Things to Do in Madison Heights

Inside Pilates Denver’s "movement studio"—a name adopted from its always-in-motion instructors—students draw both knowledge and inspiration from tenured masters, whether working to shed fat or unwind after a long day. Six days a week, students strengthen their cores during private, semi-private, and group-equipment classes in the Pilates studio. In the movement studio, instructors teach pupils traditional Pilates mat exercises to strengthen, tone, and elongate muscles. Meanwhile, other groups make use of a ballet barre while moving to high-octane music, or flow through sun salutations during Vinyasa and Hatha yoga classes.

Part dance party, part costume bash, and all spectacle, The Haunted Kingdom sprawls across 65,000 square feet. DJs, fortunetellers, and local celebrities shamble about an eye-defying dance floor flush with thousands of revelers dressed in their best getups. Lights pulse to body-shaking bass as silk dancers twist like spiders from the ceiling above dramatically lit skeletons. For this year’s spectacular, the organizers aim hard to break the Guinness world record for largest Halloween event.

Birmingham’s Uptown Film Festival honors area filmmakers reaping the benefits of the Michigan Film Incentive, which—since it was passed in 2008—has stepped to the forefront of the film industry with the creation of more than 11,000 jobs. Comedies, dramas, and documentaries from the Mitten and beyond squeeze into the projector’s cylindrical glow at the Birmingham 8 and Birmingham Palladium 12 theaters, where several films will be debuting their Michigan premieres. Festive galas and postshow parties allow cinephiles to drop spec scripts in the drinks of their favorite filmmakers, each of whom longs for an award from a discerning crew of local professionals and film critics.

A steel-encased solar system of gun ranges, firearms retail, and educational classrooms stands within the 10,000-square-foot indoor facility of Action Impact Range. In the range, safety officers enforce the rules and regulations while assisting shooters, who lock and load in one of 14 computerized firing lanes and unleash a hailstorm of ammo from the retail store on paper targets. Every 60 seconds, a military-grade ventilation system sweeps through the firestorm to completely exchange the range's air, ridding it of contaminants discharged from guns and softly whispered one-liners from Schwarzenegger films.

Action Impact Range is the domain of Bill Kucyk, an NRA–certified and law-degree-toting former lawman who spent 29 years commanding a detective bureau, conducting special investigations, and serving on the SWAT team. His years of expertise lend a wealth of knowledge to both classes on carrying concealed weapons and online educational videos, which offer safe, legal guidance to gun enthusiasts.

The collection of ramps and half pipes inside Landslide Skate Park's 22,000-square-foot indoor skate facility offers a year-round haven for skaters of all skill levels. During private, group, or open-skate lessons, students master the nuances of kick-flips as experienced skaters demonstrate tricks and retired skateboards deliver instructive lectures. The park's foam pit provides a soft, cushy landing for skaters to practice aerial maneuvers without fear of injury, and a slew of private party rooms, flush with snacks and foosball, host birthday celebrations. Serious skaters can purchase top-of-the-line gear and apparel from brands such as Zero, Habitat, and Alien Workshop in the pro shop, or invest in a park membership for discounted access to the park and lessons without having to disguise yourself as Tony Hawk's legal guardian.

The 200-foot straightaway comes to an end in one of six wheel-testing curves. The Honda 5.5-horsepower engine hums in anticipation. The moment foot touches pedal, hydraulic brakes give their answer and the racing wheels cling to the textured concrete as the go-kart deftly whips through the turn. Coming up on the end of an eight-minute streak of adrenaline, racers zip past the final stretch of the 1/5-mile race track, tearing ahead of each other as the computerized timing system clocks each score to fuel future bragging rights and rematch challenges.

From Kart 2 Kart's café and bar, applause rises as family, friends, and opponents sizing up the competition send their appreciation down to the track, which they've been watching as they nosh on a selection of snacks and beverages. Juniors, meanwhile, wait their turn to hit the blacktop in age-appropriate Formula-K karts. Before strapping in, all racers receive instruction and a safety lesson, during which they learn how to operate the equipment, then strive to set records that can earn them a spot on the website's scoreboard.