Detroit For All Ages

Ah, here comes the weekend. Not just any weekend, mind you. But one of those special cluster of days that begins early in the week and lasts until the following Monday.

In other words, a Detroit-style, packed-with-one-of-a-kind events and parties for kids of all ages kind of weekend. Yup, it's Labor Day in Detroit. A signal that the summer is almost gone, kids are heading back to school, but fun is still on the agenda.

Let's start off on a Tuesday with Elizabeth Mitchell performing at Ladels. First off, what's Ladels? It’s a new, independently owned kids' bookstore in Corktown next to Eph McNally's Deli. This is not the first big event at the little shop. They've had a series of children's tea parties and of course the requisite Harry Potter bash since the June opening.

The Mitchell show, however, leads us to question No. 2: Who is she?

Elizabeth Mitchell is a New York-based singer/songwriter. Maybe you've heard her play with Lisa Loeb  on their "Catch the Moon" CD, or on one of the Land of Nod collections. Or perhaps you've heard the beautiful music Mitchell and husband Daniel Littleton make on one of their CDs.

While you are in the CD-buying mood, take a peek at the Detroit Family Hootenanny compilation, which was released last year. The CD, which ncludes songs for young, old and in-between, features local musicians Dan Miller of Blanche, Loretta Lucas and the Larkspurs and The Go.

This is one end-of-summer treat for the kiddies, and a chance to check the new book shop and spend a great evening in Detroit.

Check out more info on the show and the entire Detroit Kid City scene here. The cost for Tuesday's show is $5 per adult, $1 per child. Ladels is at 1413 Brooklyn in Corktown. Call 313-963-8550.

More fun to come
If that isn't enough fun to pack into a Tuesday evening, get ready for the weekend, when Detroit shifts into even a higher gear.

There is the Detroit International Jazz Festival in downtown's Cadillac Square (get in the mood by reading Veronica Paiz' All That Jazz feature); the Michigan State Fair at the Fairgrounds on 8 Mile and Woodward; the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival, which features a Polish Day Parade on Monday Sept. 3.

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Ladels Books Photograph Copyright Dave Krieger