So why Come to Detroit?

Location and History

Detroit is ideal in being centrally located within the continental United States. It also directly shares a border with Canada. This makes travel time and cost from most American states, and our neighbor to the north, relatively inexpensive. This is a benefit to travelers of all walks of life. However Detroit also has a lot to offer Goths in particular. The city of Detroit, and it’s people, have had a long and turbulent history. It has seen many dark times, and some parts of the city are the very definition of “urban decay.” All of this has lead to the development of a city culture, and general atmosphere, that embraces darkness. Detroit is the home of Devil’s Night. And this ambiance has made Detroit the ideal setting for such literary works as The Virgin Suicides, and The Rosary Murders, as well as such dark films as It Follows, Only Lovers Left Alive, and of course..The Crow. Well of course The Crow took place here, what other city would do?

One manifestation of this gothic outlook is Detroit’s own personal demon, known as the Nain Rouge. French for “Red Dwarf,” the Nain Rouge is a celebrated figure of the city’s folklore that dates to the early 1700s. He is a short, red-skinned devil like creature that is said to be a harbinger of doom. He is reputed to have appeared during major disasters in Detroit’s history, and certainly represents the city of Detroit at its most gothic. We have therefor adopted the Nain Rouge as the Detroit Convergence XXIV mascot!

Local Goth Community

In addition to its dark history and Lore, Detroit has a great deal to offer as the host city to Convergence. It has a sizable and long standing Goth community. There are also well established Goth populations in other Michigan cities, such as AnnArbor, Flint, Kalamazoo, and Lansing that would readily come to a Detroit hosted Convergence. This offers a solid base for a well attended event. Links and information will be added to this page over time. Check back frequently for updates!

A (mostly) complete list of suggested attractions, restaurants and other touristy places can be found below:

What Does Detroit have in store for You?

Art & Architecture Lovers

Inner State Gallery

Heidelberg Project

Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry

The Caryatids of Book Tower

Giant Boxing Arm of Joe Louis

Detroit Industrial Gallery

Dabl's African Bead Gallery (Detroit's oldest collection of its kind, some of Olayame Dabl's beads date back about 400 years)

The N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art

Detroit Institute of Arts

Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit

Pewabic Pottery

The Spirit of Detroit Statue

College for Creative Studies

Scarab Club (DIA)

Penobscot Building

Lincoln Street Art Park

Grand River Creative Corridor

Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Monument

Polish Art Center

History Buffs

The Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village (historical buildings from different regions of the world)

Grand Army of the Republic Building (Republic

tavern restaurant gets good reviews)

Edsel & Eleanor Ford House

Detroit Historical Museum

Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Tour

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Detroit-Windsor Tunnel

Masonic Temple

Detroit Cultural Center Historic District

Boston Edison Historic District

William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse (Belle Island Park)

Corktown Historic District

The Moross house Detroit Secret Garden

Revolutionaries and Activists

Earthworks Urban Farms

Trumbullplex

Detroit housing collective working to create an "environment for revolutionary change"

The Russell Industrial Center - complex of individual art studios and shops/small businesses

Crow Manor - Collective made up of artists, musicians, and activists

Eight Mile Wall

A painted-over wall in Detroit originally built to segregate a black community from an adjacent white development.

Pretty Churches to Photograph

Old St. Mary's Church

The Cathedral Church of St. Paul

Assumption of the Blessed Mary

Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament

Central Woodward Christian Church

North Woodward Congregational Church

Christ Church Detroit

Our Lady of the Rosary Roman Catholic Church

Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church Convent and Rectory

St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church

Ste. Anne Roman Catholic Church Complex

Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church

St. Bonaventure Monastery

St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church

St. John-St. Luke Evangelical Church

St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church

St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Roman Catholic Church

St. Theresa of Avila Roman Catholic Church

Trinity Episcopal Church

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Complex

Woodward Avenue Presbyterian Church

Music Lovers

Motown Historical Museum

Baker's Keyboard Lounge (event venue?)

World's oldest operating jazz club, in operation since May 1934

Detroit Symphony Orchestra - Dances & Nocturnes (April 28 & 29, French Impressionists)

Detroit Opera House

Detroit Jazz Fest (It’s in April and September this year, so it might also be in April next year)

Buy vinyl at UHF

Adventurers

The Dequindre Cut Greenway

The World's Largest Stove

Geodesic Dome House (the owners “love to give

Tours” to visitors, we could probably arrange something—bonus, right across from the old central station building)

Giant Cow Head

Legoland Discovery Center Michigan

Nancy Brown Peace Carillon

Advice-columnist's bell tower, paid for with pennies

Detroit RiverWalk

Detroit Princess Riverboat

Eastern Market (Saturday Morning)

Belle Isle Aquarium

Theatre Bizarre (if we can get an event going)

Play dress-up at Showtime Clothing

Have a drink at sunset at the top of the Renaissance Center

feather bowling at Cadieux Café, the Belgian-themed bar

Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum

after-hours event at the Detroit Zoo?

