Music
MOVEMENT ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL
Type: Music Festival (Electronic, Rap)
When: Memorial Day Weekend Every year
Movement is the crown jewel of Detroit when it comes to music festivals. Highlighted for a 3-day event every Memorial Day Weekend, Detroiters and music lovers from all over the world jet in to spend time feeling the bass rattle the pavement. There are 6 stages, each with nuanced sub-genres of Electronic Music from local to global, while the Waterfront Stage plays host to the city’s Rap game on Saturdays, bringing in some national acts. Unlike some other festivals in different states, there’s not a still body on the campus as festivalgoers of all ages throw out their best dance moves, soak it all in, or capture it creatively through various forms of art. There are also tons of afterparties when the gates close for the night in multiple venues across the city - so if you’re ready to party all night, this one’s for you!
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Foundation Hotel, Fort Pontchartrain, Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Food Nearby: Apparatus Room (Inside Detroit Foundation Hotel), Detroit Beer Co., Niki’s Pizza, Sweetwater Tavern, Astoria Pastry Shop
BIG PINK
Type: Electronic Music Club
When: Based on Event Schedule
If you’re not making it back for Movement, Big Pink is a spot to reconnect with that vibe post-Hart Plaza. As the story goes, two former roommates birthed the idea of a space where artists could flow creatively, and as of 2024, the space is a permanent venue, showcasing local and touring acts with a neon ambiance. It still maintains an underground vibe, but creates a safe space at the same time for people to feel as if they can express themselves. Aside from their concert events, if you check their Instagram, you can catch other activations like “Big Stretch” aka pre-nightlife Yoga with a live DJ set.
Food Nearby: Bucharest Grill (Rivertown), Atwater Brewery, Andrews On The Corner
SAINT ANDREW’S HALL
Type: Concert Venue
When: Per Show
Saint Andrew’s Hall might just be one of the best if not the best venue in Detroit. With legends being born on its basement stage at The Shelter (looking at you Eminem), to the intimate yet massive concert hall, this is a place you can catch some of the most epic performances from touring acts. Our favorite highlight is when there is a show upstairs in Saint Andrew’s Hall proper, you can go down to the basement bar area to snag some merch, pick up specialty handcrafted cocktails (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that change each evening to reflect the act you’re seeing, and even Better Made chips or Bottomless Popcorn, all while watching the show on a projector screen. This is perfect for taking your kiddo for their first show because you can keep them comfortable if they feel too overstimulated by crowds (let’s face it, we’ve been there as adults, you can absolutely hang downstairs for this reason too).
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, The Siren Hotel, Shinola Hotel
Nearby Food: Checker Bar, Jacoby’s German Biergarten, Basement Burger Bar (Vegan / Veggie Options)
Art & History
Detroit is rich with creatives, historical pieces, current works, and tons of lineage and lore. Here are some of the things to keep an eye out for while you’re trekking through the city!
EASTERN MARKET
Type: Outdoor Location
When: Anytime
On a typical Saturday, you’ll catch a massive farmer’s market, but one of the highlights of this area is the murals that are sprawled across the campus. One of Eastern Market’s events is Murals in the Market, where 1XRUN helps to curate artists who create new pieces on designated walls. This helps to bring more artists into the city and pay homage to the culture and process of creation, all while it being sanctioned. The best part is that once the murals are up, they stay up for at least a year or more, which means you can visit this outdoor art gallery of sorts at any time.
There is also an adjacent spot for more active folk called the Dequindre Cut. There are sometimes small outdoor music events at a shipping container bar at the bottom of the track, and you can rent bikes or scooters and take this path all the way to the Detroit Riverfront.
Food Nearby: Zeff’s Coney Island, Louie’s Ham & Corned Beef, Thomas Macgee’s Sporting House Whisky Bar
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
Type: Museum
When: Hours of Operation
Let’s be honest: We could pick any museum or landmark in the Museum District, but the Detroit Institute of Arts, also known as the DIA, is always going to be our top pick. The collection we have in the Motor City has been highlighted many times nationally, and with the constant gallery activations passing through on top of the 65,000 + artworks from early civilization to the present, it’s safe to say that you’ll see something new every time. On top of that, Café DIA, an indoor-yet-looks-outdoor courtyard carries amazing food, coffee, and a place to hunker down with your laptop or sketchpad to draw inspiration amongst the art.
