Top Ten Outdoor Events near Detroit throughout September 2025
- Dan Cooke
- Sep 4
- 7 min read
Summer vacations may have ended, but Detroit's primetime outdoor events season is just kicking off! Here are September's "Top Ten Outdoor Events near Detroit" that are coming down the pipeline this month.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your recreational engines: the "Ber" months have finally arrived to the Detroit region.
In full transparency, Team Expedition Detroit has had the month of September circled on our calendars since May. According to 3 years of our engagement data analytics, we can empirically state that the Detroit region's outdoors hit their full stride in September (and gets even stronger in October).
That's right - summer months be damned, September is when our local outdoor community shines. And if you're scratching your head at that conclusion, here's a summary of our arguments as to why:
Vacationers are home. Back to school means that intrepid adventurers have returned to their local parks and trails - or are in the hunt for local outdoor adventures to maintain August's momentum.
Summer's miseries are behind us. Extreme heat, pervasive wild fire smoke, blood-thirsty deer flies - September constitutes a welcomed departure from such miseries.
Summer's blessings are still in full effect. September provides the ideal window to fully enjoy warm weather recreation without fighting for reservations, parking spots, or trail space.
Peak race season is waiting in the wings. After a full summer of training, September provides the perfect bridge month of "training races" before October's headlining events.
The net result of the above factors? An action-packed September filled to the brim with world-class outdoor events for the whole family to enjoy. So, without further delay, here are the Top 10 Outdoor Events near Detroit going down this month!
1. Fly Over to the Festival of Hawks
September 13th | Holiday Beach Conservation Area | 9:00 a.m.
Did you know that the Detroit region is home to one of the greatest migrations in North America?
That's right - and our friends over in Amherstburg, Ontario plan the perfect annual event to celebrate and catch a glimpse of this rare feat. This year, Holiday Beach Conversation Area will host the 2025 Festival of Hawks - aka HawkFest - during which bird watchers and nature aficionados will observe the migration of tens of thousands of hawks and raptors flying overhead on their annual journey to nesting grounds in the south. The festival will also feature a range of free educational activities and nature-themed programming, all included with the price of admission ($20 CAD per vehicle).
2. Light Up the Cut at Eastern Market After Dark
September 18th | Dequindre Cut Freight Yard, Detroit, Michigan | 6:00 p.m.
Celebrate Eastern Market After Dark down on the Dequindre Cut!
Accessible from Wilkins St. in Eastern Market, the Dequindre Cut Freight Yard is the perfect place to extend your Eastern Market After Dark celebrations. Enjoy drinks, food trucks, and bonfires with free s'mores, plus free face painting, giant lawn games, and interactive art activities. All programming is family friendly and open to all ages - oh, and dogs on leashes are welcome!
Special to this year's event, don't forget to bring your wheels to participate in the annual Motown Roller Club Dequindre Cut Glow Roll, with free glow items before you roll out for a loop along the Cut to music from DJ E.N.T. The Roll begins at 7:30pm.
The Freight Yard is located along the Dequindre Cut, just south of the Wilkins Entrance to the Cut. Those attending Eastern Market After Dark can easily enter via the ramp at Wilkins + Orleans. Stop in for a second or stay all night!
3. Embrace Spooky Season by Dancing with the Devil (in the Dirt)
September 20th | Hell, Michigan | 6:15 a.m.
Fall officially kicks off in September, along with everyone's favorite autumnal microseason: Spooky Season. For Detroit's outdoor faithful, there's no better way to kick off a month+ of ghosts and ghouls than racing through the trails of Hell on a 30K (*ONLY FOR THIS YEAR*), 50K, 50 mile, or 55 mile team relay trail run.
That's right - our friends at RF Events are hosting their 30TH ANNUAL "Dances with Dirt" race in Hell, Michigan this month. These ultra events are on Pure Michigan, runnable single track, gnarly trails. Expect to be scratched, muddied and bruised by the beauty of this unpolished gem. Take yourself to the edge where life is full color… and dirty.
All entries include a post race bash with food and drink, marked course with aid, awards eligibility and finisher medal. Age group awards 3 deep in all 5 year male/female age groups for all events, overall awards to top 3 male and female in each distance.
EXPLORE PINCKNEY RECREATION AREA WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT!
4. Gaze into the Cosmos at a Dark Sky Preserve
September 20th | Point Pelee National Park | 8:00 p.m.
The days are finally getting darker as we approach the Fall Solstice this month, so the stars at Point Pelee National Park - the single best stargazing destination in the Detroit region - will be shining the brightest that they have all summer! Point Pelee's "Dark Sky Nights" are especially catered towards star-gazing tourists willing to brave variable conditions at night, with amenities including extended visitor hours (open until midnight this month), seasonal star charts, and the combined natural beauty of the park and the cosmos.
Who knows...maybe we'll even be treated to another primetime showing of the Northern Lights this month!
BOOK A TOP-RATED NIGHT HIKING EXPERIENCE WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT!
5. Sharpen your Axe for the Fire & Flannel Festival
September 26th - 27th | Wyandotte, Michigan | 3:00 p.m.
Do you rejoice at the return of #FlannelSeason and the uniquely fall activities that accompany it?? I absolutely do - and it turns out that I'm far from alone.
