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Noel Night Sparkles with Popularity as it Showcases Midtown Detroit District

  • Britta Lee, Regional Content Editor

Noel_Night_2015Now celebrating 43 years, Noel Night will be held Saturday, December 5th, 2015, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. True to its roots, Noel Night continues to be a Cultural Center-wide “Open House,” celebrating the city’s diverse holiday traditions amid the state’s premier arts and cultural institutions, historic churches, galleries, and a growing circle of small businesses and restaurants, providing the perfect backdrop for a festive evening packed full of performances to enjoy with family and friends—all free of charge. Horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, music, dance, theatre, children’s make & take activities, unique shopping, holiday delectables, and visits with Santa are all part of the evening’s festivities. Noel Night continues to grow each year, now featuring over 70 different venues and recently attracted 35,000 visitors in 2014. Over200 performances are sure to bring the sounds of the season to life, including these headlining performances:
 

  • Madeleine Peyroux is an American jazz singer, songwriter, guitarist and simply delightful. Her voice is reminiscent of Billie Holiday and busking on a Paris street corner. Peyroux performs at 8:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church (33 E. Forest).
  • Bronze Radio Returnis an American indie/roots rock sextet from Hartford, Connecticut. This six-piece has independently sold over 100,000 singles, racked up more than 26 million streams on Spotify, and, with songs such as “Further On” and “Shake, Shake, Shake,” they have impressively notched nearly 100 high-profile placements ranging from the 2014 film St. Vincent, to commercials for Nissan and Starbucks, to numerous television shows. Bronze Radio Return performs at 9:00 p.m. at the Motor City Brewing Works Warehouse (441 W. Canfield).
  • The Diving Bell is Chicago-based band that began performing in early 2014. Known for their “oddly complex front-porch Americana [music] rendered strange by technology,” The Diving Bellconsists of husband-and-wife duo Steve and Clare Hendershot, along with Kevin Jones, Charles Murphy, Graham Gilreath and Joshua Robinson. Hendershot’s songs have been featured on the HBO Show True Blood and have earned a national songwriting award from the Independent Artists Company. The Diving Bell will be performing in the Music Box located inside the Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center at 7:00 and 8:15 p.m. (3711 Woodward).

 

  • Noel Night is pleased to presentImani Winds in the Detroit Institute of Arts‘ Rivera Court at 8:45 p.m.  If you’re not familiar with Imani Winds, this Grammy-nominated wind quintet has carved out a distinct presence in the classical world with its culturally poignant programming and inspirational outreach programs. This is definitely a performance that will touch your hearts –perfect for ushering in the holidays!
  • We likedJeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys so much at last year’s Noel Night, we’re bringing them back and putting them in a location that will accommodate dancing. The band will deliver great, pack-the-floor renditions of Creole classics and other holiday songs with contemporary Zydeco flair.  You can check out Jeffery & The Creole Cowboys at the The Garden Theater (3929 Woodward) at 9:00 p.m.

 
Other great Noel Night performances and installations include:
 

  • The ‘bots are back! If you liked Apetechnology’s lovable Electric Snowman or their Inflatoangels, then you’re going to love their new project for Noel Night: “Father Winter and his Icicle Army,” a crew of six robots that will take over the circular driveway of the College for Creative Studies‘ Ford Campus on John R between 5:00-10:00 p.m. Apetechnology is a Detroit-based electromechanical and sound collective that operates out of Detroit’s New Center area.
  • Jake Chidester and Alisyn Malek of Corktown Studios will present “The Seussian Arkestra,” an art installation outside of the Detroit Institute of Arts‘ John R Entrance. Part imagination, part real melodic and rhythmic genius, “The Seussian Arkestra” will create an interactive visual and audio playscape drawing in participants to interact with each of the larger-than-life musical instruments. Detroit-based artist collaborative, Botanical Fortress, will also perform original compositions on these visually engaging instruments throughout the evening. “The Suessian Arkestra” will be outdoors between 5:00-10:00 p.m.
  • Ralph Taylor of Caribbean Mardi Gras Productions will present “The Broken Angel” a large-scale dance and music production outdoors at the Wayne State University green space located at the southwest corner of Woodward and Warren at 6:15 and 8:00 p.m. A lovely tale about an angel with a broken wing that heals with the help from friends told with Mardi Gras flair.