Hotels Nearby: Hotel Saint Regis Detroit, El Moore Lodge
Food Nearby: Café Dia (Inside the DIA), Motor City Brewing Works, Pie Sci Pizza (Vegan & Vegetarian Options), Woodbridge Pub (Vegan & Vegetarian Options)
THE HEIDELBERG PROJECT
Type: Outdoor Art Installation
When: Daytime Hours
The Heidelberg Project has been kicking since the late 80’s, but its popularity has only grown as the legend gets larger. Artist Tyree Guyton, family, neighbors, and volunteers all helped to turn a rundown neighborhood into a living art piece. The vacant lots were filled with repurposed items such as sculptures, and many of the pieces are there to artistically speak out on the struggles of Detroiters, Guyton’s experiences with hardships of a struggling neighborhood, and even some topics that extend to all of America including healthcare, violence, racism, abandonment, and more. How to participate is to park on Heidelberg or Elba and walk through the property, taking in the art. All they ask is that you respect the space and do not disturb the houses that actively have people living in them.
MOM’S SPAGHETTI
Type: Take-Out & Museum
When: Year Round, Hours May Vary
If you’re a fan of Eminem, you have to check out Mom’s Spaghetti at least once. A special sauce recipe for spaghetti, with a choice of regular or “rabbit balls” aka plant-based meatballs, as well as a sandwich version. They also have some killer garlic bread. How is this a museum though? It’s a little bit of an “if you know, you know” thing. While you order your food from a window in an alley between Union Assembly and other businesses, a small, wood-paneled museum dedicated to some of Eminem’s iconic music videos and discography can be found at the top of the stairs inside Union Assembly, along with his merch and tables where you can eat your take-out. Don’t want to get that on your shirt, after all.
Hotels Nearby: The Siren Hotel, Shinola Hotel
Activities
We’ve got tons of things that happen in Detroit, and these are only just a fraction of them! We pulled both mainstream popular events, as well as some that are a little more diamond-in-the-rough.
MARCHE DU NAIN ROUGE
Type: Parade
When: Last Week of March
In order to explain what some call the “Nain Rouge Parade,” we have to explain the Nain himself. According to lore, a dwarf-like character had an unlucky face-off with Detroit Founder Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Our leader wasn’t kind to the Nain, and as a result, the Nain cursed the City of Detroit, hence all the bad luck we’ve endured for many decades.
Detroit residents and outsiders take to the streets (usually in red garb) starting at the intersection of Canfield & Second Street to partake in a NOLA-style celebration, complete with fire performers, musicians, and the like. The goal? To attempt to shoo the Nain and their supporters away for another year - bringing good luck and prosperity with our actions. The parade is semi-family friendly if you’re cool with occasional swearing and some sultry yet private-covered performance costumes. You can be pro-Nain if you’re into that sort of thing - just DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST!
Hotels Nearby: Hotel Saint Regis Detroit, El Moore Lodge
Food Nearby: Honest John’s, Detroit Shipping Company (multiple food stalls)
FORD FIREWORKS
Type: Outdoor Event
When: Near July 4th (June 24, 2024 this year)
The Ford Fireworks is one of the best fireworks shows in the nation. They’re shot off over the Detroit River, where both Detroiters and our friends in Windsor can see, using over 10,000 pyrotechnics to create the spectacle. But that’s not all! On top of that, there are tons of activations around the city with various companies including a partnership for the Rooftop Party presented by Ford with The Parade Company. This particular fundraising event happens atop the Center Garage roof, with games, activities, food, and more.
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Foundation Hotel, Fort Pontchartrain, Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Food Nearby: Event Vendors, Checker Bar, Jacoby’s German Biergarten, Basement Burger Bar (Vegan / Vegetarian Options)
DETROIT GRAND PRIX
Type: Outdoor Event
When: May 31 - June 2, 2024
After years of operating on Belle Isle, 2023 brought forward the Grand Prix to where it belongs, on the streets of Detroit! Operating over the course of 3 days, fans can expect to have family-friendly fun, racing, and access to the riverwalk and its activations like interactive displays, games, food, music, and more. You can catch glimpses and connect with the Prix along Jefferson Avenue, in Hart Plaza, and down Woodward in areas like Campus Martius.
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Foundation Hotel, Fort Pontchartrain, Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Food Nearby: Apparatus Room (Inside Detroit Foundation Hotel), Detroit Beer Co., Niki’s Pizza, Sweetwater Tavern, Astoria Pastry Shop
DETROIT CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
Type: Outdoor Event
When: Usually the week before Thanksgiving
Our Christmas Tree in Campus Martius is the highlight of the Christmas Season and is legendary for many reasons. Its construction as it is delivered is already a feat to see, but once the tree is set up, there is an annual tree lighting ceremony where Michiganders congregate to cheer and take in the spectacle while lit. It’s the perfect activity for families that want to get into the Christmas Spirit, and vendors are posted up in mini-housing stalls to sell local wares as an activation pulled together by the Quicken Community Fund, Bedrock, and the Downtown Detroit Partnership.
