See Funky Art in Ferndale, Turn a Wine Bar Lesbian, Shop at the TransFuse Night Market
September is doing that Michigan thing where it cannot decide whether you should be wearing shorts, a hoodie or both (let's be real here: you're going to wear both) but, fortunately, your social calendar can be considerably more decisive. This fortnight, you can buy art your father may or may not understand, temporarily turn a wine bar into the lesbian bar Detroit deserves, shop from dozens of trans and queer artists, and solve a murder while wearing fishnets.
Keep up with queer events across Michigan at pridesource.com/events and in our magazine, Between The Lines, distributed throughout Michigan (see our distribution map here). And if you haven't, give us a follow on Instagram and Facebook.
1. Shop Ferndale's Funky Side
The Funky Ferndale Art Fair turns 20 this year, which means it is now old enough to have extremely strong opinions about what constitutes art. More than 140 juried artists and authors will take over Nine Mile west of Woodward, including more than 50 artists who have never shown in Ferndale before. The organizers describe the show as “fine art with an edge,” emphasizing unusual, thought-provoking work rather than the sort of tasteful beige object you buy because there is an empty spot above the couch. There will also be puppet-making and a procession, because apparently merely looking at art wasn't funky enough.
Sept. 25, 5-9 p.m.; Sept. 26, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sept. 27, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Nine Mile Road west of Woodward Avenue, Ferndale. funkyferndaleartfair.com.
2. Turn A Wine Bar Lesbian
Detroit's lack of permanent dedicated lesbian bars is plenty heartbreaking, so it's amazing that the Midwest Sapphic Society has decided to take matters — and cocktails — into its own hands. For one Friday night, the group is popping up at Vesper Wine Bar for a sapphic happy hour featuring wine, cocktails, books, flirting and whatever extremely intense friendship gets formed while waiting for another round. Vesper will remain open to the general public, meaning men may technically be present. Do not panic. Organizers remain confident that sufficient concentrations of sapphics can temporarily alter the molecular structure of a wine bar. No tickets, no cover and no elaborate plan required. Just show up.
Sept. 25, 5 p.m.-midnight, Vesper Wine Bar, (5001 Grand River Ave., Detroit). pridesource.com/events/popuplesbianbar
3. Spend Your Money Queerly
If your preferred shopping experience includes queer art, drag, live music and the knowledge that your money is circulating through the community instead of disappearing into the Amazon abyss, head west for the fourth annual TransFuse Night Market. A collaboration between Transfigure Print Co. and the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation, the free event brings together more than 80 trans and queer artists, 15-plus community organizations and mutual aid groups, performers, food and drinks at Fulton Street Market. The whole evening is designed to center and celebrate trans, nonbinary, gender-expansive and queer people — and proceeds support the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation. Bring your friends. Bring your wallet. Bring the tote bag containing all your other tote bags.
Sept. 26, 5-10 p.m., Fulton Street Market, (1145 Fulton St. E., Grand Rapids).
pridesource.com/events/transfusenightmarket
4. Solve a Very Queer Murder
It’s astounding. Time is fleeting. Somebody at dinner is dead. Five15’s Rocky Horror-inspired murder mystery takes over Pronto Lounge & Showbar with a three-course dinner, audience participation, scandalous suspects and enough fishnets to make any sensible footwear present feel personally attacked. Guests follow clues and interrogate suspicious weirdos while attempting to identify the killer before dessert — which, frankly, seems like a lot to ask of anyone who has also been drinking something called a Sweet Transvestini. Costumes are encouraged, with a Dressed to Kill contest for the particularly committed, but Rocky Horror virgins are welcome. They promise to be gentle. Allegedly.
Sept. 22, 8 p.m., Pronto Lounge & Showbar (608 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak). pridesource.com/events/rockymurdermystery
5. Replenish a Queer Pantry (Yours/Theirs)
Food insecurity is considerably less fun than the other things on this list, but Affirmations, Ferndale’s LGBTQ+ community center, operates the delightfully named Lettuce Help Food Pantry, which distributes fresh and nonperishable food to anyone who needs it. The pantry is held monthly and relies on partnerships, staff and volunteers to keep the groceries moving. Want to donate? Check out their Instagram for their current needs, which you can drop off at the front desk. Need some help? Stop by Sept. 19. Queer community care: Sometimes it looks like protest signs; sometimes it looks like peanut butter or canned goods.
Sept. 19, 12-3 p.m., Affirmations (290 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale). instagram.com/goaffirmations
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