Naman Shrestha
Directed by Dawn Wilkinson, ‘Block Party’ is a family comedy film that revolves around a 23-year-old Harvard graduate named Keke McQueen, who is all set to move out of her hometown in pursuit of her dream job. But upon discovering that her grandma has dementia, Keke puts her career on hold in order to make her grandma’s historic Juneteenth block party a success. During this process, Keke finds herself falling back in love with her hometown and its people, making her question her future.
The narrative is set against the backdrop of a small town, but it takes a fun turn when the Juneteenth block party sets off. The contagious vibe of the party not just entices the viewers to indulge in a party themselves but also makes them curious about the actual locations. So, in case you have similar questions in your mind, allow us to give you a detailed account of the production locations that appear in the comedy film!
Block Party Filming Locations
‘Block Party’ was entirely filmed in Michigan, specifically in the city of Grand Rapids — where the storyline of the film is set — and also in Detroit. By shooting on location, the production team was able to add the much-needed regional flavor and authenticity to the movie. Moreover, the comedy film is supported by a Michigan-based production company named Branch Out Productions. The principal photography seemingly commenced in September 2021 and wrapped up in a month or so, in October of the same year. Now, let’s navigate the blocks that serve as filming sites for the movie!
Grand Rapids, Michigan
A majority of ‘Block Party’ was filmed on location in Grand Rapids in Kent County, Michigan. It appears that the production team traveled across the city, including the Boston Square district, to film interior and exterior scenes. The decision to film locally brought several advantages to the locals. The president of Branch Out Productions, Lisa Mathis, expanded on this subject, saying, “We’re making an extra effort to cast locally while bringing more jobs to Michigan to strengthen our hub for diverse actors, producers, and filmmakers. We believe casting local actors is good for the economy and good for creativity.”
Block Party, a new movie project, is currently filming in the Grand Rapids area. This comedy follows a Harvard grad who falls back in love with her hometown and its people when she attempts to save her grandma’s annual Juneteenth Block Party. pic.twitter.com/HvbsH1ZAbS
— Michigan Film Industry Association (@MIFilmIndustry) October 6, 2021
Located along the Grand River, Grand Rapids is home to several attractions and landmarks, including John Ball Zoological Garden, the Gerald R. Ford Museum, Belknap Hill, Van Andel Arena, Wealthy Theatre, and the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. Moreover, the city is often frequented by filmmakers; some notable productions filmed in Grand Rapids include ‘Why Him?,’ ‘Road to Perdition,’ ‘Touchback,’ and ‘Hockey Dreams.’ Therefore, it is not surprising why the filmmakers chose the city as a filming site for ‘Block Party.’
They’re filming a movie outside my building. It’s called Block Party. I’m not even making this up. pic.twitter.com/ynkKJR1kJS
— Marcy (@JoeMacRules) October 5, 2021
Detroit, Michigan
For filming purposes, the cast and crew of ‘Block Party’ even traveled to Detroit, the largest city in Michigan. Supposedly, a few portions that could not be shot in Grand Rapids were taped in the city. Located in the Midwestern United States and the Great Lakes region, Detroit has several kinds of neighborhoods across the city. As for the areas such as Midtown, Downtown, Corktown, and New Center, there are many historic buildings.
The vast and versatile landscape of Detroit has made it a favorable production location for different types of filming projects over the years. Some of the well-known movies and TV shows that have utilized the locales of this city are ‘Deadpool,’ ‘No Sudden Move,’ ‘8 Mile,’ and ‘12 Monkeys.’
Read More: Is Block Party Based on a True Story?
