News Article

DETROIT (June 13, 2023) – Today, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy announced the details of Good Moves, Good Grooves, a three-day family-friendly community celebration that will get Metro Detroiters movin’ and groovin’ this summer. Presented by the William Davidson Foundation, the weekend celebration will take place August 11-13, along the Detroit Riverwalk at Cullen Plaza and Milliken State Park and Harbor in downtown Detroit.

Good Moves, Good Grooves will kick-off Friday, August 11 with Motown Museum’s “Rivertown Revue” – a celebration of music and talent in Detroit followed by a concert on the riverfront featuring The Commodores. Saturday, August 12 will feature “3V3 in the D,” a youth three-on-three basketball tournament in partnership with the Detroit Parks Coalition and the Pistons Neighbors Program.  There will also be a family-friendly one-mile fun run on Sunday, August 13, which will include a Detroit Sports Showcase featuring a sampling of sports – such as street hockey, lacrosse, horseback riding, and more – from Project Play: Southeast Michigan partners. All events for Good Moves, Good Grooves are free and open to the public. 

Good Moves, Good Grooves is a special one-time event that adds to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy’s calendar of events celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Other 20th anniversary plans include the opening of two new public spaces, free boat cruises on the Diamond Jack, the premier of a documentary, and a historical photo display along the Riverfront.

“During our 20th year, Good Moves, Good Grooves is the perfect way to bring fun to the riverfront,” said Rachel Frierson, senior director of programs and public spaces for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. “The event will showcase the immense talent we have in Detroit ranging from music to sports. It is a family-friendly event that will have something for everyone to enjoy.”

Funding for Good Moves, Good Grooves was provided by the William Davidson Foundation. In December 2022, the Foundation announced two complementary grants, totaling $1,360,000, focused on sports, fitness, and competition in honor of the Foundation’s late founder, William “Bill” Davidson, on what would have been his 100th birthday. The other Detroit-based organization to receive special funding in honor of William Davidson’s 100th birthday was Project Play, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. Project Play will feature “A Season of Youth Fitness” throughout this year and supports 18 of the area’s top-performing youth-fitness non-profits for various sports, leagues, tournaments, and other youth fitness efforts.

With some of its most recent commitments the William Davidson Foundation has invested more than $30 million to the ongoing transformation of Detroit’s riverfront into a beautiful and accessible public space.  This includes support for Valade Beach, the William Davidson Sport House at the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park, and the Unified Greenway Endowment Fund.   

“The William Davidson Foundation is excited to honor its founder and his love for sports, fitness, and competition during Good Moves, Good Grooves this summer,” said Darin McKeever, president and CEO of the William Davidson Foundation. “Our continued investments in-and-around the Detroit Riverfront demonstrate how accessible public spaces improve the quality of life for residents and drive broader economic development for our city and region.” 

“We have an enduring relationship with the William Davidson Foundation,” said Mark Wallace, president and CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. “Together, we’ve transformed Detroit’s riverfront into a beautiful, exciting, safe, accessible world-class gathering place for all.” 

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