By Evelyn Cairns
Southgate’s 38th annual Heritage Days Celebration will officially begin at 6 p.m. Friday on the grounds of the city’s municipal complex with a 1 Mile Youth Run and Mayor’s Walk, followed at 6:30 p.m. by the third annual Heritage Half-Eight Run. Proceeds will benefit the Guidance Center.
FiftyAmp Fuse will perform from 7 to 11 a.m., and the Southgate Rotary Club will host a gambling tent that evening.
Activities on the second day of the celebration, Saturday, will get under way at 11 a.m. with the an-nual Heritage Days parade.
A “Taste of the Town” from noon to 3 p.m. will feature the sampling of foods from local restaurants, and Little Davy the Diplomats will play on the Big Top Stage from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Highlights of the afternoon will be the annual Joe vs. Joe Burger-Eating Contest pitting Wyandotte Mayor Joe Peterson against Southgate Mayor Joe Kuspa; a reunion of Southgate, Schafer and Aquinas graduates; and a police and fire department volleyball match.
Other attractions will include face painting, a treasure hunt, pony rides, a classic car show and a Kid-O-Lympics.
In addition, an art exhibit will feature the works of Nick Danish, the Southgate Community Players Youth Theatre will present a vignette, and Boogie Dynomite and Mega 80s will perform.
A fireworks show will climax the celebration at dusk.
For additional information, go to www.SouthgateHeritageDays.com
AKT group sets ‘Woods’
The AKT Theatre has slated a performance of “Into the Woods,” a fairy-tale-themed musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, for Aug. 3 through 11 at the Wyandotte Arts Center, 81 Chestnut.
The musical revolves around familiar fairy-tale and fable characters who go into the woods to make their wishes come true.
Featured actors include Jeremy St. Martin, Meg McCormick, Leah Cooley, Sarah Noble, Matt Miazgowicz, Sarah Mikota, Sheryl Noble, Brian Welch and Brad Miller.
Others are Jordan Fritz, Jamie Clemons, Kayla Smith, Mindy Padlo, Michael Clemons, Dana Pardon, Don Corbin, Adriene Galea, Jean Pilon and Lindel Salow.
Performance times will be 7 p.m. Oct, 3, 4, 10 and 11, and 2 p.m. Aug. 5.
Tickets, $10, will be sold at the door and can be reserved by calling 734-258-8370 or e-mailing [email protected]
‘Ernie’ play is held over
Performances of the Mitch Albom play ‘Ernie,” about the beloved late Hall of Fame Detroit Tiger announcer Ernie Harwell, have been extended a third time and will continue though Aug. 12.
The production is being staged at the City Theatre, located inside the Hockeytown Café, about a block from Comerica Park. Tickets, $20 and $25, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, www.Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. For additional information, call 313-471-6611.
Performances of “Ernie” last year raised $30,000 for Harwell’s favorite charities and his foundation.
Coming up . . .
July 28 — Dinner concert featuring a gypsy trio from Budapest; 6 p.m. at The Rhapsody restaurant, 14315 Northline, Southgate; tickets, $35, for reservations or more information, call 734-283-9622.
July 28 — Sixth annual Telegraph Tomorrow Car Cruise; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Eureka Road in Taylor to Puritan Road in Redford; featuring hot rods and classic cars from throughout Southeast Michigan and beyond.
July 28, 29 — Maker Faire Detroit; interactive family-friendly event that includes demonstrations and hands-on workshops in arts and crafts, science and engineering, robotics, music and fine arts; 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Henry Ford; for more information and tickets, go to www.thehenryford.org or call 313-982-6001.
Aug. 3, 4 — Thirty-first annual Allen Park Street Fair; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Allen Road, between Ecorse and Southfield Roads; featuring 300 juried artists; entertainment and food.
Aug. 9 — Local Roots, Blues, Brews and BBQ; 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Greenfield Village; featuring five blues bands, Michigan-crafted beer, brats and beef brisket; tickets, $65 per person, include two drink tickets; for reservations, call 313-982-6001.