Madison officials tout success of jam-packed September lineup

MADISON HEIGHTS — Madison Heights was busy with back-to-back events last month, including the fifth annual Trail Tunes, the inaugural Revin’ in the Heights, a community open house at Fire Station No. 1, and the second annual K-9 demonstration. Each was organized by residents on different committees, and officials say each was a success.

According to Madison Heights City Manager Melissa Marsh, more than 1,000 people attended the strolling music festival Trail Tunes at Civic Center Park on Sept. 21.

One week earlier, on Sept. 14, the car show and barbecue cook-off Revin’ in the Heights rolled into the same venue, drawing more than 500 participants for its first outing. An open house at nearby Fire Station No. 1 was held at the same time.

Revin’ in the Heights was organized by the Human Relations and Equity Commission, while Trail Tunes was run by the Arts Board.

On the same day as Trail Tunes, there was also a K-9 demonstration at Rosie’s Park featuring officer John Bradley and his dog Harko, from the Madison Heights Police Department, as well as K-9 units from the police departments of Hazel Park and Royal Oak. That event was organized by the Crime Commission and drew around 100 people for a showcase of the dogs and their skills, according to Madison Heights Police Chief Brent LeMerise.

Sean Fleming, a member of the City Council who serves as its representative on the Crime Commission, is already thinking of ways to grow the K-9 demonstration in the future.

“I’m suggesting to the Crime Commission that we reschedule the event to be in conjunction with the (Madison Heights Police Department) Bike Rodeo, which is early in the year each spring,” Fleming said. “That would help boost attendance and participation for both events, while reinforcing the theme of meeting our police and fostering those relations with the public. Everyone loves the dog, so it works out well for everyone.”

City Councilman Quinn Wright, the council rep for the HREC, likewise has ideas for the next Revin’ in the Heights.

“We have a tentative date set for Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. We want to get even more participants in the barbecue competition, and we’ll look for even greater participation from the business community. We had some local restaurants this year and would like even more to bring our residents and business community closer together,” Wright said.

Revin’ in the Heights was an event that Wright and the HREC originally tried to hold last year under a different name, but it was rained out in 2023. This year was when it all finally came together.

“We had been planning this for a while, and the outcome was even better than we could have hoped for,” Wright said. “And it wasn’t just car enthusiasts, but also people just looking for something to do, with folks of all ages and backgrounds. One thing I loved the most were the awards, not just first or second or third place, but also Mayor’s Choice, Fire Chief’s Choice — even a Kid’s Choice that went to a tiny red-and-yellow smart car that looked like a Little Tike’s car. The cook-off was great, too — we had a couple veteran cooking teams, and we’re hoping for even more next year.”

Mayor Pro Tem Mark Bliss, who founded the Arts Board, said Trail Tunes was extra special this year since it marked the debut of the city’s grant-funded bandshell, on which the climactic Battle of the Bands played out. This year’s winner was Kayfabe: The Ppls Band, with Leisure Machine coming in second.

Each attendee could cast one vote for free and purchase additional votes with a donation to the Arts Board. There was also a judging panel composed of Arts Board members, who along with the public vote decided the finalists. After they played, the crowd was asked to “make some noise” for their favorite, and the loudest response decided the winner — as measured by decibel level, via a sound meter.

This capped off a daylong event that featured bands playing alternate sets not only on the bandshell stage but along the trail loop, inviting guests to either pitch a chair or blanket by their favorite artist like a traditional concert, or meander from one to another sampling the sounds.

“I think the biggest benefit of Trail Tunes really comes down to the flexibility to do both, and I think what I love most is the community we’ve built with our musicians,” Bliss said. “At most concerts, you’ll have one band leave the stage and another come on, but with Trail Tunes, you often see both bands watch each other perform throughout the day. It’s a level of camaraderie between local bands, and it’s great to see everyone thrive. Like when Kayfabe was announced as the winner (at the Battle of the Bands), I don’t think there was anyone happier in Civic Center Park than the guys from the runner-up, Leisure Machine. Everyone was so supportive.

“And there’s no better way to break in a brand-new bandshell than to have a classic rock band playing there for the afternoon, so it was a pretty awesome experience,” he added. “At one point, I looked over and there were dozens of people sitting on our hill watching a band play on the basketball court, and then I looked to the other side and saw another 100 or so people watching a band at the bandshell, and both of those spaces were new this year — the redone basketball court and the bandshell, both with grants — so it was a really cool moment to take that in and see how much things have changed in a very short period of time.”

The festival started in 2020 as a safe way to have socially distanced fun enjoying music at a time when most venues were closed due to the pandemic. While it’s grown over the years, Bliss said there’s still a long way to go before attendance levels reach their full potential.

“I still think that in many ways, we’re the best-kept secret in Oakland County as far as live music goes,” Bliss said. “A big focus for us next year will be how do we continue to get the word out. We had many first-time attendees this year, but the bulk had been here multiple years and were here to see their favorite bands. We weren’t near the size of crowd that the park can hold, so I’m hoping we can find the secret sauce when it comes to marketing and promotion of this event, so that we can fill up the park the way these bands deserve.”