Detroit Lights Up for the Holidays Friday Night

The first snow of the season has fallen and the holidays are just around the corner. This Friday night, Detroit will officially get in the holiday spirit at the 15th Annual Detroit Tree Lighting. This year's event will take place on Friday, November 16th from 5 p.m. until Midnight. The festivities will take place at both Beacon Park and Campus Martius Park, and pretty much everywhere in between.

This year's event is bigger and better than ever, with several musical performances, Olympic Figure Skaters, and more. At Beacon Park, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers will be playing inside a heated tent along with Nadir Omowale. There will also be a live stream of the official tree lighting from down the street at Campus Martius. There will be awesome lighting installments, food trucks, drinks, and even Santa will be there!

Over at Campus Martius Park, Ben Sharkey will perform along with The Woodward Horns and headlining act Cece Winans. There will also be performances from ice skating groups and local choirs, plus more food trucks, treats, and carriage rides. Plus, the ice rink will officially open up to the public on Friday night, starting at 9 p.m.

While you're making your way from one park to another, make sure you also stop by the shops at Cadillac Square and Capitol Park too! This will be the official grand opening of the shops for the season. Some of the great brands that you can shop this holiday season include Dolly Rocker’s Handmade and Vintage, Rock Paper Scissors, Yellow Dog Marketplace, and Mitten Crate. The Cadillac Square Lodge will also be open for business. If you'd rather not walk from park to park, there will also be free shuttles running between Beacon Park and Campus Martius, with pick up on Michigan & Griswold and First & Plaza.

This will be an awesome holiday night that you don't want to miss! So head down early and stay late! Keep in mind, there will be road closures due to all of the festivities, so plan accordingly. (Check out the map of closures below.) For more information on the tree lighting and the events surrounding it, click here.

~C