Detroit Events Calendar

January hosts what is arguably Detroit's biggest event: the North American International Auto Show. The month also marks the beginning of the winter-festival season with Zehnder's Snowfest in Frankenmuth and the Plymouth Community International Ice Sculpture Spectacular.

Snow and more snow usually characterizes the month of February in Detroit. All we can do as Detroiters is learn to revel in it at Detroit's Winter Blast! First, though, we need to store up some body fat by attending Hamtramck's Paczki Day Celebration.

While March marks the beginning of the thaw in Detroit, we still prefer spending the bulk of our time indoors if possible. The Ann Arbor Film Festival and the Metro Times Blowout Music Festival make this possible. If you absolutely, positively have to be outdoors, save it for Detroit's St. Patrick's Day Parade.

In spite of April showers, the month hosts several outdoor events, including Ann Arbor's Festifools and the Detroit Music Awards. If you're looking for a roof over your head, however, the Shrine Circus usually pulls into the Detroit area in April and there is always the Detroit Music Awards.

While May usually brings warm weather our way, snow is still possible. Ever optimistic (or stubborn as the case may be), Detroiter-area communities hold art fairs and outdoor concerts, including Plymouth's Green Street Fair, Art Birmingham and Eastern Market's Flower Day.

Ahhh...Summer. The Metro Detroit area is bustling with activity starting in June. Where to start? Downtown Detroit holds its annual Festival of the Arts and GM River Days, while Mt. Clemens gets the jump on Independence Day celebrations with its annual Stars and Stripes Festival.

We pay a price for our cold climate, but one of the perks is being able to appreciate the warm weather. No matter where you hang in the Metro Detroit area, July is all about being outdoors with the Ann Arbor Art Fair, Detroit's Comerica City Fest and Pontiac's Quake on the Lake.

August hosts what is arguably the biggest event in the Metro Detroit area: the Woodward Dream Cruise. It started off as a local fundraiser in Ferndale, but has grown all along Woodward Avenue. In fact, car fever has hit the entire Metro-Detroit area in August; Autopalooza and auto-related events hosted by other communities require a separate, auto-related Events Calendar. August also marks the beginning of Holly's six-week-long Renaissance Festival.

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.