10 Things To Do in Detroit This Weekend

As the nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, The Henry Ford offers 250 acres of special programming, new exhibitions, exciting events and more to highlight the history of American innovation. The yearlong series explores how creativity and ingenuity have sparked change across centuries of American life and how they continue to shape the future we all share.

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Discover the story of American craftsmanship in Handmade: The Crafting of America. From practical beginnings to bold, modern expressions, this exhibition traces the evolution of craft and celebrates human creativity. Each artifact — some shown publicly for the first time — reveals a narrative of resilience, resourcefulness and entrepreneurial spirit.

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Drawing exclusively from The Henry Ford's collections, Fabric of America: Our Fashions, Textiles, and Technologies explores the deep connections between textiles and our shared history. Through five enduring American values — liberty, practicality, inventiveness, abundance and individualism — this exhibition reveals how fabric shapes who we are as a people and a nation, presented as part of The Henry Ford's America: 250 Years in the Making commemoration.

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Blake Farms’ annual Sunflower Festival returns for two weekends of family fun at Blake's Orchard & Cider Mill in Armada. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the fields of blooming sunflowers – and even cut their own bouquet – in addition to a variety of activities.

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Meadow Brook Hall’s annual limited-run Art in the Elements tour features more than a dozen imaginative floral art sculptures created by renowned floral artists from around the country – both throughout the estate’s woodland paths and inside the historic mansion with beautiful displays inspired by our architecture and collections. Choose your own experience – we’re open by day and evening.

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The 47th annual Detroit Jazz Festival runs over Labor Day weekend, and it's still billed as the world's largest free jazz festival. The big change this year is the footprint: all three main stages (Carhartt Amphitheater, Pyramid, and Absopure Waterfront) are consolidated at Hart Plaza to improve accessibility and foot traffic, with additional programming at the Detroit Jazz Hall inside Wayne State's Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center. The lineup pairs legends with contemporary voices, including Ron Carter, Bob James, Ravi Coltrane, Dee Dee Bridgewater with Bill Charlap, Cindy Blackman Santana, Take 6, the Vijay Iyer Trio, and the all-women supergroup Artemis. Saxophonist Joe Lovano serves as 2026 Artist-in-Residence, anchoring a Coltrane centennial set alongside Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Linda May Han Oh, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. Every performance also streams free online through the festival's website and social channels.

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Explore the heart of Detroit on a guided People Mover tour. This loop through downtown will provide an overview of the area, including stops at the Financial District to visit the Art Deco Guardian Building, Hart Plaza, Spirit Plaza, and Campus Martius Park. Next, we'll reboard the People Mover and head to Greektown, where you will enjoy a delicious Greek pastry at Astoria Pastry Shop.

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The Hamtramck Night Bazaar is back, and we’re looking for YOU to come by! We are featuring entrepreneurs, makers, artists, and creators who will showcase their small businesses at this vibrant, one-of-a-kind market running from June to October. It’s the perfect chance to connect with the community, share passions, and be part of something special

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O.A.R. "O.A.R Three Decades Tour" with support from Gavin DeGraw and K.T. Tunstall. Legendary rock band O.A.R. has announced the O.A.R Three Decades Tour, an expansive North American run celebrating the band’s remarkable three-decade journey, will perform at Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre, Gavin DeGraw and K.T. Tunstall will provide support.

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Detroit Sandwich Party is a one-day festival for sandwich enthusiasts by sandwich enthusiasts in partnership with the North Corktown Neighborhood Association and Eastern Market Corporation. As the title suggests, we gather as a community to celebrate the delicious creation that is the sandwich, both sweet and savory.

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