Even with the cold wind and snow, there are still things around the city that people do to have fun, even outside. With light shows, concerts, plays, even outdoor ice skating, there is something to do in the cold months in and around the Detroit area.

Rochester Lighting

Every year Rochester lights up the city with thousands of lights on the buildings and in the streets. This year the actual big bright light show took place on the Monday of Thanksgiving week, which is earlier than usual. Friday and Saturday December 5th and 6th, the 7th Kris Kringle, an open-air shopping market, brought hundreds of people to the downtown streets of Rochester. Adults and children of all ages enjoy this,event every year. They shop the streets, eat all kinds of foods, and the children get to meet Santa.

The streets crowded with people from all around coming to see the lights and all of the vendors, some local and some who came from far just to participate at the market.

“I went to see the lights with my friends and family,” senior Antonetta Berisic said. “We go every year, I love how much holiday spirit the city has with all the lights.”

Utica Tree Lighting

Downtown Utica has an annual tree lighting ceremony where families and children of all ages can attend and enjoy the festivities, such as the Utica wind ensemble band that performed.

“It’s such a cute day to be a part of,” senior Ashley Kerr said. “A lot of little kids dance around when we were playing but sadly I didn’t see anyone from Utica there that I knew except for the band kids.”

Downtown Utica hosts events every season from the Zombie walk in October, to the Ice festival in February. While you are in downtown Utica looking at all of the lights there are restaurants and bars to have a bite to eat and warm up.

Megafest Concert

On Nov. 30, the Megafest concert event took place at the Compuware Arena in the downtown Plymouth area. Megafest featured a few popular post hardcore punk bands throughout the night.

“When the lead singer of Pierce The Veil, Vic Fuentes, was searching the crowd to find someone to bring up to the stage,” sophomore Sydney Harrow said. “I started flailing my arms and screaming as loud as I could, but I wasn’t picked.”

Campus Martius

Downtown Detroit hosts concerts and games, but there is also ice skating at the outdoor ring, Campus Martius Park.

The park is a 2.5 acre public place that has ice skating, and a warming tent to rest, eat, and have a warm drink, and is also not to far from big restaurants such as the Hard Rock Cafe.

“I’m not a very good ice skater,” senior Patricia Borycz said, “but I still had a lot of fun.”

Horse drawn carriage rides are also available to see the sights and lights around the city.