Axios Detroit

March 06, 2025
🏒 On this date in 2014, the Red Wings retired Nicklas Lidstrom's No. 5 jersey. He's one of eight former players to have received the honor.
☁️ Today's weather: Mostly cloudy, with highs in the upper 30s.
Today's newsletter is 945 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: How to celebrate 313 Day
Next week, Detroit celebrates more than just the iconic three numbers that make up its area code.
Why it matters: 313 Day — celebrated on March 13, of course — is a celebration of the city's spirit, achievements and cultural history.
- Event hosts are highlighting local entertainers, businesses and activists around the city next Thursday through Saturday.
What they're saying: "There were always amazing people, places and projects [in Detroit], but they weren't lifted up very often to locals or people beyond the 313" in the past, Jeanette Pierce, president of City Institute and a lifelong Detroit resident, tells Axios.
- "Detroiters have always felt pride and felt like we had to defend our city, and now more people are understanding the assets here, and there's more and more people coming together to celebrate the amazing things we've done in Detroit."
Flashback: Detroit was assigned the area code 313 in the late 1940s, when the North American Numbering Plan was created to standardize the telephone numbering system, according to the Michigan Chronicle.
- The low number reflected Detroit's prominence as a city at that time, and the high call volume it would generate, since low numbers were easier to dial on rotary phones.
Planning your 313 Day party schedule? Check out:
313 Day Festival: The three-day event honoring Detroit's history, musicians and innovators is back with big names after a one-year hiatus, according to Metro Times. Tickets for concerts start around $35, with bundles starting at $89.
- Thursday, March 13: R&B concert at the Masonic Temple Theatre, with doors at 6pm. Artists include Charity, Neisha Neshae and Nick Lavelle.
- Friday, March 14: Celebrate the influential local rap scene with Tee Grizzley, Icewear Vezzo, BabyTron and many more names, plus "surprise guest performances." Masonic Temple Theatre, doors at 6pm.
- Saturday, March 15: Education Day, 10am at The Icon building, gives attendees a chance to learn more about the entertainment business, mental health, community engagement and more.

Riverfront: Channel 4 and the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy plan to have live music, a vendors market, themed drinks, kids activities and more at Valade Park on the east riverfront on March 13 from 3:13pm to 7pm.
2. New charter bus company
Gogo Charters, a Texas-based charter bus company, is launching a Midwest bus network that will connect Detroit to major cities across the region.
The big picture: The bus system joins the D2A2 connection to Ann Arbor and the Detroit Air Xpress (DAX) route to DTW as newer services in the area.
Zoom in: The network is scheduled to launch this summer, with fares beginning as low as $10 and a dynamic pricing model based on trip length and availability.
- Gogo plans to depart Detroit from the Hotel David Whitney on Park Avenue.
Zoom in: Detroit routes will take passengers to Chicago and Cleveland, DBusiness Magazine reports.
- From there, passengers can transfer to buses traveling to Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin.

What they're saying: Gogo says passengers can expect "an elevated travel experience with modern buses" and amenities including reclining seats, Wi-Fi, and onboard restrooms.
What's next: The Midwest is the second regional network that Gogo has announced in 2025.
- The company says it will launch "several" more this year, creating a "nationwide network of interconnected" routes.
3. The Grapevine: You heard it here
🚙 The Trump administration is easing the newly imposed tariffs on North American allies, with an auto sector carve-out that exempts the industry from import taxes for one month.
- The move offers temporary relief to a business with strong ties to Michigan that heavily relies on free trade with Canada and Mexico. (Axios)
☕ More local cafés are asking patrons to stop using laptops, including Flyleaf in Grosse Pointe Farms.
- "It's a question of identity and the idea of creating a space that allows guests to step away from the chaos of the world that we live in and find enjoyment and pleasure in literature and wine and in food," Flyleaf's sommelier and beverage manager said. (Free Press)
👂 Local news pub BridgeDetroit launched a podcast and content channel zeroing in on Detroit's 2025 elections, partnered with Detroit Is Different. (BridgeDetroit)
4. Things to do
Spring is getting closer, and it's time to start making warm-weather plans.
- This weekend's camping and wedding expos might be a good place to start.
🚙 Camping World's Ultimate RV Show starts today and runs through Sunday at Huntington Place downtown.
- Free!
🎤 Rick Ross and other rap stars from the 2000s are bringing the Millennium Tour to Little Caesars Arena on Saturday at 8pm. Tickets start at about $70.
- Ross is also scheduled to perform at an afterparty at the strip club Legends, per the Metro Times.
🔊 Kash Doll, the local rapper who was spotted recently with Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith, is performing at the Masonic Temple on Sunday at 7pm.
- Tickets are going for $175 and up.
💍 Getting hitched? Ford Field is hosting the Bridal Celebrations expo with wedding professionals, products and trends on Sunday starting at noon.
- Tickets are $12.
😆 Comedian Mike Epps is hosting the We Them Ones comedy tour stop at Little Caesars Arena on Friday at 8pm. Other performers include Kountry Wayne and Lil Duval.
- Tickets start at $65.
5. Grading the Lions

Lions coach Dan Campbell once again received a perfect grade on the annual report card from the NFL players' union.
Why it matters: The exercise helps monitor the league's working conditions and contributes to teams' reputations, which could come into play during future free agent negotiations.
Zoom in: Campbell, who's known for his inspirational words, got an A+ for the second consecutive year.
- The team's overall ranking out of 32 teams rose from 13th to ninth.
Our picks:
🤨 Joe has several outstanding toll road fees that suddenly need to be paid, according to all the spammy texts he's been getting this week.
🫣 Annalise is embarrassed to say she had to consult both her partner and Google to figure out the toll road thing was a scam.
Edited by Chloe Gonzales.
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