Events

Summer is not over yet! There’s plenty yet to enjoy, so mark your calendar for Eat To The Beat on Thursday, September 10. Grab some lunch and watch Eat To The Beat on the Southfield City Centre’s Facebook page or on the Cable 15 live page on the City of Southfield website.

September’s virtual event will feature The Will Cyprian Experience and Larry Lee & The Back In The Day Band.

The Will Cyprian Experience is a group of talented musicians led by saxophonist Will Cyprian.

Larry Lee & The Back In The Day Band is a collection of professional musicians from The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners and many more. The band plays an upbeat mix of original music and cover versions spanning the genres of soul, blues, hip-hop, disco, rock, pop, R&B and funk. Their website calls the Larry Lee & The Back In The Day Band “Detroit’s hottest Party Band.”

Eat To The Beat, the Southfield City Centre’s signature summer food truck and live music monthly event looks a little different this summer, in response to COVID-19. This creative effort is presented as a safer alternative to the traditional Southfield City Centre gathering.

Grab your lunch and a cool beverage and enjoy Eat To The Beat VIRTUAL on one of these platforms:

The Southfield City Centre Facebook page (on demand, any time)

Or

The Cable 15 live page on the City of Southfield website (broadcast at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 10.)

The City of Southfield, Southfield Police & Fire Departments, 46thDistrict Court, Haven Oakland, Southfield Domestic Violence Group and the Dr. Martin Luther King Task Force will host the “2020 Walk to Bring Awareness of Domestic Violence”on Sunday, October 4 beginning at the Southfield Municipal Campus, 26000 Evergreen Road. The event is generously sponsored by 411 Therapy.

Two walk timeframes are available for participants to choose from:  11 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 2 – 4 p.m. in an effort to reduce the number of participants gathering and to provide appropriate space for social distancing. The first 125 people to register for the Walk in each time slot will receive a free walker’s package mailed to their home, which includes a walk t-shirt, wrist band and face mask. The approximately 2½ mile walk will begin and end on the front lawn of the Southfield Municipal Campus.

The event will kick-off with a press conference prior to both scheduled events to announce the City’s new strategy to address and reduce the impact and occurrence of domestic violence. All walkers must register by Thursday, September 10 to participate at: http://walktoraiseawarenessofdv.qmigroupinc.com.

If you or someone you know needs assistance with a situation involving domestic violence, please contact the Southfield Police Department or Haven. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of the abusers and those who are abused!

For more information, call Southfield Police at (248) 796-5500 or visit www.cityofsouthfield.com.

Help celebrate Southfield’s rich variety of eateries and grab some super savings during Restaurant Week 2020. The event is sponsored by the Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce and takes place Monday, Aug. 24 through Sunday, Aug. 30.

“During this time of COVID-19, we created a way to extend the much-loved annual Taste of Southfield event,” says Jasmine Patton, director of communication and events with the Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce. “Offering a no-contact alternative that still celebrates restaurants in Southfield was a challenge, but we are excited to present a Restaurant Week event that will be a lot of fun for everyone involved.”

On Monday, Aug. 24, between noon and 4 p.m., participants can drive by the Chamber office in the Southfield City Centre and receive a bag of special offers, promotions and giveaways, while supplies last.

“One of our favorite additions to the Community Day bag will be personal stories from the participating restaurants, the Southfield Chamber and the City of Southfield. It will also have some exclusive Restaurant Week offers from restaurants,” says Patton.

Individuals can also purchase a special Restaurant Week button for $5, which they show at participating restaurants to receive a mystery surprise. Those who purchase a button will also be entered to win a great prize. “The grand prize is a private chef experience at the Great Lakes Culinary Center,” says Patton. “This is a unique experience that is sure to please every foodie who enjoys learning tips and tricks from an expert.”

Other prizes include an Amazon Alexa, membership to the Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce, a Family Fun Pack for Nerf Wars, restaurant gift cards and more.

A key Restaurant Week event will be a chef competition that will take place at the Great Lakes Culinary Center in Southfield. “This will be an ultimate burger competition and judges will be sampling and selecting the best burger in the show,” Patton explains. Judges are Southfield Mayor Ken Siver; Mariana Hernandez, corporate and foundation relations officer at Lawrence Tech University; and Ray Moulden of the Moulden Allstate Agency. The event will be pre-recorded by Southfield’s Cable 15 and can be viewed during the Restaurant Week event.

On Wellness Wednesday, August 26, local health expert Shalynne Barr will host a virtual wellness program, and on Family Fun Friday, August 28, the Southfield Public Library will host a a family read along and kids’ cooking show by Shari. Both events take place at noon.

Get your tastebuds ready, and keep an eye on further details on the Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce website. Purchase your Restaurant Week button through the Chamber website.

