Wondering what to do in Detroit this weekend? From Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, Halloween takes over: Zoo Boo runs all three nights, Belle Isle hosts free costume-friendly days on Saturday and Sunday, and the Detroit Historical Museum throws its free Treats in the Streets on Sunday afternoon. Adults get the Detroit Fall Beer Festival at Eastern Market on Saturday, and the Lions host the Packers at Ford Field on Sunday at 4:25 p.m.
Last verified: Oct. 22, 2026, against each organizer’s own page. Where an organizer hasn’t posted a time or price, we say so instead of guessing. Plans change, so confirm before you go.
Jump to: Quick picks · Free · Friday · Saturday · Sunday · Family Halloween · Plan your weekend · Getting around · FAQ
What to do in Detroit this weekend: quick picks
| Event | When | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoo Boo | Fri.–Sun., 3–8:30 p.m. | Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak | $21–$25 online, $27 at the gate |
| Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert (DSO) | Fri., Oct. 23 (final show) | Orchestra Hall | Ticketed; limited seats |
| Disney Worlds Collide Concert Tour | Fri., Oct. 23, 7 p.m. | Little Caesars Arena | Ticketed |
| Detroit Fall Beer Festival (21+) | Sat., Oct. 24, 1–6 p.m. | Eastern Market | $60 advance, $70 at the gate |
| Boo! at the Nature Center and Ahhscarium | Sat.–Sun., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | Belle Isle | Free |
| Jo Koy | Sat., Oct. 24, 8 p.m. | Fox Theatre | Ticketed |
| Treats in the Streets | Sun., Oct. 25, 2:30–4:30 p.m. | Detroit Historical Museum | Free; registration required |
| Packers vs. Lions | Sun., Oct. 25, 4:25 p.m. ET | Ford Field / FOX | Ticketed or on TV |
| Jonas Brothers | Sun., Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. | Little Caesars Arena | Ticketed |
Free things to do in Detroit this weekend
- Boo! at the Belle Isle Nature Center and the Ahhscarium at the Belle Isle Aquarium, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ($5 suggested donation at the aquarium).
- Howl-O-Ween for dogs at Grand Circus Park, Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m.
- Treats in the Streets at the Detroit Historical Museum, Sunday, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. (registration required).
- The DIA for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county residents, plus free rides on the QLINE and People Mover.
Friday, Oct. 23: concerts, a late DIA and a 21+ science night
Detroit Institute of Arts after work. The DIA is open until 9 p.m. on Fridays, and general admission is free for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county residents with ID. Friday’s drop-in Sugar Skulls workshop (6–8:30 p.m.) explains how the decorated skulls are used in Day of the Dead celebrations, and vocal group Nobuntu performs at Friday Night Live in Rivera Court at 7 p.m.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra plays the film’s score live at Orchestra Hall on Oct. 22–23, and the DSO says only limited tickets remain for Friday. Check the DSO’s event page for the start time.
Disney Worlds Collide Concert Tour. The touring Disney music show starts at 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena, per 313 Presents.
After Dark: Weird Science. The Michigan Science Center opens to adults 21 and over from 6 to 10 p.m. Costumes are encouraged and a drink is included with the ticket. The center hasn’t posted the price on its homepage and flags tickets as going fast.
Saturday, Oct. 24: market morning, beer festival, Belle Isle and comedy
Eastern Market and the Detroit Fall Beer Festival. The Saturday Market runs 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then the Michigan Brewers Guild’s 17th annual festival fills the market from 1 to 6 p.m. General admission is $60 in advance plus fees or $70 at the gate (credit or debit only). Everyone, designated drivers included, must be 21 or older with a valid government ID, and sales are final. Our Detroit Fall Beer Festival guide covers tickets, VIP and rules.
Halloween on Belle Isle. The Belle Isle Conservancy lists Boo! at the Nature Center, free with costumes encouraged, and the Ahhscarium at the Belle Isle Aquarium, free with a $5 suggested donation. Both run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Howl-O-Ween at Grand Circus Park. Bring the dog in costume to the Grand Circus Dog Park from 2 to 4 p.m. The Downtown Detroit Partnership lists it as free; the 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. costume contests need advance registration.
Saturday night: comedy, the DSO and a 21+ costume party
Jo Koy brings his Koy Meets World Tour to the Fox Theatre at 8 p.m. The DSO’s PNC Pops weekend with Bernadette Peters, conducted by Enrico Lopez-Yañez, runs Saturday and Sunday at Orchestra Hall (check the DSO for times). For a costume party, Monster’s Ball opens its doors at 8 p.m. at the Russell Event Center for guests 21 and older.
Sunday, Oct. 25: Treats in the Streets, Packers vs. Lions and Jonas Brothers
Treats in the Streets. Kids trick-or-treat at the Detroit Historical Museum from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. It is free, but you need to register on the museum’s event page, with a limit of 10 tickets per family. The event is recommended for ages 2–12, and costume weapons aren’t allowed. The museum also lists a separate sensory-friendly hour from 1 to 2 p.m.
