Downtown Detroit joins Wolverines and Spartans football fans for big game 'Rally and Tailgate Party'

DETROIT, MI – Touchdown! Detroit 300 Conservancy scores again with another new fall event – the Big Game Detroit Rally! With more than 150,000 University of Michigan and Michigan State University alumni in the metropolitan area, there’s always a lot of excitement around the annual football match-up between the state’s nationally ranked rivals. This year, downtown Detroit will celebrate big as Campus Martius Park transforms into a Blue and Green gridiron field on Wednesday, October 14 for a day full of events for alumni and fans. Activities will include a pep rally with lunchtime games, happy hour with live DJ music and a chili and mac & cheese tailgate party. The Big Game Detroit Rally is part of Quicken Loans Harvest Happenings, full-scale programming for the fall season at Campus Martius and other downtown parks.

The day’s festivities officially kick-off with the pep rally from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring celebrity announcer play-by-play calls, and cheerleaders and marching bands from Detroit Denby and Cass Tech high schools. Fans can wear their colors and cheer for their team at the Alumni Flag Football Games from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and also have a chance to get some play time themselves and compete for prizes in the Tug-of-War and Sack Race competitions. Those interested can sign up for the Tug-of-War by October 9 and Sack Race by October 12 at the Campus Martius Park October 14 event page at www.downtowndetroitparks.com. Admission is free. All games and competitions are coordinated and refereed by Come Play Detroit.

“The University of Michigan and Michigan State University Big Game is always a much-anticipated day in the state of Michigan and with many alumni and fans of both schools working in downtown Detroit, the Big Game Detroit Rally is sure to bring out a spirited crowd to enjoy some friendly competition at this first ever event at Campus Martius Park,” said Robert Gregory, president, Detroit 300 Conservancy.

The school spirit and friendly rivalry continues throughout the day with the Big Game Happy Hour from 2 to 5 p.m. with live DJ plus food and drink specials from the Beach Bar and Grille.

After work, “Blue” and “Green” enthusiasts can enjoy the Chili / Mac & Cheese Tailgate Party from 5 to 8 p.m. and cast their votes as more than a dozen area restaurants compete for People’s Choice Awards. This $10 ticketed event will feature tasty samplings from Atwater in the Park, Harry’s Detroit, McShane’s Irish Pub, Andrew’s on the Corner, Bogart’z, Cornerstone Barrel House, Punch Bowl Social, Parks Old Style Bar-B-Q, DeAngelo’s, and more. There will also be a beer garden with craft beer from Atwater Brewery and cocktails available for purchase, and live music performed by Detroit’s rocking Blues Diva Thornetta Davis. Admission includes a commemorative pint glass and keepsake photo. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.downtowndetroitparks.com.

Schedule and participants subject to change without notice.

The complete schedule listing for all Harvest Happenings activities can be found at www.downtowndetroitparks.com.

About Campus Martius Park
Harvest Happenings is produced by the Detroit 300 Conservancy, an affiliate of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, with the support of the City of Detroit Parks and Recreation Department.

Established in 2004, Campus Martius Park, Detroit’s Gathering Place and Downtown centerpiece, is a legacy gift to the city of Detroit from the Detroit 300 Conservancy, the nonprofit organization that designed, built, operates and programs the Park through businesses, foundations, and individual donations. The internationally recognized Campus Martius Park has helped catalyze Downtown Detroit’s transformation with over $1 Billion of new investment. The Park is the recipient of the first ever Urban Land Institute’s Amanda Burden Open Space Award, one of the APA’s Top Ten Great Public Spaces in America, the USA Today’s “Top Ten US Parks That Has Helped Revive Their Cities” and the Downtown Detroit Partnership’s Perception Survey Number One Voted Downtown Destination. For more information, contact the Detroit 300 Conservancy at 313-962-0101, visit www.campusmartiuspark.org, or follow on Twitter at @CampusMartius and on Facebook at Facebook.com/CampusMartiusPark.