PEOPLE FOR PALMER PARK
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Palmer Park Earth Day will be a volunteer day full of celebration, clean-ups and fun in the forest

3/13/2023

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Palmer Park Earth Day
Sunday, April 23, 2023
  • Park-wide Clean-Up
  • Old Growth Forest Ceremony & Guided Walk
  • Aziza Fairy Forest Treasure & Trash Hunt
 
Join People for Palmer Park as we celebrate Earth Day, clean our beloved park, explore the woods, and enjoy friends, family and nature. From grit to magic, we welcome all ages to pick up a bag and help make a difference.
 
Sign up at palmerparkearthday2023.eventbrite.com to volunteer and join us for a day celebrating nature.
 
Spring Cleanup! Spring is upon us and we want Palmer Park to look beautiful and vibrant for the wonderful community of people who enjoy the park. Trash pick-up, weeding, sweeping, raking, and clearing are just some of the ways to volunteer your time and energy! 
 
Aziza Fairy Forest Trash & Treasure Hunt. Earth Day at Palmer Park is also a fun family event, too! For the young ones, sign up to search for the treasures: the tiny, invisible, magical Aziza Fairies from African and their hand-painted doors that will hang from branches throughout the forest trails. Explore the forest pathways and pick up trash to leave the woods sparkling and clean.
 
Old Growth Forest Ceremony! At noon, between the two clean-up shifts, join us to welcome Nick Sanchez from the Old Growth Forest Network. Detroit’s Palmer Park’s Witherell Woods will be inducted into the Old Growth Forest Network and we want to celebrate with you!
 
The 70-acre Witherell Woods in Palmer Park is the largest old-growth forest in the Tri-County area, and one of only seven forests in the City of Detroit. This is quite an honor, since only 5% of U.S. forests remain undisturbed allowing old growth trees and plants to flourish. Following the brief ceremony, Nick and representatives from PFPP will lead a guided walk through the woods.
 
Sign up with your family, community groups or neighborhood associations, work staff, or come yourself! Please help spread the work and invite as many neighbors and friends as you can!
 
Volunteers will be deployed throughout the park to promote social distancing and to cover as much of the park as possible. Choose a two-hour shift or stay for the whole time. Additional information will be sent the Thursday prior to the clean-up with instructions and directions to your location. (Note: Ticket location is a meeting point, not the site where you will be sent to clean-up)
 
People for Palmer Park will be providing gloves, trash bags, tools, hand sanitizer, and light refreshments. Please bring your own water bottle!
 
Invite family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and any other nature lovers in your life! 
Volunteer Sign Up
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DETROIT PARKS COALITION TO CELEBRATE LEGACY OF SARAH E. RAY, ‘DETROIT’S OTHER ROSA PARKS’

8/16/2022

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WHEN: Saturday, August 20, 2022, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
WHERE: Outside the Palmer Park Community House, 1121 Merrill Plaisance, Detroit 
PERFORMANCE TIMES:
    Bill Harris and Robert Jones - 1pm
    Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy - 2pm
    A. Spencer Barefield Quintet - 3pm


Free, family-friendly event to pay tribute to late civil rights activist, Sarah Ray, through live music, dance performances, poetry and art on Saturday, August 20 in Detroit’s  Palmer Park . In partnership with the Sarah E. Ray Project, the Detroit Parks Coalition and People for Palmer Park will celebrate Sarah Ray's legacy through world-class music — jazz, blues, gospel, multi-genre — poetry, dance and art that explore both the life of Ray and the fights for equality, social justice, freedom and hope that she and others inspire.

In 1945, Ray, a 24-year-old African American secretary, was denied a seat on the segregated Boblo boat, the SS Columbia. Like Rosa Parks, she refused to back down, taking her fight for integration all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Represented by famed NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall, Ray won her case. Scholars argue that she paved the way for the seminal, 1954 Brown v. Board of Education, which found that separate was inherently unequal. She continued to be a civil rights activist throughout her life, mentoring and inspiring future generations. Ray passed away in 2006. 