The American Red Cross will be holding a blood drive on Wednesday July 22, from 11am to 5pm at St. John Armenian Church. For an appointment, please log onto RedCrossBlood.org (Sponsor Code: SPAC) or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Streamline your donation experience and save up to 15 minutes by visiting RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass to complete your pre-donation reading and health history questions on the  day of your appointment.

More information is located on the flyer below:

The Southfield CommUNITY Cup Challenge, an annual summer event that brings businesses in the Southfield City Centre together for some friendly competition and to raise funds and awareness for a good cause, is happening this summer. This year marks the fourth year for the Southfield Community Cup Challenge, but the first year the event has gone online.

“Despite the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we know that the Southfield CommUNITY Cup Challenge is a much-loved event, and something that really marks the summer for companies that participate, so we worked to make it happen,” says Shelly Freeman, business and economic development director for The City of Southfield. “Now more than ever, we depend upon events that will unite us and encourage us to have fun together.”

Organizations in the Southfield City Centre are encouraged to connect, reconnect, meet new business neighbors and find some fun this summer to build #SouthfieldStrong spirit. In all, 18 organizations are taking part in the virtual one-day event.

Typically, the CommUNITY Cup Challenge brings together businesses, city departments and educational institutions in the Southfield City Centre to compete in a variety of fun challenges, like trivia nights, bingo and scavenger hunt races. This year, the events are compacted down into a one-day competition with two virtual events held on Thursday, July 23.

From 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., players will face off online for “guess the destination” and bingo. From 3 to 4:30 p.m. players will compete in an online trivia and scavenger hunt in teams of five. Due to limited programming, play will be for fun only and a new cup winner will be announced in 2021.

Most importantly, collections and donations for the Stronger Warrior Foundation – this year’s selected charity — are open to all and will be ongoing until August 31. Stronger Warrior is a local nonprofit organization that supports the needs of active men and women in the military as well as veterans. The foundation’s flagship initiative, Mission Resupply, assembles, stocks and ships custom-designed crates to military men and women who are deployed overseas.

“The Stronger Warrior Foundation feels so grateful to be the charity supporting the Southfield Community Cup this year,” says Katelyn Abell, co-executive director of the foundation. “I think there’s a lot of great companies involved and willing to help donate toward our Mission Resupply program.  The biggest thing we would like to do is raise awareness about our organization and how we can help support our military personnel especially during these uncertain times.”

Through partnerships with organizations and individuals, the Stronger Warrior Foundation collects donations, selects platoons and sends crates to each member of the platoon. The organization was founded by sister-brother team Katelyn and Bryan Abell. Katelyn Abell led her team at Southfield City Centre-based IHS Markit to victory in the 2019 CommUNITY Cup Challenge and received the Cup trophy at the Southfield City Council meeting on September 23.

Learn more about the Southfield CommUNITY Cup on the event’s Facebook page. Donate at the GoFundMe page for the event.

Following our first-ever Eat To The Beat VIRTUAL program in June, the Southfield City Centre is pleased to announce the July event, which will debut on Thursday, July 9, 2020.

This month’s virtual event will feature Larry Lee & The Back In The Day Band, and Skye Island (with Mike Talley).

Larry Lee & The Back In The Day Band is a collection of professional musicians from The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners and many more. The band plays an upbeat mix of original music and cover versions spanning the genres of soul, blues, hip-hop, disco, rock, pop, R&B and funk. Their website calls the Larry Lee & The Back In The Day Band “Detroit’s hottest Party Band.”

Skye Island (with Mike Talley) plays music with a “relaxed, positive and energetic vibe” that is influenced by George Benson, Sting, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder and many more.

Eat To The Beat, the Southfield City Centre’s signature summer food truck and live music monthly event looks a little different this summer, in response to COVID-19. This creative effort was pulled together as a safer alternative to the traditional Southfield City Centre gathering.

Grab your lunch and a cool beverage and enjoy Eat To The Beat VIRTUAL on one of these platforms:

The Southfield City Centre Facebook page (on demand, any time) or the Cable 15 live page on the City of Southfield website (broadcast at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 9 with a special rebroadcast on Thursday, July 16 at 11:30 a.m.

Planning is in the works for a summer drive-through food truck event, so watch for additional information to follow.

The Southfield City Centre’s Eat To The Beat Events this summer are going virtual in response to COVID-19. On Thursday, June 11, the very first Eat To The Beat event of 2020 was aired on Cable 15 through the City of Southfield website.

The virtual event was an hour-long concert featuring singer-songwriter Angela Davis “up close and personal,” and Alise King & the Pure Nastiness Band, recorded live at Aretha’s Jazz Café in Detroit.

If you missed the first event, you can watch it on demand at the Southfield City Centre Facebook page.

