Detroit may be home to Motown, but it is also nationally renown for other music genres through several annual Detroit music festivals. The Movement: Detroit Electronic Music Festival brings techno music to the Detroit Riverfront in June, the Downtown Hoedown brings a country music festival in late June/early July, Orion Music + More Festival brings Heavy Metal music in July, and the Detroit Jazz Festival brings jazz music over Labor Day Weekend.

For more information about each, as well as several other Detroit Music Festivals that host both national and local music acts, check out the following list of Detroit Music Festivals:
 

Movement: Detroit Electronic Music Festival

The Movement: Detroit Electronic Music Festival manages to put the world spotlight on Detroit each Memorial Day weekend when over 100 artists provide several days full of electronic/techno music. Movement Detroit is something of a dance party, and its schedule is filled with world-renown Djs, as well as live acts.

History: Movement Detroit started with a bang in 2000 as the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. The City of Detroit, under the leadership of Mayor Dennis Archer, originally fronted the money for the free festival, which attracted a quoted one million fans and brought the techno music from Detroit's dance clubs outside and into the world spotlight. Note: Despite techno music originating in Detroit, fans in Europe took to it first.

Since its inaugural year, the DEMF (as it is otherwise known) has brought DJs, musical artists and fans to Detroit from around the world.

The City of Detroit continued to front the money the first few years, but by 2005, behind-the-scene squabbles, limited term contracts and city finances resulted in festival producers charging an admission price of $5. Despite the token amount, ticket admission changed the flavor and size of the crowd.

These days, the festival is known for its technology-rich stages, has several sponsors including Red Bull, and has a solid commercial base that should see it into the future. It has also earned several international accolades, including Best Niche Festival by Rolling Stone Magazine and the second most anticipated Dance-Music Festival in the world by Beatport News.

2013: The festival is scheduled for May 25th through the 27th (Memorial Day Weekend) in 2013. Over 100 artists will perform on five outdoor stages, including Moby, Masters at Work, Richie Hawtin, Big Gigantic, John Digweed, Derrick May & Kevin Saunderson, Stacy Pullen, Terrence Parker, Ben Sims, The Bug, Matador, Alton Miller, Nicole Moudaber, Carl Craig, Dennis Ferrer, Ellen Allien and Dave Clarke.

Venue: The venue is the 14-acre Hart Plaza along the Detroit Riverfront, a location that has served as a venue for many a festival in the past, from jazz to country music.

Extras: In addition to music, live and otherwise, the festival has a market area and merchandise stalls, as well as an area devoted to social-action organizations. Additionally, the parties planned at local venues around Detroit, both before and after the festival, are almost as renowned as the festival itself.

Tickets: Tickets are $49 for a single-day pass, $99 for a “Fifth Wave” three-day pass.

 

The Downtown Hoedown

The Downtown Hoedown is billed as the largest country music festival of its kind. At one point, the “of its kind” may have meant free, but these days the Hoedown charges an admission price. Hosted by local radio station 99.5 WYCD, 50 artists perform over three days.
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History: Detroit's country music festival dates back to 1983, when artists featured on three stages included Hank Williams Jr., Tanya Tucker, The Kendals, Brenda Lee and Mel Tillis – just to name a few. It was the largest free country concert in the nation and provided plenty of music and lots of dancing. In addition to national headliners, the festival has always featured a host of local bands.

2013: The festival dates for 2013 are May 31st to June 2nd. Musical artists scheduled to perform include Uncle Kracker, Jake Owen, Joe Nichols, Ty Stone, Craig Morgan, Phil Vassar, Drake White, Blackberry Smoke, Casey James, Parmalee, Emerson Drive, Aaron Lewis, Maggie Rose, Rachel Farley, Jon Pardi, Gunnar & The Grizzly Boys, Katie Armiger, Charlie Worsham, and a host of local bands. The one-day pass is $20. A three-day pass is $30.

Venue: While the Downtown Hoedown has historically been held at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit, the country music festival will be held on the grounds surrounding Comerica Park in 2013.

Extras: There are several affiliated parties scheduled around the country music festival at nearby bars and restaurants.

 

Orion Music + More Festival

The Orion Music + More Festival is a little bit Heavy Metal, a little bit Rock'N'Roll. The festival is the brainchild of Metallica; and while Metallica is one of two headliners scheduled for the two-day event, Orion Fest is not a Heavy Metal festival. It's a music festival with five stages and several genres represented, including electronic dance music, indie-rock, punk, mosh-pit, hip hop, thrash, stoner-rock, and alternative. It's atmosphere is casual and friendly with band members (at least Metallica's) wandering among the fans.
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History: Orion Music + More Festival was first held in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 2012. In addition to Metallica, one of its producers is C3 Presents, a producer of Lollapalooza in Chicago and Austin City Limits.

2013: Orion Fest moves to Detroit in 2013 with an even more varied line up than in its first year. Some of the over 35 bands scheduled to play on June 8th and 9th include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rise Against, Deftones, BASSNECTAR, Dropkick Murphys, Gogol Bordello, Infectious Grooves, Rocket from the Crypt, Japandroids, Celtic Fury, Dirtbombs, Bronx, Foals, Death Grips, Battlecross and Fu Manchu.

