Families, furry friends and food turn out for Detroit Harvest Festival on Dequindre Cut
There were Minions, Iron Men, Harry Potters, a Mad Hatter, a few Freddy Kruegers, half a dozen clowns and a handful of astronauts, somehow in harmony, walking through Dequindre Cut on Saturday, dancing to live music and snacking on unique dishes served up by food trucks.
The spooky — or silly — sight was all part of the Detroit Harvest Fest and Food Truck Rally, an annual celebration of all things fall.
The event, hosted by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, featured more than 50 food trucks, live music, trick or treating, small business shopping tents and a pumpkin patch. Saturday's festival was well attended by families who dressed up to enjoy the seasonal vibes and live music.
Detroit's Donna Law, 61, was wearing an intricate Mad Hatter costume, equipped with on-theme jewelry and makeup. She was in costume handing out candy to little trick-or-treaters, playing along with high energy.
Later, gator!
Law said she's been volunteering for the conservancy for 15 years, and she has been working the Harvest Fest since it began.
"It's just beautiful. I treasure this event because I get to see families come together," Law said.
This year was the fourth celebration of fall along the Dequindre Cut in such large fashion. In 2021, the conservancy expanded the event to include multiple music stages, opening up space for more than 50 food trucks to serve festivalgoers.
Rachel Frierson, vice president of operations and programming for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, said the Harvest Festival and Food Truck Rally "is one of our most-anticipated events."
"Detroit Harvest Fest has become a fall tradition for people throughout southeast Michigan," Frierson said.
Although there were plenty of families enjoying the cool fall weather in their Halloween costumes, some were outdressed by their pets, who came along to compete in the pet costume competition.
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The pet costume contest, hosted on a live music stage, featured crazy owner-pet combinations like Jessica White, 32, of Canton, who was dressed as a bottle of rosé wine and her dog, Ducati, who was dressed as a "barkuterie board," with a big plate of snacks on his back.
Categories for the competition included things like "most Detroit," "fall fun" and "most creative."
The event will continue on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with another day full of food trucks, live music and family-friendly entertainment.
News reporter Liam Rappleye can be reached at
