Courtesy of ChrisMRichards on Flickr

Wondering what’s happening this month in Detroit’s social media and tech space? Here are a few events to add to your calendar.

Startup Weekend Detroit
Friday, May 14th – Sunday, May 16th at Wayne State University

Founded in 2007, Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event that provides resources and incentives to help local students, developers, innovators and entrepreneurs build successful startup companies. The event has been hosted in more than 50 cities in 12 countries, resulting in the creation of more than 280 new companies. Over the course of a single weekend, Startup Weekend Detroit participants will work in teams to create, develop and launch new business ideas. On the final day of the event, each team will present their new company, share their progress and discuss next steps. Startup Weekend Detroit is open to anyone interested in metro Detroit’s growing technology and interactive community. Tickets to the event are $50 for professionals and $40 for students. For more information, visit www.detroit.startupweekend.org or follow the Startup Weekend Detroit 2010 hashtag on Twitter (#SWD2010).

Social Media / Michigan EMMY Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts Mixer
Thursday, May 20th at 6:00 PM at D’Amato’s Neighborhood Restaurant and Wine Bar.

The Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (MI-NATAS) is the most recognized non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of Excellence in Television. They are hoping to “break down a few silos” and connect with members of metro Detroit’s digital community. RSVP on Facebook.

Social Media Club Detroit – May Meeting
Wednesday, May 26th at 6:00 PM at the Rochester Mills Beer Co.

Gary Wohlfeill, Creative Director at Moosejaw, will be presenting on Social Web Strategies for Retailers. Gary will talk about how Moosejaw uses the digital space and often wacky antics to start conversations with their customers. He will discuss how they have successfully used Facebook, Twitter, SMS, and Email marketing to build an incredibly loyal following. Come out and hear about a company with a truly fresh approach to marketing on the web and beyond.

Moosejaw info:
Web: http://www.moosejaw.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/moosejaw
Twitter: @MoosejawMadness

Rochester Mills info:
Web: http://bit.ly/a2f0sT
Facebook: http://bit.ly/dxObKL

RSVP to the event on Facebook

If you have questions regarding any of these events, feel free to contact us on Twitter at @idetroit.

- Brandon

Courtesy of Umair Mohsin

With FutureMidwest week in full swing, there are plenty of fun things going on around metro Detroit. We hope that you’ll consider swinging by O’Tooles in Royal Oak this Saturday at 5 p.m. after day two of FutureMidwest for the iDetroit after party. The event will be ultra casual and a great opportunity to share what you learned with others. Everyone is welcome!

To RSVP, check out the Facebook event page.

Tumblr Meetup – Wednesday, February 10th at 7pm – Detroit Beer Company (Detroit)

If you can brave the snowpocalypse, head down to the Detroit Beer Company tonight for the very first Detroit Tumblr Meetup.  There will be stickers.

TechKaraoke | Detroit 2010 – “Rockin’ New Years” Edition – Friday, February 12th at 8:30pm – Dino’s Lounge (Ferndale)

TechKaraoke Detroit is a freakin’ blast. That is all. Join us Friday, February 12th at Dino’s Lounge in Ferndale for some awful singing a hilariously awkward moments.

Social Media Club Detroit – February Meeting – “The Social Web and the Law” – Wednesday, February 17th at 6pm – Lawrence Technological University Cafe (Southfield)

Karen Evans (@KarenEvansTM) is going to present on The Social Web and the Law at Lawrence Tech at Cafe Lawrence. Karen Evans, an attorney and university professor, will discuss common legal issues that surface in the Web 2.0 environment. The social Web has introduced new variations on old issues (can I form a contract with tweet?) and brand new issues all together (when/how can I use the Facebook logo on my promotional materials?).