This September, head down to Wyandotte for Fire & Flannel Fest: an exciting Fall festival where everything is centered around Fire and Flannel! The festival has entertainment for everyone, including lumberjack shows, axe throwing, fire performers, glass blowing, and live chainsaw carvings.
The action continues all weekend long with live music, fire pits to roast s’mores, and live entertainment. All revelers are strongly encouraged to wear flannel shirts for this festive occasion. Food trucks and vendor booths featuring harvest goods and unique craft items will be located throughout the festival's "Fall Crafters Market."
BECOME YOUR OWN LUMBERJACK WITH AN EXPEDITION DETROIT "CAMP AXE"
6. Welcome Autumn at a State Harvest Festival
September 26th - 28th | Proud Lake State Recreation Area and Seven Lakes State Park | 9:00 a.m.
Is there a better way to kick off fall in Michigan with a weekend camping trip? We can only think of one way: adding in a Harvest Festival to the trip!
Just in time for the Harvest Moon, campers at both Proud Lake State Recreation Area and Seven Lakes State Park will enjoy a Michigan DNR-hosted "Harvest Festival." The festival will include haunted hayrides, friendly hayrides, bonfires, crafts, scavenger hunts, archery, bounce houses, site decorating contest, costume parade, trick-or-treating, dancing, a popcorn bar, and other activities. This event is only open to registered campers, so be sure to visit MIDNRReservations.com ASAP to reserve your spot!
EXPLORE THE BEST OF PROUD LAKE WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT!
7. Fuel Up on Caffeine at the Coffee Classic Run
September 27th | Indian Springs Metropark | 8:00 a.m.
Coffee. Run. Repeat. That's the motto for our #ExpeditionPartners over at Running Venture for "National Coffee Day," and we can't think of a better way to celebrate than joining their "Coffee Classic Run" at Indian Springs Metropark!
The Coffee Classic Run starts at 8 a.m. at the Meadowlark Pavilion. Both the 5K and 8 mile races follow along the metropark's beautiful paved trail, while a special "Kid's Run" sprints off at 9:30 a.m. All runners will receive a custom shirt, finisher medal and mug, complimentary refreshments, and - you'll never guess - COFFEE. There will also be special awards for the top male and female finishers in each event, along with top 3 in each age group!
8. Celebrate National Public Lands Day with a FREE TOP-RATED HIKE NEAR DETROIT!
September 27th | 11 Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas
Did you know that over 28% of Michigan comprises of publicly-owned land? That's right - well over a quarter of our beautiful state belongs to all of us, which is a fact worth remembering, protecting, and celebrating this month on National Public Lands Day!
In honor of National Public Lands Day, Expedition Detroit is offering YOU the opportunity to participate in one of our offered, TOP-RATED day hiking trips - FOR FREE - on September 27th ONLY! Use discount code "PUBLIC LANDS" to reserve your hike today!*
*Limited spaces available
9. Send It at the Shelden Mountain Bike Fest
September 27th | Stony Creek Metropark | 3:00 p.m.
Peak summer riding may have past, but fall still represents prime time for riding on the Detroit region's best mountain biking trails!
Riders of all skill levels can get into the action during this month's 4th annual Shelden Mountain Bike Fest, hosted jointly by the Huron-Clinton MetroParks and the Clinton River Area Mountain Bike Association! Riders will experience the thrill of the newly redeveloped Shelden Trails with fellow mountain bike enthusiasts, visit vendor and bike-related booths, enjoy some great food vendors, grab a beer to enjoy by the bonfire, and relax after hitting the trails with free s’mores from REI. Shelden Mountain Bike Fest jerseys will also be available for purchase on site during the event, and rounding out the evening will be a group twilight trail ride, so be sure bring your bike lights!
10. EXPLORE YOUR STATE PARKS WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT
Throughout September (and beyond) | 11 Michigan State Parks and Recreation Areas
Fall colors are JUST AROUND THE CORNER, and there's no better way to experience them than at our regional Michigan State Parks! Not sure where to explore? No problem - we've curated dozens of guided trips intended to showcase the best of the best of the Detroit region's outdoors.
And in case you missed it...our "Back to School" Deals are live ALL SEPTEMBER LONG! For our guided trips, we're offering not only 30% off any guided trip, but a "Book Two, Get One Free" special. So don't let those post-summer blues bring you down - there's an adventure or two (alright, three) waiting for you along the Detroit region's best trails.
CHECK OUT OUR NEW "RICHARDSON TRAIL" DAY HIKE AT BRIGHTON STATE RECREATION AREA
The Expedition Detroit team is proud to represent the Michigan DNR's largest commercial provider of guided hikes, backpacking expeditions, and trail running coach across ELEVEN of the Detroit region's most pristine state parks and recreation areas. Each of our guides has the field experience, wilderness first aid training, park knowledge, and outdoor passion that you can - and should - expect from any world-class trail experience.
P.S. Subscribers to our content get the inside scoop on discounts for our guided trips AND online store items.....
Do you host an upcoming outdoor event that you would like to be featured in a future article? If yes, then we would love to hear from you! Please contact us at info@expeditiondetroit.com to discuss Expedition Detroit feature opportunities.