From the 46th Annual Dally in the Alley to the inaugural Detroit Vinylfest, here are five free events to check out in Detroit this week.

Upcoming events

Detroit Vinylfest

  Eastern Market Shed 5

  Friday, Sep. 5

  Free

A new event from the creators of Detroit Bookfest, where vendors will sell vinyl records/LPs, CDs, cassette tapes, music-related posters, t-shirts and more. The event goes from 1–8 p.m.

In the Life: Black Queerness Exhibition

  The Carr Center in Detroit

  Friday, Sep. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 11

  Free

An exhibition produced by Mighty Real/Queer Detroit that explores the mirroring power of artist and viewer through the lens of the Black Queer experience. The exhibition features 13 artists and spans photography, painting, drawing and multi-media works. The Carr Center is open to the public on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m., and on Fridays from noon to 8 p.m.

46th Annual Dally in the Alley

Detroit’s Cass Corridor

  Saturday, Sep. 6

  Free

A longstanding community festival featuring live music, art, food, beer and a kids fair in the streets of Midtown Detroit. Festivities go from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Entrance is free, but donations are welcome.

6 Mile Street Festival

W. McNichols Road in Detroit

  Saturday, Sep. 6

  Free with RSVP

A celebration of local community, commerce and culture featuring musical entertainment, family-friendly activities and local artist showcases in Northwest Detroit. Festivities go from noon to 8 p.m.

Sounds from the Park: Memory and Transformation

Belle Isle

  Thursday, Sep. 11

  Free

The fifth and final installment of the Sounds from the Park series of outdoor concerts organized by the Detroit Parks Coalition. The show features a live performance from and original music by Detroit saxophonist Marcus Elliot. Performance goes from 6–8 p.m.

This week, we’ve got several free concerts around the city to check out. Plus, looking ahead to this year’s Concert of Colors. Read on to learn more.

Upcoming events

On Friday, July 11, the City of Detroit’s Summer Music Series continues with Soul in the Parks. This free concert features a live performance by WDET’s Sounds Like Detroit 2024 winners, Drey Skonie & The Klouds, as well as food trucks, bounce houses and more in North Rosedale Park. The concert goes from 5–8 p.m., and free parking is available in the surrounding areas. For more information, visit Detroit Parks & Recreation on Facebook.

On Saturday, July 12, the Ferndale upcycled fashion boutique Not Sorry Goods is throwing a closing party to mark the end of operations for their brick-and-mortar storefront. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., there will be live DJs, drinks and deep discounts on the entire store. For more information, visit notsorrygoods.com.

Detroit’s annual diversity festival, the Concert of Colors returns for its 34th year on Wednesday, July 16 through Sunday, July 20. Highlights from this year’s lineup include soul legend Mavis Staples, Afrobeat pioneer Femi Kuti and Detroit’s Queen of the Blues Thornetta Davis. WDET will have special programming throughout the festival, including a live broadcast of The Don Was Motor City Playlist on Friday, July 18, a live broadcast of Essential Music on Saturday, July 19, and live DJ sets by Alternate Take’s Liz Warner and The New Music Show’s Shigeto on Sunday, July 20. All events are free and open to the public. To see the full lineup and learn more, visit our events page.

On Thursday, July 17, the Detroit Parks Coalition presents the second concert in saxophonist Marcus Elliot’s “Sounds From The Park” series. The series features original compositions inspired by different Detroit parks, as performed by Elliot and his ensemble. This month’s concert takes place in Clark Park and centers the theme of “Family & Resilience,” celebrating the culture and unity of Southwest Detroit. The concert goes from 6–9 p.m. For more information, visit detroitparkscoalition.com.