I remember few years ago, you could hear « Detroit is dead »  « Detroit is finished » « Detroit is empty » but if you come in Detroit now you can understand Detroit is still alive. One of the main spot where life is blasting is Eastern Market during weekends.

Eastern Market is located a mile away northeast from downtown Detroit. Established in 1850, it is nowadays an historic moment of Michigan. It was first dedicated for selling wood while the main farmer market was in Cadillac Square downtown. In 1891 Cadillac market was closed and Eastern Market became the main Market for fresh products. With time many sheds were added and nowadays Eastern Market covers a 17 ha area.

Open during Saturday and Sunday mornings, each shed with its late victorian style is a feast for your senses. You can find a happy mix of local farmer products with fine food, flowers, Christmas trees, and on-site cooked specialities. And between the different parts of the Market and all around this area a colorful free exhibition of street arts and mural arts.  From the smallest anonymous graffiti to the huge masterpiece covering walls of old factories by famous street artists. For street art lovers, you can easily spend a day hunting for spray paintings here! The place has became well known for arty-underground vibes and several galleries are now sharing space with abandoned buildings and fancy shops like Detroit vs Everybody or BeauBien.

And added to this amazing scenario, music everywhere. While shopping you can enjoy a saxo or trombone solo, young guys playing percussions, or the iconic Eat at Bert’s restaurant playing some loud smoothy Motown while BBQing some ribs on the streets for hungry shoppers.

I truly invite whoever believes Detroit is dead to spend a saturday morning to Eastern Market and see!!