Detroit is Playing Host to a Hockey Lovers Dream This Week!

This weekend through New Year's Day, Detroit will be transformed into the Hockey Lovers Dream. That's because The Winter Classic and Hockey Town Winter Festival are taking over the town! This event features a series of outdoor hockey games being played at Comerica Park. Yes, the same Comerica Park that is home to The Tigers has been transformed from a baseball diamond into a huge outdoor ice rink. The venue has already been trying out the ice for the past week or so, playing host to some peewee, amateur, and OHL games. But, it all leads up to the main events on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

On New Year's Eve, teams of some of Detroit's favorite NHL alumni from the Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leaves will be going head to head on the ice. The roster includes many fan favorites, such as Mickey Redmond, Kris Draper, Dino Ciccarelli, Steve Yzerman and Chris Osgood. Tickets for this event are still available and range from $33 to $153. Click here to purchase tickets online through Ticketmaster.

The Main Event, The Winter Classic, is an outdoor showdown between the Toronto Maple Leaves and the Detroit Red Wings. However, this game is not taking place in Detroit. Instead, it is being held at the Big House in Ann Arbor (U of M Stadium). This game is on New Year's Day, January 1st, and the puck hits the ice at 1 p.m. Tickets are available here and range from $39 to $279.

Now, if you aren't too interested in the games or can't afford the ticket prices, but still want to get in on the fun, there are a lot of other fun events going on Downtown in conjunction with The Winter Classic and Alumni Showdown. The Coke Zero Fan Zone will be set up outside Comerica Park in lots 1 and 2, now thru New Year's Eve. This area features a giant toboggan slide, a synthetic ice skating rink, autograph and Q&A sessions with alumni players, and live music. Some of the bands set to hit the stage are Kaleido, The Muggs, The Polish Muslims, Jennifer Westwood and The Infatuations. For a full lineup of music and events taking place at the Fan Zone, click here. Admission to the Coke Zero fan zone is only $5 a day or is free with your game day ticket stub.

This is a once in a lifetime chance to check out some hockey legends and have some fun outside in the middle of Winter. If you have some time off work for the Holidays, or if you can make time, we highly suggest heading Downtown to check this out. For everything you need to know about the games and the festivities, head over to the official website here.

~C