| Special to The Detroit News
An explosion of fall festivities and food will take place along Detroit’s Dequindre Cut Greenway on Saturday and Sunday. The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s second annual Harvest Fest and Food Truck Rally, as well as its Soirée on the Greenway fundraiser, fill the greenway with pumpkins, trick-or-treating, costumes, a mystery circus, live music and more of 50 food trucks.
“Fall is one of the great seasons we have in Michigan, and we’re excited to invite everyone back down to the riverfront for a family-friendly weekend of entertainment, fun activities and a full truck mile of food,” said Mark Wallace. , president and CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.
In addition to trick-or-treating (kids are encouraged to dress up in costume), kid-friendly highlights include a pumpkin decorating station, bouncy bounce houses, crafts, meet and greets with a costumed princess and superhero, a children’s stage with interactive programming and a pumpkin patch where you can take a pumpkin home for free.
New this year is a petting zoo, where children can interact with an alpaca, donkey, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens and bunnies. Most children’s activities will take place from 11 am to 6 pm both days.
Adults can enjoy the “Freight Yard Circus,” featuring traveling circus musicians, psychics and tarot card readers, old-style carnival games and a cocktail special.
Six stages along the greenway will feature local acts including Aston Neighborhood Social Club (modern vintage), Alise King (soul), Cast Iron Cornbread (rock), Laura Rain & The Caesars (R&B), REDD (hip hop alternative) and Roots. Vibrations (reggae). On Saturday there will also be a costume contest for dogs and cats.
“It’s just a great celebration of all the things that are unique and fun about Detroit,” said Rachel Frierson, director of programming for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. “We are known for good food, we are known for a great culture. The pandemic continues, you can spend a nice and beautiful evening with your family. There’s something for everyone.”
The highlight of the event is the presentation of a new mural by the artist Ivan Montoya.
Riverfront Development Director Cassie Brenske said the mural spans the length of the underpass and is by far the coolest mural to be on the Cut.
“It has all these animals that are flying in the air,” he said. “When you walk under it, run or bike, you’ll feel like you’re part of the mural.”
Friday’s adults-only Soirée is a more intimate preview of Harvest Fest, adding a masquerade. It will also include performances from circus-style troupe Motley Misfits, plus a “weird” musical performance from Aston Neighborhood Pleasure Club, accompanied by Flames N’ Dames fire dancers.
“Being out there [at Soirée] it’s supporting the amazing work we do at the Conservancy,” Brenske said. “But it’s also going to be an amazing memory to be down there at a masquerade and see the amazing local performers and artists that we’ve selected to be a part of.”
Harvest Festival
From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Saturday to Sunday
Tickets: $5; children under 3 enter for free.
Evening in Via Verda
Friday from 6 to 10 p.m
Tickets: $75
Both events will be located along the Dequindre Cut Greenway, between Orleans and St. Aubin and goes from Mack to Atwater.
For more information visit www.detroitriverfront.org.
