Ninth annual Marche Du Nain Rouge celebrates Detroit

Marche Du Nain Rouge is a celebration of all things good in Detroit.

Hundreds paraded through Midtown, Detroit for the ninth annual Marche Du Nain Rouge March 25.

The legend of Nain Rouge has been around since the time of Detroit’s founding.

According to the event’s Facebook page, when Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit, he was confronted by the Nain Rouge, a devilish dwarf known for misfortune, and became cursed for life.

For Windsor resident Joey Acott, this year was the second time he’s attended the Marche.

“It was very exciting to see so many people turn up to this really abstract parade,” said Acott.

The idea behind the event is to tap into the rich history of Detroit and use this legendary character to bring people from all around the city and publicly display their creative ideas.

Marching bands, street dancers and human-powered floats were all featured at this year’s event. Parade-goers dressed in costumes – which consisted of masks, steampunk outfits and a lot of red and black.

“Everyone in the Marche was having a blast – lots of families and their kids, dogs and groups of people dressed up,” said Acott. “It was pretty cold outside, but no one seemed to mind since there was so many of us.”