Motown Invitational Classic (MIC) is a sporting event as well as a community organization that hosts a yearly bowling tournament on Columbus Day weekend, bringing hundreds of people from around the country to the Metro Detroit Area for a weekend of fellowship, fun, and bowling. MIC is a sanctioned member of the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO).
In 1984, after a failed attempt to bring the IGBO tournament to Detroit, members of the BTI Sunday Mixed League formed a committee to reorganize and initiate an IGBO-affiliated gay and lesbian bowling tournament.
Originally, three co-directors were elected: Randy Albright, Joe Madej, and Ken Sparks. Together, with a large group of volunteers, they created a friendly and inviting tournament that would welcome bowlers and friends for many years to come.
The first tournament was designated as the Detroit-Windsor International Freedom Tournament (DWIFT) and was appropriately held on July 4th weekend, celebrating both countries' national holidays: Canada Day and U.S. Independence Day.
In 1989, the tournament was renamed the Motown Invitational Classic (MIC) and was held on the joint international weekend of Canadian Thanksgiving and U.S. Columbus Day.
In addition to our yearly tournament, the committee supports the LGTBQ bowling leagues in the metro Detroit area and sponsors community events. While most of our events include raising funds for the tournament, we also support various charities throughout the year.