Featured artists include the widely acclaimed A. Spencer Barefield Quintet, the talented Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy with DWDA Artistic Director Debra White-Hunt and the impactful duo of Bill Harris and Rev. Robert Jones. Both Barefield and White-Hunt are creating new works to accompany narratives about Sarah E. Ray written by Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, author and historian Desiree Cooper. In addition to Barefield’s new composition to highlight the life of Sarah E. Ray, other pieces will explore themes of peace, racial equality, history and women and the fight for equal rights.

The event is part of the Detroit Parks Coalition Freedom Arts Festival, a citywide celebration with multiple free events over the summer and fall months to connect Detroiters to their neighborhood parks through cultural experiences. The festival series is supported by the Knight Foundation, a national foundation that invests in journalism, the arts and the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION
​

Sarah E. Ray Project website: https://www.detroitsotherrosaparks.com/

Detroit Parks Coalition website: https://www.detroitparkscoalition.com/


WDET Interview: The life of Sarah E. Ray will be celebrated at the Freedom Arts Festival
​
Metro Times article: https://www.metrotimes.com/arts/freedom-art-festival-to-celebrate-detroits-other-rosa-parks-30789953

Free Press article: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2022/08/16/downtown-detroit-event-sarah-ray/10336018002/
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Girl Scouts return to Palmer Park this year with Free Family Day on 9/10

8/11/2022

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Date: Saturday, September 10, 2022
Time: 11 AM–4 PM
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​Detroit, meet Girl Scouts! At Family Day in the Park, you'll not only have a great time, but you'll also get a firsthand look at how Girl Scouting isn't just another activity—it's a way of life.

We'll have exciting activities for children in grades K–12, like:
  • A basketball clinic run by the Detroit Pistons
  • Girl Scout programming:
    • Outdoor activities
    • Archery
    • LEGO Derby
  • And more!
 
Other FREE happenings for everyone include (but aren't limited to):
  • Popcorn, ice cream, and water*
  • Live entertainment
  • Awesome GSSEM and partner swag (while supplies last)
* Other food and Girl Scout Cookies will be available for purchase.
 
For more information, please email Tiffiny Griffin, Deputy Chief Program Officer, at tgriffin@gssem.org.

Presented by Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, in partnership with Detroit Pistons, Nike, Detroit PAL, Grand Valley State University and Detroit Mercy Dental.


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Pistons Neighbors Program Returns to Palmer Park for Summer 2022

7/6/2022

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Photo: Detroit Pistons
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FREE PROGRAMMING JULY 6-SEPTEMBER 4
EVERY WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY, 3-7PM


The Detroit Pistons Foundation partnered with the City of Detroit, William Davidson Foundation, and Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation to create the Neighbors Program in the summer of 2019. The Neighbors Program is an extension of the Pistons' "Basketball for All" initiative through which the Pistons have worked diligently to renovate 52 basketball courts around Detroit and have donated 50,000 basketballs to Detroit's youth. The goal of the Neighbors Program is to encourage Detroiters to enjoy their public parks and outdoor spaces by providing healthy, safe, free outdoor activities for the whole family.

For the fourth summer of the program, the partnership expanded to include the Detroit Parks Coalition. DPC is a collaboration between some of Detroit's largest park organizations and advocacy groups. The DPC works to provide and advocate for clean, beautiful parks and community resources for all Detroiters.


Activities will include: 
Basketball, sports clinics, live music, dance, yoga, art classes and much more!
​

The Neighbors program is proud to contribute to an active, green, healthier future for Detroit.​

The Pistons Neighbors Program takes place in these City of Detroit Parks:
Palmer, Pingree, Chandler, Rouge Park and Romanowski. 


Full schedule here (click Palmer Park tab for our specific programming)
​

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Discounted MoGo Detroit ride passes with Partnership Perks!

5/2/2022

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People for Palmer Park is happy to announce Partnership Perks with MoGo Detroit for 2022. MoGo is a fellow nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization providing affordable ride sharing throughout the Metro Detroit region. It operates in 10 neighborhoods in the greater downtown area of Detroit, as well as Northwest Detroit, Ferndale, Oak Park, Huntington Woods, Berkley, and Royal Oak.MoGo is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and there are THREE MOGO STATIONS in PALMER PARK.