“We recognize that everybody wants to enjoy themselves outside, listening to great music and sharing some great food with friends, family and coworkers. That’s why we are making our Eat To The Beat events virtual for the summer schedule,” says Terry Croad, director of planning for the City of Southfield, in a recorded introduction to the virtual Eat To The Beat events.

If you missed the first event, please tune in for a special rebroadcast, whenever and wherever you might be. It’s available right now at the Southfield City Centre Facebook page.

Mark your calendar for the next Eat To The Beat VIRTUAL event with all new bands for lunchtime enjoyment: July 9, 2020 at 11:30 a.m.

Planning is in the works for a summer drive-through food truck event, so watch for additional information to follow.

Eat To The Beat, the Southfield City Centre’s signature summer food truck and live music monthly event will take on a different look this summer, in response to COVID-19.

On Thursday, June 11, everyone can tune in to the first virtual Eat To The Beat in the Southfield City Centre.

“We recognize that everybody wants to enjoy themselves outside, listening to great music and sharing some great food with friends, family and coworkers. That’s why we are making our Eat To The Beat events virtual for the summer schedule,” says Terry Croad, director of planning for the City of Southfield, in a recorded introduction to the virtual Eat To The Beat events.

This creative effort was pulled together in record time in response to the rapidly changing environment surrounding stay-at-home orders in Southfield and across the state of Michigan.

“With the stay at home order, we have been trying to figure out a way to bring music to residents and those who work in the City Centre. Originally, we didn’t want to promote live gatherings so we came up with the idea to do a virtual Eat To The Beat experience and premier it on Facebook as if it is live, without it being live,” explains Samantha Jenkins, recreation programmer for Southfield Parks and Recreation.

Eat To The Beat VIRTUAL on June 11 will feature Alise King & the Pure Nastiness Band, recorded live at Aretha’s Jazz Cafe in Detroit and Angela Davis, recorded “up close and personal,” from her studio.

Here’s how it works:

Between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, grab some lunch or snacks and tune in to Eat To The Beat VIRTUAL through one of these methods:

• The Southfield City Centre Facebook page,
• The City of Southfield Facebook page,
• The Cable 15 live page on the City of Southfield website.

Take advantage of beautiful almost-summer weather while working at home or wherever you might be, and join in June’s Eat To The Beat VIRTUAL in the Southfield City Centre.

Planning is in the works for a summer drive-through food truck event, so watch for additional information to follow.

While the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation can’t conduct its signature fundraising Take Steps walk live in the Southfield City Centre this summer, it is reserving June 20 for a fun virtual walk with everyone invited to participate.

On June 20 at 12 noon, 53 communities across the country will combine efforts in a virtual walk to raise awareness and funds to support research into the causes, treatments and cures of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This virtual walk event will take place on Facebook Live, with no Facebook account necessary to participate.

All participants can access the Take Steps Facebook page to connect with fellow walkers, learn more about events and get tips for fundraising. Or connect directly with the Southeast Michigan Take Steps event by searching “Southeast Michigan Take Steps + Virtual 2020” on Facebook. No matter where you are, you can help the Southeast Michigan Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation reach its fundraising goal of $185,000.

“We know that IBD doesn’t quit, especially during this time when it’s even more challenging. We are here to serve our Michigan communities,” says Sarah Arminiak, manager for fundraising campaigns & volunteer engagement at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Michigan Chapter.

“Now is the time to come together to support one another and focus on a time filled with positivity and community and now more than ever we need the continued support of our volunteers and community to keep moving forward! We sincerely hope that our supporters will walk virtually with us, from wherever they are. We’re all in the this fight together, and only together can we find cures for IBD!”

The 2019 event was the second year Take Steps was held in the Southfield City Centre. The 2.6 mile loop made good use of Southfield’s City Centre Trail, a larger shared-use path that makes getting around the City Centre enjoyable and safe. The extra-wide path encourages event participants to walk side-by-side, even include a wagon or stroller, and the placement of benches allows walkers to take a rest when they need to. The Southfield City Centre is pleased to support the event, even if it won’t take place live on the City Centre Trail this year.

Locally, the Southeast Michigan Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation will host a kickoff event just prior to the official virtual walk on June 20. Starting at 11:30, participants can hear from local honored heroes and local medical experts about the critical importance of supporting research and raising awareness about ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Want to know more?

• Attend the virtual Kickoff Rally on Saturday, May 30 at 12 noon to learn just how the Take Steps virtual walk will work.
• Visit the Michigan Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation at crohnscolitisfoundation.org/chapters/michigan.
• Register at cctakesteps.org/southeastmichigan2020.
• Or contact Sarah Arminiak, manager for fundraising campaigns & volunteer engagement
  at sarminiak@crohnscolitisfoundation.org.