New Center kicks: Outdoor performance space opens with live music and art

Say goodbye to the Tastefest-cum-Cityfest. At least for this Independence Day weekend. This Friday, the New Center Council hosts the grand opening of something on a smaller scale: the neighborhood’s New Center Park. It’s on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and West Grand Boulevard across from The Fisher Building. New Center Park will provide weekly events programming, including activities for kids, arts, and music performances while providing a public green space. This weekend’s kickoff looks like this:

Friday July 2, 4 pm-midnight: D.J. Richie, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Danny Kroha (pictured), Dennis Coffey Quartet,  Lucky Brown and the Wrong Numbers; Saturday July 3, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: School of Rock, Punk Rock Fitness, and lots of stuff for kids to do; then 4 p.m.-midnight: One Love, Spitting Nickels, Macrame Tiger, the Beggars and more; Sunday July 4, 12 p.m.-midnight: Millennium Steel Drum Band, Elle & The Fonts, Old Empire, Alberta Adams w/ R.J.’s Rhythm Rockers and Paxahau Presents John Johr; and Monday July 5, noon-10 p.m., featuring Silverghost, Jehovah’s Witness Protection Plan, Modernlull, Duende and Thornetta D.

New Center Park is at 2998 West Grand Boulevard, in Detroit’s New Center.