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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Detroit Grand Prix 2025 guide: Free activities, road closures, parking, weather and more
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability subject to change. Engines will roar and tires will screech through downtown Detroit this weekend — but all that noise won't be coming from everyday traffic. The 2025 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, presented by Lear, is returning for its 35th year, bringing high-speed racing, interactive fan zones, live music and family-friendly activities to the heart of the city. Advertisement Here's everything you need to know to enjoy the 2025 Detroit Grand Prix, from the free festivities and food options to road closures, parking and weather. When is the Grand Prix in Detroit? The 2025 Detroit Grand Prix is set for Friday, May 30-Sunday, June 1. The 1.7-mile, nine-turn street circuit begins on Jefferson Avenue and ends at the intersection of Schweizer Place and Franklin Street, featuring a 0.7-mile straightaway on Jefferson between Rivard and Griswold streets. Admission gates open at 8 a.m. daily. What's new this year? New features at the Detroit Grand Prix this year include: The first-ever Grand Prix Cruise Night presented by the Detroit Auto Show on the evening of Friday, May 30, featuring classic cars and hot rods on the race circuit. A fourth rooftop viewing area on top of the Port Atwater Garage, offering views of Turn 9 and the double-sided pit lane. Rooftop access requires a rooftop viewing ticket. A new mountain bike stunt show by Dialed Action Sports, held several times Friday-Sunday. Tickets and Free Prix Day Single-day tickets and multi-day packages can be purchased. The Grand Prix is also offering rooftop viewing at four garages: three near the finish line and one near Turn 5. Luxury experiences are also available at the Turn 3 Club and pit lane suites, which offer up-close viewing of the action. Advertisement For details and to purchase tickets, visit Race car fans watch during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship of Detroit Grand Prix in downtown Detroit on Saturday, June 1, 2024. Friday is Comerica Bank Free Prix Day. Grandstands 1 and 9 will be open to the public with free general admission seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. No ticket is required, though access to the paddock is not included. Fans can catch practice sessions from all three racing series on the morning of Free Prix Day. Six free viewing platforms will be open along East Jefferson Avenue throughout the weekend. The Pratt Miller Patio, on the south side of Hart Plaza, will also offer free views of Turns 5 and 6 on Saturday and Sunday. Advertisement More: Indy 500 winner Álex Palou looking to continue IndyCar dominance at Detroit Grand Prix Fan festivities and concert Three major fan zones — Woodward Avenue, Spirit Plaza and Hart Plaza — will be open to the public for free all weekend, offering a range of entertainment and activities. The Meijer Fan Zone, featuring free ice cream, interactive games, STEM exhibits from the Michigan Science Center, photo ops and appearances by Detroit sports legends, is now located on Woodward Avenue between Spirit Plaza and Campus Martius. Nearby, the Small Business Straightaway will highlight vendors from seven Detroit districts, open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Advertisement Hart Plaza will feature racing simulators, giveaways, and a chance for kids to sit behind the wheel of a Detroit Grand Prix Indy car. Fans can buy official merchandise, take in skyline views from the Pratt Miller Patio and watch the daily mountain bike stunt show near the fountain, according to event organizers. Saturday night's entertainment includes EDM performances by EVAN GIIA and Gryffin on the Cadillac Square Entertainment Stage, presented by Priority. The concert starts at 6:15 p.m., with tickets starting at $25. Race tickets will not be accepted for entry. Autograph sessions will be held in the Renaissance Center on Level A, featuring drivers from the NTT IndyCar Series on Friday, and from the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and INDY NXT series on Saturday. Dozens of fans lined up during the NTT IndyCar Series Driver's Autograph Session at the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear Free Prix Day inside the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit on Friday, May 31, 2024. Food and drink options Concessions and dining options will be available throughout the Detroit Grand Prix venue, including rooftop areas, a food court behind Grandstand 9, and food trucks in Hart Plaza and along Woodward Avenue. Andiamo Catering, a longtime Grand Prix partner, will offer new menu items at select concession stands. Advertisement Additional options include paddock dining behind Grandstand 8, which requires paddock access, and fine dining inside the Renaissance Center. Fans can also explore a wide range of restaurants and bars in the surrounding downtown Detroit area. Road closures, parking and transportation During the race weekend, Woodward Avenue will be closed from Gratiot Avenue (just north of Campus Martius) to Jefferson Avenue. Cadillac Square will also be closed between Woodward and Bates streets. A map detailing the downtown closures can be viewed here. According to the Detroit Department of