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Comerica Cityfest
Rating Details »
Category: Active Life [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Wayne State, New Center3011 W Grand Blvd
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 872-0188
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
8 reviews for Comerica Cityfest
Originally dubbed Tastefest, this street festival is the perfect way to experience the best of Detroit. Metro Detroit restaurants line the streets of the New Center area to give attendees the chance to sample their fare, everything from ribs to samosas to falafel. Of course the prices are outrageous, but that's to be expected when going to a festival such as Cityfest.
Personally, I go for the entertainment and vendors. Featuring both local and national acts like Broken Social Scene, Cat Power, and the Brazilian Girls all for free, its hard to resist. In addition, the festival offers some great vendors, everything from shea butter, to Detroit themed goods to skateboards. Cityfest is definitely a must for Memorial Day weekend and has become a staple in most Detroiters holiday plans.
I loved the ambiance of the entire fest. Friendly people, good food, and free outdoor concerts. Can't get any better than that. I didn't go until the last day, but the momentum was still there. If you ever visit Detroit during this time of year and the cityfest is going on, it will be worth the trip.
Normally, I'm not a fan of the idea of buying tickets to go buy samples of random food from vendors. However, when I can get some tastes of fried okra and sweet potato pie with those tickets, you can definitely say I'm down.
Cityfest is an event in the summer during a week in Detroit where they celebrate Detroit food and have live entertainment. The best part? You get to see some amazing acts perform for free.
The year I went, Common and Cat Power were performing -- among many others, and I went to see Common perform at the Motor City Sound Stage, which was set up in the heart of the festival. This year (2008), some performers they have in store are De La Soul, Broken Social Scene, George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic. Pure Detroit also has a great stage which features local and independent music.
Besides the food, you will see tents for other local businesses and services. I saw a tent that was offering massages, and one that was selling clothing with non-cheesy Detroit themes.
Tip? I'm not a fan of the Port-a-Potty, so you can go into the New Center to use the bathroom.
The proceeds go back to into the city of Detroit.
DON'T COME HERE FOR THE FOOD! The tastes of Detroit include your three major food groups: fried, burgers, and pizza. OK, there are a few outliers but that is mainly it. And they have vendors from outside of the metro area! BLASPHEMY!
The music acts were awesome, I came down here three times to just chill out at the main and jazz/blues stage. Really good music.
As for the crowds? Being a Taste of Chicago veteran, masses of sticky, hot sweaty people chowing down on food does not scare me. However, the crowd management and the layout of the venues were disorganized. There was essentially no "control" of the crowds. If something bad happened, there easily would've been a stampede. However, if safety is your main concern -- there are plenty of visible Detroit Police on duty and in uniform.
Parking looks like a nightmare, but if you live on or near the campus it's only a short walk on Cass. You can ride your bike too, but someone will tell you that you need to park it (which is fine).
So I didn't get around to writing this review during Cityfest, but I still wanted to put in my two cents. Honestly, I love this festival. It mixes three of my favorite things: good music, tasty food, and Detroit!!
Now most of the food is greasy and fried, and the fact that you need to get tickets for food makes the whole thing a little annoying and complicated, but most everything is actually very tasty, and not everything is fried. I like the variety of places that come there, especially because many of the restaurants featured are ones I've never been to nor plan on ever going to. Both this year and last year, they had the Melting Pot come in with chocolate fondue and strawberries, which is awesome. I especially love the portions. They give you just enough for a taste, and then some. It's easy to fill up before hitting a lot of stations (so come hungry, or come again).
Not only is there good food, but there are also great live performances. They bring in some local bands and some well known artists. You can sit around, listening and watching the show, or you can walk around and still get to hear the acts. The music is really something else. When you consider that you don't have to pay to see/hear the performances, it just makes the prices of the food that much more reasonable.
What else makes this festival so great? It's in Detroit!! With the city going through all the troubles it has been (and unfortunately will continue to be), I love anything that draws in a crowd, especially when it can help the city profit. Flocks and flocks of people drive into the city for Cityfest. They leave (hopefully) with good memories of the city and a desire to come back. I love it.
The last thing I love about this festival is its timing. It's always in early July, overlapping with the 4th of July, so it's always got a happy, celebratory kind of sentiment. It runs several days, so you can go when you please, and it's just nice to have a different kind of festive opportunity to take advantage of during the 4th of July weekend.
Formerly Tastefest, Cityfest is a festival that combines awesome food and kick ass music. What else could you ask for?
You get the food by purchasing tickets (like riding rides at the carnival!). Often it ends up being a lot cheaper than some of the dishes would cost by just flat out paying.
For example, last year I had a 1 lb "Oh My God" burger, which is beef tenderloin grilled and made into a sandwich. I recall it being three or four tickets, which would've equaled what, five or six bucks? That much tenderloin RAW from the grocery store would cost that same amount!
The music is awesome. I've been the past few years - they have multiple stages playing jazz, electronic music, national touring acts and more.
I'm very excited to see Broken Social Scene this year!
Past performers I've seen here include Blanche, The Salt Miners, and Weird Al. (Yes, dare to be stupid)
The food vendors offer a variety of foods - anything from BBQ to pirogies to soup. They literally have something for everyone.
They do have beer vendors, but it's crappy Bud and I believe you can't use tickets for it either. It may be a good idea to bring your own, though I can't make any guarantees that the festival (or the police!) wouldn't frown upon this, so be discreet.
And eat up!
I'm so not a fan of crowds and overly priced food. This is exactly what you are going to get when you come out to CityFest. In all honesty, it is a cool atmosphere and you get a taste of many local businesses. However, because I have been going to the TasteFest (now called CityFest) for most of my life, I have become annoyed with the whole set-up. You are paying for tickets, and the tickets get you portions of a meal. It doesn't equal out logically how much you are really paying for just a "taste" of some food. But it's the experience that counts, and there really are good performances during this weekend. So for any out of towners, I would definitely say check it out
I attended City Fest this year and it was what I expected, not much. I'm so glad I had a chance to see George Clinton, if not it would have been a total waste of an afternoon. I hate the ticket process. I wanted some water. I had to buy 10 tickets and used 6 for a bottle of water. Wait! Did I just pay almost $5 bucks for one bottle of water? Yup! Sure did! After I did the math I was pissed. But I was hot and irritated so I gave in. Then there is the thing with people and the baby strollers. Come on! I have a son but I would definitely not bring him into the midst of a crowd this size. The food is meh. I usually end up going because a friend begs me to. The entertainment is usually on point. Parking wasn't so bad. I'd much rather be at Hart Plaza. Same concept larger venue. Did I mention the stands ran out of lemonade. All of them! Who the hell runs out of lemons, ice and sugar. Urrrrggggghhh!