DETROIT (WXYZ) — As the stage for the 2024 NFL Draft comes together piece by piece, businesses in the Greektown neighborhood are preparing to throw the party of all parties.
Over the course of the draft, April 25 through April 27, the businesses in the neighborhood will be hosting a three-day tailgate set to take place throughout the streets.
"We’re so excited to welcome everybody from across the country to downtown Detroit and definitely to Greektown," said Melanie Markowicz with the Greektown Neighborhood Partnership. "We’re going to be having a street party all throughout Greektown. We’re going to have 19 bands, 12 DJs, an emcee. We’ll be streaming the draft. We’ll have multiple bars, games, food trucks."
Markowicz says the tailgate is free to attend and will run each day of the draft from noon to midnight.
"One of the greatest things about Greektown is you have multi-generational Greek families operating and owning businesses and properties for well over 50 years, and we have this gorgeous architecture as well. We’re really excited to showcase this district," Markowicz said.
Small business owners set to take part in the event say they're excited to possibly land new customers.
"We start with all the prep. We get to our location and we usually have lines. We usually sell out at locations. Some of our favorite egg rolls are like the cheeseburger, corned beef, crab Rangoon," Belinda Beard said.
Beard is the owner of Egg Roll Diva, a food truck that's gained a serious following selling non-traditional egg rolls. Beard says she got the original recipe from her mother in 1988.
"(The egg rolls) definitely have evolved. She started with ground turkey and cabbage and it was good with sweet chili sauce," Beard said.
Beard will now be one of several businesses showcasing what they can do during the NFL Draft. Her food truck will be parked in the Greektown neighborhood to serve visitors a taste of Detroit.
"I’m excited because it’s such an opportunity for a small business like mine. I mean, we wait for hundreds of thousands to come to the city, so I’m there," Beard said.
Beard says during the draft, they will be offering a specialty Oreo cheesecake cookie egg roll along with their regular menu.
"We certainly think it’s going to be impactful for all of our businesses and the city of Detroit, and we’re just really excited to participate," Markowicz said.
For more information on the Greektown Tailgate, check the neighborhood website.
