DETROIT – The spirit of the season glows bright throughout Motown with glimmering displays throughout the city. Bundle up and bring the family for holiday memories and traditions.
The Big Bright Light Show, 5pm to midnight through January 21: The streets of Downtown Rochester glow in bright, colorful lights draped over every building for the 16th year in a row. This year there will be over 1.5 million lights glistening Main Street with each shop getting its own color. Most shops are open Monday through Saturday until 9 p.m.
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Canterbury Holiday Stroll, weekends through December 23: Experience a winter wonderland at Canterbury Village under a million bright lights. Meet and greet holiday-favorite characters like The Grinch and Buddy the Elf, and sing along with professional carolers. Enjoy a seven-minute light show as well as live Christmas performances. Come visit Santa and drop off letters to his mailbox. The stroll is outdoors, rain or shine. Tickets are $14.99 per person with children 2 and under free. Get tickets here.
Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village, weekends through December 28: Go back in time to celebrate Christmas like the days of yore. Lanterns light the paths as carolers sing their merry tunes throughout the Village’s 80 acres. Learn about old traditions as you explore each of the historic homes. Families can even take a spin on a historic Model T. End the night with a warm beverage and watch as fireworks light up the sky every night. Schedule and tickets here.
Magic of Lights (Pine Knob Music Theatre), nightly through December 30: Drive through dazzling displays of light and color all in the comfort of your own car. Thousands of lights engulf every rider bringing famous holiday stories to life in the latest LED and projection technology. Tickets start at $22.50 per vehicle. Reserve your time slot here.
The Rink at Campus Martius, daily through January 1: Tie up those laces and glide around in the glow of all of Downtown Detroit’s towering buildings and giant Christmas tree. Afterwards, head across the street to shop at the holiday markets and grab a drink or two at The Cadillac Lodge. Admission to the rink is $12 per adult and $9 for children, skate rentals are $6. Hours and prices here.
Northern Lights (Beacon Park), through January 16: Beacon Park is undergoing a magical, winter makeover! Guests of all ages are invited to stop by any time during park hours all season long to take in the beauty of the “Northern Lights” installation. During “Northern Lights,” Beacon Park will shine bright with larger-than-life light features, including a 15-foot infinity snow globe, a gigantic walkthrough snowflake, gleaming polar bears, sparkling presents and more! Together, the decorations glow with 125,000 dazzling LED bulbs, all 95% recyclable. More info here.
Wayne County Lightfest, Wednesday-Sunday 6pm to 10pm through December 24: Hines Drive comes alive with four miles and 50 displays of shimmering lights to drive through. Kids can bring their letters to St. Nick with the return of Santa’s mailbox. Admission is $5 per car, cash only (more for larger vehicles). More info here.
Wild Lights (Detroit Zoo), select nights starting at 5pm through January 7: Millions of LED lights will wrap around and sparkle the zoo’s famous trees and buildings featuring larger-than-life light sculptures of animals from around the world. New this year is the enchanted trail that puts guests through an immersive forest of lights. Advance tickets start at $17. Schedule and reservations here.
Winter Wonder Lights (Meadow Brook Hall), select nights through December 30: Discover the magic of light and sound as you stroll through the grounds outside the estate. Watch as interactive displays illuminate and sparkle the gardens and trees, while a projection mapped installation features the works of local Detroit artists. New this year is the addition of the daytime Holiday Walk inside the historic hall. Take a self-guided tour as you explore three floors of beautiful decorations and holiday sights. Each event is separately ticketed. Reservations and more info here.