Saturday, October 24, 2026Ferndale, MI
There You Are
Experience the Pleasures of Looking, Listening & Tasting
I Was Hoping You'd Come
On arrival, you enter a corridor, forty feet of it, lined with work brought in from artists here at home and from further out, each piece a little too honest to hang just anywhere. Every piece gets its own pool of light, just enough to make you lean in and wonder if you're allowed to look as long as you want. Some of it will make you feel like you walked in on something. That's on purpose. Walk slow. There's no reason to hurry toward anything tonight.
Leave the week at the door. The job, the messages waiting on your phone, the version of you that always has somewhere else to be. None of that gets in. Here, you dress for a room that only asks that you arrive as someone worth looking at. No explaining the mask. No apologizing for enjoying it.
There's a reason for tonight, though the reasons were never really the point. Not everyone made this list. You did, and that's worth wondering about. This room was built one name at a time, slowly, deliberately, the way you'd hang a show rather than fill a guest book.
Looking
Get close. The work was made to be looked at, not glanced at.
Listening
Poetry and Comedy that lingers longer than the applause does.
Tasting
Drinks worth pausing for, bites small enough that you never have to.
The Line Up
The Evening Has Accomplices
The night changes shape a few times. They're why.
ExplicitlySha
Spoken Word Artist
Ju Hall
Poet
Arri Lane
Spoken Word Artist
Listening — the room’s sound
Put one on now, and you know what the room sounds like before you arrive.
Tasting — the glass and the table
Two lists, both short on purpose. Read them the way you read the walls.
The Drink List
Kamil's Signatures built for the occasion
Classic Man
Cognac, pear, ginger & cardamom — Smooth, confident and effortlessly seductive, with ripe pear up front, slow-building warmth and a spicy finish that knows how to linger.
Gummi Bears & Tuulips
Vodka, apricot, lychee & elderflower — Juicy, playful and shamelessly flirtatious, with lush fruit, delicate florals and just enough sweetness to invite another taste.
Silver Bush
Cognac, amaretto, coffee & absinthe — Silky, mature and quietly provocative, with dark nutty warmth, a soft touch of coffee and an herbal whisper that teases long after the sip.
Pouring all night
Beer
Short's Local Lite, Sierra Nevada Hazy IPAs, and Guinness
French 75
Gin, lemon, sparkling wine
Old Fashioned
Bourbon, bitters, orange
Amaretto Sour
Something sweet
The Food List
Heavy appetizers all evening, eaten standing, one hand always free for your glass.
Savory, all evening
Sweet & Savory Chicken Bites
Tender chicken, sweet chili glaze, sesame & scallion — sticky, savory and just sweet enough, with a quick hit of heat that keeps every bite interesting.
Tomato Basil Bruschetta
Tomato, basil, garlic & toasted bread — Bright, juicy tomatoes and fragrant basil piled over crisp toast, bringing a fresh, garlicky bite that wakes up the palate.
Smoked Salmon Crostini
Smoked salmon, creamy spread, fresh herbs & crostini — Silky, smoky and elegantly savory, with cool creaminess, fresh herbs and a delicate crunch underneath.
Savory Glazed Meatballs
Tender beef meatballs & savory glaze — Juicy, deeply seasoned and coated in a rich glaze, delivering a warm, satisfying bite with just the right touch of sweetness.
Prefect Pasta
Pasta, garlic, herbs & olive oil — simple and satisfying, finished with a dusting of parmesan, easy to eat standing and impossible to walk past without going back for seconds.
Phyllo Cheese Bites
Whipped brie, fig jam, thyme & crisp phyllo — a delicate, flaky shell giving way to something warm, soft and a little sweet underneath, with just enough herb to keep it from tippin
Sweet, later on
Banana Pudding Cups
Creamy banana pudding, vanilla wafers & whipped cream — Rich, velvety and unapologetically indulgent, with layers of nostalgic sweetness made for slowly savoring every spoonful.
Strawberry Guilty, Gladly
Strawberry mousse, whipped cream, graham crumble & a cherry — the kind of thing you take one bite of, glance around to see if anyone's watching, then finish without apologizing.
- Theme
- A masquerade, which is a strange thing to call an evening built around being seen. That is the point. Everyone arrives hidden, and the room finds you anyway.
- Date & Time
- Saturday, October 24, 6pm-10pm, in Ferndale, Michigan.
- Arrival
- Doors open at 6:00 PM. Come inside the first hour if you can — the corridor is best walked with people in it.
- Location
- The location is private and will be sent to all guests who have RSVP's on the day of the event. You can use The Ferndale Project building as a close landmark.
- Attire
- Dress for the version of yourself you do not get to be on a Tuesday. Gentlemen, black tie. The tuxedo exists because nothing else does what it does to a man in a dim room. Keep it classic, then allow yourself one thing that is only yours. A dark suit and tie is the floor, not the goal. Ladies, take all the latitude you want. Black tie is the suggestion. What you do with it is the point. Dress like you have already decided how the evening goes. Masks are required, and the mask is where you show your hand.
- Hotel
- A discounted block of rooms is held for us at Hotel Royal Oak, ten minutes from the door. Ask for the There You Are Celebration block when you call, or BOOK YOUR ROOM. The rate covers Friday and Saturday nights, October 23 and 24, and holds through Tuesday, September 29.
- Parking
- Free street parking surrounds the venue, shared with the businesses next door. It goes quickly on a Saturday night, so give yourself an extra few minutes. Or take the shuttle and skip the question entirely.
- Shuttle
- The shuttle is free to guests, running between Hotel Royal Oak and the event space from early evening until close. Book a room or not, the seat is yours.
- Gifts
- The best gift is you booking a room at Hotel Royal Oak. Both nights if you desire it, at least Saturday if you do not. It means you stay later, drink easier, and wake up somewhere that is not your own driveway.
- After Party
- The evening does not end at the event. The shuttle runs back to Hotel Royal Oak, where the Vinyl Room is ours for the rest of the night. Cash bar, late snacks, a pool table, and enough room to sit down and stop performing. Come for an hour or stay until they turn the lights up.
RSVP
Tell us you are coming and we will keep a place in the room for you.
Saturday, October 24, 2026
The door comes down behind you, the room turns to see who it is, and there you are.