5 things to do in the D this weekend Nov. 17-19, 2023

Kickoff list from the Detroit Free Press. Add your suggestions below.

Downtown Detroit Tree Lighting
The annual Detroit Tree Lighting will take place at Campus Martius Park with the arrival of Santa Claus as he lights a 64-foot, Michigan-grown Norway spruce decked with more than 25,000 holiday lights and ornaments.

The event marks 20 years of holiday lights at Campus Martius Park with a full weekend of free, festive activities, entertainment, shopping, food trucks and restaurant offerings following the annual tree lighting.

Live entertainment on The Rink at Campus Martius Park presented by Visit Detroit will include performances by Nathan Chen, who took home the gold and silver medals at the 2022 Olympics, Daniel Palmeri, Anna Cobb, Annabelle Wilkins and other skaters from skating clubs across metro Detroit.

The 2023-2024 opening season for The Rink at Campus Martius kicks off noon-4 p.m. Saturday with a Santa Skate Party and at 6-11 p.m. there will be an Ugly Holiday Sweater Party; noon-4 p.m. Sunday there will be a “Frozen” Skate Party featuring the characters of Disney’s “Frozen.”
Musical acts and entertainment will include Miko Marks, Paul Russell, Drey Skonie, Corrin Barnett, Tasha Page-Lockhart & Clifton Lockhart and others.

Festivities for the tree lighting will take place 4-9 p.m. Friday and the public can enjoy the live show throughout the area with big screens stationed in Campus Martius Park and Cadillac Square.

Magic of Lights
Inside the comfort of your vehicle, experience a vibrant drive-thru, holiday-themed light display that features holiday scenes and characters of the season using more than two million lights and digital animations.

The ticketed experience in Clarkston is one of many across the U.S. and Canada. Holiday scenes will include Winter Wonderland, the 12 Days of Christmas, Toyland, festive Elves and Reindeer Road, along with a 32-foot-tall animated Mattel’s Waving Christmas Barbie, Prehistoric Christmas featuring life-sized dinosaurs, BigFoot Monster Truck and more.

New this year, guests can stop inside the Jolly Holiday Village for a walk-through, out-of-car experience.

This event takes place every evening, 5:30-10 p.m. through Dec. 30 at Pine Knob Music Theatre’s parking area at 33 Bob Seger Drive in Clarkston. Advance tickets for a standard vehicle is $22.50. Tickets at the gate for standard vehicles are $30 Monday-Thursday and $35 Friday-Sunday.

Royal Oak Market: Art Fair Edition
Discover the art of more than 60 juried artists while sipping ciders, wines and craft beers from Michigan distilleries and breweries.
Adult beverages will include offerings from Blom Meadworks, Riboli Family Wines, River’s Edge Brewing Co., Drafting Table Brewing Company and Ascensions Brewing Company.
11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Royal Oak Farmers Market at 316 E. Eleven Mile in Royal Oak.

Jingle & Mingle - Ferndale Underground
Ferndale’s holiday shopping event, Jingle & Mingle will include more than 60 vendors that will feature a variety of gifts and fashion held in the lower level of The dot parking garage that will include DJs, The Ferndale Holiday Brass Band and Prism Men’s Chorus.
The event also includes a nonperishable food drive to benefit the Renaissance Vineyard Food Pantry.

10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday at 221 W. Troy Street in Ferndale. Free.

U-Con Gaming Convention
More than 700 tabletop gaming events that feature role-playing games, board games, organized play, and miniatures will be at this event. There will also be a charity auction, panel interview with guests of honor, a dealer’s room, an awful movie clip showcase and more.
The event takes place 9 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday at Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti. A weekend badge cost $70; individual day badges are $40 for Friday, $55 for Saturday, and $35 for Sunday.

More:Festive light shows to visit in metro Detroit this holiday season

Brendel Hightower is an assistant editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.