DETROIT (WXYZ) — The 65th Annual Ford Fireworks will light up the sky over the Detroit River on Monday, June 26. The 24-minute show is slated to start at 10:06 p.m.
Produced by The Parade Company, the big event is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of spectators.
“Hundreds of thousands of spectators will line the shores of the Detroit River to enjoy the Ford Fireworks June 26. To make it an enjoyable experience, the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan will enforce access restrictions to Hart Plaza and Belle Isle. In addition, a number of riverside parks will be closed June 26,” City officials said in a press release Thursday.
Check out this exclusive guide with everything you need to know to help you plan ahead for the 65th Annual Ford Fireworks.
Related: 65th Annual Ford Fireworks to light up sky June 26
Viewing areas
Three areas in Downtown Detroit have been identified by the city as the best viewing options for the event. They include:
- Hart Plaza
- Belle Isle (viewing from the MacArthur Bridge will not be permitted)
- Spirit Plaza
Hart Plaza and Spirit Plaza will be open to the general public until capacity is reached. However, setting up or gathering at the plazas will not be allowed prior to 2:00 p.m. on June 26.
During the day of the fireworks, re-entry will not be allowed at Hart Plaza or Spirit Plaza. Anyone entering either plaza will be subject to security screening, including coolers and backpacks.
Prohibited items include the following:
- No tents, alcohol, drones, pets, or contraband (weapons, knives, etc.) will be allowed.
- Flames or fires are prohibited, and cooking is prohibited.
- Fireworks are not allowed.
- Reserving an area in excess of the number of people currently in the group is prohibited.
Belle Isle Park will open on June 26 at 2:00 p.m. for vehicular traffic until capacity is reached. Once capacity is reached, additional vehicle traffic will be prohibited. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be allowed to access the island beginning at 5 a.m.
To enter Belle Isle Park, motorists must have a Recreation Passport. Only required for vehicles, the passport can be purchased at the parks’ entrance for $13. For out-of-state and international visitors, the passport costs $11 for the day.
To get updates on when the Belle Isle Park is full, text GEM to 80888.
Here is a list of things Belle Isle Park officials want visitors to know before heading to the island:
- Alcohol consumption is prohibited on the island.
- No tents and canopies allowed.
- From 2 - 4 p.m., all vehicles will be directed to the paddock area (except those with valid ADA placards)
- RV parking will be on the paddock area near the Casino.
- Consumer fireworks are prohibited on the island.
Prohibited viewing areas
The following areas will be closed for the event:
- RiverWalk in its entirety including Milliken State Park/Harbor
- AB Ford Park, 100 Lenox
- Gabriel Richard Park, 7130 E. Jefferson
- Mariner Park, 14700 Riverside Blvd.
- Lakewood East, 14578 Riverfront Blvd.
- Erma Henderson Park, 8800 E. Jefferson Ave.
- Owens Park, 8430 E. Jefferson Ave.
- Stockton Park, 9250 Dwight
- Maheras-Gentry Park, 12550 Avondale
- Elliott Park, 110 Mt. Elliott
- Riverside Park
Parking
“The Municipal Parking Department also will not enforce parking meters after 5 p.m. on June 26. However, motorists are advised to observe parking restrictions. Parking violators will be ticketed, and in some instances, vehicles may be towed,” City of Detroit Municipal Parking Department officials said.
While parking meter enforcement will not take place on June 26, motorists can still be ticketed for the following:
- Improper parking (vehicles within 20 feet from crosswalk; within 15 feet from an intersection; within 30 feet of a stop sign or traffic control device; and within 15 feet of a fire hydrant)
- Parking in front of fire hydrants and bus stops or blocking driveways and alleys.
- Parking in designated zones, such as handicap zones (without proper credentials), fire lanes, no parking zones or no standing zones
Two city-owned parking garages will be available. Viewing and tailgating from parking garages is prohibited.
The Ford Underground Garage located at 30 E. Jefferson Avenue will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 1 a.m. on June 26 and costs $10.
Eastern Market Garage located at 2727 Riopelle Street will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. and costs $10.
For more information, call (313) 221-2500 or go online to detroitmi.gov/parking.
Towing
In the event your vehicle is towed, “vehicles will be retrieved by the company that towed the vehicle. Individuals should talk with a DPD officer to determine the location of their vehicle,” parking officials said.
