Friday, July 20, 2012

Hollywood returns to Michigan with an event for kids



Baseball and summer go together like popcorn and movies. This weekend families will have the opportunity to attend an event that combines it all. 

As part of a promotion for the new movie, "Home Run Showdown" opening in theaters next weekend, children are invited to participate in the Home Run Showdown Kids Derby, from 5 to 7 p.m., July 26 at the Southfield Civic Center Field. 

The following night there will be a red carpet premiere at the AMC Star Southfield, starting at 6:30 p.m. 

“Home Run Showdown's” director, writer, producers and some cast members are expected to attend both events.

Filmed in Michigan last year, "Home Run Showdown" is a comedy about the new kid on the block, 12-year-old Lori (Kyle Kirk) whose life hs gone from bad to worse. His mother died and his father is in prison. When attempts to make the local baseball league fail, Lori joins forces with two other misfits - larger than life Tanker (Brandon Balog) and feisty tomboy Fassi (Emma-Lee Hess) - in order to make an unusual dream come true: being a part of the Big League's power-hitting tournament, the Home Run Showdown, and having his dad witness it on TV.

Swing over to the park and be a part of something cool for summer. The Kids Derby is free and open to the public. Children who wish to participate in the "Home Run Showdown," "Rob A Homer At The Wall" and "No Infield Fly Rule Contest," must be between the age of 8 and 14. There will be cash prizes. 

Registration for the derby, at 26000 Evergreen Road in Southfield, begins at 4:30 p.m., July 26. The event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. 

For more information visit http://www.homerunshowdownthefilm.com/contest.htm. 

The red carpet premiere for "Home Run Showdown," also starring Dean Cain, Matt Lillard, Annabeth Gish, Barry Bostwick, Wayne Duvall, and directed by Oz Scott, takes place at the AMC Star Southfield, 25333 W. 12 Mile Road, Southfield. Tickets are available for public purchase.
  
DAYTRIPPING
Check out some of the other family-friendly events going on in the Detroit area:

Dance marathon
Paint Creek Center for the Arts hosts “Dance ‘til You Drop” marathon, 6-11 p.m. July 28, at the Center, 407 Pine St. at Fourth Street, in downtown Rochester. Non-dancers admission $15 for PCCA members, $20 non-members; dancers will collect pledges for five hours of dancing or donate a minimum $50 to participate. For registration and pledge information, 248-651-4110 or www.pccart.org.

Card parties
Ashlar Chapter No. 378 Order of Eastern Star hosts card party and luncheon, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 23, at Roseville Masonic Center, 27151 Gratiot. Hot lunch served at noon; admission $7 per person. Call 586-772-6126.
St. Clair Shores Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary 3619 hosts benefit card party, 1-4 p.m. July 29, at the hall, 23631 Greater Mack, St. Clair Shores. Admission $7 includes light lunch, prizes; proceeds to Eagles Kidney Foundation.

Tea Talk
Crocker House Museum/Macomb County Historical Society present “Tea Talk Tuesdays at Two,” 2 p.m. Tuesdays, July 24, Aug. 14, Sept. 18 and Oct. 23, at the museum, 15 Union St., Mount Clemens. Events include historical programs, refreshments; tickets $7 Society members, $10 non-members. For reservations, 586-465-2488. Museum tours included.

Summer sounds
The Mall at Partridge Creek and Motor City Co-op Credit Union present free daily outdoor concerts (weather permitting) at Center Court through Labor Day (Sept. 3) at the Clinton Township mall on Hall Road between Romeo Plank and Garfield roads. Performances are 5:30-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 4-8 p.m. Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Sundays and holidays. For details, visit www.shoppartridgecreek.com.
Free music series “Sound of Music … Past,” 7 p.m. July 25 (Sentimental Journey Band) and Aug. 22 (Jean Bastian’s Double Brass Quartet), at Beebe Street Park, Richmond, presented by Senior Helpers of Richmond. Call 586-430-1015.
Concerts/dancing at Lake St. Clair Metropark take place 6:30-10 p.m. Sundays through August; music free with Metropark vehicle annual entry permit, $25 season, $15 ages 62 and older, or $5 daily. Visit www.metroparks.com or call 586-463-4581.
Grosse Pointe Village Association’s Music on The Plaza free outdoor jazz concert series presented by St. John Hospital & Medical Center, 7 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 2, on Village Festival Plaza at Kercheval and St. Clair in downtown Grosse Pointe. Call 313-886-7474 or www.thevillagegp.com.
Concerts at Stony Creek Metropark in Washington Township feature Air Margaritaville, July 20; Justine Blazer, Aug. 3; Dr. Pocket, Aug. 10. Music begins 7:30 p.m. at Eastwood Beach. Free, but Metropark vehicle entry permit required. Call 586-781-4242 or www.metroparks.com.
Lexington Arts Council Music in the Park series, opening acts 6 p.m., main show 7:30 p.m. July 27 Aug. 3, 10, 17, at Patrick Tierney Memorial Park, Lexington. Free. Visit www.lexarts.com.
Wild Summer Nights concert series at Detroit Zoo, 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 29, in Main Picnic Grove; free with zoo admission. Guests can bring own picnics or purchase refreshments at concessions.
Summer Music Festival at Grosse Pointe War Memorial, 32 Lakeshore Road, 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 8; grounds open 6 p.m. Admission $8 per person; food available for purchase or guests can bring their own picnic. For details, 313-881-7511 ro www.WarMemorial.org.

