ensemble. Eventually the group evolved to bring listeners a combination of gospel, reggae and tropical influences that today creates their one-of-a-kind sound. Part of their mission is to provide family entertainment that promotes the art of steel drum music through educational programs, concerts and events.

The internationally acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the fourth-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, is known for trailblazing performances, visionary maestros and collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists. In the 2008-09 season, esteemed conductor Leonard Slatkin, called “America’s Music Director” by the Los Angeles Times, became the 12th Music Director of the DSO. A household name in classical music, Slatkin combines extraordinary musicianship with a passion for his role as a visionary orchestra leader.

The DSO makes its home in historic Orchestra Hall, one of America’s most acoustically perfect concert halls. The orchestra has earned awards and accolades for nearly 150 recordings since 1918, and its past touring and residency destinations include Europe, the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland, Japan, the Hollywood Bowl, Florida, the Bravo! Colorado Festival and the State of Michigan.

The DSO’s diversity programs include the pioneering Classical Roots concerts, the Elaine Lebenbom Memorial Competition for Women Composers, the annual Concert of Colors music festival and the African-American Fellowship program established in 1990. For more information on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s programs, initiatives and concerts, please visit www.detroitsymphony.com.

PERFORMANCE
2nd Saturdays on the Riverfront
Southpaw Isle Steelband
Rivard Plaza
Sat., July 11at 11 a.m.
Selections to be announced from the stage.

2nd Saturdays on the Riverfront
Biakuye Percussion Group
Rivard Plaza
Sat., Aug. 8 at 11 a.m.
Selections to be announced from the stage.

2nd Saturdays on the Riverfront
The Gratitude Steel Band
Rivard Plaza
Sat., Sep. 12 at 11 a.m.
Selections to be announced from the stage.

Historic Tall Ship, DTE Energy Parade of Lights, Fun Rides, Music and More to Return to Detroit’s Riverfront for River Days
JUNE 19-21, 2009

“Countdown to Fireworks Carnival” to extend the fun
June 22 – 24 for the Target Fireworks!

The Detroit International Riverfront is the place to kick off summer in the city of Detroit. River Days, presented by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, will bring its unique festival entertainment to the Detroit RiverWalk and onto the Detroit River from Friday, June 19 through Sunday, June 21. The festival hours are from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Free to the public, River Days features live music on three stages, a carnival midway, food courts, boating activities including an historic tall ship, the DTE Energy Parade of Lights, jumping dogs, classic cars, and a Kids Zone with entertainment and games for the entire family.

River Days will come to a close on Sunday, June 21, but the fun along Detroit’s Riverfront won’t stop.

Visitors can return on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to enjoy the “Countdown to Fireworks Carnival” from 3-10 p.m. each day. Carnival games and rides will continue as well as food and beverage tents. Local music will entertain crowds that come down early on Wednesday to get pumped up for one of the largest displays of fireworks in the nation, the Target Fireworks, which begins at 10:06 p.m.

This year’s River Days festival features:

Fun on the Water
River Days is one of the only events in Detroit bringing festival fun onto the Detroit River. From touring an historic tall ship to enjoying the sight of nearly a half mile of decorated boats to Coast Guard demonstrations and vessels, River Days brings you to the water’s edge.

• Friends Good Will tall ship – This Great Lakes historic replica tall ship will be docked at Rivard Plaza near the Kids Zone throughout the entire weekend for visitors to come aboard and explore! The captain and crew will educate festival-goers on the original ship’s storied history, including its role in the War of 1812 and its ties to Detroit. The Friends Good Will has a sparred length (from end of bowspirit to end of boom) of 101 feet, a 90-foot rig height and features a one-of-a-kind, 6-pound pivot cannon.

• DTE Energy Parade of Lights – Back for a third year, this festival favorite will light up Detroit River in a spectacular fashion with dozens of decorated sailboats and powerboats on Saturday, June 20 at 10 p.m. Boaters from all across the state of Michigan are invited to participate. Organized in partnership with the Detroit Yacht Club, applicants can visit www.RiverDays.com to register or call 313-824-1200. Prizes will be awarded in three different categories.

• J.W. Westcott II – On Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21, the J.W. Westcott II will visit River Days for the first time and showcase its mail delivery service to ships on the Detroit River. The J.W. Westcott II is a boat that serves to deliver mail to other vessels, as well as provide a pilot boat service to ferry pilots to and from other vessels and sometimes even an occasional mid-river pizza delivery. The ship operates out of Detroit, MI and is regarded as the only ship in the United States that delivers mail to other ships, as they are underway.

• Parade of Tugs – On Saturday, June 20, the International Tug Boat Race will take place on the Canadian side of the Detroit River where nearly 20 tugs will race from just west of the Ambassador Bridge. At 1:30 p.m. the tugs will parade on the Detroit side of the River from the Renaissance Center to Rivard Plaza.

