Now that Movement weekend is behind us, there’s room to explore Detroit’s talents beyond Hart Plaza. This week, we’ve got film screenings, collaborative art exhibits and record release parties that highlight local legends — past and present. Read on to learn more.

Experience Detroit history

On Friday, May 30, the Detroit Historical Museum is premiering the fourth and final episode of their “Tales from the D” series, featuring WDET’s own Don Was (co-host of The Don Was Motor City Playlist Fridays at 8 p.m.). The episode outlines Was’ journey from Detroit to becoming a globally-acclaimed musician and producer. After the screening, there will be a Q&A with host Tino G., producer Tony D’Annunzio and Don Was himself, as well as a live performance from Detroit blues legend Billy Davis. Tickets are $35 for the general public or $20 for Detroit Historical Society members, and the event goes from 6–9 p.m. For more information, visit detroithistorical.org.

On Saturday, May 31, there will be a screening of “The Best of the Best: Jazz from Detroit” at Aretha’s Jazz Café in Music Hall. Inspired by Mark Stryker’s award-winning book, “Jazz from Detroit,” the documentary explores the extraordinary jazz legacy that came out of Detroit, from Ron Carter to Rodney Whitaker. After the screening, there will be a Q&A with filmmakers Daniel Loewenthal, Roberta Friedman and Mark Stryker. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the screening starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit their Eventbrite page.

Shop local

The Palmer Park Art Fair returns to Detroit on Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1, featuring 97 juried artists. There will also be art workshops, book readings and live musical performances across two stages. Food trucks and a beer tent will be available on site and parking is free. Admission is also free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit palmerparkartfair.com.

Eastern Market kicks off their 2025 Sunday Market season this weekend on June 1. The market runs weekly from June through September and features locally-made foods, clothes, home goods and more for sale in Shed 5. Vendors are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit easternmarket.org.

Alongside the first Sunday Market of the summer, the 24th Annual Spring VegFest is also taking place at Eastern Market this Sunday, June 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be free samples of plant-based food from nearly 100 vendors, sustainable shopping, cooking demonstrations and more in celebration of all things vegan. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit vegmichigan.org.

See a show

A new two-person exhibition from sculptor LaKela Brown and painter Mario Moore opens this weekend at Library Street Collective in Detroit. “Beneath Our Feet” examines the symbolic intersections of land, economic agency and narrative authorship. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, May 31 from 6–8 p.m., after which the exhibition will be on display through July 30. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit lscgallery.com.

On Saturday, May 31, Detroit-based indie-pop duo Crossword Smiles is having a release party for their new record, “Consequences & Detours” at Trinity House Theatre in Livonia. Nick Piunti will kick things off with a solo acoustic set at 8 p.m. and tickets are $20. For more information, visit their Facebook event page.

Also on Saturday, May 31, Detroit-based alt-country duo Neu Blume is having a release party for their debut album, “Let It Win” at UFO Bar in Detroit. The supporting acts are natural music ensemble Bonny Doon and mid-fi slow country artist Conor Lynch. Doors open at 8 p.m. and music starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 online or $20 at the door. For more information, visit ra.co.

On Sunday, June 1, local artist Audra Kubat and Marbrisa are hosting a “Queens of the Song Age” showcase at the Detroit House of Music. There will be in-the-round performances from songwriter Libby DeCamp and Kresge fellow poet Jassmine Parks. Tickets are $25 and the event is BYOB. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and seats can be reserved by Venmoing @audra-kubat with the message, “queens.” For more information, visit @queensofthesongage on Instagram.

On Thursday, June 5, soul singer-songwriter Phillip Michael Scales brings his “Good To Be Here” tour to The Ark in Ann Arbor. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $24–$35. For more information, visit theark.org.

This week, we’ve got local markets for every occasion, from Mother’s Day to Cinco de Mayo. Plus, new art exhibits, live DJ sets from your favorite WDET hosts and an immersive Star Wars cantina experience. Read on to learn more.

