Here's What It's Like To Hit One Of The Detroit Auto Show's Biggest Parties

Jan. 13, 2016 2:50 PM ET by Michael Hines / 5 Comments

The cars weren't the only stars out in Detroit.

The 2016 Detroit Auto Show is in the books and from the outside it would seem we spent all of our time writing and taking photos. That's actually not too far off from what we did during the day. However, at night we went out to enjoy a few of the auto show parties. Trust us when we say that these things are awesome. The first night we found ourselves at an FCA event at the Chrysler House. From the 23rd floor (give or take) we got a great view of downtown Detroit.

The party itself featured an open bar and quite a few food stations, with our favorite being the raw bar. The CarBuzz team recommends raw beef with quail egg. Trust us. We also may or may not have investigated the vodka-based drinks at the custom cocktail station. The event itself was very laidback which was much-needed after a long day covering the show. While at the FCA party we were fortunate to meet one of the men behind it, Randy Podeszwik of Continental Services. We complemented Randy on a great party and chatted with him about the show and the other automaker events being put on during the week.

Before our conversation ended we were invited to the Cars.com Best of 2016 Awards being held the next night at the Fillmore Detroit. (Don't let anyone tell you Midwestern hospitality isn't a thing.) The following night we met up with Randy and the guy running the night's show, Michael Roberts of Forte Belanger, at the Fillmore. The venue had a classic vibe with balcony seating and a stage that let the audience get within feet of the band. There was plenty of food to chomp on and about five or six open bars spread throughout. We headed immediately for one of the bars while Walk The Moon played. We settled into the VIP area up top to watch the awards, which were given out fast and furiously. Why? Because Fall Out Boy was up next.

Yes, the band of your college/high school days was in the house. Before they came on I scanned the VIP balcony and noticed someone in a suit holding one of the awards just given out. We were up top with the big dogs. Said big dogs may not have known the band but that didn't stop them from bobbing their heads along. That being said, the view and experience from the floor were loads better. The exec I saw could have easily nailed Pete Wentz or the band's shirtless drummer with his award from where I stood watching the final song. Sorry for the fluff, but Randy, Michael and the staff at Continental Services and Forte Belanger extended us a warm Detroit welcome and threw some awesome parties. That's worth a shout out to us.

Here's What It's Like To Hit One Of The Detroit Auto Show's Biggest Parties

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