Road closures/traffic changes
To accommodate increased traffic and ensure safety, traffic changes will go into effect on June 26 at approximately 6:00 p.m.
"Beginning at 6:00 P.M., this traffic plan becomes operational. Michigan State Police and Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will reroute all inbound freeway traffic. All surface streets south of Fort Street will close simultaneously with the freeway closures. All freeway arteries, during the egress of outbound traffic, will remain closed into the downtown area until approximately 12:00 Midnight," said the Detroit Police Department.
- No northbound or southbound traffic will be allowed on Woodward Avenue beginning at Park and Witherell. Motorists may cross Woodward at John R/Clifford, Grand River, and State/Gratiot.
- All streets south of Fort and west of Woodward will be closed.
- All streets south of Congress and east of Woodward will be closed.
- Beginning at 6 p.m., freeways will begin to close. *
* The Detroit Police Department reserves the right to request closure of the freeways and surfaces streets earlier or later, depending on the volume of vehicle traffic.
Curfew
The city's existing curfew for minors, ages 18 and under, will be enforced June 26 and will be in effect from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on June 27.
Curfew enforcement includes the area bounded by the Detroit River, Rosa Parks Boulevard, Lodge Freeway, Fisher Freeway, the extension of Fisher Freeway east to include Gratiot Avenue, Vernor Highway, Chene Street, Atwater Street and Chene Park.
“Minors are welcome to view the fireworks from any approved public area. However, for their safety, minors must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult (age 21 or over) if they choose to view from within the curfew boundaries. Minors will be allowed to travel to and from work, school, church or organized activities,” officials said.
Minors found to be in violation of the curfew will be taken to the Butzel Family Center located at 7737 Kercheval in Detroit and held until they are picked up by a parent or guardian. The parent or guardian will receive a parental responsibility violation ticket.
Lost children
In the event a child becomes lost, they can be relocated with a parent or guardian at the following locations:
- Huntington Place (formerly TCF Center/Cobo Center), off of Atwater Dr. in the atrium
- Detroit Police Department 3rd Precinct, 2875 W. Grand Blvd. (313) 596-5300
- Detroit Police Department 4th Precinct, 4700 W. Fort Street (313) 596-5400
- Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval, (313) 628-2100
DDOT bus transportation
The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) has issued several reminders for DDOT bus riders.
On June 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., the following eastside routes will end at the Bricktown People Mover Station on Beaubien between Congress and Lafayette Streets in Downtown Detroit.
Affected routes include:
- Van Dyke/Lafayette (#5)
- Gratiot (#6)
- Jefferson (#9)
- Russell (#40)
- Chene (#52)
- Cadillac/Harper (#67)
“Bus passengers may take the People Mover at the Bricktown Station to get to the Rosa Parks Transit Center exiting at the Times Square/Grand River People Mover Station. Passengers at the Rosa Parks Transit Center traveling east should board the People Mover at the Times Square/Grand River Station and exit at the Bricktown Station to board eastbound coaches staged on Beaubien near the station,” DDOT said.
Woodward (#4) will lay over at the Rosa Parks Transit Center.
Free People Mover tokens will be given to passengers whose route includes the Rosa Parks Transit Center or buses on Beaubien near the Bricktown People Mover Station. DDOT employees in neon yellow vests will distribute tokens.
For more information regarding DDOT service, call (313) 933-1300.
Detroit People Mover
On June 26, the Detroit People Mover (DPM) will run from 7:00 a.m. to midnight. Beginning at 2:00 p.m., all trains will bypass Huntington Place, Millender Center and Renaissance Center stations. These stations will resume regular service on June 27.
“The Financial District Station is the closest DPM station within walking distance of Hart Plaza. It is the next station before Millender Center and nearest to Huntington Place from the street,” DPM officials said.
The following DPM stations will remain open to the public on June 26 until midnight:
- Michigan
- Fort-Cass
- West Riverfront
- Financial District
- Bricktown
- Greektown
- Cadillac
- Broadway
- Times Square
- Grand Circus Park
The Detroit People Mover costs 75 cents to ride for all passengers and is free for children 5 years and under.
For more information, visit www.thepeoplemover.com or call (313) 224-2160.
