Christmas in the D
Noel night is a Detroit wintertime tradition that has been going on for 39 years and one that I’ve been looking forward to for weeks. And because of our chaotic weather patterns in this region, you won’t know until the day of whether you’re going to wear a parka or shorts. What you can be assured of is that; the museums will be free to the public, every occupied commercial space will be filled with people, and music and cheer will be flowing freely.
I met with some friends at Motor City Brewing to enjoy a delicious nut brown ale. This is a great little brewpub in the heart of midtown, Detroit known for their friendly atmosphere, delicious pizza, and their american pale ale; ghetto blaster. Once we collected our group of friends and friends of friends, we left as a small army ready to invade the city on this mild December evening.
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
Our first stop was the Muesum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) which had their gallery space open as well as live performances. There were food and beverages being served, arts and crafts to entertain, and a full house with more people filling this space than I had ever seen in there before. They were serving up falafel, but couldn’t get them out fast enough to keep up, so I didn’t get my opportunity to eat.
Not wanting to wait in line, I just meandered about and enjoyed the night outside. While heading into the beautiful Detroit public library, I heard the familiar sound of a party coming down the street to the tones of trumpet blasts and beating drums. I never made it into the library because I got distracted by the Detroit Party Marching Band.
The Detroit Part Marching Band
If you don’t know who Detroit Party Marching Band are, you should slap the shit out of yourself and seek them out as soon as possible. They’re a band of Detroiters who have collectively come together to march into your life and disrupt it with energetic and uplifting music. An ensemble of brass, woodwinds, and drums, these guys will bust down the doors of your house and bring a dance party with them to your living room. They were the center of attention drawing people from as far away as their sound reached.
When the party had reached its capacity, the band marched off to the next spot. I figured that was a good party to be at, so I went off with them to find adventures and friends.
I may not have visited a single museum or seen any new bands, but I did meet some really great people and see plenty of smiles on the faces of the folks who were spending their night with us in Detroit. The weather was perfect, businesses were booming, and everyone I saw had a huge grin on their face. I spent the rest of my evening eating dim sum, drinking whiskey, and sharing a beautiful night with new and old friends alike.
