This year’s final weekend of summer weather in metro Detroit finds plenty of opportunities to indulge in art and celebrate in the community. Here are just a few options.
Bring your WindexThe Greektown Heritage Festival will take place from noon – 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, in downtown Detroit’s historic Greektown, celebrating the rich, ethnic Greek heritage of the neighborhood. Held between Beaubien and St. Antoine Streets, the event includes live Greek music, traditional Greek dancers, Greek food and drink, and family-friendly games and entertainment. The highlight of the festival is the street-side lamb roast with eight rotating open-pit spits.
Downtown Detroit between Beaubien St. and St. Antoine St., Detroit. greektowndetroit.org. Free entry.
Detroit-style danceDetroit-originated dance form Jit will be on display at its finest, up close and personal during “Rhythm of the Feet,” an evening-length dance piece written by House of Jit founder and Jit master Michael Manson Saturday night at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show. “Rhythm of the Feet” takes you through the history and rise of this uniquely Detroit dance style with high-energy footwork performed by the House of Jit collective.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Ypsilanti Freighthouse, 100 Market Pl., Ypsilanti. 734-482-9825. UMS.org. “Pay what you wish” seating starts at $5.
More:Local chicken wing chain ups menu offerings plus a limited time only hot and blue item
More:Takoi chef and owner's journey marked by many changes since food truck humble beginnings
Detroit, laid bareThis month, Detroit’s Irwin House Gallery presents “UNDERCURRENT,” an immersive experience featuring the work of Elonte Davis, one of Detroit’s rising stars in documentary photography. The exhibition offers several modes in which to contemplate Davis’ practice, which captures and celebrates the pulse of Detroit: The people, families, neighborhoods, urban landscapes, and creative communities that embody the soul and lifeblood of the city. In a leap toward innovation for Detroit Month of Design, UNDERCURRENT incorporates projections, film, sound, spoken word, traditional prints, fine art, interior/exterior installations, and a range of collaborations with other local artists. Saturday from 2-5 p.m., Davis will present an artist talk about the work in this unique show.
Irwin House Gallery, 2351 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. 313-932-7690. irwinhousegallery.org. Free to attend.
Secrets, spies, and lies“It’s as if Agatha Christie and Monty Python collaborated on this over-the-top farce,” director Laurie Smalls said of The Farmington Players’ “The Best Laid Plans,” opening Friday, Sept. 20, and running through Oct. 5. The story focuses on Ada Westbrook, an elderly Ian Fleming (James Bond) type author who gets the call to act as a liaison between our government and enemy powers. Suddenly, a spy dies in Ada’s Caribbean vacation home while in possession of coveted secret plans that every government is after. When the body’s twin brother arrives, the stakes grow more intense. Who’s dead? Who’s alive? And who is the “Mr. Big” behind it all?
Farmington Players Barn Theatre, 32332 W. 12 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills. 248-553-2955. farmingtonplayers.org. Tickets $26, $24 for seniors.
Celebrating public artDetroit artists the Nordin Brothers will host a celebration of public art at their Midtown gallery Saturday from 6-9 p.m. They’ll be unveiling a host of new, large-scale art pieces they’ve created this year, including two pieces for Southfield, two for Farmington Hills including one that incorporates fire, and pieces for Harrison Twp., Flint, Rochester Hills, Mt. Clemons, Auburn Hills and Peoria, Ill.
Detroit Design Center, 4225 Third St., Detroit. 313-330-2259. detroitdesigncenter.com. Free to attend.
Examining nature through artSaturday from 5-8 p.m., Detroit’s Wasserman Projects will hold an opening reception for “Soft Serve,” a two-person exhibition featuring work by Machine Dazzle and Gracelee Lawrence highlighting the maximal and fantastical force of Mother Nature through a critical and contemporary lens. Alongside Dazzle and Lawrence, Kiwi Phone Nguyen’s exhibition “findings + notions + fixtures” offers a harmonizing collection of jewelry and site-specific ornamentation in Wasserman Works.
Wasserman Projects, 3434 Russell Street #502, Detroit. 313-818-3550. wassermanprojects.com. Free to attend.
Page to stageWalled Lake’s newly formed Inspired Acting Company kicks off its second season with Karen Zacarías’ “The Book Club Play,” opening Friday night and running through Oct. 6. Personal dramas collide with literary debates when a book club allows a documentary film crew to film their intellectual banter. Secrets spill, tensions flare and reality gets tangled with fiction. IAC Producing Artistic Director Jeff Thomakos directs.
Inspired Acting Company, 1124 E. West Maple Rd., Walled Lake. 248-863-9953. inspiredacting.org. Tickets $35, $30 for seniors.
Honoring Detroit sculptorsHighland Park’s Annex Gallery will host a “Tribute to the Sculpture Gods” on Saturday from 5-11 p.m. This expansive and diverse exhibition includes more than 30 Detroit-area sculptors, ranging from emerging to renowned, and will include drinks, live music, and a food truck.
Annex Gallery, 333 Midland St., Highland Park. 248-808-2562. 333midland.com. Free to attend.
Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at [email protected]