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Events

MotorCities Events 1170

Tell us when you plan to visit the MotorCites National Heritage Area and we will find some possible events for you. We hope to see you soon!

 

Additional Info

  • Event Title Automotive Showplace: 1952 Packard "Macauley" Pan American
  • Event Date(s) Now through Sunday, October 12, 2025
  • Event Location Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit
  • Event Description After World War II, designer Richard Arbib of the The Henney Motor Company - Packard’s coachbuilder - was tasked with refreshing Packard’s styling. Arbib’s design called for a 1952 Packard convertible to be cut in half horizontally in order to remove a four-inch strip of body to reduce its height in a process known as sectioning. To lengthen the car, Henney drastically extended the rear quarter panels while the windshield was cut and lowered for a sportier look. This vehicle is the first of six Pan Americans that were built for the show circuit - four of which remain - and belonged to Edward Macauley, head of Packard design in the 1950s. Macauley periodically altered the car to meet his taste and current styling. Some of Macauly’s personal updates include the dashboard and “egg crate” grille insert from a 1954 Packard as well as quarter panels and taillights from a 1955 model.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Treats in the Streets
  • Event Date(s) Sunday, October 26, 2025, 2:30 - 5 p.m.
  • Event Location Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit
  • Event Description Get ready for a super-powered Halloween tradition! BAM! Assemble your heroes, heroines, and sidekicks for a FREE, action-packed adventure where kids can trick-or-treat through The Streets of Old Detroit. ZOWIE! Capes, masks, and costumes are highly encouraged—this is your chance to POWER UP, STRIKE A HEROIC POSE, and SAVE THE DAY while enjoying a safe, festive, and family-friendly Halloween celebration right in the heart of Detroit! POW! Limit 10 tickets per family. A sensory-friendly hour precedes this event from 1-2 p.m.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Driven to Win: Racing in America
  • Event Date(s) Now Open
  • Event Location Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
  • Event Description Presented by General Motors, the first comprehensive exhibition covering various forms of American auto racing, including stock car, sports car, drag racing, Indy car, hill climb and land-speed racing, is now open in Dearborn. The 24,000 square-foot exhibit provides visitors an in-depth look at the people, the experiences, the culture, the spectacle, the risks and the innovations centered in the world of American auto sports.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Young Modelers Club
  • Event Date(s) Saturdays Running October 11, 2025 thru April 11, 2025 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
  • Event Location Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society, Eastpointe, MI
  • Event Description Ages 8 to 16, parents welcome to join in. For those who have never built a model, we give you a free snap-together kit to build and take home! All supplies such as tools, paint, glue, etc will be provided for those who bring their own model to build. Members of IPMS Warren model club will be there to help and teach modeling techniques For more info, contact Jim Ashford, 248.399.2386, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additional Info

  • Event Title Trunk or Treat at the Gilmore
  • Event Date(s) Wednesday, October 22, 2025 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
  • Event Location Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
  • Event Description Kids can trick or treat this Halloween in a safe and fun environment! We'll combine cars with good old fashioned spooky fun. This event is FREE ($5 donation suggested) and will run like a typical Cruise-In. Trunk or treaters do NOT need to RSVP to the event and will enjoy donuts & cider and Halloween music. In addition, George & Sally's Blue Moon Diner and the Gilmore Bar will be open. Participating cars need to RSVP by clicking the link below.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Trunk (Or Is It Tank?) or Treat
  • Event Date(s) Saturday, October 25, 2025 5 - 7 p.m.
  • Event Location Michigan Military Technological & Historical Society, Eastpointe, MI
  • Event Description The Trunk or Treat event takes place in the parking lot, while other Halloween events take place inside the Museum. Enjoy beverages and snacks! Bring your car, decorate your trunk and have some fun! Sign up to be a "trunk sponsor" by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Additional Info

  • Event Title Achievement: African Americans' Accomplishments & Contributions in Automotive Exhibit
  • Event Date(s) On Display Now!
  • Event Location Automotive Hall of Fame, Dearborn, MI
  • Event Description The contributions Black Americans have made to the automotive industry have not been celebrated or even fully captured and shared. Very little effort has even been made to conduct the required research to identify the individuals, much less curate an exhibit on their accomplishments. The Automotive Hall of Fame recognizes that these are important stories that need to be told.

Additional Info

  • Event Title M1 Cars and Coffee
  • Event Date(s) Saturday, November 1, 2025 8 - 11 a.m.
  • Event Location M1 Concourse, Pontiac, MI
  • Event Description Join the M1 Concourse for their final monthly Cars and Coffee event of 2025. Hear the roar of engines and see the shine of chrome as Fords, Lincolns and Mercurys line the Arena, making it the ultimate gearhead hangout. Admission is $20 per vehicle.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Night at the Museum
  • Event Date(s) Thursday, October 16, 2025 5 - 8 p.m.
  • Event Location Stahl's Motors & Music Experience, New Baltimore, MI
  • Event Description Get ready for an unforgettable evening, Stahls Night at the Museum brings the collection to life after hours! As the sun sets, the cars, music, and memorabilia take on a whole new glow, transforming the space into a vibrant spectacle of sights, sounds, and stories from automotive history.