Shop around

On Saturday, May 3, Swanky Lady Couture is partnering with Wayne County Community College to present an early Mother’s Day Market. There will be a flower bouquet bar, a permanent jewelry station, professional family portraits and more to inspire Mother’s Day gift ideas. Food trucks will be available on-site. Admission is free and the event goes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit their Eventbrite page.

Also on Saturday, May 3, Batch Brewing is hosting a “Derby de Mayo” celebration featuring a Mexican market, lucha libre wrestling, and themed food and cocktail specials for both Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby. The market will highlight local vendors selling everything from jewelry to juices from noon to 6 p.m., then wrestling is scheduled for 7–9 p.m. Food trucks from Taqueria El Rey and La Sultana will be on-site starting at noon and guests can watch the derby in the taproom. For more information, visit Batch Brewing Company on Facebook.

The 7th Annual Urban Arts & Eatery Expo returns to Eastern Market on Sunday, May 4 from 2–6 p.m. Visitors can enjoy beverages and street food from around the world while exploring over 60 local vendors offering unique and handmade goods. Early bird tickets are $3 online. For more information, visit urbanartsexpo.com.

See a show

On Saturday, May 3, Spot Lite Detroit is throwing a 39th Birthday Bash & Fundraiser for the Heidelberg Project, one of the longest-running outdoor art installations in the city. Starting at 7 p.m., there will be live DJ sets from Kenjiro, Liz Warner (host of Alternate Take Thursdays at 8 p.m. on WDET), Shigeto (host of The New Music Show Saturdays at 8 p.m. on WDET), Turtle Bugg and Waajeed (host of The Boulevard Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on WDET). Tickets are $23 online. For more information, visit ra.co.

From Wednesday, May 7 through Sunday, May 11, the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn is hosting the 18th Annual Arab Film Festival, featuring the best critically-acclaimed and award-winning films of the Arab and Arab American world. Genres include drama, comedy and documentary, in both short-form and feature lengths. Each film is subtitled in English and can be watched either in-person at the museum or virtually. Tickets can be purchased separately for each screening, or passes are available for the full festival. For more information, visit aanmfilmfest25.eventive.org.

Explore an exhibit

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History’s newest exhibition, “Luminosity: A Detroit Arts Gathering,” celebrates 60 years of The Wright with over 60 artworks from present-day Detroit artists, long-departed masters and the museum’s archive. Spanning painting, sculpture, photography and more, “Luminosity” illuminates Detroit’s creative spirit through shared histories, personal reflections and bold artistic exploration. The exhibit is on display now through March 2026. For more information, visit thewright.org.

One of MOCAD’s newest exhibitions, “Code Switch: Distributing Blackness, Reprogramming Internet Art,” explores the relationship between Black cultural production and the legacy of computation as a mode of creative inspiration. The exhibition builds on an archival timeline of radical visions from Black makers and thinkers and brings together an intergenerational roster of contemporary artists to unpack the correlation between body and machine, informed further by the “age of the internet.” The exhibition opens on Friday, May 2 and will be on display through August 10. For more information, visit mocadetroit.org.

Detroit Historical Museum’s newest exhibition is “Heroes vs. Villains: Detroit’s Comic Book Story.” Opening on Saturday, May 3, the exhibition highlights Detroit’s contributions to the world of comic books and the generations of local creatives and fans that brought the world of comics to a wider audience and created fandom as we know it today. For more information, visit detroithistorical.org.

The DIA is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with special programming throughout the month of May. In collaboration with AAPI community groups and professional artists, the museum will showcase a dynamic mix of traditional and contemporary dance, music, visual art and more. This year’s celebration includes elements from Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Mongolian, Taiwanese and Vietnamese cultures. To see their full list of events and learn more, visit dia.org.

Feel the force

Calling all Star Wars fans! For five days only, Space Dive 313 has transformed Tangent Gallery in Detroit into a fully-immersive intergalactic cantina. Guests are required to arrive in full costume in order to maintain the Detroitooine experience. Tickets are $60 and still available for Friday, May 2, Sunday, May 4 (May the fourth be with you), Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10. The bar is open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. For more information, visit Space Dive on Facebook.