DETROIT, June 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Reflecting the
park's mission to bring light, energy and motion to west central
downtown, DTE Energy today announced the name for Detroit's newest world-class public space and
entertainment hub — Beacon Park.
Beacon Park – located on Cass Avenue and Grand River in
Detroit – adjacent to DTE Energy's
headquarters campus, will open to the public on Thursday, July 20, 2017, kicking off four days of
grand opening events that include live music, a night market and
family entertainment.
"The name is fitting," said DTE Energy Chairman and CEO
Gerry Anderson. "From the beginning,
we envisioned this public space would shine light on the western
edge of downtown Detroit, becoming
a beacon for development, a beacon to bring more visitors and
businesses to Detroit, and a
beacon of continued progress for a city in the midst of
revitalization. We're looking forward to seeing young and old,
Detroiters and visitors alike, enjoy Beacon Park and all of the
exciting activities and programming it will offer year-round."
The 1.5-acre Beacon Park will feature a restaurant and a central
lawn with intimate walking paths and areas to sit, relax and
recharge; a multi-use space for outdoor programmed activities; a
site for perfomances; and areas for food truck vendors and bicycle
parking.
Both the park's location and its distinctive amenities will help
spur development in the area. Sited between the entertainment
district – home of Little Caesar's Arena, Comerica Park and Ford
Field – the Central Business District, Corktown, Motor City Casino
and MGM Grand Casino, Beacon Park is centrally located within quick
walking distance to many of Detroit's largest sports and entertainment
venues.
The park's immediate impact will be felt in the number of
visitors each year. Through a grant from the DTE Energy Foundation,
more than 600 events will be planned for Beacon Park in 2017 by the
Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), which expects that the public
space will attract one million visitors each year. Nearly 50 events
are planned for Beacon Park's Grand Opening weekend, July
20-23.
"Safe and vibrant gathering places are the social and economic
heartbeat of a thriving core, and Beacon Park expands the energy of
renewal permeating downtown," said DDP CEO Eric Larson. "The Downtown Detroit
Partnership is thrilled to partner with DTE Energy to add Beacon
Park to the portfolio of the great public spaces we program,
maintain and manage."
DDP has scheduled a stellar lineup for the grand opening
weekend. In addition to live music throughout the weekend, each day
will feature special activities, including after-work parties on
Thursday and Friday, a night market on Saturday featuring 25 unique
boutiques and a gospel brunch followed by classical music on
Sunday. Family activities, from inflatable games to a movie night,
make the fun accessible for everyone.
Grand Opening live entertainment includes indie sensation Lord
Huron, American funk and soul band Robert Randolph & the Family
Band as well as plena and bomba group Plena Libre. Impulse:
An Interactive Art Exhibit will be on display at Beacon Park
for the entire grand opening weekend. The work is comprised of
giant illuminated seesaws that light up when ridden by visitors.
Detroit is only the third city in
the country to host the playful exhibit, which has primarily toured
in Europe. According to the
artists that created the exhibit, the seesaws are fitted with LED
lights and speakers that produce a sequence of lights and sounds
resulting in ever changing composition.
Visit DTE Energy's blog, Empowering Michigan, for a full listing
of the weekend activities.
Grand Opening Highlights:
Thursday, July
20
- Ribbon Cutting — DTE Chairman and CEO Gerry Anderson, Mayor Mike Duggan and City Council President
Brenda Jones will officially open
the park at the 11 a.m.
celebration.
- Grand Opening – Park opens to the public at noon
with food trucks, live music, games and an interactive exhibit from
IMPULSE from Quartier Des Spectacles.
- After Work Party – Kicks off at 5
p.m. with Happy Hour drink specials
- Headline entertainment – Robert
Randolph & the Family Band will blend funk, soul and
rock 'n' roll featuring pedal steel guitar with Thornetta Davis
opening at 8 p.m.
Friday, July 21
- Downtown Games – Come Play Detroit will pit rival DTE
Energy and other downtown employers against each other in fun
active competitions, which are open to the public to watch,
noon-5 p.m.
- Beer Garden – Griffin
Claw craft and specialty beer, live music and lawn games,
5-8 p.m.
- Musical entertainment – American indie rock band Lord
Huron headlines, 8 p.m.
Saturday, July
22
- Fitness – To christen the new space and build community,
a Yoga Mala, which consists of 108 sun salutations, will start the
morning. Everyone welcome! Plus, Detroit's first outdoor spinning experience
featuring a LIVE DJ and a cardio workout, 9-11 a.m.
- Family Day – Fun for all with games, inflatables, make
and takes, and face painting, plus a GVSU Charter school art fair,
performances by Matrix Theatre Company, Ballet Folklorico,
Moyocayani Izel, Detroit Youth Volume, Nadanta, Mosaic Youth
Theatre and Detroit Windsor Dance Academy, Noon-6 p.m.
- Night Market – Detroit's first ever Night Market will
showcase the best of local indie music, food trucks, drinks, lawn
games, and shopping from up-and-coming local makers and
entrepreneurs. Noon until 11
p.m.
- Salsa, Tacos & Tequila – Food, drinks and
entertainment, featuring headliners Plena Libre with their
distinctive musical style of Puerto
Rico, Bomba and Plena with Puerto Rican performing artists
and cultural group, Bombarica, 8-11
p.m.
Sunday, July 23
- Fitness – A morning full of energy with Detroit's first outdoor spinning experience
featuring a LIVE DJ, plus yoga and a cardio workout, 9-11 a.m.
- Gospel Brunch – Michigan's own award-winning Gospel Singer
Bishop Marvin L. Sapp will be joined
by local choirs, including Gospel Truth, and dance ensembles,
noon-3 p.m.
- Classical Concerts – Nationally-recognized,
Detroit-based chamber orchestra
Sphinx Nonet presents an ensemble performance, 3-4 p.m.
- Movie Music Spectacular – A performance by Michigan
Philharmonic leads up to a special screening of "Back to the
Future" with a Car Display/Photo Opp. for guests to sit in and
"travel through time" in a "Back to the Future" Delorean with
Doc and Marty McFly, 6-8:30 p.m.
All Weekend
- IMPULSE from Quartier Des Spectacles – Interactive,
illuminated see-saws offer a publicly activated light and sound
experience. Put into motion by its users, the see-saws are
augmented by LED lights and speakers, which increase in light
intensity and emit a randomized sound sequence.
- Mindfield Lighting Activations – Historic facades around
the park will illuminate after dark.
About DTE Energy
DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is
a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the
development and management of energy-related businesses and
services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric
utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern
Michigan and a natural gas utility serving 1.3 million
customers in Michigan. The DTE Energy portfolio includes
non-utility energy businesses focused on power and industrial
projects, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy
marketing and trading. As one of Michigan's leading
corporate citizens, DTE Energy is a force for growth and prosperity
in the 450 Michigan communities it serves in a variety of ways,
including philanthropy, volunteerism and economic progress.
Information about DTE Energy is available at dteenergy.com,
twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com.
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SOURCE DTE Energy