• Diamond Jack’s River Tours – Docked in front of the Renaissance Center, Diamond Jack’s will offer visitors the opportunity to take 1-hour tours on the Detroit River and see the amazing transformation of Detroit’s Riverfront from the water. The tour runs from the Ambassador Bridge to the Belle Isle Bridge and beyond. Tours will be offered at a discounted rate, with $10 tickets for adults (regularly $15), and $5 tickets for children (regularly $11). Children under 5 years of age are free with an adult. Tickets can be purchased with cash upon boarding. Tours will take off approximately every hour on Friday, June 19 from 1-7 p.m., Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21 from 12-7 p.m.

• 3rd Annual Detroit River Open – This annual bass fishing tournament has drawn more than 100 boats for the past two years and has become one of the premier events in the Midwest. This year’s Detroit River Open is shaping up to be one of the biggest events of the season. Anglers from all over will come out to take on these giant smallmouths and look to capture first place honors. Interested participants can register at www.nbaa-bass.com. Detroiters will be treated to an amazing launch of boats, which will take place at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 20 in the Harbor at Tri-Centennial State Park, and festival guests will be able to view the fish weigh-in on festival grounds near Rivard Plaza at 5 p.m.

The Parade Company’s Kids Zone
The Kids Zone at Rivard Plaza, created by The Parade Company, will celebrate “Peace, Love and Happiness” this year as they entertain children and families with games, educational activities and a variety of stage performances by AM 910 Radio Disney. The Kids Zone will be open each day of the festival from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. The Stories & Shows Theater will feature storytelling by Ladels Children’s Book Boutique, magic shows by Magician Chris Linn and The Matrix Theater puppets. The Groovy Arts Station will feature face painting, free make-and-take crafts and daily mini-parades during the festival.

Dog Days of Summer
Man’s best friend isn’t left out of the fun during River Days! Milt Wilcox and his Ultimate Air Dogs team, one of the premier dock jumping organizations in the country, will return to River Days. This crowd-favorite will once again delight audiences each day of the festival with splash after splash from the long-distance jumping dogs and the ultimate vertical jumps.

Tails will be wagging on Sunday, June 21 for the 3rd Annual Pooch-a-Palooza pet walk on the Detroit RiverWalk. Presented by Canine to Five Detroit Dog Daycare, the Pooch-a-Palooza will be filled with a host of fun activities including, the pet walk, dog fashion show, free pet portraits, pet massages and more! Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at the GM Plaza & Promenade in front of the Renaissance Center. Participants can walk with or without a dog, but all pets must be on a leash. There is a small fee for entry per dog, and walk-up registration is accepted. Visit www.CanineToFiveDetroit.com to register for the walk and for free parking information.

Hot Wheels at River Days
Boats won’t have the only motors running during River Days. The 3rd Annual Cars on the River will feature dozens of classic cars displayed along the Detroit RiverWalk throughout each day of the festival for visitors to enjoy. Classic car owners are encouraged to participate for free and show off their cars to thousands of people throughout the weekend. Participants can register at www.RiverDays.com.

The road to fitness starts on the Detroit RiverWalk! Wheelhouse Detroit, located at Rivard Plaza, will offer 33% discounts on River Days Weekend Bike Rentals. Instead of $15, rentals will be just $10. Take a bike tour and discover the East Riverfront or newly-opened Dequindre Cut Greenway on two wheels.

River Days Live Music
An outstanding mix of bands and musical acts will perform throughout each day of the festival on three different stages offering free musical performances to festival-goers. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra will once again bring its world-class musicians to Detroit’s Riverfront for a dazzling concert at the water’s edge on Friday, June 19 at 6:30 p.m. on the Museums on Us Stage presented by Bank of America. Metro Detroit’s hottest bands will take to the Michigan Lottery Stage and Local Stage each and every day during River Days festival hours.

River Days presented by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy is also sponsored by Bank of America, DTE Energy, the Michigan Lottery, Pepsi, Miller Beer, Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Detroit Pistons, Atwater Brewery, Smuckers and Jimmy John’s.

The Detroit RiverFront Conservancy was formed as a 501 (c) 3 public-private partnership in early 2003 with the mission of developing public access on the Detroit International Riverfront. The completed project will span 5 ½ miles of riverfront property, from the Ambassador Bridge to Gabriel Richard Park, just east of the Belle Isle Bridge, and will include a continuous RiverWalk along with public parks and green spaces. Currently, close to 2 ½ miles of East Riverfront is complete and open to the public. The Conservancy is responsible for the permanent operations, maintenance, programming and security of the Dequindre Cut Greenway and the Detroit International Riverfront.

