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Afro Nation, Michigan Renaissance Festival and Dream Cruise happening this weekend

7 things to do in the D (Aug. 18 - Aug. 20)
Posted at 11:16 PM, Aug 16, 2023
and last updated 2023-08-17 05:56:31-04

DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Woodward Dream Cruise returns to metro Detroit and so does the Michigan Renaissance Festival and the Assumption Greek Fest.

A new event, Afro Nation, is bringing afrobeats and more to Detroit. And SW Fest will have entertainment and food in Southwest Detroit.

Here are seven things to do in the D:

Afro Nation Detroit

  • Saturday and Sunday
  • Bedrock's Douglass site in Detroit
  • The world's largest afrobeats festival is coming to Detroit. Afro Nation is bringing artists in afrobeats, hip hop, R&B, dancehall, amapiano, afro house and more to one spot. Live performances and DJ sets will take over two stages. You can expect to see artists like Burna Boy, Ari Lennox, Davido, Latto, Coi Leray and more.

Assumption Greek Festival

  • Thursday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Assumption Greek Orthodox Church at 21800 Marter Road in St. Clair Shores
  • The community is being invited to be Greek this weekend during the Assumption Greek Fest. From Thursday to Sunday, the festival will have Greek food, dancing, a taverna and activities for kids. You could also enter a raffle and win up to $10,000.

Detroit Lions preseason game 2 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Saturday 1 p.m.
  • Ford Field at 2000 Brush Street in Detroit
  • The Detroit Lions are back at Ford Field for their second preseason game. They're playing the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Friday Night Movies

  • Friday 8 p.m.; movie starts at dusk
  • New Center Park at 2998 W. Grand Boulevard in Detroit
  • As summer winds down, so are outdoor movies at New Center Park. The last Friday Night Movie of the year is happening this week with the showing of "Pirate Utopia."

Michigan Renaissance Festival

  • Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with other special days
  • 12600 Dixie Highway in Holly
  • If thou looketh for ye olde fair fit for a king or queen, looketh no further than the return of the Michigan Renaissance Festival. Get your fill of turkey legs, jousting and medieval crafts starting this weekend through Oct. 1. You can find weekend themes on the event's website.

SW Fest

  • Saturday 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Senate Theater at 6424 Michigan Avenue in Detroit
  • Coming back to Detroit for a third time is the SW Fest. The festival is celebrating the community with music, art and — of course — food. Organizers say there will be 48 performances across three stages and more than 100 vendors.

Woodward Dream Cruise

  • Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Woodward Avenue from Pontiac to Ferndale
  • For car enthusiasts around the world, the weekend is one of the happiest of the year. That's because the Woodward Dream Cruise is back and better than ever. The event spanning nine communities along Woodward Avenue will allow you to see classic and unique cars in one big space. If you're eager for the Dream Cruise, there are other events across metro Detroit prior to the main day.

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