Packers vs. Lions. Kickoff at Ford Field is 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX, per the Lions’ official schedule. That puts a big game-day crowd downtown just as Treats in the Streets lets out, so leave extra time if you are driving through. Our Packers vs. Lions TV and game-day guide has streaming, radio and Ford Field bag rules.
Jonas Brothers. The Burning Up Tour All Over Again plays Little Caesars Arena at 7:30 p.m. Over at the Sound Board in MotorCity Casino Hotel, Winger also starts at 7:30 p.m.
No Red Wings or Pistons home games this weekend: both teams are on the road. The Wings return to Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, Oct. 29, against Chicago.
Family Halloween picks all weekend
Zoo Boo at the Detroit Zoo. This is the last weekend of the zoo’s Halloween event, which runs 3 to 8:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday with full zoo access until 6 p.m. Online tickets are $21 to $25 depending on date and time, or $27 at the gate. Everyone age 2 and older needs a ticket, and parking is $8 per vehicle (free for members). Costumes are welcome, but the zoo bans full-face animal masks and costume weapons. Book on the Detroit Zoo’s Zoo Boo page.
Skip the drive to Greenfield Village unless you already have tickets. The Henry Ford says general admission and Hallowe’en Express tickets for Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village are sold out for 2026.
Rainy-day backup: Detroit museums
The DIA’s Sugar Skulls workshop repeats from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days. Our Detroit museum guide rounds up more indoor options in Midtown and beyond. For the bigger picture of the season, read our Halloween in Detroit guide.
Plan your Detroit weekend: three easy itineraries
- Friday night in Midtown: start at the DIA after work (open until 9 p.m.), catch Nobuntu at 7 p.m. in Rivera Court, or walk to Orchestra Hall for Harry Potter in Concert.
- Saturday for adults: Eastern Market in the morning, the Fall Beer Festival from 1 p.m., then Jo Koy at the Fox at 8 p.m. or Monster’s Ball after 8 p.m. Line up a designated driver or rideshare.
- Sunday with kids: Belle Isle’s free Halloween stops from 10 a.m., Treats in the Streets at 2:30 p.m., and home before the Lions kick off at 4:25 p.m. Or swap in Zoo Boo, which opens at 3 p.m.
Getting around, parking and road closures
- QLINE: free. It runs along Woodward from 8 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, linking downtown, Orchestra Hall, the DIA and the Detroit Historical Museum.
- People Mover: free. Hours are 6:30 a.m. to midnight Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight Saturday (an early opening for a downtown convention) and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
- Sunday parking: Expect lots and garages near Ford Field to fill well before the 4:25 p.m. kickoff. If you are headed to the Jonas Brothers or a Midtown museum, ride the QLINE in rather than circling the stadium district.
- Freeways: we found no announced weekend closures on I-94, I-75, the Lodge or I-96 in Detroit as of Thursday. MDOT posts closures late, so check Mi Drive before you leave.
Frequently asked questions
What is free to do in Detroit this weekend?
Boo! at the Belle Isle Nature Center and the Ahhscarium (Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.), Howl-O-Ween at Grand Circus Park (Saturday, 2-4 p.m.) and Treats in the Streets (Sunday, 2:30-4:30 p.m., registration required) are free. The QLINE and People Mover are free, and the DIA is free for tri-county residents.
What is there for kids in Detroit this weekend?
Zoo Boo runs all three days from 3 to 8:30 p.m. Belle Isle has free Halloween fun on Saturday and Sunday, and Treats in the Streets at the Detroit Historical Museum is aimed at ages 2-12 on Sunday afternoon.
Are the Lions, Red Wings or Pistons home this weekend?
Only the Lions. They host the Packers at Ford Field on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX. The Red Wings and Pistons are on the road; the Wings’ next home game is Thursday, Oct. 29.
Is I-94 closed this weekend in Detroit?
As of Thursday, Oct. 22, we found no announced weekend closure of I-94 in Detroit. MDOT can add lane or ramp closures late in the week, so check the Mi Drive map before you drive.
The bottom line: best things to do in Detroit this weekend
For families, this weekend is about Halloween: Zoo Boo’s final run, free costume days on Belle Isle and Treats in the Streets on Sunday. Adults can pair the Fall Beer Festival with Jo Koy or Monster’s Ball on Saturday, then watch the Lions take on Green Bay on Sunday. Register for Treats in the Streets early, since tickets are capped, and buy Zoo Boo tickets online to beat the gate price. Check back next week for our Halloween-weekend edition, covering Oct. 30–Nov. 1.
Sources: event and hours pages from the Detroit Zoo, Detroit Historical Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Michigan Science Center, Charles H. Wright Museum, The Henry Ford, Belle Isle Conservancy, Eastern Market, Michigan Brewers Guild, Downtown Detroit Partnership, 313 Presents, Detroit Lions, NHL.com, QLINE, Detroit People Mover and MDOT, all checked Oct. 22, 2026.
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