There’s still time to be a part of the Riverfront transformation. When you buy a Detroit RiverFront Conservancy commemorative brick or paver, you become part of the riverfront’s history … and its future.

www.riverdays.com

Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
Detroit Trails and Greenways

Grand Parade

Thursday, May 14, 2009, 10:00am – 2:00pm

At the south end of the Dequindre Cut
Woodbridge near Riopelle

The Dequindre Cut Greenway is a non-motorized trail that will extend from the Detroit River northward, with the future potential to connect to the Ferndale-Birmingham greenway in Oakland County.  The Detroit portion of the Greenway presents a unique opportunity to encourage reinvestment in adjacent properties by re-activating an abandoned rail corridor as a recreational amenity that links the downtown area and the Detroit River, with its parks and RiverWalk, to the Eastern Market District, the University Cultural Center Area, the Midtown Loop, and a number of residential neighborhoods.

Come join the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and others in the grand opening of the Dequindre Cut, the exciting new rails-to-trail running between Eastern Market and the RiverWalk.
http://www.detroitriverfront.org/

This ride video is on the Dequindre Cut, from the Gratiot ramp south to the Jefferson Avenue bridge. The ride by Detroit Greenways Coordinator, Todd Scott was in July of 2008 before the Cut was landscaped. The Dequindre Cut is scheduled to officially open on May 14, 2009. The Parade will begin from the opposite end of the Cut.

Spring means Bicycle Love in Detroit

The Metro Times just released their 2009 Best of Detroit lists. Among the staff picks was Best Place to Break a Sweat with the winner being “bicycling”. (click the above link for more from Todd Scott of M-Bike .org)

Welcome To Spring From The League of Michigan Bicyclists

Although March seemed to come and go like a lion this year, we did have some nice days to savor in the middle, as the luck of the Irish smiled upon this year with several glorious days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day.  I hope you have made it outside already.

Here is news from LMB providing reminders on early season rides.

May, National Bike Month, will be great fun, as National Transportation Week and Bike to Work Week coincide on the week of May 11, with Bike to Work Day (which you should celebrate as often as possible) on May 15. In Metro Detroit, there will be a Commuter Challenge the week of May 11, which kicks off with a transportation fair in Campus Martius from 11 to 2 on Friday, May 8.  The Transportation Fair will provide information about alternatives to the single occupant car commute, with each day of the following week emphasizing different alternate modes.

Whether you favor the stimulus act, cycling is a huge beneficiary, as many projects for greenways, bike lanes, and other needed improvements to the cycling infrastructure will receive funds.  In Metro Detroit, Kresge Foundation made a large grant to fund construction of a number of greenway projects, and the early word is that stimulus funding for Detroit’s Non-Motorized Transportation Plan (approved just last fall) is at the top of the list.

May 14 will mark the grand opening of the Dequindre Cut, which provides a multi-use path from the Riverfront to Eastern Market, and is the first part of what will be a Bike Super Highway in Detroit.

Steve Roach is the Region 1 Representative for the League of Michigan Bicyclists.  The LMB has established a Google Group for Region 1, which is used to provide updates, share information about rides, and to swap grand stories:  “This is a discussion group for LMB members and cyclists in Region 1.  The group can be used to discuss or inform other local cyclists about bicycle routes, events, bikes and parts for sale, advocacy issues and other cycling related concerns.”  Said Steve. If you wish to join the Region 1 Google Group, please send him an email at Roach@MillerCanfield.com or go to http://groups.google.com/group/lmbregion1?hl=en and ask to join.  If this link does not work right, do a search for LMB Region One Google Group.  You do not need to be an LMB member to join the Google Group.

Ride of Silence

On May 20, 2009, at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and continue to roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a slow, silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to Share the Road with motorists, the motoring public often isn’t aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves. The Ride Of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. The Ride, which is held during National Bike Safety Month and Week, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways.

This is a road ride, aiming at making the road safer for all cyclists, and giving us the opportunity to honor and remember family and friends, who’ve been injured or killed by motorists while enjoying a sport they love.

Join cyclist worldwide, in honoring our friends and family, and helping the make roads safer for all MI cyclists.

Detroit, “Belle Isle” Wheelhouse Detroit, from Belle Isle, fountain area, 10 miles
Contact: Steve Roach, Roach@MillerCanfiel d.com 313 496 7933
Kelli Kavanaugh info@wheelhousedetr oit.com

Detroit, “Grosse Pointe” Wolverine Sports Club, from American Cycle & Fitness, Mack Ave, Grosse Pointe Woods.
Contact: Russ St. John surfkumu@sbcglobal. net

Four Detroit Bicycle Tours In May(click here)

Detroit’s Green Alley Project

This could be one of Detroit’s shortest yet coolest greenways for peds and bikes.

Actions Have Reactions

Excitement over Detroit’s developing greenways projects was dampened a bit by the suspension of this years Detroit Festival Of The Arts. A discussion is taking place here.