Thousands Gather To Run Evil Imp Out Of Town During Annual March du Nain Rouge

DETROIT (WWJ) - A few thousand people gathered in downtown Detroit Sunday for the March du Nain Rouge ... the annual event to march an evil imp out of the city.

Organizer Peter Van Dyke says folklore has it that the evil imp taunted Detroit founder Antoine Cadillac ... driving him back to France,so they drive him out of town every year.

"He's a folklore character that has been seen at some of Detroit's most notorious happenings..whether it was the fire that burned down the city in the 1800's, the riots in the 60's...whatever it might be....there's, you know, purportedly the Nain Rouge has showed up at some of the city's most notorious happenings and he brings negativity upon the city."

But..there's more than just a parade.

"That is a festival that is based upon the folklore to march the nain rouge out of Detroit because he is kind of the, the harbinger of doom in Detroit ... so he kind of represents all that's bad about the city and so the goal is for the city to come together and march the Nain Rouge out," Van Dyke.

He says after the parade, people go to the bars and stores in the Cass Corridor.