Today kicks off the annual Detroit Design Festival, a citywide celebration of all things creative in the city. It spans Sept. 18-22, 2013, and more than 70 events are scheduled to take place as design enthusiasts focus on all aspects of the art! The week is packed with lectures, exhibitions and openings, to name just a few attractions. But are kids a focus of the DDF? You bet. From tots to teens, there are several youth-oriented activities on this year’s list – all crafted to inspire tomorrow’s young creative thinkers to consider design-related careers.
Straight from the team at the festival, here are some of the kid-friendly highlights to add to your calendar (all happening Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21). Keep up to date online with event-related chatter by searching for #DDF2013.
Free Art Friday Detroit
- Date: Friday, Sept. 20
- Time: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Address: all over the city
Design lovers: Get ready to sleuth! Free Art Friday Detroit is getting in on the action at DDF. This fun program, around since 2011, lets metro Detroit artists offer up their latest designs – from sculptures to screen prints – to new audiences thanks to a community-wide scavenger hunt the whole family can get involved in. Information on “art drops” can be found on its Facebook page – or by following along on Twitter with #FAFDET. Finders keepers: If you spot a piece, based on a hint, you’re free to take it home (they just ask you tweet a photo or the goody with its new owner or add it to their Facebook wall).
Cable Car Race
- Date: Friday, Sept. 20
- Time: 4:15 p.m.
- Address: Ford Campus Parking Structure, 201 E. Kirby St., fourth floor
College for Creative Studies’ freshman transportation design students show off their fabrications this day – and need your support to win the race! With cues taken from aerodynamic design, these vehicles are constructed from 20-pound foam, sanded and painted for one-of-a-kind looks. For the actual race, cars are guided down descending cables in the school’s parking lot. Whoever has the fastest speed and best design takes home top honors.
Youth Innovation Center and Design in Motion
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 21
- Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Address: College for Creative Studies, Water and Josephine Ford Campus, 201 E. Kirby St., Room W105
A highlight for children during this year’s DDF, the Youth Innovation Center gives kids the chance to show off their creativity with other like-minded art lovers. There’s LEGO-themed display (courtesy of the Michigan LEGO Club), mask-making classes presented by Kelly Guillory, a neighborhood fort, and interviews and designs by WDET 101.9 FM.
The Alley Project Open Studio
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 21
- Time: 3-7 p.m.
- Address: The Alley Project, 9233 Avis St.
The Alley Project’s open-house event lets young designers make puppets, try their hands at screen printing, create instruments and even enjoy a story.
