Getting in the Spirit

The metro Detroit area has a growing list of holiday hot spots, including downtown’s Campus Martius, which opened last year. For tips on what’s to see at Campus Martius and at several other special holiday venues around the area, see Page 3 In the shadow of the Compuware building, Campus Martius (above) features a lighted holiday tree and an ice skating rink, among other features. The Henry Ford will strike a festive attitude on the weekends this month as part of the Holiday Nights celebration, depicted below.

There’s good reason why the holiday season is the favorite time of the year for many: The snow is falling, the giving spirit is in the air and there’s plenty of good time to be had with family and friends.

Around holiday time, Detroit is no exception to these qualities — especially the latter. The calendar is packed with fun events going on to bring joy to people of all ages. Here’s a highlights of a few of the most popular attractions this year:

Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village

Billed as travel through time through the lantern-lit paths of the area’s favorite historical site, the “Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village” will celebrate the season every weekend between now and Christmas Day.

A three-and-a-half hour extravaganza will offer a range of entertainment — four performance stages with nonstop events, including live music by the Christie Street Carolers, the Main Street Carolers, the Dodworth Saxhorn Band and the First Michigan Colonial Fife & Drum Corps; six enchanting holiday vignettes, one of which includes a great photo-op; the venue’s classic attractions of carriage and Model T rides and artisan workshops; the appearance of Mr. Santa Claus himself, who will spend all
12 evenings of Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village with his live reindeer at the Robert Frost House; and a closing fireworks finale and sing-a-long.

There will also be bonfires, ice skating, lots of food and, of course, shopping opportunities — after all, what would a holiday be without that?

The Henry Ford is also offering a variety of hotel packages, as well as dining opportunities at Eagle Tavern, the site’s 1850s-style stagecoach on Main Street.

Find out more about how to be part of this Motor City holiday tradition, visit www.hfmgv.org or call (313) 982.6001.

Campus Martius Park

Detroit’s newest, beautiful gathering area in the Compuware building area is an ideal place to take in some Christmas spirit during the month.
While Campus Martius already held its “Party at the Park” ceremony last month, which saw the lighting of Detroit’s Holiday Tree to signal the start of the season in Motown, the beloved skating rink is open again, bringing people of all ages and walks of life together on the north lawn to enjoy downtown’s latest landmark. The skating, for novices and experts, occurs in the shadows of the 50-foot Holiday Tree atop the Woodward Fountain, while choirs provide the perfect soundtrack, singing carols from the Fountain Stage.

For more information on Campus Martius, including location and directions, visit www.campusmartiuspark.org.

Wayne County Lightfest

Many in the area know this metro-Detroit tradition as simply “The Light Show.”

From now through Jan. 1, the Midwest’s largest drive-through holiday light display illuminates Hines Drive with the Wayne County Lightfest, four miles of dazzling, colorful sights. An estimated 50,000 cars will pass through the 35 animated displays, according to organizers, who also say about 1 million total lights will shine.

The get the full experience, enter the beginning of the show off Merriman Road, between Ann Arbor Trail and Warren Avenue in Westland. The cost is $5 per car, and the show goes on now through Jan. 1 from 7-10 p.m. — with the exception of Christmas Day, when it will be closed.

Find out more about the Lightfest, now in its 12th year, at www.waynecounty.com, or call (734) 261-1990.

Snowfest 2006

Feeling a little adventurous in that road trip kind of way? Want to keep the holiday mood going, even through the end of January? Well, head to the cozy town of Frankenmuth for its annual Snowfest, with the upcoming gala celebrating its 15th anniversary.

Among the top snow sculpting events in the country, larger-than-life ice sculptures and ice carvings highlight this yearly festival, created by artists from all over the world. In fact, for those who hold the competitive spirit, the event is also the host of the National Collegiate Ice Carving Championship, the High School Snow Sculpting Competition, and the Michigan Apple Pie Contest

Produced by Zehnder’s, the event also will provide music and entertainment for the entire family in the warming tent, a fireworks display, petting zoo and children’s activities such as a snow slide and other rides.

For more on Zehnder’s Snowfest 2006, visit www.zehnders.com.

Other featured events in the area during holiday time include:

• “Wild Lights at the Zoo,” (now through Jan. 10) the Holiday Tree spectacular in front of Detroit Zoo, each tree decorated in a different theme. For more, visit www.detroitzoo.org.

• “Crossroads Village19th Annual Light Show,” a holiday fantasy land featuring more than 600,000 lights and one of the state’s most spectacular moving light displays, which takes place now through Dec. 30 in Flint.

• The world-famous Radio City Rockettes starring in “The Radio City Christmas Spectacular,” the beloved holiday production playing its ninth season in Detroit at the Fox Theatre through Dec. 24.

• The “Festival of Trees” celebrating the holidays and supporting the Children's Hospital of Michigan, which takes place Dec. 1-4 at the all new Rock Financial Showplace in Novi. For more, call (248) 348-5600 or visit www.rockfinancialshowplace.com.

• Unger Family home in Royal Oak: A simple family home for most of the year, this spot is famous for its outstanding decorations. The yard is available to walk through, and there you can see its renowned animated, electronic elves. Admission is free, and the house is located at 1713 Washington, at the corner of 12 Mile Road and Washington in Royal Oak.

So in the famous words of the jolly one, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.” As you can see, there’s plenty of great stuff to fill up those evenings between now and the big day.

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