DETROIT — The Marche Du Naine Rouge is a parade that began four years ago as a quirky way to transform Detroit's dismal socioeconomic and political struggle into a message of hope and optimism for better days to come.

No other parade in Detroit compares. Instead of an organized procession of slow-rolling floats and marching bands, the Marche brings with it a chaotic and energized mass of revelers dressed in absurd, frightening and funny costumes, who track south on Cass from Midtown to Cass Park in an effort to chase the Nain Rouge from town.

This year attracted a record 4,000 to Midtown, be they participants in the first 5K run, marchers or spectators, said event organizer Peter Van Dyke.

The Marche Du Nain Rouge is the idea of Francis Grunow and Joe Uhl, fans of Detroit, history and folklore, who revived the legend of le Nain Rouge in 2010.

Each year since Detroit's founding in 1701, the yellow-eyed devilish red dwarf returns to plague the city and must be run out of town.

Starting with just a few hundred participants, the event has grown exponentially in just four years, this year generating buzz from major Detroit media outlets leading up to the event, including a Metro Times cover story.

"I can't believe this little event we started is primetime news," Van Dyke said was his reaction to the attention.

Organizers, with bicycle enthusiast nonprofit Tour De Troit, raised $12,000 to produce the event. Van Dyke said leftover proceeds will be donated to a yet-to-be-determined cause or charity.

In past years, any profit was kept in preparation for the next event, but the popularity and support has grown such that Van Dyke said funding isn't expected to be a problem.

Van Dyke said 400 participated in the Midtown 5K run, estimates more than 3,000 marched and up to another 1,000 spectated.

For the last two years, the Nain Rouge's appearance has centered around the city's financial calamity. In 2012 the red dwarf announced his candidacy to become the city's emergency manager; this year he claimed victory before being promptly ousted by WDIV Local 4's Devin Scillian, who then issued a hopeful speech to those in attendance.

Meanwhile, the Nain stripped his suit, revealing a Hawaiian shirt beneath, and set off on a vacation with a bikini-clad vixen hooked to his arm.

"Last year the emergency manager mess was timely and we didn't know it would be just as timely a year later," said Van Dyke. But that doesn't mean the Nain is all politics.

"The beauty of folklore and the beauty of this march is that we have creative license to change every year," said Van Dyke.

Check out MLive's coverage of Sunday's march (Nain Rouge vacation-bound)

A photo essay by Tanya Moutzalias

2012 Marche du Nain Rouge

2012 Marche du Nain Rouge photo gallery

Videos from the parade and after party: