The Metro Events Guide: Funky Ferndale, Better Cities Film Festival + more

Detroit is gearing up for fall, but it still feels like summer outside, and there are plenty of fun local events to enjoy while soaking up the last few weeks of warmer weather.

Plus, the Better Cities Film Festival is running through Sunday in partnership with the Detroit Month of Design. Read on to learn more.

Art fairs and festivals

The Funky Ferndale Art Fair kicks off on Friday, featuring more than 140 juried artists. Highlights this year include an art demo with Dale Teachout  — creator of the recycled art sculptures along Nine Mile Road in Oak Park — who will be demonstrating how to create wearable art out of recyclable “junk.” He will also have a booth at this year’s fair. The free event, held on Nine Mile Road west of Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, runs through Sunday, Sept. 22

And if you’re going to check out Funky Ferndale, you may as well pop across Woodward Avenue to Ferndale’s DIY Street Fair for a local showcase of live music, beer tents, and more local vendors.

Better Cities Film Festival

The 2024 Better Cities Film Festival, set for Sept. 19-22, is taking place in conjunction with the Detroit Month of Design this year. The annual festival curates films with themes around urban planning and making cities better. With an expanded lineup of free programming this year, the festival will screen films at Campus Martius Thursday through Saturday; and a screening of “Let’s Design Buildings: Short Films on Architecture,” and “Let’s Get Together: Short Films on Community Empowerment,” taking place on Sunday at Christ Church Detroit, 960 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit.

Fall festivals

People for Palmer Park will host the park’s annual HarvestFest on Saturday, Sept. 21, featuring hayrides, free apples, cider and donuts, a corn roast, pony rides, petting zoo, pumpkin decorating, live music and more. The free, family-friendly celebration will take place from 1-4 p.m. between the Palmer Park Community Garden and Community House, 990 Merrill Plaisance, Detroit.

Families ready to embrace fall can enjoy hayrides, a campfire, s’mores and more at the annual Heritage Celebration, set for 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Heritage Park in Farmington Hills. Entry is $5 and hayrides cost $8. Advance registration is recommended.

Cultural events

Historic Fort Wayne is hosting an indigenous wild rice camp this weekend. Rice used to grow abundantly along the Detroit River and in other parts of the city before wetlands were destroyed for development.  The event will teach participants how to harvest wild rice, what tools are used for harvesting, and the different wild rice grains that are native to the state of Michigan.