Detroit events this week: Juneteenth, Father’s Day and The Isley Brothers

Greetings, Detroit! We’re back to help you find ways to get out and all up in the fun this week.

There’s a few Father’s Day and family-friendly events around for the special dad (or dad figure) in your life. We recognize Father’s Day can be difficult for some, so we’ve marked these events with a 🧢 if you’d like to scroll past.

We’ve also got a host of Juneteenth events to celebrate Black culture and freedom next week. Whether we see you on your yoga mat in the park or on the sand-filled beaches of Campus Martius Park (you read that right!), we hope you feel inspired to participate in all that Detroit has to offer.

Celebrate Juneteenth in the city this week

Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, marks the day in 1865 when union troops freed more than 250,000 enslaved African Americans by executive decree two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Commemorate the holiday at events across the city filled with music, art, storytelling, camaraderie and delicious food.

🇺🇸 Delight in Black culture, community and food at the Juneteenth Jubilee Detroit Freedom Weekend . The festival will take place at the Motown Museum, Joseph Walker Williams Community Center and in the Eastern Market district from Friday to Sunday. Some special highlights include an artist talk with Danielle Eliska and a performance by singer Darius Twyman . Then, you can munch on some of the city’s best (subjective!) collard greens at the Collard Greens Cook-Off . Registration required. Free and donation-based tickets available depending on the day and venue.

⭐ Jam out to live bands while grubbin’ on local food trucks at Juneteenth on the Cut , located on the Dequindre Cut on Juneteenth. After you’ve had your fill of music and food, enjoy the family-friendly activities set up nearby. There will be limited seating, so bring a blanket or some chairs. Free.

⚾ Spend Wednesday afternoon at the Historic Hamtramck Stadium for the Juneteenth Home Run Derby . The Turkey Stearnes Foundation, named after the famous African American baseball player , will present awards for multidisciplinary art and youth scholarships, then Detroit Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities teams will play a commemorative baseball game. Free.

Thursday

🧘🏾‍♀️ Join Urban Solace Yoga and Wellness for yoga on the riverfront . This week marks the beginning of free yoga and tai chi classes at Milliken State Park. Registration is required and opens weekly for their Wednesday, Thursday and Friday classes. Free.

🛸 Get your groove on at Technically, Yeah. , a monthly event at the ( now saved! ) UFO Factory on Trumbull Street. Local electronic musicians SABETYE and Bale Defoe will perform live, and DJs Eddie Logix and Jo Rad Silver will hold it down on the decks. $10.

🏳️‍🌈 Celebrate summer at the Pride Beach Party at Campus Martius Park to kick-off Downtown Detroit Partnership’s Beach Parties series, hosted on the second Thursday of each month. Kourtney Castro will host drag queen bingo while DJ Myint brings the beats to get all you Pride beach-goers dancing! Free.

This weekend

🐔 🧢 Rock out with your family to some live music and get your fingers sticky with tasty barbecue on Saturday at Eastside Community Network’s Family Fun Fest at The Stoudamire Wellness Hub. Bring the kids to jump in bounce houses, get your faces painted and decide on your favorite little animal at the petting zoo. Sounds like a fun Father’s Day-eve event to us! Registration required. Free.

🫶🏿 🧢 Continue the Father’s Day-eve celebrations Saturday at Detroit Public Library’s Happy Father’s Day event at the Main Branch. Hear stories about fathers around Detroit and do some crafting with your old man. Free.

🎵 🧢 If your pop’s a classical music lover, bring him along to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Father’s Day Luncheon on Sunday at The Peter D. and Julie F. Cummings Cube on Woodward Avenue. Celebrate dad’s special day with host Sarah McClure of Real Dads Speak, comedian Mike Bonner and MC Candace Parker . Oh and make sure your dad’s wearing his best threads— he might have a chance to win the Best Dressed Dad contest! $25.

🎶 Spend the evening in musical splendor with The Isley Brothers at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater on the Detroit riverfront. Renowned soul singer Angela Winbush will open. If “It’s Your Thing,” go “Shout” to celebrate The Isley Brothers’ lengthy career as they get funky in Motown. $55 and up.

Next week

🏡 Find out if owning a home is for you at Detroit Future City’s workshop at Incite Focus Industry Innovation Center near New Center on Tuesday. A panel of housing experts will share how they coach Detroiters into property ownership. After the panel, roll into a Juneteenth celebration with lunch and an optional tour of the Morningside and Osborn neighborhoods for inspiration. Registration required. Free.

Detroit events this week: Juneteenth, Father’s Day and The Isley Brothers · Outlier Media