Something with Maker Faire? (It’s may this year but you never know.)

Paddleboating at Kensington Metropark

Take the People Mover Tour for 75 cents round trip

Greektown and/or Bricktown

Fisher Building

Room Escape Games (3)

Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory • Botanical Gardens

MGM Grand Detroit Casino

Hart Plaza

Segway Tours (3)

Planetarium

Hedonists

Free Chocolate Factory Tours

Cliff Bell's

Joe Muer Seafood

The Rattlesnake Club

Dime Store

The Whitney

La Feria

Small Plates

Rowland Café (in the Guardian building’s mezzanine)

The Dirty Show

“The Triple Threat” at Slows Bar-B-Q

Corktown Pub invasion

Detroit’s oldest bar--2 Way Inn (1876)

square pizza at Loui’s

Lafayette Diner--American or Coney Island

Bloody Mary bar at the Bronx Bar

Paczki (POONCH-key) in Hamtramck/Poletown

chicken and waffles at New Center Eatery

Tacos in Mexicantown

Detroit Soup

Biergaten at Dakota Inn Rathskeller

Burgers at the Redcoat Tavern

vegetarian food at Inn Season Café

Belgian-style ale at Jolly Pumpkin Café & Brewery

Brewery Tour

super secret sushi bar in the back of Noble Fish

Two James Spirits

Detroit City Distillery

Ingrid's Sweets, Treats, and eats Bakery

Avalon International Breads

Brooklyn Street Local: Great Food in

Corktown, With Lots of Vegan & Vegetarian Options

Russell Street Deli: Really Great Food and Atmosphere

La Petit Zinc: Crepes, Salads, Sandwiches, Desserts, and Good Coffee

Mudgie's Deli

Campus Martius Beach Bar: A Sandy Oasis in the Heart of Detroit

Green Dot Stables: Amazing Food, Small Portions for a Great Price!

Selden Standard: Locally-Sourced Small Plates

Traffic Jam: Home-Brewed Beer, Great Food, Perfect Place for Big Group Parties

Motor City Brew Works: Perfect for a Casual Summer Meal out on the Patio

Cafe D'Mongo's

Sugar House Bar: Specialty Drinks, Swanky Atmosphere

Grand Trunk Pub: Great Local Products and Locally Brewed Beer on Their Menu

The Old Miami Dive Bar

The Bronx Bar: Rustic Bar, Really Laid Back With Good Drink Prices

Rock City Eatery: Great Locally-Sourced Menu

Nancy Whiskey: Corktown's Neighborhood Irish Bar

Gigi's: Gay Bar With an Awesome Drag Show

The Detroit Mercantile Co.: Unique Detroit Merchandise

Red Bull House of Art: Art Shows Once a Month With Free Drinks

Sugar Hill Clay Studio

Wednesday and Friday Night at the Movies: Movie Night at New Center Park

HandleBar Detroit

Cemetaries

Elmwood cemetery

Assumption Grotto

Beth Olem - This historic Jewish cemetery sits right in the heart of a Detroit car factory only open twice a year.

Forest Lawn Cemetery

Woodlawn Cemetery

Mt Elliott Cemetery

German Lutheran/Trinity Cemetery

Mt. Hazel Cemetary

Woodmere Cemetery

Grand Lawn Cemetery

Sports Fans/Outside Things

Go for a run around Campus Martius Park

Detroit Tigers (depending on schedule)

bowl and see a show at the Majestic (Bonus: Local acts)

Ride the Critical Mass (Last Friday every month!)

Detroit Roller derby: Roller Derby at the Masonic Temple

Rent a bike from Wheelhouse Detroit and ride the RiverWalk

Moonlight yoga on the Riverwalk (free, ongoing event, I bet we could schedule a group session)

William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor

Bike Ambassador Bridge

Gabriel Richard Park

Theater Patrons

Fox Theatre (The illusionists show will be there that weekend.)

Redford Theatre

Detroit Film Theatre

Detroit Repertory Theatre

The Fillmore Detroit

Gem & Century Theatres

Bonstelle Theatre

Senate Theater

Detroit Public Theatre

Bibliophiles

Burton Collection at the Detroit Public Library’s main branch (best place for genealogical research)

John K. King Books (more than four stories’ worth of books)

Detroit Public Library (Art, Architecture, AND books!)