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Foundation Hotel, Fort Pontchartrain, Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Food Nearby: Event Vendors, Apparatus Room (Inside Detroit Foundation Hotel), Detroit Beer Co., Niki’s Pizza, Sweetwater Tavern, Astoria Pastry Shop, Checker Bar, Jacoby’s German Biergarten, Basement Burger Bar (Vegan / Vegetarian Options)
AMERICA’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
Type: Outdoor Event
When: November 28, 2024
America’s Thanksgiving Parade is presented by Garner-White and will be at 98 years in 2024! Voted as one of the best Thanksgiving Day Parade offerings in the nation, The Parade Company and its entrants put forth one-of-a-kind floats, colorful costumes, a variety of balloons, local marching bands, and more! All you’ve got to do is line up and enjoy the show! The parade kicks off on Woodward Avenue & Kirby and typically ends at Woodward Avenue & Congress.
You can also catch broadcasts of the two-hour event on WDIV-Local 4 including a one-hour national broadcast reaching 84+ million households nationwide.
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Foundation Hotel, Fort Pontchartrain, Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Food Nearby: Event Vendors, Apparatus Room (Inside Detroit Foundation Hotel), Detroit Beer Co., Niki’s Pizza, Sweetwater Tavern, Astoria Pastry Shop, Checker Bar, Jacoby’s German Biergarten, Basement Burger Bar (Vegan / Vegetarian Options)
Get Sporty with Detroit's Team
Whether you’re coming back to see our beloved Detroit Lions, or if you want to engage in another sport, we’ve got some of the best venues and (yes, we’re biased) teams around!
DETROIT LIONS
We went the distance this year and hit the legendary status of being a winning team up until the finals. This next time, we’re coming for it all! While the schedule isn’t available just yet, tap in with their information here, and plan your trip around Ford Field!
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, The Siren Hotel, Shinola Hotel
Food Nearby: Tin Roof Detroit, Detroit Beer Co., Old Shillelagh Irish Pub Niki’s Pizza, Sweetwater Tavern, Astoria Pastry Shop, Checker Bar, Jacoby’s German Biergarten, Basement Burger Bar (Vegan / Vegetarian Options)
DETROIT RED WINGS
We’re Stanley Cup Champs a couple of times over, and we’ve got one of the most high-tech arenas around! Housed in Little Caesars Arena, a Hockeytown game is one of the most thrilling spectacles. Cheer and dance with the over-the-top fan base, eat from all the on-site food options, and snag some merch - we’ve got it all! And if you come during playoff season, you might see one or two octopi fly to the ice. The Wings just finished up their season for the year, but you can connect with more information here.
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, The Siren Hotel, Shinola Hotel
Food Nearby: Tin Roof Detroit, Detroit Beer Co., Union Assembly, Mom’s Spaghetti, Hockeytown Cafe, JoJo’s shakeBAR
DETROIT TIGERS
Comerica Park is unlike any other. Nestled right inside a sports district, you can hear the echoes of the cheers throughout the city. During baseball season, our opening day events are some of the biggest parties in the street, and even if you’re not attending the game, local bars usually have the game up on the screens so you can catch it while you catch a brew. Check out more information here.
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, The Siren Hotel, Shinola Hotel
Food Nearby: Tin Roof Detroit, Detroit Beer Co., Union Assembly, Mom’s Spaghetti (Vegetarian Options), Hockeytown Cafe, JoJo’s shakeBAR, Old Shillelagh Irish Pub
DETROIT PISTONS
The Pistons moved to Detroit from Auburn Hills in 2017 and have been a main staple sport of the city since. They also have a unique Creative Director of Innovation in hometown hero Big Sean since 2020. Sean provides creative counsel and strategic guidance on a variety of Pistons off-the-court initiatives, including team merchandise design, in-game experience, co-branded community, social responsibility activation, and more, bringing a new flair to Detroit’s ball team. Their new schedule hasn’t been announced yet, but you can find out more information here.
Hotels Nearby: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, The Siren Hotel, Shinola Hotel
Food Nearby: Tin Roof Detroit, Detroit Beer Co., Union Assembly, Mom’s Spaghetti, Hockeytown Cafe, JoJo’s shakeBAR, Pho Lucky, Bakersfield, Grey Ghost.
DETROIT CITY FC
Our own professional soccer club, Detroit City FC brings a lot of pride not only to Detroit, but it’s micro-yet-global sub-city of Detroit called Hamtramck. The games almost require full participation as the cheering for the team is led by unofficial conductors of enjoyment, there are smoke bombs involved, and more in Keyworth Stadium. If you want a more European sporting feel, this is probably as close as we get!
Hotels Nearby: Hotel Saint Regis Detroit, Detroit Foundation Hotel, Fort Pontchartrain, Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Food Nearby: Yemen Cafe, Polish Village Cafe
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