Wednesday brought cold temperatures, but there’s a beach vibe in downtown Detroit nonetheless.
Campus Martius has built its latest edition of the “The Beach.”
The beach and lawn opened Wednesday morning. There’s sand, thousands of Tulips, IKEA furniture as far as the eye can see, and at special times live music.
“Oh, it’s booming,” said Shawn Phillips, the Chef and owner of Grillwich Tot Stop. “It’s really fun with all the special events, the food trucks and just the overall ambience.”
Phillips said that the changes in Campus Martius are really taking off, he’s expecting a big year despite the cold temperatures, and rainy conditions he’s been dealt since the start of the food truck season downtown.
“Yesterday was a prime example, raining up until just when we were opening,” said Phillips.
The hope is that the beach draws more attention to Campus Martius. In addition to the beach, grass and flowers there’s also the basketball courts and the return of “The Fountain Detroit.” The container restaurant became popular last year, especially for their craft drinks.
“I love it, I just love it,” said Jalal Alzoubi, who works near Campus Martius.
Alzoubi and his friends come to eat at the food trucks, and the addition of music and the beach has him excited.
“It’s a great experience, especially when you can head there right after work.”
The Beach is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Downtown Street Eats runs from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. weekdays, while live musical performances by local Detroit artists will take place from noon until 2 p.m.
A variety of events will be happening throughout the Spring and Summer months. For more information on music, times, and locations of events check out the Campus Martius Park events listing online by visiting http://campusmartiuspark.org/events.
