Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer in metro Detroit and I’m OK with that. Except for the fact that 2010 is zooming by terribly fast, I’m looking forward to the autumnal leaves and weather. Sweatshirt weather is the best!

In other news, September is National Potato Month. So, find the spud of your life and enjoy!

And in other other news, I feel like the only person in the area who isn't going to see Eminem. Have a great time at the show! I'm a wee bit jealous.

Weekend Roundup

1. Hamtramck Labor Day Festival - Head to Hamtown for entertainment, a carnival, an arts & antique fest, and yummy Polish food. Watch the Polish Day Parade or take part in the Golab-K fun run. Sto Lat! September 4-6.

2. Southwest Detroit Bike Tour - Check out the taquerias, retail businesses, parks, and more while riding on two wheels with Wheelhouse Detroit. September 4th.

3. Rhythm, Roots & Rhyme Poetry Slam - Watch the finals of the poetry slam at Hart Plaza including both youth and adult sessions. Featured performances by CityWide Poets from InsideOut Detroit. September 5th.

4. Detroit International Jazz Festival - Hart Plaza is home to the largest free jazz festival in North America. Veterans of jazz and up-and-coming artists will perform. September 3-6.

5. Sirens of Chrome - Take a photographic ride through auto show history from the perspective of the sexy show models. Photography and vintage gowns will be on show. Through September 6th.

Oh yeah, and in case you’ve been living under a rock, Arts, Beats & Eats will be in Royal Oak this weekend. There are tons of great acts performing including my favorite, Mayer Hawthorne. Check out some of the smaller venues too; Blair and Emilio Basa will both be playing sets at Goldfish Tea.

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

I’ve had a few Detroit stories swimming around in my brain that I’ve been meaning to tell you about. Sometimes I forget that many of you aren’t on Twitter. Things that seem so yesterday to the Twitter world aren’t always publicized in other ways. 

So, have a look!

Johnny Knoxville, known for “Jackass: The Movie”, is checking out Detroit in a campaign for Palladium, a boot company. The daredevil explores Detroit and the people who are passionate about the city. “Detroit Lives” was set to premier yesterday but it has been pushed back to September. From the trailer, it seems like they got it right.

Hard Luck Candy Vodka martinis.Do you remember the candy you loved as a child? Candy fish and root beer barrels, anyone? Now your favorite candy flavors have been distilled into vodka! Yes, they’ve been adultified! (That’s a word, right?)

Hard Luck Candy Vodka was started when the owners began infusing vodka at the Hard Luck Lounge in Grosse Pointe. They’ve been around for a bit but their official launch was two weeks ago. I tried both the Candy Fish and the Root Beer Barrel vodka at the launch and am a bit smitten with the root beer version. New flavors are on the horizon. Find Hard Luck Flavored Vodka near you!

Have you heard about The Backchannel? Stephen Clark, news anchor at WXYZ, started this online phenomenon to merge old media and new media, to interact with the Detroit community, and to showcase positive stories about Detroit. He can explain it much better than I can, he’s pretty good with words, you know! Check out the beginnings of the Backchannel, the upgrade, and where it stands now.

Now, I’m not suggesting you grab some root beer flavored vodka, kick up your feet, and watch the news but… actually that isn’t a bad idea. Oh, and I’ll keep you posted when “Detroit Lives” is set to premier.

I don’t have any witty banter, weird facts, or weather reports today. Today, I just give you some cool things to do in Detroit this weekend. I felt kind of bad, though, so I included a few more photos from my trip up north last weekend.

The mighty Mackinac Bridge as seen from the Upper Peninsula.

A covered bridge on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Weekend Roundup

1. Alger Theater presents: Film on the Hill - Free, outdoor screening of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark at dusk. Attendees will even get free popcorn! August 28th.

2. Little Acorns - Little ones ages 1-4 (and their adult counterparts) explore the sights, sounds, and smells of the season. August 27th.

3. Come Hear Belle Isle - Live music and non-profits from around the city will be showcased at the Remick Music Shell. See what fabulous things the city has to offer while listening to local bands such as The Sights. August 28th.

4. People's Art Festival - The largest free arts festival in the city of Detroit features artists, performers, filmmakers, and musicians. August 28-29.

5. Pop Up Detroit (Facebook link)- A "pop up" art gallery initiated by young residents will open in the Shops at the Kresge Building. Local artists will show their work in the vacant shops to bring attention to the amazing spaces and artists in Detroit. August 27-September 13. (Read more at Real Detroit Weekly)

Also, the Michigan Renaissance Festival heads in to its second weekend and Troy Restaurant Week ends on Friday, August 27th.

Do you know of a great event going on in Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!

The Detroit Coney Island hot dog war heats up again as the Travel Channel’s Food Wars airs this Wednesday, August 25 at 10:00 p.m. EDT. Camille Ford visits the neighboring Coney Islands and a winner will be revealed.

The long battle between American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island is well documented. I’ve talked about the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food” stop in Detroit to taste test our rivaling coney dogs and I was witness to the Food Network’s “Food Feud” with Michael Symon.

But who will win Food Wars: Detroit?

American Coney Island & Lafayette Coney Island

I’ve seen the full segment and I know which coney dog the judges voted for, including Local 4 anchor Carmen Harlan. Yep, I know who won.

I have agreed to keep these details and the outcome confidential. Of course, I could be bribed by a coney dog or two from my favorite, Lafayette Coney Island. Just kidding.

For now, here’s a sneak peek at the Food Wars: Detroit episode: 

Tune in to the Travel Channel on Wednesday at 10:00 p.m. to see who is crowned the winner.

Who serves up your favorite coney dog, American or Lafayette?