July 7, 2007

NEW CENTER EVENT: Hot fun goes on this weekend
CityFest has music, food and activities

BY BOWDEYA TWEH
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Emma Gallagher, 9, of Allen Park tries out a hula hoop near CityFest's Park Stage. Another activity for kids at the festival is wall climbing.

Rikki Bell, 10, of Detroit enjoys an ear of roasted sweet corn with hot butter and spices from the Aw...Shucks booth at CityFest on Friday. She said she also liked eating "different kinds of food you never tasted before."

Valerie Lee, right, of Detroit pedals a bike that powers a blender to make
a cup of free raspberry mocha frappuccino Friday at CityFest.

People, food, music -- and, if Mother Nature cooperates, lots of sunshine -- await those going to Comerica CityFest along West Grand Boulevard in Detroit this weekend.

Just ask Ferren Carter, a Chicago resident who attended the event Friday as part of her family reunion.

"It's a really fun time," she said. "It's cool to come to an event like this and taste some things from the area."

CityFest, formerly known as the TasteFest, started Wednesday and runs 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. today and 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. If you decided to wait until this weekend to go, looks like you'll be treated with mostly sunny, hot weather, with a slight chance of a thunderstorm Sunday night.

Admission is free. People can purchase tickets to buy food and drinks served at the fest from local eateries. They can also attend music concerts and enjoy activities such as the climbing wall and a basketball hoop for a few extra bucks.

Five-year-old David Kloss of Dearborn Heights gave the climbing wall a chance soon after he and his family arrived at the event Friday.

"It was a little too high," David said. After conquering half of the wall, he told his father, Dave Kloss, 28, that he wanted to view the barnyard animals. His dad said he'd grant his son's request -- after they got something to eat.

Brian Geary, a server at the Melting Pot in Troy, offered the restaurant's strawberries and chocolate. Geary said the restaurant specializes in fondues.

Being at CityFest is "a good time away from what you traditionally do," he said.

Contact BOWDEYA TWEH at 313-222-6513 or btweh@freepress.com