The city's annual celebration of its culture and mythology returns Sunday afternoon to Cass Corridor.

The big picture: Marche du Nain Rouge is a colorful, PG-13 community gathering and parade that leans heavily into music, civic pride, local history, costumes and current events.

Catch up quick: So what exactly is the Nain Rouge? Here's event director Francis Grunow's explanation of the Detroit legend that looms over every Marche:

• "It's a mythological creature. Some would say it's a cryptid, which I don't really know what that means … it's like a thing that is maybe humanoid but not like a human."
• The real question each year is whether the Nain will physically appear before attendees.

Context: Described as a "scarlet imp," the Nain has been known to mysteriously appear at some of the city's infamous mishaps, dating back centuries.

• In 1976, according to legend, two workers saw the Nain climbing up a utility pole shortly before a horrible ice storm.

The latest: This year's Marche features a Groundhog Day-themed performance of the Nain Rouge's origin story.

• "The Nain Rouge is always here — you can't chase the Nain Rouge away. It's something that's inherently part of the city of Detroit," Grunow tells Axios.

State of play: The parade starts Sunday at 1:30pm at Canfield Street and Second Avenue, proceeding eight blocks south on Second to Cass Park.

• Music starts in the area at 11:30am, and the event is rain or shine.
• Up to 10,000 attendees are expected.

The intrigue: In addition to the Groundhog Day theme, this year's Marche will highlight the city's music, with timed performances as opposed to the open community stage of years past.

• About half of the event's approximately $30,000 budget goes to production, while the rest goes to costs related to permitting and police.

What's next: The Marche has enough volunteers for this year's event, but help is still needed for Volunteer du Nain Rouge on March 29 — a Mardi Gras-themed workday to help restore Rouge Park's hiking trails.

👋 Axios editor Everett here. I'm a Michigan alum who rarely has positive things to say about the Spartans, but even I find myself gravitating to Coen Carr.

Why it matters: The sophomore is not MSU's best player. He averages less than 8 points per game, plays the sixth-most minutes per game on the team and isn't projected by most mock drafts to be picked in the 2025 NBA Draft.

• But Carr plays with a ferocity that completely changes how the Spartans can win games and should be a major factor in their potential run in the NCAA Tournament.

Between the lines: The small forward is listed at just 6-foot-5 — not overly tall for a wing — but is athletic enough to jump over a car and dunk while also being able to guard every position on defense.

• Whenever the Spartans get stuck on offense, it seems like they can just lob it up in the general direction of the rim for Carr to find it.
• His highlight reels are a wonderful way to spend five minutes.

The intrigue: Defensively, Carr can jump high enough to protect the rim even as a wing, which brings a versatility that most teams in the country lack.

What's next: Michigan State plays Bryant at 10pm tonight in Cleveland on TBS.

🚗 Traveling to the game? Our friends at Axios Cleveland recommend Cordelia if you're staying downtown — it's a stone's throw from the arena — and Never Say Dive if you're venturing into the neighborhoods.

• Troy Smith may or may not be willing to give you a guided tour of the Rock Hall, but Sam Allard will certainly talk your ear off about one of Cleveland's most distinguished residents, Balto, at the Natural History Museum.
• You may not have time for a full 18 holes, but Northeast Ohio is a sneaky golfer's paradise.

🏅 Flint letter carrier Rungphet Bodnar, who used dog spray to fend off a dog that was mauling a child in April, was among those honored at yesterday's National Association of Letter Carriers' Heroes of the Year ceremony in Washington, D.C. (Free Press)

🚨 A 25-year-old Troy man was in stable condition yesterday after allegedly being shot twice in the arm by a coworker in a parking garage at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. Troy police said the suspect was in custody. (AP)

🔊 AfroFuture Detroit announced some of the performers scheduled for the festival in August. They include Kaytranada, Ludmilla, Flavour, Lojay and Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley. (Detroit News)

Ah, spring. The season of wild wind, afternoon showers, blossoming flowers and more daylight.

Driving the news: The Detroit area will gain more than three hours between now and the summer solstice on June 20, per NOAA's solar calculator.

How it works: Here in the Northern Hemisphere, latitudes gain more daylight in the spring compared to areas closer to the equator.

😎 The bottom line: Here comes the sun.