DIY Street Fair 2012

This year my favorite local outdoor festival and my birthday fall on the same weekend. That’s right this weekend you can celebrate the end of summer, the beginning of fall, the taste of local food and drink, the sounds of good music and the birth of little old me. 

The D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) Street Fair will happen again this year Sept 14th, 15th,16th in Ferndale. This year there is more food, alcohol and vendors than any other year. There is also an extra music stage in The Loving Touch, which means there is also more music than ever. 

D.I.Y is open to the public and free to attend. It all starts on Friday at 6 p.m. and goes 'til Midnight. On Saturday the festival runs from 11 a.m. 'til Midnight and on Sunday it is open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.. Free performances continue inside The Loving Touch at Midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The festival is mainly located in behind the W.A.B/Loving Touch (just south of 9 Mile and east of Woodward).

There are many great bands playing all weekend, but here are our do not miss selections:
Friday:
6:00 p.m. - John Nelson and the New Girlfriends - PBR stage
8:30 p.m. - The Summer Pledge - PBR stage 
9:10 p.m. - The Muggs - Metro Times Stage
10:10 p.m. - The Sights - MetroTimes stage

Saturday:
5:30 p.m. - Ryan Allen & his Extra Arms - MetroTimes stage
6:20 p.m. - Lightning Love - MetroTimes stage
9:00 p.m. - Duende - PBR stage
10:10 p.m. - FAWN - PBR stage
10:20 p.m. - The Hounds Below - MetroTimes stage
11:15 p.m. - Child Bite - McClure’s stage (Inside The Loving Touch)
12:10 a.m. - Jamaican Queens - McClure’s stage (Inside The Loving Touch)

Sunday:
3:15 p.m. - Smudge Candy - PBR Stage
3:50 p.m. - The Cold Wave - MetroTimes stage
4:15  p.m. - Mobillogix - PBR stage
6:00 p.m. - Will Sessions - MetroTimes stage
7:15 p.m. - Phantasmagoria - MetroTimes stage
7:25 p.m. - Augie and Korin - PBR stage
8:00 p.m. - Bars of Gold - MetroTimes stage
9:15 p.m. - Passalacqua - MetroTimes stage
9:15 p.m. - Amy Gore - PBR stage
As you can tell some of these bands overlap each other, so you will have to make a choice on who you are going to see and who you are going to miss. I love that there is so much great music booked this year that you even have to make a choice! It’s a good choice to have to make! For a full list of bands and set times go here.

Restaurants this year include Treat Dreams, Taco Mama, El Guapo, Om Café, Howe’s Bayou, Detroit BBQ Company, Garden Fresh Gourmet, The Emory, The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company, People's Perogi Collective and of course the W.A.B.

Brewers include: Atwater Block Brewery, Arbor Brewing, Founders, Frog Island, Liberty Street, The Livery, Midland Brewing Company, Milking It, Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company, New Holland, Rochester Mills, Short's Brewing Company, Avery Brewing, Big Sky Brewing, Dogfish Head, Lagunitas Brewing, PBR, and McSorley’s.

Our favorite do not miss vendor is Glass Action!, featuring the Michigan necklace that I wear so proudly. Other vendors who always show promise are Handmade Detroit, The Rust Belt Market and Aptemal Clothing.

Remember you can also come out and celebrate my birthday during the Child Bite and Jamaican Queens show at The Loving Touch Saturday night. All three Hip In Detroit writers will be there and shots of whiskey are welcome!

~S