People for Palmer Park is proud to announce the return of the Detroit Public Library's Mobile Library to our Splash Pad this June!

The Mobile Library, affectionately known to some as the Bookmobile, provides Detroit Public Library services to locations throughout Detroit and Highland Park.

Equipped with 4 public use computers, free WiFi, and a public use printer, the Mobile Library also stocks books for all ages in English, Spanish and Arabic. Our Mobile Reference Librarian can issue and renew library cards to residents, help with material selection, and place holds for pick up on the Mobile Library or at any DPL branch.
During the school year, the Mobile Library primarily serves schools throughout Detroit and Highland Park. During the summer months, you can find the Mobile Library at locations around the city including Eastern Market and the Riverfront, and in neighborhoods at parks and community events.

More Mobile Library Locations and Schedule here.

In May 2026 Detroit Bird Alliance will launch the first ever Great Detroit Bird Off!

The focus of this friendly competition among the four largest parks in Detroit is to learn which park has the most bird species for the month of May, a peak migratory month. The four largest parks in Detroit are: Belle Isle, Rouge Park, Palmer Park, and Eliza Howell Park.

The Great Detroit Bird Off is a community science project that anyone of any age and birding level can participate in. 

Happy Birding, and may the birdiest park win!

To learn more and to register, click here. 

Join us for a clean up at Palmer Park meadow on March 7, 2026 from 10am to 12pm, where we will be picking up trash to beautify the area for spring. Palmer Park is part of the Detroit Bird City project to create community greenspace with meadow habitat that benefits birds and pollinators. We planted the first Palmer Park meadow in 2020 with two acres of native flowers and grasses. Now we are planting another nine acres around other sections of Palmer Park!

To learn more and to register, click here.

Strides for Seniors is back with the annual Healthy Aging Expo on Friday, September 26, from 9 AM to 1 PM at beautiful Palmer Park.
Registration includes four hours of music and dance, including hustle and dance with DJ Rick Love, and Zumba by Roberto. There are also dozens of wellness exhibitors, a box lunch, a walk around one of Detroit’s most beautiful places, and prize raffles
NOTE: There will NOT be a standard Strides t-shirt, but some centers may create their own. Please check your center for details. A Strides t-shirt is NOT required for you to participate.

Strides for Seniors is a collaborative campaign of metro Detroit senior centers held during September, National Senior Center Month. Michigan’s population is the 14th oldest nationwide according to the 2021 United States Census Bureau. The month long campaign is aimed at increasing the awareness of senior resources, aging issues and the importance of funding senior programs and services.

For more information, visit https://stridesforseniors.org

The bandshell at Palmer Park opened officially on August 23, 2025 with much fellowship, community and culture. 

The City of Detroit held a grand opening celebration featuring the Detroit Parks Coalition's Freedom Arts Festival performance of "Sounds from the Park" by famed musician Marcus Elliot along with Anjelic, Bryce LP, Charles Scales and DJ Fingers. The concert was hosted by Detroit native and Grammy-nominated singer Dwele.

Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the bandshell restoration was a $3.56 million project which also includes new restrooms, support structures for event staff and equipment, a new paved parking lot with 60 spaces and walking paths that connect people to the rest of Palmer Park.

The bandshell originally opened in 1938 on the Michigan State Fairgrounds at State Fair and Woodward on the city’s west side. The structure became a fixture at the annual event, staying there until the fair closed in 2009. 
In 2020, the property was sold to Amazon for a new distribution center. However, there was strong community support for saving the bandshell, including a petition gathering campaign by the State Fair Development Coalition. People for Palmer Park were instrumental in finding a new home for the bandshell. The city eventually decided to move the bandshell there following an extensive restoration process.

Information on how to perform at the bandshell COMING SOON!

Parts of this post were pulled from Bridge Detroit's Cultural Canvas.

People for Palmer Park wouldn’t be what it is today without the dedication, generosity, and heart of our members and volunteers.

Saturday, August 16, 2025 | 12-4pm

To show our gratitude for all who give their time, talents, and support to the park and our community, we’re hosting a special Member & Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on Saturday, August 16. Join us from 12:00 - 5:00pm at the picnic area next to the Community House at 990 Merrill Plaisance for an afternoon of fun, food, and celebration.

This laid-back summer gathering will feature grilled food fresh off the barbecue, cool drinks, and classic yard games for all ages. Whether you’ve pulled weeds in the garden, helped at events, donated to our programs, or simply cheered us on, we hope you’ll join us for this joyful afternoon in the park. It’s our way of saying thank you — we couldn’t do it without you!

Please register (FREE!) so we can plan for enough food!

August 23, 2-4 pm at the Palmer Park Bandshell
FREE admission! 

A Knight Arts Challenge winner, the Freedom Arts Festival connects and reconnects Detroiters to their neighborhood parks. Featuring music, dance, storytelling, and art reflecting Detroit’s multicultural tapestry, the festival brings together freedom, racial justice, history, and connection to place through arts & culture.

Sounds from the Park is a set of five improvisatory pieces written by Marcus Elliot, celebrating Detroit's parks and their communities by weaving together the memories and dreams of community leaders, elders, and youth. Conceptual collaboration and community engagement for Sounds from the Park was managed by Sidewalk Detroit.

Marcus Elliot’s curated performances honor Detroit’s parks and their stewards by showcasing themes that uniquely reflect each park’s heritage and neighborhood. Composed specifically for each location, the music celebrates the parks as vital spaces for rest, recreation, and community connection. Through these site-specific works, Elliot highlights the distinct character and spirit of every park while acknowledging their shared role in Detroit’s cultural landscape.

Sunday, July 13, 1-3pm 
Palmer Park Community House & Splash Pad area
990 Merrill Plaisance St, Detroit, MI 48203

Join us for a groovin' afternoon at the Palmer Park Community House and splash pad for our first Family House Music Dance Party! Presented by People for Palmer Park's Arts and Culture Committee and Choose Better Friends Records. Featuring new music by Bale Defoe and tunes by selectors DJ Phil Minnick, J Peacock and Ryan McRay. Plus Junior Open Decks spots for budding DJs under 16. Drop in art activities led by Mint Artist Guild and food for purchase from the Tacos Hernandez food truck! 

Free and Open to the public, bring your picnic blankets and be ready to dance! 
Note: Junior Open Decks Sign up at the DJ Booth at 1pm - arrive early!

Our parks are critical to a thriving and beautiful Detroit.

Join Bridge Detroit and DPC to hear Detroit's mayoral candidate's talk all things Parks & Public Spaces! Bridge Detroit’s Bryce Huffman will moderate a forum on the issues facing Detroit’s parks.


We want to hear from park users like you!
Submit questions for Mayoral candidates by June 30th.