Looking to experience music and culture from around the world? Or maybe take in the sights and sounds of a Formula 1 car? This week’s Metro Events Guide has you covered with some of the best of what Metro Detroit has to offer this weekend. 

Upcoming events (July 15-19)

Concert of Colors 

Various locations
 July 15- July 19
Free

Concert of colors one of the longest-running and largest free global music festival in the country. Each summer, musicians from around the world come to Midtown for a community event showcasing music and culture from around the world. This event is free and family friendly. WDET is a proud partner of Concert of Colors.

Ann Arbor Art Fair 

Downtown Ann Arbor
July 16- July 18
Free

The Ann Arbor Art fair is a three day event featuring work from nearly 1,000 artists. Taking place in downtown Ann Arbor, the event features live music, family-friendly art activities, local food vendors, and more. This event is free to the public.  

2026 Detroit Lit Summer Writers’ Institute 

The LOVE Building
July 18- July 19
Free

The Summer Writers’ Institute offers workshops, resources, and professional growth opportunities for the Detroit literary community. Events in this year’s program include Finding Your Voice: A Non-Fiction Workshop, Landing a Book Deal: Navigating the Query Process, and more. All events are free with RSVP. 

Blake’s Lavender Festival

Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill | 17985 Armada Center Road, Armada MI 48005
July 17- July 19
$12-14

It’s lavender season and that means it’s time for Blakes’ Lavender Festival. Eventgoers will have the opportunity to pick their own lavender, enjoy lavender flavored food and drink and shop lavender inspired gifts from over 200 artisans. 

Red Bull Showrun Michigan

3 Parklane Blvd, Dearborn MI
July 18 | 1 p.m.
Free

Formula 1 comes to the streets of Dearborn with driving demonstrations showcasing the power of a F1 vehicle along with interactive racing experiences for the whole family to enjoy. This event is family friendly and free.

The Ann Arbor Art Fair will welcome nearly half a million visitors from July 16-18.

There will be a thousand juried artists from across Michigan and the entire country. They will display their work at three simultaneous nonprofit events:

• The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original
• The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair
• The Ann Arbor State Street District Art Fair

A Youth Art Fair and Kids Collectors Club also emerges for grade school creatives.

Karen Bauer has been the executive director of the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair for 20 years, while Teesha Lieber is a Detroit marbling artist from Spontaneity Works. Both joined The Metro to talk more about this year’s festival.

Bauer says putting so many separate fairs together may seem like a lot, but experience is on their side. “These fairs have been working together since the early 60s, we are a well oiled machine at this point.”

Tune in to listen to the discussion with Bauer, Lieber to learn more about youth participation, and how art remains authentic during the digital age.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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