Detroit has a full schedule of music festivals each summer — some bring just one day of music, food and fun and others keep the party bumping for days .
Choosing a music festival (or several!) to attend benefits from some level of planning. Each festival has its own size, location and range of activities away from the main stages.
If you want some help narrowing down your musical summer plans, our methods aren’t exactly scientific, but we’ve got your back.
What is Detroit’s 2024 summer music festival schedule?
- June 7-9: Motor City Irish Fest
- June 7-9: Tec-Troit Electronic Music Festival
- June 24: Backwoods and Bonfires Music Festival
- July 12-14: African World Festival
- July 15-21: Concert of Colors
- July 26: Totally Tubular Festival
- Aug. 9-11: Ribs and R&B Music Festival
- Aug. 17-18: Afro Nation Detroit
- Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats
- Aug. 30-Sept. 2: Detroit Jazz Festival
- Sept. 2-4: Hamtramck Labor Day Festival
- Sept. 7: Dally in the Alley
- Sept. 28: Riff Fest
Want the full experience?
The music. The crowds. The energy. If you exude a “go big or go home” vibe, love summer in the city and live for the camaraderie with fellow festival-goers, we recommend these two big events coming to the 313.
Afro Nation Detroit
Aug. 17-18
Former Brewster-Douglass site, Detroit
What do PartyNextDoor and Lil Wayne have in common with locals Kash Doll and Donavan Glover ? They’ll be at this year’s Afro Nation Detroit festival. If you love Afrobeats and want to lose your voice cheering and dancing, this is for you. Expect nothing less than world-class productions and pure energy near Brush Park.
Detroit Jazz Festival
Aug. 30-Sept. 2
Downtown Detroit
If you spend weekends soothing your soul to the smooth saxophones and trumpets heard at Cliff Bells or Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, or from tuning into WRCJ or WDET, you can’t miss the Detroit Jazz Festival . With scheduled performances from the Zig Zag Power Trio , Cameron Graves and artist-in-residence Brian Blade , this festival brings jazz lovers four days of swing and blues. The festival is free, but if you want a little bit of luxury and access to your favorite jazz artists, grab a VIP pass .
Want music with a side of … something else?
Some festivals combine highly anticipated lineups with art, food and attractions for an experience fit for those of us who can’t truly ever make up their minds. We’re guilty as charged.
Backwoods and Bonfires Music Festival
June 24
The Eastern, Detroit
Food trucks, live music, bounce houses and bonfires. The fast-growing Backwoods and Bonfires festival is not for the faint of heart, but if you can handle the explicit, it may fit for you. A back-and-forth combination of national acts and local talent, from rapper Rocky Badd to TV personality Sukihana , this festival is for the partygoers who aren’t scared of getting a little sweaty while screaming their favorite lyrics.
African World Festival
July 12-14
Hart Plaza, Detroit
This is truly a community festival for the kinfolk. The 41st African World Festival boasts an estimate of almost 20,000 people celebrating the diaspora through performances, vendors, visual arts and live demonstrations. This packed event is billed as family-friendly, and we can almost guarantee the Tamia hustle will be in rotation. Want to help the event? Sign up to volunteer .
Ribs and R&B Music Festival
Aug. 9-11
Hart Plaza, Detroit
Soul singers like Glenn Jones and Next join forces in early August during National Barbecue Weekend, the lip-smacking alias for the Ribs and R&B Music Festival . What’s better than three days of sultry rhythm and blues paired with finger-licking-good barbecue ribs, brisket and chicken from the city’s expert grill masters? Perhaps doing all that while sipping on spirits and shopping for sundresses and art from more than 100 vendors. The festival goes from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m all each day, but is free Friday until 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday until 1 p.m.
Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats
Aug. 30-Sept. 2
Downtown Royal Oak
The variety is in the name. Soaring Eagle’s Arts, Beats & Eats features a juried art show for all you aesthetes (read: art lovers), plenty of places to get your grub fill and, of course, dynamic musical talent spread across nine stages. The lineup hasn’t been announced yet, but headliners from past years have included Stone Temple Pilots and Salt-N-Pepa .
Hamtramck Labor Day Festival
Sept. 2-4
Joseph Campau Street, Hamtramck
Looking to combine music, yacht races, food and carnival rides? Hamtramck’s annual Labor Day Festival is for those who want a little bit of everything at their summer festival (or are trying to appease a large, opinionated family of festival-goers). Stay for the Labor Day parade for a ceremonial goodbye to summer in the city.
Want to make a road trip out of it?
We love our city, but if you’re one for exploring (and don’t mind taking a little bit of a drive), there are plenty of music festivals outside the 313. Here are just a few.
Motor City Irish Fest
June 7-9
Livonia, Michigan
Only about 1.5% of Detroit’s population as of 2021 identifies as Irish, but the diaspora can convene for Irish and Celtic entertainment at the three-day Motor City Irish Fest . Just a half hour up I-96 lies music from The Black Donnellys , juggling and comedy from Crazy Craig and flashy choreography from some of the finest Irish dance groups. A top-tier festival to throw on your green, white and orange and show some Irish pride.
Totally Tubular Festival
July 26
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Wasn’t the ‘80s such a totally rad time? Reminisce to throwback music from The Romantics and Bow Wow Wow at the Totally Tubular Festival when the monthlong tour of legendary bands, neon clothes and Jeri curls (not guaranteed) make a local stop. Drive up I-75 to near Oakland University, and this festival will allow oldie-but-goldie lovers to bust out their best Running Man all night long.
Riff Fest
Sept. 28
Clarkston, Michigan
We didn’t forget about you, rock lovers! Labeled the “hardest rockin’ party in Southeast Michigan,” Riff Fest features headbanging performances from Godsmack , Seether , Sleep Theory and more at Pine Knob Music Theatre. Accept the near hour-long trek, and be rewarded with a communal rock out — maybe bring some earplugs to be safe.
Want something a bit more low-key?
Festivals bring crowds, and that’s true even for these picks. But if your summer festival vibe is more “block club party” and less “attendance-record-shattering,” these may be the ones for you.
Tec-Troit Electronic Music Festival
June 7-9
The Container Globe, Detroit
Did you think the techno party stopped after Movement? Not a chance. The free Tec-Troit Electronic Music Festival features house and techno exclusively from Detroit artists. Some of the folks hitting the three stages are Waajeed , DJ Godfather , DJ Resurgence and DJ Katalist during this three-day event. If you’re looking for a dance party, this might just be your festival. See you there?
Concert of Colors
July 15-21
Various locations around Detroit
Concert of Colors is a cultural zenith: We’re talking free panels, dance lessons, live music and films spread across Detroit fixtures such as the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. We can’t think of a better way to immerse yourself in such a wide range of Detroit culture without spending a dime.
Dally in the Alley
Sept. 7
Cass Corridor, Detroit
Make no mistake: The crowds at Dally in the Alley are not for the faint of heart. But the free annual event tucked in the vibrant Cass Corridor is the ultimate block party music festival mashup. Details for this year’s event are still being settled, but if it’s anything like last year, expect grub, music, art, beer and nothing but vibes. Plus, how cool are the festival posters ?!
How to find your perfect Detroit summer music festival · Outlier Media
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