 
Also new to Noel Night are a number of venues, including:

  • 8° Plato Detroit (3409 Cass) – Detroit’s first craft beer store will be open and will feature music byChrissy Morgan. 8° will also host a beer tent on the Woodward lawn of the Detroit Public Library.
  • Artloft (4160 Cass, Suite C) – Midtown’s newest boutique offering functional art, and other gifts, personal and home accessories. Britney Stoney performs at 7:15 p.m.
  • Carhartt (5800 Cass) – Carhartt’s flagship store will feature coffee drinks, fun winter treats and music by Wayne State University Jazz Ensemble.
  • Detroit Clothing Circle, and pop-up spaces Sfumato Fragrances and Subtrakt (3980 Second) -Detroit Clothing Circle is a new men’s and women’s clothing store that will feature music by Ryan Spencerof Jamaican Queens. Sfumato Fragances is a Corktown-based scent company and Subtrakt is a Detroit-based design firm that will host a soft opening for their line of minimal furniture.
  • Hopcat (4265 Woodward) will host a performance by Detroit-based The Infatuations between 10:00-11:30 p.m.
  • Kit and Ace (4240 Cass, Suite 106) offers machine washable cashmere apparel and will feature Christmas mixes by DJ IV Wolves and holiday treats.
  • St. Josaphat Church (715 E. Canfield) will offer church tours, hot beverages and snacks and music.
  • University Prep Science & Math Middle School (5100 John R) – UPREP will offer holiday craft activities for children age 12 and under, as well as showcase a number of their school music and dance groups.
  • Will Leather Goods (4120 Second) – Check out Midtown’s newest boutique featuring high-quality leather goods. Holiday drinks and entertainment will also be offered.
  • Z Ballerini (4215 Cass) – Enjoy this pop-up shop showcasing travel and everyday bags made in Detroit.

 
Perennial favorite, the Ice Scraper Challenge, returns to the DIA Plaza. Watch students from Wayne State University and the College for Creative Studies transform blocks of ice into unique sculptural creations throughout the day. Discover the best gifts of the season at the area’s galleries and gift shops, including special Noel Night-only opportunities like the annual College for Creative StudiesStudent and Alumni Art Sale (201 E. Kirby) and pop-up  spaces by The Build Institute in The Majestic Theater (4140 Woodward), and Live Coal Gallery and MINT Artists Guild in Wayne State University’s Old Main building (4841 Cass). The Detroit Artists Market’s Annual Art for the Holiday Show is another favorite shopping experience featuring all hand-made items by local artists offering a wide range of products and price points.  Make sure to not miss other unique shopping and opportunities at these other participating Noel Night venues:
 

 
The evening’s festivities conclude with the annual community sing-along, led by the Salvation Army Band at the Woodward Avenue Bandstand at 9:30 p.m. There is no better way to celebrate the holiday season than with thousands of metro Detroiter’s singing Christmas carols in this time-honored Noel Night tradition. The Detroit Public Library will also host a Food Court on their front Woodward lawn, along with a beer tent sponsored by 8° Plato Detroit. The Scarab Club will host its annual food truck rally in its parking lot, and the Michigan Science Center will also host food trucks in their parking lot. Full dinner options are available at:  The BLOCK Detroit, Byblos Café and Grill, Café 78 at MOCAD,CaféDIA, Cass Café, Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails, Falafill Detroit, First Congregational Church of Detroit, Goodwells Natural Food Market, Go! Sy Thai, Hannan House Café, Honest John’s Bar & Grill,Hopcat, Jolly Pumpkin, The International Institute Cafe, La Feria Detroit, La Palma, Lefty’s Lounge,Macabee’s at Midtown, Majestic Café, Mario’s Italian Restaurant, Michigan Science Center Cosmic Café, Motor City Brewing Works, Northern Lights Lounge, Pho Lucky, Plymouth United Church of Christ, The Scarab Club, Selden Standard, Seva Detroit, Shangri-La Midtown, Slow’s to Go, Starters Bar & Grill, Tony V’s Tavern, Traffic Jam and Snug, Union Street, Wasabi Korean & Japanese Cuisine, The Whitney, Whole Foods, and Z’s Villa.

Noel Night activities take place in Midtown Detroit, from Ferry Street to the north, Edmund Place to the south, St. Antoine to the east, and Third Avenue to the west. Woodward Avenue is closed to traffic between Palmer and Warren.  There is free shuttle service that runs continually between participating venues, as well as plenty of parking in area lots and structures.  Noel Night visitors should consider using Wayne State’s Parking Structures 2 and 5 located on Anthony Wayne north of Warren Avenue, as well as Parking Structure 8 located at 91 West Forest between Woodward and Cass Avenue.  It is advised that all visitors check with the Noel Night website for more information on all road closures, detours, shuttle routes, and recommended parking before driving to Midtown for the most up-to-date information:  https://www.noelnight.org.
Admission to Noel Night is FREE.

Noel Night is sponsored by the Henry Ford Health System, Wayne State University, Arts Academy in the Woods, Trent Creative, Inland Press, MGM Grand Detroit, WDET 101.9 FM, WWJ 950 AM, Detroit Metro Times and Fox 2 Detroit. Midtown Detroit, Inc., a nonprofit planning and development organization that supports the physical maintenance and revitalization of Midtown Detroit, produces the event.  Call 313.420.6000 or visit https://www.noelnight.org for more information.

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Britta Lee, Regional Content Editor

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