Transportation, bus service on Jefferson will remain closed through Monday, June 9, while crews remove race infrastructure. Advertisement Several parking garages within the race venue —including the Millender, Center, Port Atwater, Beaubien and River East garages— will be closed to the public during the event. The only in-venue garage open for paid public parking is the Franklin Garage, which also offers rooftop viewing. Parking passes must be purchased in advance and require a race admission ticket. Additional surface lots and non-venue garages downtown are also expected to be available. Parking can be reserved through the Park Detroit App or Spot Hero. More: Detroit Grand Prix wrapping up construction, with Jefferson Avenue under complete closure Advertisement Public transit access to the race venue is available via the QLine and the Detroit People Mover. The People Mover's Financial District, Millender Center and Renaissance Center stops all provide direct access to the event. Both transit options are free to ride. What will the weather be like? Friday will be warm, with a high in the mid-70s and a 40% chance of rain and possible thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, according to the National Weather Service. After Friday's showers, the weekend is expected to be clear and pleasant for the rest of the Grand Prix. Saturday and Sunday highs are forecast in the low 70s, with lows dropping to the upper 40s Saturday night and low 50s Sunday night. Security measures Security measures at the Detroit Grand Prix include screening guests with handheld wands or walk-through metal detectors before entry. All bags are subject to search. Advertisement Prohibited items include weapons, drones, skateboards, glass bottles, alcohol, illegal drugs, large strollers, flags, chairs (except in Franklin Garage tailgating areas) and animals other than assistance dogs. Coolers, bags (no larger than 12 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches), cameras and binoculars are allowed. Admission tickets are required to enter parking garages, and free viewing from garages is prohibited. Franklin Garage tailgating The Grand Prix tailgating package gives fans a convenient way to enjoy the race. It includes a parking space on levels two through six of the Franklin Garage, four general admission rooftop tickets and paddock access. Guests can view cars racing into Turn 9, pit lane activity, and the finish line in front of Grandstand 9 from the Franklin Street side of the garage, according to the event guide. Race car fans watches from a parking garage as NTT IndyCar Series drivers compete during Detroit Grand Prix in downtown Detroit on Sunday, June 2, 2024. Tailgating guests may bring lawn chairs, tables, coolers and food to enjoy inside the Franklin Garage. Open-flame grilling is not allowed in the parking structure. Post-race celebrations The weekend wraps up with post-race celebrations on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Pit Lane following Saturday's Chevrolet Sports Car Classic and Sunday's IndyCar Grand Prix. Fans can join the victory festivities and possibly catch souvenirs at the Autotrader Winner's Circle on the Franklin Bridge. Advertisement A full event guide and maps can be found here: Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@ Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Grand Prix 2025: Free events, road closures, weather and more
Axios
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Axios
Detroit Grand Prix guide: Free events, parking and more
The Detroit Grand Prix will dominate downtown this weekend, starting with Friday's Free Prix Day and ending with Sunday's final race. Why it matters: The annual event transforms Jefferson Avenue and other downtown streets into a 1.7-mile racetrack for world-class drivers such as last week's Indy 500 winner, Alex Palou, who also won in Detroit two years ago. The race is expected to generate an economic impact of more than $100 million, Crain's reports. 🏁 Here's our grand prix primer: Free events: Friday's Free Prix Day allows free admission to grandstands 1 and 9. Free, wheelchair-accessible viewing platforms will be located along Jefferson all weekend. Hart Plaza, Spirit Plaza and Woodward Avenue will also host free fan activation areas all three days. Downtown race footprint: Road closures will affect parts of Jefferson (between the Lodge Freeway and Rivard Street) and Woodward Avenue (between the Campus Martius area and Jefferson). Transportation/parking: Parking garages inside the footprint will be closed except for the Franklin Garage, which requires pre-purchased tickets starting at $75. You can park along the People Mover's route and take it to the Renaissance Center inside the Grand Prix footprint. Another option is parking north of Campus Martius and taking the QLine to the race area. Both services are free. Learn the lingo: Motor sports tend to have a niche following. Luckily our Axios Indianapolis colleagues compiled a handy glossary of racing terms and other basic info for casual fans. Penske's cheating scandal: Off the track, local businessman and racing icon Roger Penske has been dealing with the fallout of a cheating scandal that resulted in the firing of three Team Penske executives just days before the Indy 500. The team's drivers did not fare well at Indy. One wrecked his car before it even started and another exited after 135 laps with a mechanical issue.
