The Story

When nearly 1,000 people joined us at 2017's Dream of Detroit Street Fair, we were humbled. We knew there was an audience for this event- but we didn't know that in just our first year, we'd bring folks from throughout our local neighborhood and across metro area out for our celebration.

The Street Fair spanned two blocks on Woodrow Wilson between Waverly Street and Buena Vista, including the nearby parking lots. Dream of Detroit, in partnership with the Detroit Repertory Theatre, HUDA Clinic, HUDA Urban Garden, IMAN and the Muslim Center collaborated to host a day of vending, performances, bouncy houses, gardening activities, art facilities, art activities, free health assessments and more! 

Now in 2018, we're taking the Street Fair to the next level!

Our own neighborhood on the Westside of Detroit has been especially hard hit over the years. It's been a victim of job loss, of predatory banks, and even unfair city planning. But we believe that this once-thriving neighborhood can shine again--led by the since efforts of the local Muslim community. Our project is focused on people--moving in new families, bringing benefit to our neighbors who live here now, and improving lives through community development. This month, we're celebrating the progress we've made and looking toward the future together.

We could use your help to bring our community-building, fun-loving, something-for-everyone, family-friendly festival to life, God-willing!

A Street Fair to Build Community

In partnership with the Muslim Center, the HUDA Free Community Health Clinic, the HUDA Garden, and The Detroit Repertory Theatre, our community organization, Dream of Detroit, will be hosting a street fair on Woodrow Wilson St.--the main commercial corridor in our target neighborhood--on a beautiful day in August, God-willing.

The Dream of Detroit Street Fair will be an opportunity to share the beauty of our community, highlight and attract potential neighborhood businesses, and deepen relationships with both our local neighbors and supporters from around Detroit.

The fair will stretch two full city blocks with visitors--neighbors, friends, and Detroit-area Muslims--able to peruse a street market with some of the Detroit Muslim community's most popular vendors and restaurants, along with a range of family activities. Here's what we'll have:

• Vendors either selling or giving away food and merchandise
• An outdoor health fair where visitors can get health assessments done at no cost
• Live performances in the parking lot of The Repertory Theatre
• Community gardening and grilling tutorials and other activities
• Inflatable bounce houses and an outdoor basketball tournament
• Free bike repairs

We've been busy developing our volunteer leaders, beautifying our neighborhood, and figuring out how to scale our housing renovation work.

This fair is a chance to bring the community out to celebrate the progress we've made and for individuals and businesses alike to get a glimpse of what's coming, with God's permission.

Although the short-term goal of the street fair is to provide vendors with an opportunity to showcase their products and services, the above picture is our vision for Woodrow Wilson St. in the future. We hope to see it lined with companies, housing a thriving business community that helps revive the neighborhood as a whole.

How Your Donation Can Help

Neighborhood cleanups and home rehabilitations are extremely important but we know that cultivating a sustainable future for this community has to involve economic development.

This Dream of Detroit Street Fair 2018 will be a bridge to bringing businesses back into this area but we need your help to make the fair a reality.

We've raised more than 80% of the funds to run the entire street fair and make it a free event for anyone who wants to attend; in the next 48 hours, help us reach our goal!

Make a donation of any amount and automatically enter to win a free suite at an upcoming Detroit Tigers home game at Comerica Park. Choose one of the giving levels and get a special gift:

Every donation, no matter how small is greatly appreciated and will help push past the 100% funded mark, God-willing.

More About Dream of Detroit

DREAM, as we're often called, originally stood for a "Detroit Revival Engaging American Muslims." We're a Muslim-led initiative that's combining community organizing with strategic housing and land development to revitalize our neighborhood around the Muslim Center of Detroit Mosque and Community Center.

To learn more about our work or sign up to get involved, visit our website, or check out our article in The Nation magazine.