Movement Festival celebrates 20 years at the Detroit Historical Museum

The world-famous Detroit Movement Festival may not take place this weekend, but a festive event in its honor will.

The Detroit Historical Society (DHS) program commemorates the closing of its “2000/2020: Celebrating 20 Years of the Electronic Music Festival in Detroit!” exhibit, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday at Legends Plaza outside the Detroit Historical Museum (DHM).

“We at the Detroit Historical Society think it’s really important to tell all the stories, and (the Detroit Electronic Music Festival) is such an important story,” said Tracy Irwin, head of exhibitions and enrichment of DHS.

The event will feature a panel discussion with Detroit techno legend Carl Craig and photographer Doug Coombe. They will be joined by Tim Aten, the filmmaker behind the festival documentary “The Drive Home”, and Sam Fotias, director of operations at Paxahau, who produces the festival. WDET personality Chis Campbell “DJ Cambeau” will be moderator.

The event also includes a screening of “The Drive Home”, music by electronic music DJ Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale and nightly access to the exhibit. Food trucks and pop-up shops will be available.

“Our main focus was to represent the full 20+ years of the festival and to represent the uniqueness of the electronic music community,” said Tim Price, who co-hosted the exhibition and event with Rita Sayegh. “(We also wanted to) show the impact of the festival and the music itself on the city and from a global perspective, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the festival.”

Traditionally held over the three-day Memorial Day weekend, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival premiered in 2000 at Hart Plaza in Detroit. Although it has undergone several name and producer changes – settling on “Movement” in 2006 under Paxahau – it has grown into a global phenomenon, attracting around 30,000 attendees per day from around the world.

The event has been on hold for two years following the COVID-19 pandemic, and no official announcement has yet been made regarding a return in 2022.

Sayegh said the partnership with the museum highlights the importance of the festival in contemporary culture.

“Having this platform for ‘2000/2020’, through this respected institution, provides the context at a time that many may not recognize as a story in the making,” she said.

COVID-19 security protocols will be in place. Advance ticket purchase is required and guests will enter using a timed ticket booth to manage capacity and be assigned a set path to maintain social distancing. Visitors should also wear a mask when not eating, drinking and inside the museum.

Price said Sunday’s event is open to people who have attended the festival for years as well as those who have never heard of it.

“The good thing about this exhibit at DHM is that they come out of the community gallery and say ‘WOW!’ and maybe even spark interest in the music and / or the festival itself, ”he said.

Irwin said it was a great opportunity for the people of Metro Detroit to come together to commemorate Detroit-born music.

“Let’s celebrate this music, celebrate this festival and be together,” she said.

Although the program celebrates the closing of the museum’s exhibition, which opened in September, people still have time to see it. “2000/2020: Celebrating 20 Years of Electronic Music Festival in Detroit!” Will last until June 27.

«2000/2020: Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the electronic music festival in Detroit! “

Sunday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Legends Plaza in front of the DHM. The doors and the museum open at 5.30 p.m. with music from 6 p.m. Tickets cost $ 15 for DHS members and $ 25 for non-members.

Calendar

6 pm-8pm: DJ Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale

8 pm-9pm: Round table with Chis Campbell “DJ Cambeau”, Carl Craig, Doug Coombe, Tim Aten and Sam Fotias; Questions and answers for the audience at the end

9 p.m.-10 p.m .: Screening of the film Drive Home