DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit Police say they'll be deploying additional resources as thousands of people are expected to travel into downtown Detroit for the holiday weekend.
Friday, musicians will play at the Movement Music Festival in Hart Plaza. The festival is one of the longest-running music events, according to the website.
"People from all over the world come for this event. We’ll have people from Europe, from Australia, from South America," said Kristy Cook, who is the general manager at Central Kitchen and Bar on Woodward Avenue.
Cook says they’ve already lined up live music for the influx of customers they're expecting this weekend and in the next few weeks.
"We’re one of the lucky ones where people come for the food, they come for the vibe, they come for the music and they come for the guests," Cook saud. "It is nice to have people back and in crowds and not be afraid and getting that extra income and extra business, especially this time of the year is fantastic."
The city says they're also expecting large crowds next weekend as the Grand Prix is set to take place on city streets for the first time in years.
"It was really cool at Belle Isle, so I was really excited to see it come back through the streets. Not sure how it’s going to work out but, I’m excited to see it," Candice Wroblewski said.
Wrobleski says while she won't be there for the Grand Prix this year, she tries to get downtown almost every weekend.
"It’s so exciting seeing everybody coming back downtown with all the conferences and events, especially after winter, after COVID and the last few years, it’s just exciting to see everybody out and about again," Wrobleski said.
As excitement grows, police say they’re working to make sure people can take part in the city's upcoming events safely.
"We want everybody to enjoy the weekend. We want them to enjoy it responsibly. We want people to keep the guns at home. We will be actively looking for people who are illegally carrying weapons and I will re-emphasize illegally carrying weapons. We will be actively looking for them," Detroit Police Department Chief James White said.
White says as a part of their 12-point plan to curb violence in the city, people can expect to see more officers on the street, the use of metal detectors and enforcement on things like illegal ATV riding and public intoxication.
"In our downtown areas, we’re going to be doing things with undercover officers, looking for people who are illegally carrying weapons but more importantly in our neighborhoods, we’re going to be emphasizing and focusing on keeping our parks safe for the holiday," White said.
People planning to head downtown say they’re hopeful the weekend will go smoothly.
"It’s definitely on my mind, but I try to just be aware of my surroundings and, you know, if you see something, say something," Wroblewski said. " I hate to not do something because you’re scared. It’s still a beautiful city and most people just want to have fun and have a good time."
