The Spirit Of Aloha Is Alive In Farmington Hills

Aloha means hello. It also means goodbye. It’s also a moral code, a connection to nature and an expression of peace, love and compassion.  

It can be difficult to understand how a single word can have so many meanings, but the complex concept of aloha is known well by those who live in Hawaii, and also by those who play the ukulele.  

You’ll know the spirit of Aloha when you feel it, and if you visit Farmington Hills, Michigan, you won’t have to wait long to.

The area is well known for its ukulele community, and even has a group that meets regularly to promote the uke and Hawaiian culture. The Motor City Ukes meet on the second Wednesday of each month to encourage beginners to learn, amateurs to practice and pros to, well, go pro. The club – which welcomes players of all skill levels – promotes the local ukulele community by getting together to strum, learn and sing as a group. If bringing people together for the sake of good music and great friendship didn’t already scream “aloha”, then the fact that the club often performs with a group of aloha dancers will.  

The Motor City Ukes and Hoaloha Polynesian Dance Group often get together to deliver fun performances of live music and dance around Farmington Hills and the rest of Michigan to promote the ukulele and hula communities.  

If their meeting and performance times don’t match up with your schedule, the Tree Town Ukes, Michigan’s oldest ukulele group, is close by and now boasts over 250 members. Based in Ann Arbor, the Tree Town Ukes meet on the fourth Tuesday evening of each month at Oz’s Music on Packard Street.  

A tad farther is the Lansing Area Ukulele Group. The club meets once a month at Sir Pizza in Old Town Lansing, just around the corner from Elderly Instruments. The group welcomes players of all skills – including beginners – and focuses on playing, learning, sharing knowledge on the uke.  

Lansing is, of course, also the home of the Mighty Uke Day, which attracts visitors from all over Michigan – including those from Farmington Hills - for three days of ukulele fun. The three-day festival takes place in the city’s Old Town and features an array of workshops, group strums, open mics, concerts with featured performers, children’s activities and jam opportunities. The world’s largest ukulele – which stands an impressive 13-feet tall – also makes an annual appearance here.

With plenty of ukulele groups, festivals, and supportive communities, there’s no denying that the Spirit of Aloha is alive and well in Michigan.