Metro Detroit holiday traditions you don’t want to miss

By Sydney Catinna on Thu, Dec 12, 2024 at 3:40 pm

Somehow it’s already December, which means the holiday season is definitely here. In metro Detroit, there are a lot of fun holiday traditions that you need to partake in if you haven’t already.

From jumping into the freezing Detroit River to getting drunk with holiday-themed cocktails or viewing light displays from your car, here are 19 ways to stay in the holiday spirit during winter in Detroit.

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Courtesy of the Detroit Zoological Society.

Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo

Bundle up for the Detroit Zoo’s annual holiday light show with nearly 500 displays of LED lights covering trees, buildings, and sculptures. While you probably won’t see any actual animals, there are tons of light-up animal sculptures to enjoy. Plus, you can visit Wild Lights Lodge for live entertainment, smores, and more. Wild Lights runs through early January on weekends and select weeknights.

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Courtesy of the Downtown Detroit Partnership

Ice skating at Campus Martius

The return of the Campus Martius ice skating rink is what signifies that winter is here for Detroiters, and this year is its 20th season. Whether you have no experience and are bound to fall on your ass or you’re a figure skating champ, the activity will at least grant you some winter fun with family or friends. Admission is $12 for adults and $9 for kids 12 and under. If you need skates, rentals are an extra $6. The rink is open every day including holidays until March.

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Instagram, @theskipdetroit

Holiday pop-up bars

If you’re looking to get lit in holiday style, you can visit local holiday pop-up bars such as Sippin’ Santa at The Skip, Blitzen’s on Bagley, and The Hideaway at Bandit in Royal Oak. Each spot offers unique holiday cocktails and fun experiences to help you get into the holiday spirit with friends. Many local bars also get festive with holiday decorations during this time of year, so you may be able to feel the holiday vibes at your regular spot if you’re lucky.

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Santa Speedo Run

Every winter for the past eight years, brave souls in the Detroit area freeze for a mile in just speedos and Santa hats while running along Woodward Ave. from Campus Martius. The event is a fundraiser run by Halo Detroit to benefit local charities. This year, the organization has the goal of drawing 250 participants, with proceeds to be split between The Greening of Detroit and the Ruth Ellis Center.

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Instagram, @cadillaclodge

Cadillac Lodge

This festive and large warm tent is an iconic tradition for metro Detroit during the holidays. The lodge is filled with board games, seating, fireplaces, and holiday drinks. Plus, right outside are the Cadillac Square winter markets, perfect for local holiday shopping. New Year’s Day is the final day open for both the lodge and the markets.

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Facebook, Wayne County Parks

Wayne County Lightfest on Hines Drive

Every year during November and December, Hines Drive is transformed into a winter wonderland. With five miles of colorful displays, it is the Midwest’s longest drive through holiday lights. The lightfest is $5 per car and is open through Christmas Eve.

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Facebook, Ford House

Home for the Holidays at Ford House

The Ford House is always beautiful, but there’s added magic during the winter. The spot hosts themed events throughout the season including the yearly tradition Home for the Holidays. The event is a walking experience through the historic estate with bright Christmas lights and a complimentary hot chocolate. The Ford House is also hosting multiple Cookies with Santa events throughout December for the kids.

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Facebook, Detroit Riverfront

Winter at Valade Park

One of Detroit’s riverfront parks hosts a bunch of themed holiday weekends offering free activities for the whole family such as sledding, s’mores, bonfires, hot seasonal drinks, and giant bonfires. In January and February, Winter at Valade Park will host special weekends and a full schedule of fun programming for the cold weather. While this park was only opened a few years ago by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and is the newest park to open along the East Riverfront, attending some events by the river during the holidays could be your family’s newest tradition.

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Courtesy photo

Urban Craft Fair

Now in its 18th year, this artsy local craft fair is happening at the Masonic Temple. At the event, more than 100 vendors will sell affordable handmade items including jewelry, clothing, accessories, home decor, and more. Food and coffee will also be available during the event, as well as music to enjoy spun by DJ Dave Lawson.

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Sledding at Balduck Park

In between Detroit and Grosse Pointe is this perfect-sized hill ready for sledding with the family as soon as we get a good amount of snow. Walking up the hill is no fun, but that ride on the way down is one of the most fun winter traditions for people in Michigan.

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Courtesy photo

Annual Potters’ Market

This annual market is the largest pottery sale of its kind in the country, returning to the Southfield Pavillion. Perfect for holiday gift shopping, the event features more than 35,000 handmade items from some 140 artisans, including vases, tiles, mugs, jewelry, and more.

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Special Olympics Michigan / Flickr Creative Commons

Detroit Polar Plunge

Some interesting people regularly jump into the Detroit River during freezing temperatures. Apparently, it’s good for you. Well, during the annual Detroit Polar Plunge, it’s for an even better cause. In 2024, the local event will happen on March 1 at Bayview Yacht Club, raising money for athletes of Special Olympics Michigan. Hopefully, it will at least be a little warmer by then.

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Facebook, Detroit Symphony Orchestra

DSO’s Home for the Holidays

This event is a “family tradition” put on by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Shows this year will happen from Friday, Dec. 15 to Sunday, Dec. 17. The orchestra will play holiday favorites for the audience to enjoy, and there may be an appearance from Santa Claus.

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Courtesy of the Downtown Detroit Partnership

Christmas Tree Lighting

For some, this event is just too many people, so staying away from downtown when it’s happening is necessary. But for other people, this is a huge Detroit tradition that happens yearly at Campus Martius to kick off the holiday season.

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Courtesy photo

Kwanzaa kinara

Detroit recently became home to the world’s largest Kwanzaa kinara, after starting a new tradition in 2022 of a 30-foot-tall kinara joining the Campus Martius Christmas tree and menorah. This year, the Kwanzaa celebration and kinara lighting will happen on Dec. 26 hosted by the Downtown Detroit Partnership with support from Alkebu-lan Village, Councilman Scott Benson, and the City of Detroit.

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Metro Times file photo

Driving down Lake Shore Road to see extravagant holiday lights

While the existence of these mansions located not far from Detroit may fill some of the more class-conscious among us with rage, let’s set that aside for now. Through the holidays, some of the enormous houses on the water go all-out with displays of holiday lights and decorations. Many metro Detroiters take the drive as a fun tradition at least once a year to get a personal light show.

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The Big, Bright Light Show in Downtown Rochester

Running through Jan. 21, the buildings in downtown Rochester will be lit every evening from 5 p.m. to midnight, covered with more than 1 million lights for the holidays. A street filled with various shops, the area is perfect for getting all of your holiday gift shopping done while feeling cheerful.

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Frankenmuth

Our favorite thing from Frankenmuth is the rock band Greta Van Fleet, but in this unique Michigan town, it’s Christmas year-round. The city, known for its Bavarian-style architecture, is home to lots of family-friendly holiday activities including a singing Christmas tree, an ice rink, and Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, which promotes itself as “the world’s largest Christmas store.” If you haven’t been, you’ve got to go at least once.

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Complaining about people’s driving

Michigan drivers are already terrible without the ice and snow on the ground. But when the winter hits, it’s much worse. And, one thing Michiganders love more than anything is talking shit about the driving skills of others. It’s basically a yearly tradition as soon as the first snow hits the ground.

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