March du Nain Rouge returns for 2025 with a new twist: Details

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19-03-2025

Detroit's Marche du Nain Rouge will descend upon Midtown once again on Sunday, March 23, for a wild afternoon and evening along the Cass Corridor.
But this year, there's a twist – the legend of the red demon that has persisted for centuries is being rewritten.
'We're back, and in our mid-teens,' said Marche organizer and co-founder Francis Grunow. 'It's kind of hard to believe it's been going that long.
'This year, we still have the parade kicking off at one o'clock. And we're actually going to feature a bit of a retelling of the Nain Rouge myth. He's kind of like our version of Punxsutawney Phil, except he's more cantankerous.'
In correlation with this, the Marche du Nain Rouge website reminds attendees not to chase the Nain if or when he appears.
Grunow also said this year will feature more focus on local, Detroit-based bands for the community stage, located at the intersection of Canton Street and Second Avenue.
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'We have entertainment starting around 11:30 a.m., with electronica music from Strand; Greektown Hotbox, who's a world-famous bucket drummer from Detroit; and then, of course, the Gabriel Brass Band will bring us into the parade.'
The parade route will begin at the community stage, head west on Canfield and south on Second Avenue, and circle Cass Park before heading back toward Masonic Temple, where the afterparty will take place.
Revelers are encouraged to wear costumes, masks, or whatever fun adornment is needed to get in the party mood.
Grunow said this is a perfect year for people who've never attended to check out the event.
'The world is constantly changing and challenging,' he said. 'The parade provides an opportunity for people to come out and express themselves and bang pots and pants and just have a day where they can enjoy a beautiful time in the city with other people, who might be dressed in some strange outfit that requires explanation.'
The outdoor celebration, which began in 2010, heralds the start of spring and gives area residents a unique way to display their Detroit pride.
The Nain Rouge ('red dwarf' in French) is an urban legend woven through pivotal moments in Detroit history. It is said the red demon appeared to the city's founder, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, who suffered financial ruin soon afterward. Subsequent Nain "sightings" have preceded disasters ranging from the 1805 Detroit fire to the 1967 riot.
This year's event aims to change that narrative.
Learn more about the event at marchedunainrouge.com.
Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: March du Nain Rouge returns for 2025 with a new twist: Details