Venue: The venue for the event in Detroit is Belle Isle, a historic, 983-acre island situation in the Detroit River between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The park itself was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, the same man who designed Central Park in New York. Several buildings in the park were designed by Albert Kahn.

+ More: The “+ More” includes a wide range of events, including:

• A haunted house, Kirk's Crypt, filled with vintage horror movie posters, artwork, horror-movie icons, and zombie movies.
• Hit The Lights Film tent
• Vans Damage inc. Skate & Vert Ramp that includes skateboarding demos set to live punk music
• Metallica Museum filled with classic Metallica guitars, amps and props
• Ktulu's Rock 'N'Roll Emporium filled with Rock'n'roll art and collections
• My world Village where you can sign up or get information for any number of causes
• A record store & autograph tent

Tickets: The price for Orion Music + More Fest in 2013 is $90 for a one-day pass on Saturday or Sunday, or $150 for a two-day pass. Note: VIP passes are $750.

 

The Detroit Jazz Festival

The Detroit Jazz Festival is known for its unexpected musical pairings and cultural vibe, which probably explains why it has grown in size and scope over the years. These days the free Detroit Jazz Festival serves up over 100 musical acts on five stages over Labor Day Weekend.

History: The inaugural festival took place in 1980 at Hart Plaza as an offshoot of the world-renowned Jazz Festival in Montreux Switzerland that features over 1000 artists over 16 days. The Montreux Festival remained a partner in the Detroit festival until 1991. The Detroit festival partnered with Detroit's Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts from 1991 through 2005, when it found new sponsorship and expanded from Hart Plaza up Woodward Avenue three blocks to campus Martius Park.

In 2011, The festival was ranked by Jazz Times (according to The Independent) as among the top five North American Jazz Festivals.

2013: The festival is scheduled to run over Labor Day Weekend from August 30th to September 2nd in 2013. Artists scheduled to perform include Danilo Perez, Pan-American Jazz, David Murray Big Band with Macy Gray, Admad Jamal, Joshua Redman, John Scofield Uberjam, Shelia Jordan with Strings featuring Alan Broadbent Trio, Bill Frisell-Lennon Project, McCoy Tyner Trio, and the Yellowjackets.

Venue: The festival is held from Hart Plaza on Detroit's Riverfront up three blocks of Woodward Avenue to Campus Martius.

Extras: In addition to jazz music, the festival has late-night jam sessions, meet-the-artists events, panel discussions, a Jazz Talk Tent, presentations and fireworks.

 

Still More Detroit Music Festivals:

While the festivals listed above, are the most renowned nationally, there are still more music festivals held in Detroit and its metropolitan area. Some are all about music, limited to a particular genre or otherwise, while still others are big community events that manage to attract a fair amount of musical talent.

 

• June: Jazzin' on Jefferson in Detroit – The two day festival features music, food and other festival events. In addition to jazz music, the schedule features gospel, blues, pop, hip hop, soul, R&B, and experimental music.
   
• Late June: River Days on Detroit's Riverfront – A three day festival devoted to boats, food, sand sculptures, carnival rides and live music. Admission is $3 to $5.
   
• Late June/Early July: Ann Arbor Summer Festival – The festival happens over three weeks in the summer and is devoted to both indoor and outdoor entertainment, including live music and theater.
   
• July: Michigan Elvisfest in Ypsilanti – The two-day festival has been around since 2000 and is about all things Elvis. It runs over two days in Ypsilanti's Riverside Park and Depot Town and features live performances from national Elvis impersonators.
   
• Late July: Michigan Jazz festival in Livonia – The festival was first held in 1995 at Freedom Hill. These days it is a one-day, five-stage event held at Schoolcraft College that offers a venue for local jazz artists.
   
• Labor Day Weekend: Arts, Beats and Eats in Royal Oak – A three-day festival that benefits charities. In addition to over 200 national and local music performances on ten stages, the festival on Labor Day weekend includes an art show, food, and kids play zones. Admission is $3 to $5.
   
• September: Dally in the Alley in Midtown, Detroit – More of a community street fair than a festival, Dally in the Alley is over 35 years old and features approximately 50 musical acts on four stages, as well as visual-art exhibits. Proceeds from the one-day fair/festival benefit Cass Corridor projects.

 

Sources:

 

• Metallica Book Chili Peppers, Bassnectar and More for Second Orion Festival / Rolling Stone Magazine (2/25/13)
   
• Detroit Electronic Music Festival website, now producing several festivals in top-ranked tourist destinations
   
• An Oral History of Detroit's Electronic Music Festival / Resident Advisor
   
• History of the Downtown Hoedown / Americajr.com (2010)
   
• 2013 Detroit Jazz Festival Creates Unity in Jazz / C & G News website (4/30/13)
   
• Dally In The Alley 2012: Detroit Festival in Midtown Cass Corridor Turns 35 / Huffington Post (9/7/12)