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Going through some old pics...

Anybody remember going to these downtown?

I remember the red necks and swamp trash used to have the muskrat festival downriver...




I sure hope. Mexican Village doesn't gentrify too much...

km1125 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 29, 2023 8:19 pm

Going through some old pics...

Anybody remember going to these downtown?

Great photos and memories....thanks.

I used to go them....great photo opportunities. I remember they moved them around some. The were by the post office on Jefferson for a while, then actually downtown at the foot of Woodward.

I don't know the precise reason they quit them....anyone? That photo of the Ren puts it to be early 70s, supported by the hats on the guests.

Great shot of the Penob. I spent a lot of time up there on top of it. I still slip and call it the CNB from time to time.

It looks like the turning point was in 1987, when many people in downtown Detroit started speaking against the festivals. After that, it seems like festivals started drifting to suburbs where the descendents of different ethnicities had settled, with festivals like the African World Festival and African-American Festival being the only remaining festivals.

Here's an article from the Detroit Free Press from 3/20/87:

City plans to limit youths at festivals

By TERESA BLOSSOM
Free Press Staff Writer

Unchaperoned young people will be banned from Detroit's ethnic festivals during certain hours this year to make the downtown riverfront events safer for families and adults, city Recreation Director Daniel Krichbaum said Thursday.

"We're going to disperse young people if they're too young to be down there without an adult," Krichbaum told the City Council. "Parents need to police their kids. Thirteen or 14 is not the appropriate age for kids to be downtown alone. There's a time they need to be at home or at a community center."

Krichbaum said details of the youth control plan are being finalized with police, who would have to enforce it.

The council adopted tighter curfews for young people last week, which Mayor Young has until Tuesday to approve or veto.

Krichbaum also said the city plans to install more lights in Hart Plaza and add more police for the weekend festivals, which close at midnight Friday and Saturday and at 10 p.m. Sunday.

Downtown merchants have complained in recent years that the festivals chase away customers, who worry about security and parking. Some renewed those complaints before the council Thursday.

"The ethnic festivals have brought business downtown, but now they keep business away," said Gerri Kelly, owner of Old Detroit tavern. "Some of my customers have told me they won't be back because of the festivals."

Jim Papas of the Greektown Merchants Association and Councilman Nicholas Hood suggested that the popular festivals have outlived their purpose of drawing people downtown.

"Times have changed," said Papas. "They have served a purpose. What was good 15 years ago doesn't have the same effect today."

Jim Richardson, a spokesman for Millender Center, said traffic congestion caused by the festivals made it hard for residents of the downtown complex to come and go last year.

Council members complained that the festivals have lost their ethnic flavor.

"People judge the ethnicity of a festival by the food," said Council-woman Barbara-Rose Collins. "It's all the same now. A festival is a festival. The same vendors are selling the same junk every week. We want ethnic junk."

The festivals are to begin this year on the weekend of April 24 with the Fine Foods Festival.

" ... People judge the ethnicity of a festival by the food," said Council-woman Barbara-Rose Collins. "It's all the same now. A festival is a festival. The same vendors are selling the same junk every week. We want ethnic junk .... "

That's a good point. No matter what the festival is, someone is selling corn dogs and elephant ears and butterfly chips.

I suspect another factor, unspoken, was that the Young administration didn't get enough of a payday from the organizers.

I would not put ANY stock in anything Pappas said on anything.

I especially liked the Polish and Italian festivals. Great food.

If you think about, in the day we had "Polish Friends" and "Italian Friends" etc. in the neighborhoods growing up. It was a treat eating at my friend's houses because of the ethnic food served. I think with the passing of time, the dying off of first-generation immigrants with their great food, and the change in attitudes along with what we are 'allowed' to talk about and not, that has all changed. It's now "racist" to talk about your Italian friend. We are allowed but only one 'minority' to be spoken of, and only with extra-special care and constantly changing rules.

Bottom line, they killed a cool series of events and stuck to the Detroit script. Yet another reason to not bother going down and risking getting robbed, shot, or your stuff stolen. I don't.

Plate Cap wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 30, 2023 10:32 am

....That photo of the Ren puts it to be early 70s, supported by the hats on the guests. ...

I think they're 1975 and 1976. There's a bicentennial flag on top of the stage in one of the pics.

The Polish Festival lives on in Sterling Heights each year. https://www.americanpolishfestival.com/

The Italian Festival has been in Sterling Heights for years too - but at Freedom Hill. Haven't seen anything yet about 2023, but it was definitely there in 2022.

Robert Faygo wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 30, 2023 5:23 pm

The Polish Festival lives on in Sterling Heights each year. https://www.americanpolishfestival.com/

The Italian Festival has been in Sterling Heights for years too - but at Freedom Hill. Haven't seen anything yet about 2023, but it was definitely there in 2022.

Festa Italiana will once again be at Freedom Hill this year. July 14th to 16th.

I went to quite a few, I enjoyed the Polish and Mexican most, sooo much good food. Moved out of town in the late 70's. Loved the boat racing on the river too! One of my old neighbors had the Miss Budweiser, she sat under a porch roof for a few years I think on Belle Isle.

guessing it was the early 70's - they were on a strip of land between Cobo hall & the river - they were truly "ethnic" for a couple of years then as someone posted above - the food became the usual "carnie" stuff & the festivals all became the same

To their credit, Worn has several.

MotorCityRadioFreak wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 31, 2023 8:17 am

To their credit, Worn has several.

We went to some sort of Kielbasa Festival a couple years ago at a church in your hometown. There was some scary looking individuals wandering around. Not everyone of course. But enough that the friends that took us there said "It's not usually like this".

Round Six wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 31, 2023 12:38 pm

MotorCityRadioFreak wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 31, 2023 8:17 am

To their credit, Worn has several.

We went to some sort of Kielbasa Festival a couple years ago at a church in your hometown. There was some scary looking individuals wandering around. Not everyone of course. But enough that the friends that took us there said "It's not usually like this".

That could be the Polish Festival off of 14 Mile and Maple Lane. Was it across from a golf course? That is actually Sterling Heights, but Warren is around the corner.

There also is the St Anne’s Sausage Festival on Mound Road near 14 Mile in September.

Kielbasa is served at both.

We have hosted the Chinese American Festival as well as the Chaldean Festival during some years near city hall.

MotorCityRadioFreak wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 02, 2023 4:40 am

There also is the St Anne’s Sausage Festival on Mound Road near 14 Mile in September.

Seems this was it once I seen the name. Although I can't shag the feeling it was before the kids went back.