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Spectacular Holiday Events in Metro Detroit

After years of being a part of WCSX’s City of the Week, I can tell you first hand that Detroit has some amazing events during the holiday months at the…

a night time picture of fireworks going off at Greenfield Village. a dad holds is child on his shoulders watching the fireworks with their back to the camera. The picture accompanies an article talking about holiday events in Metro Detroit

Greenfield Village Holiday Nights offers a plethora of amazing photo ops and adventures.. Photo courtesy of Greenfield Village / Emily Berger

Emily Berger

After years of being a part of WCSX's City of the Week, I can tell you first hand that Detroit has some amazing events during the holiday months at the end of the year. I put together a list of some of my favorite holiday events in Metro Detroit. It's certainly not ALL our communities have to offer, but these are some of the best, in my opinion.

Mixing History and Holiday Events In Metro Detroit

Some of my favorite holiday events in Metro Detroit involve a mixture of history and holidays. Places like Greenfield Village, Meadowbrook Hall, and the Ford House show amazing history AND all the holiday dazzle., These places go.all.out.

Most of the historic holiday events in Metro Detroit have specific time bookings. This makes for a superior experience, in my opinion. You buy your ticket in advance and book your time... show up when you booked and enjoy. You don't have to worry about getting there and they are already at capacity or waiting in ticket lines. It just makes sense.

Christmas lights at Detroit Zoo used in article (among others) on holiday events in Metro Detroit

Christmas lights at the Detroit Zoo

Light It Up!

There are a lot of cool light display opportunities sprinkled through out Metro Detroit. The lighting of the Detroit Christmas Tree at Campus Martius is the big kick off. I like that they do it ahead of Thanksgiving so that they are already up and running with the tree and ice skating over Thanksgiving weekend.

The epicureantravelerblog has a tremendous list of 20 local events including holiday shows at the Fox Theatre including How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Charlie Brown. Orchestra Hall also has holiday shows lined up including Home for The Holidays and The Muppet Christmas Carol.

If you're looking for straight up light displays like The Big Bright Light Show in Rochester or Glenlore Trails Aurora, check out littleguidedetroit. They have a great list of all the light show, dates, and ticket prices.

4 of My Favorite Holiday Events in Metro Detroit

Greenfield Village

Greenfield Village is luxe. Holiday Nights make for an incredibly beautiful holiday experience. The tickets include carousel rides, ice skating and skate rental, historic Model T rides, and horse-drawn wagon rides with live music. Top shelf 100%  Greenfield Village also offers Supper with Santa and dinner packages at Eagle Tavern. Space is limited and some days are already sold-out... so I would gently suggest that you buy tickets sooner rather than later.

Meadowbrook

"Pairing indoor sights with outdoor lights," Meadowbrook Hall is exquisite anytime of the year, but during the holidays, they shine a bit brighter. Click below for info on booking times and tickets.

The Ford House

History meets holiday at the Ford House. Check out the residence and the impeccably decorated grounds of the Ford House. This is an outdoor walk of roughly a mile. Tickets include a visit and photo op with Santa, hot chocolate, and a "self-paced exploration of the residence." This event sells out quickly. You need to have you tickets in advance.

Wild Lights at The Detroit Zoo

Wild Lights is open for a total of 30 nights between November and January. The Detroit Zoo has a variety of ticket packages available. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer in 4-D is playing to boot!

Donielle Flynn has two kids, two cats, two dogs, and a love of all things rock. She’s been in radio decades and held down top-rated day parts at Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington DC radio stations throughout her tenure. She enjoys writing about rock news, the Detroit community, and she has a series called “The Story Behind” where she researches the history of classic rock songs.