Beginning April 9th, 2022, all members, participants, and organizers affiliated with People For Palmer Park will be eligible for the new MoGo x PFPP passes through 2022!

HOW IT WORKS
Visit https://mogodetroit.org/members/registermogodetroit.org/members/register and use the codes below to receive discounts on Annual and Monthly Passes: 

Annual Passes will be $70 (normally $90 for a year)
USE CODE "1YPFPP"

Monthly Passes will be $15 / 1x per person (normally $20 per month)
USE CODE "1MYPFPP"


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2nd Annual Palmer Park 5K Run & Walk Returns  June 11

5/2/2022

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Saturday, June 11, 2022 - 8:30am at Palmer Park
Location: 1121 Merrill Plaisance Street Detroit, MI 48203 

Welcome Home Yoga & Wellness
will be presenting their 2nd Annual Palmer Park 5K Run & Walk + Yoga Event. This pride-themed event is in partnership with People for Palmer Park!

Please join us for a community celebration of running, yoga, Pride Month and neighborhood Detroit Parks on Saturday, June 11th. The 5k begins promptly at 8:30am, with yoga to follow. Please bring your own yoga mat!

Adult Race $40 - Adult Race +Yoga $55 - Adult Yoga $25 
Adult Registration Includes: Shirt, Medal, BIB & Interactive Online Media 
Kids 12 & Under 5k $15 - Free Yoga 
Kid Registration Includes: Medal, BIB & Interactive Online Media
REGISTER HERE!
Facebook Event: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/676661290303503
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Bandshell's new home will be Palmer Park

9/8/2021

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Proposed location of bandshell at Palmer Park from 5/11/21 GSD presentation.
With a final meeting and vote by local community participants, representatives from the City and District 2 make the future move of this historic landmark official and discuss next steps.
When Mayor Duggan first announced the preservation of the historic bandshell in his March 2021 State of the City Address with the goal of relocating it to another site, he said the city's first choice was Palmer Park (District 2)—as long as the neighbors wanted it there. The initiative was supported by Councilmember Roy McCalister Jr. and preservationists from across the region.

After a handful of 2021 online meetings and one final community meeting with District 2 representatives in August, a final vote was taken and the move to Palmer Park was approved.

Public meetings
4/17/2021 - The City of Detroit/General Services Department first presented their three location options at the People for Palmer Park Annual Meeting which sparked the first public discussion on the pros/cons, concerns and questions some of the surrounding community had about the proposed location.

5/11/2021 - The City then held another presentation and discussion on the bandshell relocation at their online April District 2 Meeting. Some support as well as some concerns arose and the three location options were again discussed. Supporters loved the possibilities of free family-friendly cultural events, while concerns about noise levels and more community engagement in planning and design process were also brought forth.

5/27/2021 - The next DISCUSSION MEETING gave members of the surrounding adjacent neighborhoods the floor to share their thoughts, questions and concerns. Supporters argued that this would be an asset to the community, an arts center and that any type of performance/music could be realistically restricted to the type that would not have higher decibel levels such as jazz, folk and classical. Those opposed were worried about establishing controls on impact to the neighborhood, City enforcement issues that are already a concern and the upkeep and maintenance responsibilities for the bandshell.

AUGUST 2021 - Kim Tandy and District 2 representatives as well as GSD/Detroit Building Authority staff held a FINAL community meeting and the community voted to approve bringing the bandshell to Palmer Park. 
Location will be on 7 Mile Road, east of Pontchartrain but closer to Woodward behind the 12th Precinct. Anticipated parking will be for 82-90 cars and 500-person capacity. It was stressed that there will be more community meetings in the future to discuss management, infrastructure and programming. Once cost is determined, the City will work with partners to manage fees associated with the move. Currently the bandshell is completely disassembled and stored at an unknown location.

About the bandshell structure:
  • Heavy timber, wood bolted structure, still in very good condition. City will meet current-day building requirements, transport over to the new site and assemble with same structural integrity.
  • The clapboard/plywood siding is in poor condition and will be restored with new materials to replicate.
  • The move does not include the single story, back-of-house part of structure, which is also to be rebuilt. A smaller back-of-house likely that would serve the bandshell, loading for performance, storing and a green room.
 
