TOP THINGS TO DO DOWNTOWN DETROIT
Annual International Events
For over 40 years, the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation has celebrated Detroit’s rich history of jazz music by providing year-round concerts and educational programming, and of course, organizing the world’s largest free jazz festival, featuring world-class talent, over Labor Day weekend.
With the support of corporate sponsors, philanthropic organizations, individual donors and volunteers, the Detroit Jazz Festival is free to music fans looking to revel in the artistry and improvisation of jazz legends, rising stars, legacy and homecoming artists. Each year’s lineup of more than 60 performances as remarkable and diverse as the genre itself, as well as spontaneous late-night jam sessions, offers something for everyone.
Downtown Detroit
Movement is an annual electronic music festival held Memorial Day weekend at Hart Plaza in Downtown Detroit. The event began in 2000 as the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, when Carol Marvin and her organization Pop Culture Media, with techno artist Carl Craig, organized the first three-day DEMF in celebration of Detroit’s role in the evolution of electronic music and the birthplace of Techno. Since its inception, the event in all its forms has drawn millions of attendees. Hundreds of talented musicians, DJs, and producers, both local and from around the world, have brought their sound to Detroit each year.
​
Downtown Detroit
The Detroit Grand Prix is an IndyCar Series race weekend held on a temporary circuit in Detroit, Michigan. The track is designed to be less disruptive to city traffic while also being more accessible to spectators with more more points of visibility. The nine turn, 1.7-mile street circuit features some of the most well-traveled roads in Detroit, along with some of the most iconic and popular attractions in the Motor City. The Streets of Downtown Detroit circuit include a fast and technical track along Jefferson Avenue, Bates Street, Atwater Street, St. Antoine, Franklin Street and Rivard. With elevation changes and a mix of slow and high-speed corners, the circuit features plenty of action and passing opportunities.
​
Downtown Detroit
The Detroit Auto Show, formerly known as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan. Hosted at Huntington Place (formerly Cobo Center) since 1965, it is among the largest auto shows in North America, and is widely regarded as one of the automotive industry's most important events. The show is organized by the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA), and has been held annually in January for much of its recent history. It is open to the general public for 1–2 weeks, preceded by previews for industry employees and media, and a black-tie "charity preview" fundraiser for local children's charities.
​
Downtown Detroit
