The weekend is almost upon us and Detroiters are getting ready to make plans for how to spend their limited free time in one of the best cities in the country, so we’ve rounded up some of the best things to do in Detroit this weekend that you don’t want to miss!
1. Check out the annual Downtown Rochester’s Frost Festival
The 2024 Frost Festival will be taking place in Downtown Rochester on Friday, from 5 pm to 9 pm, and on Saturday, from 10 am until 6 pm! The event will include everything from live ice carving shows to competitive carving challenges, which make this one of the most exciting and fun things for the whole family to do together this weekend.
2. Cheer on the Detroit Lions as they play to keep the city’s Super Bowl aspirations alive
You don’t have to be a diehard Lions fan to see how much life the football team’s recent success has breathed into the city! In fact, recent reports suggest that this weekend’s second-round playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Detroit will generate millions of dollars for the local economy, which is great for the city of Detroit! So, even if you don’t care about football, cheering on the Lions is really just cheering on for the city of Detroit.
3. Blake’s North South West Party at Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill
On Saturday, January 20th, you can check out the North South West Party at Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill for an incredible night of 21+ fun. Each of the three different cardinal directions in the party’s title, North, South, and West, stands for a unique “world” of the party, so if one of the part spots isn’t your vibe, you have two other areas that you can check out!
The event is going to have live music, and tons of activities (including a mechanical bull), and will have food trucks catering the food and offering specialty drinks.
4. Warm yourself up at one of Detroit’s best hot chocolate spots
If there’s anything that the weather has demanded from us lately it’s that we take regular hot chocolate breaks throughout the day just to stay warm and remind ourselves that Florida weather isn’t even that great. Sadly, one of our favorite spots during the winter season for hot chocolate, Cadillac Lodge, will be closing for the season this weekend after January 21st, so we highly recommend you go while you still can. However, there are a few other places in town that have delicious hot cocoa as well, and you can find our full list of the best hot chocolates in Detroit here!
5. Head down to the Riverfront to join in the fun of “Winter at Valade”
Every weekend during the winter, Detroiters can head on down to the Detroit Riverfront by Robert C. Valade Park for weekly, “Winter at Valade” festivities. The activities are fun for the whole family and have a little something for everyone, including giant fires to warm up, marshmallow roasters, sledding areas, hot drinks, and so much more! This weekend happens to be a special event, where unique activities are expected to be planned to celebrate this weekend’s theme of “Motown Magic”!
6. Go ice skating at one of Detroit’s outdoor rinks
The outdoor ice skating rinks around Detroit give Detroiters the perfect opportunity to try to get into the spirit of the season and have fun with friends, family, or even a special someone. The best outdoor rink in town at the moment is definitely the rink at Campus Martius, right in the heart of Downtown Detroit, it doesn’t get more convenient than that. That being said, you can find the full list of outdoor ice skating rinks around Detroit here.