Downtown Detroit Driving The Future

In the Motor City, cars are a big deal

In the Motor City, cars are a big deal. And by far, the largest auto-related event in Detroit each year is the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Staged in the expansive Cobo Center, NAIAS draws international media, along with more than half a million visitors during its nine-day public show. Everyone comes to see the latest vehicles from virtually every automaker, and you don't have to dream about being behind the wheel -- just open the door and get inside.

More than 30 vehicles made their worldwide debut at NAIAS in 2010 to much fanfare. A new second stage -- complete with a vehicle turntable and state-of-the-art sound and lighting -- provided even more opportunities for theatrical vehicle introductions. Visitors are always encouraged to wear comfortable shoes because almost 700 vehicles are typically on display, representing the most innovative designs in the world.

Detroit also has a rich and diverse hip-hop and poetry culture, and guests can get a glimpse of the city's vibrant spoken word scene annually at Words and Rhythms of the "D" at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts.

The annual event celebrates powerful voices of Detroit youth, which might otherwise go unheard. Young poets put pen to paper, then take to the stage to recite their work accompanied by a hip-hop soundtrack.

They're coached by acclaimed Detroit poets, along with organizations like Citywide Poets, InsideOut Literary Arts Project, YouthVille Detroit and Mahogany Revue. Get into the groove of the next generation as young people from all backgrounds converge, learn from each other and hone the craft of the spoken word.

Roller derby has skated back into the spotlight, and Detroit Derby Girls are the Motor City's answer to the national craze. Fresh from an appearance in Drew Barrymore's locally filmed Whip It, Detroit Derby Girls stage bouts periodically. Just as cool as the punk rock athletes themselves is the venue they skate in. The beautiful Masonic Temple boasts a makeshift rink in the Drill Hall.

Joe Louis was featured as a Hometown Hero Exhibit in Detroit in 2010. The Fist, a 24-foot bronze sculpture at the corner of Jefferson and Woodward, is one of the most recognizable symbols of Detroit, and the exhibit explored the boxer who inspired the memorial landmark. Joe Louis: Hometown Hero, ran through May 2010 at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and chronicled the inspiring life of the heavyweight champion known as the Brown Bomber.

Hamtramck, the traditional Polish enclave of Detroit, is known as much for vibrant rock 'n' roll clubs as ethnic restaurants and bakeries. In March 2010, visitors were welcomed to a crash course in who's who in the local music scene during Metro Times Hamtramck Blowout 13, a high-fidelity music festival encompassing three days, 200 bands and 15 venues.

The birthplace of techno hosts one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world annually. Every Memorial Day weekend, throngs of fans flock to Hart Plaza on the Detroit River to spin glow sticks to the music of international techno stars,

as well as homegrown talent.

by: Kara Knapp

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