Rendez-vous Détroit
Celebrating Détroit's French History!
EVENTS
Rendez-vous Detroit is involved in many cultural activities throughout the year. Below is our upcoming and past events.
Rendez-vous Détroit s’implique en plusieurs activités culturelles pendant l’année. En-dessous sont quelques-uns des évènements 2025.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Bonne Fête 325 Détroit tickets can be ordered online or mail completed registration form with check to:
Rendez-vous Détroit
P.O. Box 4158
Centerline, MI 48015
Rendez-vous Détroit has reserved a block of rooms at the Fort Pontchartrain Hotel for the convenience of guests. Staying at the hotel is not required to attend Bonne Fête Détroit 325. Please see Event Info Packet for hotel information.
%20-%20Schedule.jpg)
RENDEZ-VOUS DÉTROIT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Bonjour les amis,
Rendez-vous Détroit is planning a wonderful celebration to mark Détroit’s 325th birthday, July 24 – 25, 2026.
To commemorate the founding of Détroit on July 24, 1701 by Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, Rendez-vous Détroit will be hosting a weekend of festivities at the historic Fort Pontchartrain. Hotel, located on the very site of Cadillac’s original fort. Festivities include:
• Friday afternoon gathering at the Cadillac Convoy Plaque at Hart Plaza to pay tribute to Cadillac and the members of the founding 1701 convoy.
• Friday evening meet and greet cocktail party at Fort Pontchartrain Hotel.
• Friday night French Canadian dinner with after-dinner speaker Catherine Cangany, Ph.D., “Early French History of Détroit,” and dance. Music by Dennis Stroughmatt and L’Esprit Creole, Deborah Hyland, Dance Caller.
• Saturday morning conference: Jim Verney, “Jean Baptiste Vernier” (1762 – 1834) and Claire-Marie Brisson, Ph.D., “Michiganaise: Tracing Francophone Identity in the Great Lakes.”
• Saturday afternoon: Détroit French History Cruise or tour of the Detroit Historical Museum.
• Saturday evening: Traditional French Canadian music by La Compagnie Dance Troupe.
Rendez-vous Détroit is seeking sponsors to partner and party with us! We offer a variety of sponsorship opportunities which will ensure your name or company’s name is part of the lasting legacy of Détroit’s 325th celebration.
Please join with us as we remember and celebrate Détroit’s French history and heritage.
Bonne Fête Détroit!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Mr. John Moran
Mr. Ken Roberts
Mr. James LaForest
Mr. David Martin, in memory of Bernadette Martin Salinger
Dar and Stephen Darley, in memory of Russell Navarre, Sr.
PAST EVENTS
French Christmas at the Strait
Noël Français au Détroit
A French Noël celebration was held in the church hall of the Basilica of Ste. Anne de Détroit on Saturday, December 13, 2025 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Guests enjoyed an assortment of French treats including buche du Noël, sablés, macarons, plus a visit from Père Noël. Violinist Vincent Hunt serenaded the crowd with traditional Christmas carols which included a sing-along in French led by John Cooper.
Trois Bouffons performed many holiday favorites as well as the classic music of the Straits. M. Genot Picor led the group in traditional French folk dancing. Afterwards, a bilingual mass in the church was held. Ste. Anne’s Director of Music, Joseph Moss, added a special touch to the mass by playing French hymns.
The French Christmas at the Strait was a great way to celebrate the Season – great food, music, friends and fun!
24 July 2024
On 323rd Detroit's birthday: The French Ambassador to the US, M. Laurent Billi welcomed by Msgr. Kosanke at the Basilica of Ste Anne de Detroit, parish founded by Cadillac in 1701 and the last landmark built (1887) by the French community of the city. A short Detroit French History tour was organized by Rendez-vous Detroit board members (below in traditional attire) for this first visit by the Ambassador and his wife to Detroit.
23 July 2024
The French Novena at Ste. Anne de Detroit and the Detroit French History Cruise on July 23, 2023 was a meaningful and fun experience for all!
Sunday, July21, 2024 was the day of the annual French Novena at Ste. Anne de Detroit. The noon mass was attended by people of French descent or whose families once called Ste. Anne's their home parish. The mass was followed by a wonderful buffet in the church hall which featured many French and French Canadian entrees and desserts. To say the least, everyone was well-fed and happy!
Then it was time to take a boat ride for the Detroit French History Cruise on the Detroit River, the main highway of the 18th century. Host John Cooper did an excellent job narrating the historical tour and pointing out all the French landmarks along the river route.
Between John's narrative, lively traditional French Canadian music was provided by Too Happy Voyageurs.
18 May 2024
Rendez-vous Détroit and the French Heritage Society, Chicago-Midwest Chapter, co-hosted the Saturday night dinner for the attendees of the French Heritage Corridor Conference. The dinner was held at the Sawyer Homestead in Monroe, MI. The property was once the original French ribbon farm of François Navarre, founder of Frenchtown/Monroe.
Rendez-vous Détroit provided the pre-dinner appetizers and punch as well as a French Canadian dinner. After dinner, Russ Navarre and his sister Dar Navarre Darley gave a presentation about their ancestor, François. Rendez-vous Board member Cathy Kirouac Robinson created one of her beautiful baskets, this one with Rendez-vous wine glasses and bottles of wine. Everyone was given a ticket and one lucky person won the basket. Then it was time for the music and dancing sponsored by the French Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, The Center for French Colonial Studies and the Kalamazoo chapter of Alliance Française. La Compagnie performed before and after dinner and an excellent time was had by all!
Rendez-vous at Historic Fort Wayne, 2021