ROOTS TO RISE
Camping on the Cut
Returns July 23, 2022
Camping on the Cut is a unique overnight urban camping experience created by Roots to Rise Detroit, Detroit Up North, and the Riverfront Conservancy. A sold out event in 2018 and 2019, it will return to the Dequindre Cut on Saturday, July 23, 2022.
This 21+ experience takes place overnight along the Dequindre Cut, from the Freight Yard to the Gratiot entrance, and features live music, bonfires, a midnight bike ride, outdoor games, cocktails, and more.
Camping is a vulnerable experience that allows for connection. You're stripped of (most) devices and amenities, sleeping on the ground, basically protected only by a light piece of fabric clasped together by a zipper, eating whatever you brought, and the bathrooms are a bit of a hike. But camping, whether it's in the middle of nowhere or in your own backyard, creates a sense of oneness with the earth and inclusivity with other campers.
Something about the experience makes it easier to get to know your neighbors, talk to strangers, and put differences aside and enjoy what camping is all about -- sitting together around a roaring bonfire and sharing stories. If we can open up and form a unique community for just one night, can we use that experience to influence the way we treat our neighborhoods and our communities?
