CultureShift Events Guide: Holiday shopping, album release parties and more

This weekend, we’ve got lots of local artistry, from pottery to punk rock. Plus, Youmacon returns to Huntington Place with cosplay, celebrity guests and brunch.

Read on to learn more.

Shop small

Now that Halloween is over, ’tis the season to start your holiday shopping. The All Things Detroit Holiday Shopping Experience supported by Chase Bank will include over 200 small local businesses, featuring handmade home goods, original artwork, fun foods and more. There will also be food trucks, photo booths and music for guests to enjoy while they shop. This event will take place on Sunday, Nov. 5 at Eastern Market’s Sheds 3, 4 and 5 from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 or $10 for two hours of early shop access to beat the crowd. For more information, visit their Facebook page, and to learn more about All Things Detroit, revisit founder Jennyfer Crawford-Williams’ conversation with CultureShift’s Tia Graham from earlier this year. 

For more unique locally-made gifts, check out Sugar Hill Clay’s Ceramic Seconds Sale this weekend featuring pieces that were experimental, had minor flaws or were overstocked. All featured pieces are food safe, fit for purpose and available at significant discounts. Proceeds from the sale will go toward tools and equipment, continuing education, and community outreach efforts voted on by members of Sugar Hill Clay. The sale will take place at their Detroit studio on Saturday, Nov. 4 and Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit their website.

Michigan music

Head to the Old Miami this Friday, Nov. 3 for a vinyl release show by Detroit indie band Elspeth Tremblay and the Treatment. Their album ‘Iconoclastic’ dropped earlier this year and has been featured on the Milo Minute several times since. Opening acts include punk group The Antibuddies and rock power trio Electric Huldra. The show starts at 9:30 p.m., tickets are $5 and admission is open to ages 21+. For more information, visit their website.

Alt-Americana singer-songwriter Judy Banker also has an album release concert this weekend on Saturday, Nov. 4 at The Ark in Ann Arbor. The concert will celebrate the Michigan musician’s fourth studio album, ‘Bona Fide,’ as well as her birthday! Opening the show is Annie Bacon, another Ann Arbor-based folk-rock songwriter. The show starts at 8 p.m., and ticket sales will benefit the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. For more information, visit their Facebook event page.

Anime in Detroit

Youmacon returns to Detroit this weekend to celebrate Japanese animation, video games, popular culture and costuming. The annual convention brings a unique all-ages mix of interactive games, celebrity guest panels and live musical performances to Huntington Place. Now in its 19th year, highlights for Youmacon 2023 will include large video game and table-top gaming rooms, a Charity Masquerade Ball, national bands and DJs and more. Passes range from $10 to $75, and the convention goes from Thursday, Nov. 2 through Sunday, Nov. 5. For more information, visit their website.

After the convention, stop by Detroit Shipping Company for a Lo-Fi Anime Brunch on Sunday, Nov. 5 from noon to 3 p.m. There will be live music by Kuuma, custom sketches by local artists and a cosplay contest. Guests with Youmacon badges get discounts at the bar, and there’s no cover to attend. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

Get onstage

Thursday, Nov. 2 is the next Moth StorySLAM, and the theme is “give and take.” Prepare your best five-minute story about the art of compromise, finding balance or disrupting the system. Doors open at the Marble Bar at 6:30 p.m. with stories starting at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit our events page. 

Travel with WDET

We’re traveling to Northern Ireland with Pat Batcheller next April, and you could come with! This 13-day excursion includes tours of iconic places like the Cliffs of Moher, the Titanic Museum and the Guinness Storehouse, plus deluxe accommodations and round-trip airfare. The last chance to reserve your spot is Wednesday, Nov. 8. For details, visit our events page.