Ignite Detroit - Thursday, February 25th at 6:30pm – The Magic Stick (Detroit) (SOLD OUT)
This is going to be an awesome time. Ignite Detroit is a night of presentations with a twist. Presenting on a subject of their choice, speakers have exactly five minutes to enlighten and inspire their community using twenty slides that auto advance every fifteen seconds. Ignite is quick, fun, and smart. I’m also proud to say that iDetroit co-founder David Murray will be presenting at the event.

Unfortunately, if you don’t have a ticket already, the event is completely sold out!

If you have questions regarding any of these events, feel free to contact us on Twitter at @idetroit.

- Brandon

This past year, interactive and tech-themed events held in Metro Detroit connected more than 1,000 people and helped raise thousands of dollars for local charities. Dozens of individuals, including many outside of this group, worked very hard to organize such events so that we could all socialize, network, collaborate and learn together.

Here is how we at iDetroit plan to carry this incredibly powerful momentum forward into 2010.

Bigger and better events
We are already hard at work putting together some awesome events for 2010. Members of our team are already in the early stages of planning for the very first Ignite Detroit, as well as the return of Startup Weekend Detroit.  You’ll also see internationally renowned social media and business thought leaders coming to Detroit for Module 2010 (Future Midwest) and Brand Camp University 2010.  While we can’t share all the details at this time, we promise that it’s totally worth the wait.

Great conversations and ideas
Our own Hubert Sawyers III and David Murray have spearheaded the creation of two fantastic social media-related groups that are experiencing explosive growth. Tweetea recently announced its expansion into new cities and the recruitment of regional ambassadors. Social Media Club – Detroit has garnered nearly 700 fans in just a few short months, making it one of the largest Social Media Club Facebook communities ever. Look for these two groups to host some of the most thought-provoking and insightful events in the Detroit area next year.  There will also be plenty of special guests.

Plenty of new faces
Since word got out about our tweetups, conferences and late nights rocking the mic, iDetroit has been contacted by other local professional and social groups that are interested in becoming part of our community.  With these new relationships in place, we hope to not only cross-promote events, but also find opportunities to integrate our groups.

Your thoughts
This year taught us a lot about the value of participation, friendship and community.  So, what comes next?  What do you hope to see happen within Detroit’s interactive community in 2010? If you share your ideas, we can work together to make it happen.

Social Media Club Detroit – November Chapter Meeting
Join presenter Christopher Barger, Director of Global Communications Technology for General Motors, at this month’s Social Media Club – Detroit chapter meeting on Wednesday, November 18th at Goldfish Tea in Royal Oak. Christopher will be discussing GM’s team approach to social media communications and how the organization’s digital strategy translates internationally. The meeting starts at 6pm and the presentation is scheduled for 7pm. For more info, check out the Social Media Club – Detroit Facebook Page.

Detroit Urban Craft Fair Tweetup
Handmade Detroit has joined forces with iDetroit and I3Detroit (Note: Two different groups. Both awesome.) to host a fun and interactive event that celebrates creativity with cocktails.  On Friday, November 20th at 7pm, come join Detroit Urban Craft Fair vendors the night before their big show at the Majestic Cafe in Detroit. There will be snacks and desserts courtesy of Handmade Detroit and Twitter crafts (make your Twitter nametag button for your next Tweetup). Now in its fourth year, the Detroit Urban Craft Fair will be showcasing more than 50 vendors representing a variety of art crafty goods at the Majestic Theater on Nov. 21. For more info, check out detroiturbancraftfair.com.

TechKaraoke Detroit
Think Tweetup meets networking event meets karaoke meets awesome.  Join other members of Detroit’s tech and social media space at Royal Kubo in Clawson as TechKaraoke Detroit gathers to rock out.  There WILL be prizes, including a $30 bar tab “stimulus” for the “Best in Show” performance courtesy of Royal Kubo!  The event starts at 8pm and karaoke kicks off at 9pm.  To learn more about TechKaraoke Detroit, check out its Facebook Group.

Know of any other events happening this month that we should know about? Let us know in the comments.