Marche Du Nain Rouge

On Sunday March 25, 2012 I helped kick the Nain Rouge out of the city of Detroit.

According to legend, this small red devil has been causing trouble in Detroit for more than 300 years. When the French explorer Antoine Cadillac founded the city in 1701 he encountered the Nain and hit him on the head with his cane, causing the Nain to put a curse on him

Since then, the Nain Rouge has been spotted throughout Detroit's history, most notably at the city's most unfortunate occurrences.

There was once a yearly tradition of marching a symbolic Nain out of the city. This tradition, which ended in 1910, was revived in 2010.

I missed the first two modern marches, but I'm glad I finally got to participate this year. Me and BB are somewhere in the middle of this photo. 

What a treat to be part of such a positive, fun event in a neighborhood, the Cass Corridor, that was once notoriously dangerous. I hope it's a tradition that continues for many years to come.





















It's important to come to the Marche Du Nain Rouge in disguise, so the Nain won't recognize you. It's also a good excuse to wear whatever crazy thing you'd like to wear. Most marche attendees got into the spirit of the event and dressed up. I only wish I'd taken more pictures, but I was having too much fun to shoot.

One of the best parts of the marche and the party at Masonic Auditorium afterward was the presence of the Detroit Party Marching Band. A guerrilla band that sometimes appears at events unexpectedly, they play a mix of Balkan-inspired songs, and modern pop tunes re-arranged for brass. Their energy and enthusiasm made the day.