Your 2022 guide to summer fun in metro Detroit: concerts, festivals, attractions, more

Lauren Wethington, Detroit Free Press
·4 min read

It's finally here, Michiganders: the warm, sunny weather we've waited all year for.

With concerts, festivals and events returning en masse after two long, pandemic-weary years, we think you'll find plenty to keep your calendar busy. Read on to plan your summer of fun in metro Detroit.

These 8 quintessential Michigan festivals are well worth the trip

It's not a Michigan summer without the sweet, tart taste of Traverse City cherries, and what better place to sample them than at the city's annual Cherry Festival? Other festive summer events include the National Asparagus Festival in Oceana County and the National Blueberry Festival in South Haven.

More: Detroit summer concert rundown: The season is fully hopping for the first time since 2019

More: Your guide to metro Detroit real estate and housing this summer

More: Your 2022 summer guide to dining, cooking and beer in metro Detroit

More: Metro Detroit summer development guide: Openings, closings, renovations abound

Vincent Chin.
Vincent Chin.

Coalition plans 4-day commemoration in June to honor Asian American civil rights legacy

A coalition of civil rights groups will host a four-day commemoration June 16-19 to honor the civil rights legacy sparked nearly 40 years ago by the beating of a Vincent Chin, a Chinese American man in Highland Park. It will include conversations on democracy and racial justice, the commissioning of old Chinatown murals, performing arts experiences and a film series in collaboration with the Freep Film Festival.

MOT launched a $15 million capital campaign to update the 2,700-seat Opera House, which is home to the company's main stage productions and educational programs.
MOT launched a $15 million capital campaign to update the 2,700-seat Opera House, which is home to the company's main stage productions and educational programs.

Detroit Opera announces adventurous lineup for 2022-23 season

Detroit Opera's 2022-23 season is the company's first full lineup of productions in the newly renovated Detroit Opera House since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The season will begin Sept. 17 with Artistic Director Yuval Sharon’s new staging of “Die Walküre: Act III,” co-produced with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conducted by Sir Andrew Davis.

Detroit summer concert rundown: The season is fully hopping for the first time since 2019

In metro Detroit and elsewhere across the world, the first full summer of shows since 2019 is on the doorstep, promising the busiest calendar of live music in many years. It’s a schedule that includes nearly 50 concerts in a 50th anniversary season at Pine Knob, the Clarkston venue that has frequently topped the U.S. rankings for amphitheater attendance. And there are a host of stadium extravaganzas on the books — including an 11-day stretch in July that features four shows at Comerica Park.

A horse carriage passes by the historic Detroit Central Market at Greenfield Village on Friday, April 15, 2022. Members got their first look at the market before its official reopening on Saturday, April 16th.
A horse carriage passes by the historic Detroit Central Market at Greenfield Village on Friday, April 15, 2022. Members got their first look at the market before its official reopening on Saturday, April 16th.

Greenfield Village opens the season with its first new addition in 20 years

The Henry Ford's Greenfield Village in Dearborn marked the start of a new season with the debut of its first new permanent addition in 20 years: The Detroit Central Market. The covered outdoor structure will serve as a multi-use facility for seasonal attractions and special events, like the village's popular Salute to America 4th of July celebration.

The world's largest bounce house will come to Detroit this summer as part of The Big Bounce America tour.
The world's largest bounce house will come to Detroit this summer as part of The Big Bounce America tour.

World's biggest bounce house coming to Fraser park

Who says bounce houses are just for kids? Coming to Fraser's Steffens Park June 10-12, this 13,000 square foot attraction is big enough for children and children-at-heart. Time slots are divided by age to ensure all attendees have a safe bouncing experience. To take the party vibes up a notch, a live DJ will spin beats from a stage in the center of the fun.

People paint murals for the soon to be opening Monroe Street Midway in downtown Detroit on May 24, 2021. The area will feature a mix of outdoor activities, including food, entertainment and roller skating.
People paint murals for the soon to be opening Monroe Street Midway in downtown Detroit on May 24, 2021. The area will feature a mix of outdoor activities, including food, entertainment and roller skating.

Outdoor roller skating returns to Detroit at Monroe Street Midway

Lace up your skates, Detroiters: the Monroe Street Midway, an outdoor sports and entertainment complex located just east of Detroit's Campus Martius Park, will return for a second summer starting May 27. It'll again feature an open-air roller rink operated by southwest Detroit's RollerCade, the oldest continuously operating Black-owned roller rink in the country. It'll also host a sports zone, food trucks, a mini-golf course, vibrant murals and live music.

14 beaches in metro Detroit, Michigan's Thumb to enjoy this summer

They don't call it the Great Lakes state for nothing: Michigan is home to a seemingly endless list of shimmering fresh water lakes. Several beaches are located an hour or two (or less) from metro Detroit, meaning you can spend less time in the car and more time splashing around in the wet stuff.

Into the Woods Mini Golf and Gardens in Copper Harbor.
Into the Woods Mini Golf and Gardens in Copper Harbor.

Mini golf courses in Michigan: 5 unique places to putt-putt

Known for beautiful golf courses such as Arcadia Bluffs and Bay Harbor Golf Club, Michigan is also home to unique courses on a smaller level. From meticulous and quirky designs to views of the Straits of Mackinac, these five putt-putt golf courses are worth a summertime visit.

Fireworks are seen in the background with the marquee sign lit at night at Capri Drive-In Theater in Coldwater.
Fireworks are seen in the background with the marquee sign lit at night at Capri Drive-In Theater in Coldwater.

Michigan drive-in theaters: 11 spots to catch a movie this summer

According to the website of The Capri Drive-In Theater in Coldwater, Michigan was home to 110 drive-in theaters in 1958 — considered to be the peak of the trend in this state. Today, fewer than a dozen remain. Find them by checking out our guide.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Metro Detroit things to do 2022: Concerts, festivals, activities, more