Discover Motor City Magic: Top 10 Fun Facts About Detroit You Never Knew!

1. Detroit-style Pizza in Auto Plant Pans

In a stroke of culinary genius that could only come from a city so closely tied to auto production, Detroit managed to marry delicious pizza with the grease and grime of the assembly line: Detroit-style pizza was born in 1946 at Buddy's, a neighborhood tavern, its soft crust baked in repurposed auto plant pans with toppings laid in a topsy-turvy manner — pepperoni pressed into the dough, Wisconsin brick cheese, and a generous helping of tomato sauce — creating a mouthwatering, regional masterpiece that flew under the radar for six decades.
Source => phaidon.com

2. Motor City Pride - LGBTQ+ Festivities

From rainbow-fueled celebrations to melodic motors, Detroit knows how to rev up the festivities: Motor City Pride, the largest LGBTQ+ event in Michigan with a history stretching over 50 years, is an annual street festival that migrated from Ferndale to Hart Plaza in 2011, boasting past performances by artists like Dave Audé and Ana Matronic, though the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted gears to a 2021 comeback.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know that a small pizzeria in Michigan became a global pizza empire? Discover the story behind Domino's and its Michigan origins! 🍕

=> Fun Facts about Michigan

3. Vacant Lots to Urban Fruit Farms

Who needs a green thumb when you've got a "Motor City" makeover in the works? Detroit is gearing up to trade in its automotive reputation for a fruity new venture: The city could potentially meet 75% of its vegetable demand and 40% of its fruit demand by transforming publicly owned vacant lots into urban farms. With over 100,000 vacant lots available, this would be a peachy keen way to nourish the community and add a refreshing twist to Detroit's image.
Source => modernfarmer.com

4. Detroit's Jazz and Heavy Metal Legacy

Do you believe in jazz magic? Because Detroit did the mambo-jambo like a boss, creating its very own musical Hogwarts: Detroit was a flourishing jazz realm in the 20th century, boasting iconic venues like the Graystone Ballroom and the Paradise Theatre, and weaving the enchanting soundscapes of legends like Duke Ellington and Count Basie. The city even conjured its distinct genre of heavy metal, "Detroit metal," with sorcerers of sound such as Stooges and MC5 during the '60s. Today, Detroit keeps its lyrical cauldron bubbling with a booming hip-hop scene and a myriad of music festivals throughout the year.
Source => detroithistorical.org

5. Vernors Ginger Ale - A Zesty Detroit Creation

Ever heard of a ginger ale that's got more history than your great-grandma's vintage china set? Allow us to introduce you to Vernor's Ginger Ale: This legendary soft drink was invented way back in 1866 by pharmacist and Detroit local, James Vernor. After leaving a concoction of vanilla, spices, and ginger in an oak barrel during his Civil War service, the resulting brew had morphed into a delicious, zesty, and sweet gingery delight. The rest, as they say, is carbonated history - today, Vernors remains a beloved beverage in Detroit and beyond, under the proud ownership of Dr. Pepper Snapple.
Source => detroithistorical.org

6. Belleville: Birthplace of Techno Music

Before techno was cool and before basement jam sessions were hipster havens: the Detroit suburb of Belleville witnessed the birth of techno music in the 1980s, as pioneers Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick May tinkered with synthesizers and embraced science fiction in their parents' basements. This underground movement eventually formed the backbone of Detroit techno and inspired iconic clubs like the Music Institute, paving the way for future generations of electronic music artists.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Coney Dogs - Detroit's Food Rivalry

In the land of Detroit, where hot dogs dress up for the big dance, they don their finest chili-tuxes, onion scarves, and mustard top-hats, waltzing onto your taste buds in an extravagant mélange: Behold the coney dog, a Detroit delicacy that ignites a food rivalry as fierce as the Montagues and Capulets, with American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island vying for the title of "Coney Supreme," spreading their foot-long legacy across America from Ohio to North Dakota.
Source => eater.com

8. Boston Coolers - Detroit's Ice Cream Sensation

Hoping to make it to the big leagues of ice cream floats, the Boston Cooler packed its bags, left Massachusetts, and scored a home run in Detroit: this delightful concoction, dating back to the early 1900s, is made from a winning team of Vernors ginger ale and vanilla ice cream, creating a smooth, milkshake-like treat that has charmed the taste buds of Detroiters and elevated it above other soda fountain creations.
Source => atlasobscura.com

9. America's Thanksgiving Parade - Big Heads in Detroit

Before turkey-filled stomachs start to wobble, Detroit's papier-mâché heads bobble: As one of the oldest Thanksgiving Day parades in the United States, America's Thanksgiving Parade in downtown Detroit has been entertaining crowds since 1924. Featuring the unique Big Head Corps with their oversized papier-mâché noggin nodders, the parade shares the title for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, both inspired by Toronto's Eaton's Santa Claus Parade.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Belle Isle's Koi Festival and Cultural Celebration

Legend has it that even the grumpiest underwater sensei emerge from the depths, drawn by the martial arts demos and sushi rolls: Detroit's Belle Isle Aquarium hosts an annual Koi Festival, where visitors celebrate the Japanese heritage and symbolism of the Koi collection through traditional games, crafts, music, literature readings, and mouth-watering cuisine, all thanks to the Belle Isle Conservancy, Japanese Business Society of Detroit, and the Japan Society of Detroit Women's Club.
Source => belleisleconservancy.org