The night before Thanksgiving is the biggest party night of the year in Detroit. Whether it’s to catch up with friends and family, or just to let off some steam before sitting down across the table from Grandma the next day, Detroiters love a good party on Thanksgiving Eve.
We scoured the calendar listings and reached out to some of the city’s hottest promoters to find the best party options for your and your crew on the best Wednesday night of the year. Check it out!
Run, brunch, dance or volunteer all through the week — Thanksgiving can mean food and family, or high-key parties and low-key gatherings. (Please transport yourself safely, especially on Wednesday night.) Stick around for dancing, shopping and art-making over the weekend, and have yourself a holiday filled with gratitude and merriment.
Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak is also doing their annual comedy show packed with emerging talent. This night is always a fun night that's different from the usual bar scene.
Danny Brown's signature event, Brusier Thanksgiving X, is coming back for the tenth year. This year, the exciting event takes place at Russell Industrial Center. The doors open at 9pm. This year, the party comes on the heels of Danny's new album Quaranta.
The Bosco is an annual party and one of Detroit's favorites. Music by Dino Munaco and Tyke. RSVP includes free cover until 10pm. They are also offering VIP booths without bottle service required.
Legends is one of Detroit's biggest club and throwing one of Detroit's biggest parties. Enjoy great music, drinks, food and entertainment in an atmosphere unlike any other at Michigan's premier club. The kitchen is open until 2am and they are offering an amazing atmosphere on 3 floors, 3 bars & our 30 ft HDTV video wall.
DJ Zig-Zag is throwing a party in Livonia at One Under Craft Beer & Eats. They recommend getting there early to get a table and enjoy craft beer, cocktails, and award-winning chicken wings!
00 BAR & NIGHTCLUB in Royal Oak has 3 DJs on 5 floors. Check them out and bring a friend.
Friendsgiving 2023 at The Morrie is a cool party in Birmingham. They are inviting you to come celebrate and create a night you can’t remember with people you can’t ever forget!
Give thanks for your medal-worthy gal pals at a “Golden Girls” marathon with folks from the eastside’s new Fourth Wall bar and “microcinema”, where you can watch or dance along to the cozy ’80s sitcom. Lost River brings the specialty cocktails and eats from Gajiza Dumplins are just a bonus. Free.
Head to Outer Limits Lounge in Hamtramck for a “Stroh-furkey” party, featuring sets from Prude Boys, Deadbeat Beat and others alongside the ever-flowing cheap beers. $15.
Tap into the “We are Family” vibe at MotorCity Wine’s family affair, with Kai Alcé and David A-P on the decks all night in Corktown. Free.
For a more bumping vibe, That Bounce takes over Big Pink, with Wrcklés, DJ Pressure, DJ Palmwine and Munch spinning hip-hop, R&B and dance music. Free entry until midnight.
Dance til the turkey drop at Tangent Gallery in Milwaukee Junction — the turkey might not be alive, but the party will be. No champagne, but you can toast with a slice of pumpkin pie at midnight. Free.
Go cruising for a bruising at Danny Brown’s unbeatable Bruiser Thanksgiving, an annual affair at Russell Industrial Center. This year, he’s joined by JPEGMAFIA for the final tour stop for their collaborative album “Scaring the Hoes.” $46.71.
Turkey Day
Detroiters have so much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Here’s how we celebrate a tradition-filled Thanksgiving in The D.
Work Up an Appetite
More than 20,000 runners – thousands dressed in costumes – brave cool morning temperatures to race through the streets of downtown at the annual Turkey Trot, the nation’s largest Thanksgiving morning run. It’s a fun way to rev up your metabolism before sitting down for your holiday meal.
I Love a Parade
America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White is one of the largest and most spectacular parades in the United States – a tradition that dates back to 1924. Watch colorful balloons, floats, and marching bands parade down Woodward Avenue starting at 8:50 a.m. View the live broadcast from home on WDIV Local 4.
Football Traditions
Detroit Lions football and Thanksgiving go together like mashed potatoes and gravy. The Lions take on the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field, with a 12:30 p.m. kick-off. The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS.
A D-licious Feast
For dessert, pick up an old-fashioned pie at the acclaimed Achatz Handmade Pie Co., with six metro Detroit locations. Hint: Try the Four Berry! Sister Pie in Detroit offers nontraditional, seasonally inspired flavor combinations, such as salted maple or pumpkin chocolate chip. And for all things sweet potato, including pie, cheesecake, cookies, and cobblers, visit Sweet Potato Sensations.
You can always watch Detroit’s Thanksgiving Parade on TV or a live stream, but if you want to join the action, here are the deets for the festivities and more info on the marchers. Watch from the sidewalk as revelers march down Woodward Avenue from Kirby to Congress Street starting at 8:45 a.m. — or snag a seat and eat at The Majestic’s breakfast buffet along the parade route. Attending the parade is free; buffet is $40 for adults and $18 for kids.
It might be too late to get on a float, but you can still run in the “Parade before the Parade.” Wear a costume to go all out for the 10K Turkey Trot, 5K Stuffing Strut or Mashed Potato Mile starting downtown. Register at Huntington Place on Wednesday, $30-$65 (cash or check only).
Spend your holiday making someone else’s a little brighter when you volunteer with Gobble Gobble Give Detroit. Trek to Bert’s Entertainment Complex in Eastern Market (mind the Lions tailgaters) with a hot dish, and toiletries or warm clothes to donate, then stick around to pitch in prepping meals and care packages to deliver to people in need. Free.