Additional Info

  • Event Title 90 Years of Organized Labor Support in the Pontiac Community
  • Event Date(s) Thursday, November 6, 2025 7 p.m.
  • Event Location Pontiac Transportation Museum, Pontiac
  • Event Description Rick Lyons and Dimitrie Toth discuss the history organized labor in the Pontiac Community. FREE admission.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Distracted Driving Simulator
  • Event Date(s) Now Open!
  • Event Location Sloan Museum of Discovery, Flint, MI
  • Event Description The new Distracted Driving interactive game helps drivers see the dangers of driving while distracted and emphasizes the important message of vehicle safety. The new exhibit was supported by a 2024 MotorCities Challenge Grant. Cellphones, text messages music, podcasts and other drivers on the road are introduced to your virtual vehicle while you play. The exhibit actually asks visitors to drive while simultaneously texting messages to friends. The resulting virtual accidents that take place have monetary “costs” assigned based on vehicle damage. Upon completing the course, visitors will see the costs of distracted driving, as well as receive messaging on the dangers of texting while driving. The Distracted Driving Simulator is located in the Museum's Durant Gallery and is free with general admission.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Tank Dedication
  • Event Date(s) Friday, October 17, 2025 at 2 p.m.
  • Event Location Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society, Eastpointe, MI
  • Event Description The museum is holding a Dedication Ceremony for its newly installed 20-ton tank monument outside the building. Admission to the museum will be free all weekend! The vehicle, an M8 Armored Gun System, represents the evolution of the American light tank concept designed to replace the M551 Sheridan. Developed in the 1980s, the M8 shares design lineage with the Cadillac Gage Stingray prototype, which was engineered in Warren, Michigan.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Annual Fall Open House
  • Event Date(s) Sunday, October 19, 2025 1 - 5 p.m.
  • Event Location Packard Proving Grounds, Shelby Twp., MI
  • Event Description This free community event celebrates the site's 98th birthday with a Cruise-In Car Show, Packard taxi rides, live music, food trucks, a bake sale, and more. The Open House is one of our most cherished traditions, bringing together families, car enthusiasts, and community members while supporting the ongoing preservation of this historic landmark.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation's 5th Anniversary
  • Event Date(s) Thursday, October 30, 2025 6:30 - 9.p.m.
  • Event Location Automotive Hall of Fame, Dearborn, MI
  • Event Description Join us for an unforgettable evening honoring five years of storytelling, preservation and innovation. The Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation celebrates its 5-year anniversary at a venue that reflects Kahn’s enduring impact on the auto industry and modern architecture. This celebration also previews the work in progress for the Albert Kahn Online Museum of Architecture & Design – an interactive website designed to bring Albert Kahn’s work to life. Tickets are $150/person.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Henry B. Joy & the Selfridge Connection
  • Event Date(s) Sunday, November 9, 2025 1-2 PM
  • Event Location Packard Proving Grounds, Shelby Township, MI
  • Event Description Before it was Selfridge Field, there was Joy Aviation Field—a bold experiment in early 20th-century industrial aviation by Henry Bourne Joy, president of the Packard Motor Car Company. In 1915 he acquired over 600 acres along Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township to test Liberty aircraft engines. This engaging presentation, led by Steve Mrozek, will unravel how that effort led to the government leasing the field in 1917, its transformation into Selfridge Army Aviation Installation, and its enduring role in American aviation history. Perfect for military history buffs, Packard fans, and anyone who loves uncovering Michigan’s industrial past. Tickets: $5 Non-Members, FREE for PPG Members.

Additional Info

  • Event Title How the Packard Proving Grounds Was Saved
  • Event Date(s) Sunday, November 23, 2025 1 - 2 p.m.
  • Event Location Packard Proving Grounds, Shelby Twp., MI
  • Event Description John MacArthur, the lead negotiator in a lengthy effort to preserve this historic automotive testing site, will share his inspiring story of dedication and community spirit. Attendees receive a limited copy of the Fall issue of The Packard Cormorant magazine featuring John’s detailed article on the preservation journey. Extra copies will be available for purchase. Admission is $5 for guests, free for members.

Additional Info

  • Event Title Electric Cars: Past, Present, and Future with Russell Dore
  • Event Date(s) Saturday, November 8, 2025 1:00-2:30PM
  • Event Location Auburn Hills Public Library
  • Event Description Take a journey through the fascinating history of electric vehicles, from their early success and the pioneering work of figures like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison to their decline and dramatic comeback in the modern era. This program explores the innovations driving today’s electric car market, including major manufacturers, the growth of self-driving technology, and the pivotal role of the Detroit area in shaping the future of sustainable transportation.