On stage
Stagecrafters Youth Theatre performs “Bye Bye Birdie,” 3 and 7 p.m. July 21, 1 p.m. July 22, at the Baldwin Theatre, 415 S. Lafayette in downtown Royal Oak. Advance tickets $6 youth, $10 adult, available at www.stagecrafters.org or 248-541-6430, or one hour prior to performances at additional $2 per ticket.
“Robocop: The Musical” 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, through Aug. 3, at Go Comedy! Improv Theater, 261 Nine Mile Road, Ferndale. Tickets $15. Visit www.gocomedy.net.
“Macho Men and the Women Who Love Them,” makes Detroit debut July 26 at Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 6:30 p.m. reception, 7:45 p.m. performance, followed by salsa afterglow with music and dancing. For tickets, mariacosta.com.

Park*it
Park*it family fun nights under way in Macomb County at several parks. Activities start at 6 p.m., music 7:30, and movie at 9. For schedule, visit www.parkit4fun.com.

Youth Camps
Assumption Cultural Center in St. Clair Shores hosts summer youth camp for ages 7-12, in conjunction with Detroit Institute of Arts, 9 a.m.-noon July 23-Aug. 23; full-day child care available 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Camp programs include art projects and discussions, field trip to the DIA, volleyball and basketball clinics. For fee and registration information, 586-772-4477 or www.assumptionnursery.org.

Warren Library
Upcoming free library programs at Warren Civic Center Library, east of Van Dyke north of 12 Mile Road; include: *“Full Traveling Farm” for all ages, “Block Party” for ages 3 and up using Lego and MEGA Blocks, 2-3:30 p.m. July 21; *nocturnal animals, 6:30 p.m. July 26; *“Ming the Magnificent” evening of magic, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 2; *“R.E.P.T.I.L.E., Inc. visit with reptiles, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9; *registration required by calling 586-751-0770.


At the Zoo
After-hours 21 and older Summer Zoomance, 6-9 p.m. Aug. 23, at the Detroit Zoo, 10 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, includes twilight strolls among animal habitats, rides ($5 each), carousel ($2). Zoomance admission $10 advance, $12 at the gate, parking $5 for non-zoo members, free for members. For reservations, www.detroitzoo.org. Also, Wild Wine event includes wine tasting, music, tram tours and zookeeper talks, 6-10:30 p.m. July 27, at the zoo. Tickets $35 online or at the gate; Designated Driver tickets $20, include zoo admission, parking, soft drinks. For tickets, 248-541-5717, ext. 9, or www.detroitzoo.org/events/wild-beasts-wild-wine.

Wet and Wild
Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm hosts Wed and Wile Wednesdays through  Aug. 1, with musical entertainment noon-1 p.m., children’s fun (fire truck sprays, creek wading, slip and slide) 1-2 p.m. Free for museum members, $3 non-members. Also, Children’s Music Festival those 11 a.m.-2 p.m. those Wednesdays at the museum, 1005 Van Hoosen Road, east of Rochester Road off Tienken Road. For details, 248-656-4663 or www.rochesterhills.org.

Shores Library
Free Film Movement program 6:30 p.m. third Thursday in William R. Gilstorf Meeting Room at St. Clair Shores Public Library, 22500 11 Mile Road. For details, 586-771-9020 or www.scslibrary.org.

Chesterfield Walks
Free Chesterfield Walks for ages 55 and older take place 9:30 a.m. July 25, Aug. 8, 22 and 28, and 9 a.m. June 26, July 17, 31, and Aug. 14 and 28, at the Charter Township of Chesterfield Municipal Building. Registration required.

Benefit on the Bay
Capuchin Soup Kitchen fundraiser 19th Benefit on the Bay, 5:30 p.m. Aug. 24, at Mac&Ray’s in Harrison Township. Tickets, $60, include dinner, dancing, beer, wine, three bands, auctions and drawings. To order, 313-579-2100 ext. 153 or 170, or www.BenefitOnTheBay.org.

Leaps & Bounds
Early childhood education training programs for caregivers and parents, 9:15-11 a.m. Wednesdays at Early Childhood Center, 24580 Cunningham, Center Line, and 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursdays at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 8129 Packard, Warren, sponsored by non-profit Leaps & Bounds Family Services. For complete schedule, 313-402-0802 or 586-675-0451.

Meadow Brook
Summer tours at Meadow Brook Hall on the Oakland University Campus in Rochester are under way at 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. A new architecture tour includes interior and exterior highlights of the design and construction process, 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; Behind-The-Scenes tours  that include the staff wing are noon and 1:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; each tour admission is $15 adults, $10 seniors, free ages 12 and younger. Twilight Tuesdays are 6-9 p.m. June 12, July 13 and Aug. 28, $10 adults, free ages 12 and younger. Call 248-364-6200 or go to www.meadowbrookhall.org.

Fishing clubs
Vanguard Trout Unlimited for fishing enthusiasts meets 7:30 p.m. second Thursday monthly at Rochester’s Dinosaur Hill. Also, Fishing Buddies Fishing Club gathers 6:30 p.m. third Tuesdays at Rochester Hills OPC, 650 Leticia Drive. Call 248-375-1931.

Cars and boating
Classic car and boating enthusiasts alike will enjoy the event at Stahl’s Auto Museum at 56516 North Bay Dr., (26 Mile and Gratiot Ave) in Chesterfield Township, July 22. There will be more than 70 vintage vehicles on display and someone will win the chance to ride in one with Mr. Stahl. Save Our South Channel Lights will be guests at the event, displaying photos of local lighthouses.  

Features editor Debbie Komar contributed to this list

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