Detroit Events

January

Mid-January for a week
Detroit Auto Show: An annual event since 1907. Held at the COBO Convention Center:
1 Washington Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226
313-877-8777
January
Late January
Motown Winter Blast
Snow Maze, ice skating, music stages, food, warming tents, and more. (313) 833-7900.

March

Early March
Detroit Autorama
Held at the COBO Convention Center: A premier auto show.
1 Washington Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226
313-877-8777

May

Annual Movement Festival
313-567-0080
Held at Hart Plaza
The annual Detroit Electronic Music Festival has changed names and stewardship with techno pioneer Derrick May. In the past, the fest has drawn an impressive 1.5 million fans who adore the blips and bass of electronic music. The biggest attractions perform in Hart Plaza, and the stage is brought down off the top of the amphitheatre to bring the DJs and bands closer to the people.
Late May
Budweiser Detroit Downtown Hoedown
Annual country music fest includes established & new artists and is considered by many to be the largest Country Music show of its kind in the world.

June

Mid-June
Detroit Festival of the Arts
Set in a 20-block area of Midtown Detroit's University Cultural District, The Detroit Festival of the Arts continues to present outstanding visual and performing artists from around the world, while showcasing the city's premier arts and cultural institutions Since it began in 1987, the Detroit Festival of the Arts has delighted more than 4 million visitors from all over Southeastern Michigan.
Late June
Cruisin Downriver
Annual car cruise starting in southeast metro Detroit attracts hundreds of thousands of ardent auto fans.

July

Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival
The weeklong event celebrates Canada Day (July 1) and American Independence Day, ending with fireworks over the Ambassador Bridge.
Early July
Coamerica Taste Fest
An annual celebration that combines some of the area's most popular restaurants with local and national musicians, artists and other entertainers, this event truly speaks to what a summer festival ought to be. More than 40 restaurateurs will participate in this year's festival, offering samplings of their specialties to the throngs of visitors. Meanwhile bands of every flavor perform on four stages positioned throughout the New Center area. 313-872-0188
Mid-July:
Annual Gold Cup Race
Unlimited hydroplane racing on the Detroit River.

Mid-August

African World Festival
features music, art, food, and cultural programs.
Mid-August
Michigan State Fair
Held in Detroit since 1905 at Michigan State Fairgrounds & Exposition Center
1120 W. State Fair Avenue
Detroit, MI 48203
Mid-August- Late September
Michigan Renaissance Festival
In nearby Holly, Michigan
The Holly fairgrounds are redesigned as a late 16th century English village. Elizabethan costumes, Shakespearean drama and heart-pounding jousts on horseback. Each weekend has a theme, so get ready to experience "High Seas Adventure," "Highland Fling" and "Wonders of the World," to name a few. Guides are Shakespeare-quoting thespians who work year-round in Metro Detroit theaters. 800-601-4848

September

Early September
Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival
Held on the Riverfront. North America's largest free jazz event

November

America's Thanksgiving Parade
America's Thanksgiving Parade has been sailing down Woodward for nearly 80 years, and is a popular event.

December

Motor City Bowl
NCAA Football
248-645-6666
The annual Motor City Bowl has featured some spirited contests in recent memory. The Fox Town area has undergone a dramatic rebirth in recent years, with nightclubs, upscale eateries and pubs springing up in the shadow of Ford Field and Comerica Park. Detroit's newest cultural and sports entertainment district, also home to the Fox Theatre, State Theatre and the Second City, will be booming as college football fans converge on the favorite pre- and post-game haunts of Lions, Tigers and Red Wings fans.