Detroit Events Calendar

Labor Day weekend is huge in the Metro Detroit area. Maybe it's because we want summer to go out with a bang, but there are always a lot of events scheduled for the three-day holiday, including Pontiac's Arts, Beats & Eats Festival; the Detroit International Jazz Festival and the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival. Unfortunately, the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is "postponed" for 2009.

Warm weather wanes and school starts, but Detroiters get in a few more events before calling summer quits, including Detroit's Dally in the Alley, Rochester's Art & Apples Festival, Northville's Victorian Festival and Brighton's Smokin' Jazz Barbeque Festival. The good news is that cider mills open for the season.

When envisioning the dark nights surrounding All Hallow's Eve, the Michigan Landscape fits the bill. In this regard, Michigan does up Halloween right with a long list of Haunted Houses. Beyond Halloween, the Metro Detroit area holds several events in October, including Detroit's Free Press/Flagstar Marathon, Northville's Oktoberfest and Plymouth's Great Lakes Regional Chili Cook-Off and Harley Davidson Motorcycle Show.

Halloween is one of Metro-Detroit area's biggest holiday seasons. In fact, the area boasts so many haunted attractions that it's been called the haunted house capital of the country. In addition to haunted houses like Pontiac's nationally-renowned Erebus, the area has several corn mazes, ghost tours and family Halloween attractions, including the Detroit Zoo Boo and Hallowe'en in Greenfield Village.

Admittedly, there is something of a lull in November before the holiday season begins, but there are a few events scheduled outside of Detroit's Turkey Trot and America's Thanksgiving Parade. For instance, The Rink at Campus Martius Park officially opens and Detroit hosts the Urban Organic Festival.

Guide to Thanksgiving in Detroit

Frankly, December in Detroit is mostly about the Holidays, including Allen Park's Festival of Trees, Detroit's annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and The Village of Holly Dickens Festival (okay, quasi-holiday event). Ferndale does hold its annual Holiday Ice Festival in December.