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Girl Scouts Family Day in the Park 9/11/21

8/27/2021

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Closeup of three Girl Scouts laughing on a lawn
Photo: Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan
Girl Scouts logo
WHEN: Saturday, September 11, 2021 from 11am – 4pm
WHERE: 
Palmer Park near the Community House and Basketball Court

Open to all Detroit and surrounding community families.
Admission to Family Day in the Park is FREE.
Parking is also free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.


Family Day in the Park event is a fun-filled event is designed to give families a first-hand look at the exciting Girl Scout experiences available to their girls, particularly girls in grades K-5.​

Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan (GSSEM) and partners will present FREE activities for all children who attend:
  • Families can see their girls sample some GSSEM Outdoor Education and STEM experiences available to their girls.  All K-12 aged children who attend can participate in the activities. GSSEM and partner organizations will provide FREE Girl Scout programming including robotics, outdoor activities, drone flying lessons, Girl Scouts Olympic style games, Lego Derby and more.
  • Special 9/11 Community Service activity to recognize and celebrate first-responders.
  • Detroit Pistons will also run a FREE basketball clinic.
  • Entertainment includes Mason from 105. 9FM, Detroit Circus Among Us, Detroit Pistons dancers, more.
  • Popcorn, ice cream and water will be provided to all attendee FREE of charge.
  • Food and Girl Scout cookies will be available for purchase.
  • Free swag will be provided while supplies last from GSSEM and partners.

Partner organizations include Detroit Pistons, Detroit PAL, Nike, Grand Valley State University, University of Detroit, School of Dentistry

Website: Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan

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Music of the Spirit: Jazz, Soul, Klezmer & Beyond

8/3/2021

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FREE FAMILY CONCERT • BYO Chairs & Blankets
Saturday, August 21, 2021 • 1-4 pm

On the lawn next to the Splash Park Lot, Community House & Gardens.
Bring your own chairs and blanket. 
The Palmer Park area has a rich history filled with music, culture, churches and synagogues shared by both Black and Jewish communities. Celebrate this legacy with People for Palmer Park and Detroit Unity Temple.
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THE PERFORMERS
​
Charles & Gwen Scales Quartet
Gwen (vocals) and Charles Scales (keyboards) with drums and sax will perform an array of jazz, soulful, spiritual, and their own original music. Gwen and Charles have shared the stage with artists such as Patti LaBelle, Phyllis Hyman, Najee, and Hamilton Bohannon; and performed for Bill and Hillary Clinton,
various Detroit mayors and Michigan governors, as well as for crowds at the Detroit Jazz Festival, concerts in Japan and the United Kingdom, and regularly at Detroit Unity Temple.

Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi
Detroit-born Yale Strom (violin), Elizabeth Schwartz (vocals, baritone ukulele) and Greg Powell (bass) will perform Klezmer music, a 1000-year old Eastern European musical tradition played at Jewish weddings, parties, and holiday celebrations. It was nearly extinguished during the Holocaust. Yale is an award-winning filmmaker, violinist, composer, writer, photographer, playwright, historian, and one of the world’s leading ethnographer-artist of klezmer music. Elizabeth is an acclaimed vocalist and first woman to sing in NYC’s 125 year-old Eldridge Street Synagogue/Museum. They’ve performed throughout the U.S. and Europe in festivals, Carnegie Hall, jazz clubs, and synagogues.


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Palmer Park Farmers Market continues EVERY Wednesday this summer

8/3/2021

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SW Corner of 7 Mile and Woodward EVERY Wednesday
July through September from 4:30-7:30

Masks and social distancing encouraged

Visit Palmer Park Farmers Market on Facebook and Instagram.In partnership with Eastern Market, Detroit Community Markets and the City of Detroit Parks & Recreation Department, join us each Wednesday at this lovely local market for farm fresh fruits and vegetables and more, rain or shine.

WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING ADDITIONAL PRODUCE VENDORS to round out the remainder of the season. Interested or know someone who is? Here is this year's vendor application.


Visit Palmer Park Farmers Market on Facebook and Instagram.

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​
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