The City Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship (DETROIT ACE) is proud to join The North End Main Street District, The Detroit Design District, and Vanguard Community Development to host one of the city’s most original events – Hospitality Included Festival ’25— in the Detroit Design District.

The festival , which runs from 1 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, August 24 at 6545 Oakland Ave, Detroit, is introducing a fantastic way to bring together residents together with a Community Ticketing model — a pay-it-forward system that helps some create space for others. Rather than purchase a ticket for themselves, businesses and individuals can purchase $5 tickets that directly cover admission for someone else. Every $5 ticket purchased in advance opens the door for one person to attend the festival for free.

If 7,000 tickets are sold before the festival, the entire event will be free for all. Otherwise, admission is $5.00. Organizers expect 5,000 to 10,000 people. Tickets can be purchased at hospincluded.com/event-details/hospitality-included-fest-25. The festival and community ticketing are the brainchild of Thor Jones, founder of Hospitality Included, who sees culinary arts as something that should be celebrated by all.

“Hospitality, at its best, is about making people feel like they belong,” said Jones, a 17-year service industry veteran. “Our work at Hospitality Included is about building spaces where everyone feels seen, celebrated, and welcomed, and where Detroit’s food culture reflects the full spectrum of the city.” Detroit deserves a food scene that feels like Detroit,” he said. “That means representation in ownership, visibility in leadership, and space for all people, diners and staff alike, to feel like they belong at the table. Culinary arts have the power to move a city forward. We’re working to make sure Detroit’s food culture is not just vibrant but reflective of the communities that make this city what it is.”

Jones, whose first general manager position was opening Savannahblue, also has worked at Chartreuse Kitchen and Cocktails, Magnet (now Barda) and Freya. Hospitality Included Festival has grown from seven food vendors and 250 patrons to this year’s 30+ food vendors and more than 5,000 patrons.

Director of Arts and Culture Rochelle Riley called the festival a moving and original event that showcases Detroit’s entire cultural scene, bringing together the culinary arts, performing arts and fine arts with great food, music, dancing and fun. “Detroit ACE celebrates all arts, fine, performing, design and culinary,” she said. “We’re glad that Thor and his team want this festival to be a Detroit staple.”

About Detroit ACE The Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE) partners with organizations across the region to enhance and grow investment in the fine and performing arts, culture and history with a special focus on artistic entrepreneurship and support for Detroit’s creative workforce. Follow ACE @detroitcityarts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.