Marygrove Conservancy to host a big summer block party

On Saturday, August 13, the Marygrove Conservancy will throw open the gates to the legendary campus to invite the Bagley-Fitzgerald neighborhood to enjoy the space — and each other. 

“For the first time since before the pandemic, we’re excited to welcome our tenants, partners, and neighbors to campus all at the same time. We’re thrilled to highlight the best of what Marygrove has to offer, from educational, extracurricular, and community resources,” says Racheal Allen, Chief Operating Officer of the Marygrove Conservancy. “This is an intergenerational, family-friendly event that we hope is a throwback to the kinds of Block Parties we grew up with, and something we hope to continue every year.” 

In the U.S. block parties were often held for holiday gatherings, particularly patriotic events in the wake of World War I. In the Black community, block parties hold a special place in history. Iconic block parties in1973, in New York's South Bronx, are believed to have solidified the creation of hip hop culture. 

While the Marygrove Block Party is not specific to any race or culture, organizers say it is a celebration of Detroit culture. It is a celebration of a city that for while for so long it only had itself to rely on — it has always kept open arms. 

The block party will run from 12 noon to 3 p.m. and will feature local live entertainment, campus tours, and free food for the first 500 guests. The event will also include activities for the whole family, community resources, and more. 

Highlights will include laptop giveaways from Human IT, a performance from the Detroit Youth Choir, the Michigan Humane Society’s pop-up vaccination clinic, and over 40 Marygrove tenants and community-based businesses and organizations. This will be the first major public event held on Marygrove’s campus in over two years. The Conservancy looks forward to welcoming the community back for a day of fun for the whole family.
 
The block party will also serve as a final external enrollment push as the school at Marygrove welcomes its inaugural classes of kindergarten through second-grade students for the 2022-23 school year. Organizers say the school at Marygrove is committed to developing young critical thinkers who will grow to be community-minded citizens, makers, and leaders in the 21st century.