New Event Features
BCBSM & BCN Free Skate Rental
There's only one weekend you can skate for free at Campus Martius Park- Winter Blast Weekend! Now you can rent skates for free, too- courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network. In 2013, the first 250 people who arrive to rent skates at Campus Martius Park will recieve them for free. (regular rental fee $3)
Free Skating Ice Time at the rink is once again sponsored by Charter One Bank.
Winter Blast-Off
Fun Science Experiments for kids in the Cadillac Square Comfort Zone! Learn more
Hockey Haven in the D
Hockey is back in Detroit, and festivalgoers will win big as it joins the Motown Winter Blast celebration. The Winter Blast is excited to announce a new partnership with the Detroit Red Wings and Olympia Entertainment that will bring fun, hockey-themed entertainment to this year’s festivities. For the first time, the Red Wings will have a pair of interactive hockey games, including top shot, where fans will have a chance to win prizes. Visit the Comfort Zone tent in Cadillac Square for this fun hockey event. For Red Wings tickets or information, click here.
Great Expressions Hockey Shot Competition
The hockey activities don’t stop there: the Winter Blast is challenging festivalgoers with a Hockey Shot competition, presented by Great Expressions Dental Centers (GEDC). Throughout the weekend, attendees will have a chance to shoot and score cool prizes from Great Expressions, the Winter Blast and Detroit Red Wings. The grand prize winner will get a choice of a free set of braces or a dental care package from Great Expressions Dental Centers; two tickets to an upcoming Red Wings home game; and a weekend in Detroit package, courtesy of the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel. Each person who participates in the competition, taking place on the Campus Martius Park ice rink on Friday, Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m., will receive a GEDC t-shirt and smile bag for all their mouth-care needs.
University of Phoenix Learning Center Tours
Another newcomer to the festival and the downtown area is the University of Phoenix. The new sponsor is celebrating the opening of its new campus by offering facility tours each day of the event, at 2, 4 and 6 p.m. Festival patrons can sign up at the University of Phoenix booth, located in the festival comfort zone tent on Woodward Avenue.
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan Cookie Van
Also making their debut at the festival is the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan (GSSEM) which will debut its Cookie Van, a mobile cookie selling unit. In addition to the opportunity to purchase cookies from Feb. 8, which is National Girl Scout Cookie Day, through Feb. 10, attendees will have the chance to win Girl Scout cookies for a year!
D: Hive Practically Free Bar Tour
Friday, February 8th 6pm – 9pm
Meet at the Well at 1228 Randolph
Join D:hive as they visit 3 great bars right around WinterBlast. Thousands of people will be downtown for the Motown Winterblast this weekend. After you stop by the Smore Happy Hour join us as we kick off Winterblast with an insider's happy hour. These tours are great for going to places you may have never been– or even heard of!– with guides who can show you what they are like from an insider’s perspective. Whether you live in Detroit, are thinking about living in Detroit, or are just visiting, this is an excellent option for meeting new friends or simply getting a small “sip” of what Detroit nightlife is all about! There is a $5 dollar place-holding fee for each reservation, but the tour includes your first well drink or domestic beer for free.
Insider’s Walking/People Mover Tour
Saturdays from 2-4 pm
Meet at D:hive at 1253 Woodward (one block from WinterBlast)
Billions of dollars in development have happened along the Woodward Corridor in recent years and Downtown is at the epicenter of it all. On this tour you’ll see all the major developments as well as unique shops, one-of-a-kind restaurants and recently renovated residential options. You’ll also see some of Detroit’s great historical spots and its world renowned architecture. Depending on the weather, we will either be walking for the entirety of the tour or utilizing the People Mover. Please dress accordingly. Reservations are encouraged, please register via the Eventbrite link above.
Highlights include:
• Campus Martius Park
• Guardian Building
• Theater District
• Second Baptist Church/Underground Railroad
• The New Paradise Valley District
• Lofts at Merchants Row Development
Cupid's Undie Run
Quicken Loans and Fathead are sponsoring Detroit’s first ever “Cupid’s Undie Run.” This race makes its debut downtown on the Saturday of Motown Winter Blast, February 9th, as hundreds of Detroiters will be braving the cold for a brief one-mile run in their undies to raise funds and awareness for Neurofibromatosis (NF), a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow along various types of nerves in children.
Cupid’s Undie Run is the world’s largest organized underwear run, and is held the weekend before Valentine’s Day. The goal is to raise more than one million dollars for NF research in 2013. Since the first event in February 2010, Cupid’s Undie Run has expanded from Washington D.C. to 16 cities across the nation, including Detroit.
The party starts at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 9th at Cheli’s Chili Bar. The route will take runners on a one-mile course around Comerica Park and Ford Field. Anyone over the age of 21 is welcome to participate, and 100 percent of the proceeds raised will be donated directly to the Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF).
CTF is the world’s largest non-government organization dedicated to ending NF through research. The foundation provides support to children suffering from NF, their families and their supporters by providing easily accessible information, assisting in the development of clinical centers and expanding public awareness of NF to promote earlier and more accurate diagnoses. Cupids Undie Run is one of only four fundraising programs that provide financial support to CTF.
• Late-registration and check-in will begin at 12:00 p.m. on February 9th. Yes, runners can STILL register the day of the event!!
• The actual run will take place at 2:30 p.m., and the award ceremony will begin at 3:30 p.m.
• We’re expecting 500 participants, and after the race they will continue to “party” at Cheli’s, go home, or make their way to other downtown locations.
For more information on Cupid’s Undie Run (National): http://www.cupidsundierun.com/
For information on Cupid’s Undie Run Detroit: http://cupidsundierun.com/13/?c=det&p=h
For information on The Children’s Tumor Foundation: http://www.ctf.org/