An end to warmer temperatures means we’re in the waning days of street festivals, and we’ve got a few to recommend this weekend from Brightmoor to Hamtrmack. Prefer an indoor setting?  How about a rave or a poetry reading and conversation about creativity? We’ve got you covered, however you want to welcome in the spookiest month. 

💃🏽 Fantazma Market & Cafe promises a fabulous Friday night of fierce fashion and fun at Loteria Drag (“drag bingo”). There will be prizes, raffles, and food and cocktails available. Dress to impress. Free. 

Illustrated poster that says, “Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival 2023. 13th Annual HNAF. October 7. Welcome.” The cartoon illustration shows many people in a densely packed neighborhood making art, including music, paintings, photography and pottery. The neighborhood sits on a piece of land that’s been uprooted from the ground, has its own legs, and is riding on a motorized skateboard next to a cat with orange fur. In the background, a train is passing by.
Name an artist in Hamtramck, and they’ll probably be at the Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival. Image credit: Sean Bieri via Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival

👚 If you’re looking to snag some new but gently-used items, check out Public Thrift’s monthly $10 Fill a Bag Sale on Friday and Saturday. 

🎭You can spend your whole Saturday at the Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival. Pick up a map at Pope Park and visit any of the numerous art installations, front porch concerts, art-making workshops and more happening all day, all over the city. Free, donations welcome. 

🪩 Detroit house and techno legend Delano Smith has been battling a rare form of cancer for over a year. He will be celebrating his birthday — and life — by doing what he loves, this Saturday at Spot Lite. $21.95.

🎠 Don’t miss the giveaways, free food and family fun on Saturday afternoon at the second annual Brightmoor Harvest Festival & Community Resource Fair, sponsored by the Brightmoor Artisans Collective.

Black man using a DJ mixer and turntables, on a stage in front of a white tent, outdoors, in the night.
Delano Smith at the 2011 Detroit Electronic Music Festival. The DJ, who has a decades-spanning career, will celebrate his birthday on the decks at Spot Lite. Photo credit: “Delano Smith” by basic_sounds, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

🎶 Feeling restless? High-energy dance and hip-hop music will shake the walls of Conant Gardens Party Store at Saturday night’s RAPRAVE. This celebration of genre fusions will feature Blackmoonchild, DJ Godfather, Tammy Lakkis and more for a 21+ crowd. $15.

🎨 All artists have to start somewhere, and Detroit Public Library’s Redford branch has started to host hands-on middle school artist workshops every Saturday, taught by students from The College for Creative Studies.

🖋️ Michigan’s poet laureate and Detroit’s own Nandi Comer will be doing a reading of her work, and engaging in a conversation about craft and culture with fellow Detroit poet Brittany Rogers, next Thursday, Oct. 12 at University of Detroit Mercy.

Alex (she/her) believes that the best journalism is done by members of the community being served, and the stories should always reflect those people. When it comes to Detroit, the city is her playground, but her favorite place to go is the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Lynelle (she/her) likes working with Documenters because she thinks it’s important for us to share our news and our voices with our neighbors and networks. Her favorite spaces in Detroit are the urban gardens that promote peace, hope, health and healing.