This year the Detroit School of the Arts will offer its Kwanzaa celebration to the public for the first time.

The program Seven Seeds, One Harvest: The Chronicles of Kwanzaa will feature African drumming, spoken word performances, visual art and a student-led fashion show.

The DSA has celebrated Kwanzaa since the 1990s. The annual event is sponsored by the dance department,  but incorporates the work of all seven arts majors at the school.

“Typically our Kwanzaa program is a school assembly because it’s designed as a cultural learning opportunity for students,” says DSA principal Mayowa Reynolds.

Reynolds introduced Kwanzaa to DSA when she was a new teacher at the school in 1999.  She credits current West African dance instructor Imani Ma’at AknhmenRa Amen Taylor with building the program to a level that’s ready for the masses.

Ma’at AknhmenRa Amen Taylor is a Kresge Arts Fellow and teaches West African dance to all of the dance majors and as physical fitness to all DSA students.

“The significance here at DSA is that as students who are going to go out into the world as artists, that they are deeply rooted in their own culture,” says Principal Mayowa Reynolds.

The event is also a fundraiser for dance students who have been invited to travel and train with the National Ballet of Guinea next year.

Seven Seeds, One Harvest: The Chronicles of Kwanzaa is Friday, December 12 at 7 p.m. at the Detroit School of the Arts at 123 Selden Street in Detroit.

This week, we’re highlighting holiday festivities from downtown to downriver. Here are seven things to do this week in metro Detroit, including gift markets, art exhibits, dance performances and more.

Upcoming events (Dec. 11–18)

Art for the Holidays

  Detroit Artists Market in Detroit

  Ongoing through Dec. 20

  Free

A long-running art exhibition and sale featuring nearly 1,500 unique, handmade works from nearly 100 local artists. Pieces span from ceramics and textiles to paintings and jewelry, and every purchase directly supports Detroit artists. The market is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Guests of Honor: Art of Faith from the Jewish Museum, New York

  Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit

  Ongoing through Jan. 3, 2027

  Free with general admission

A temporary exhibit at the DIA featuring a selection of Jewish ceremonial objects from the Jewish Museum in New York. The pieces date from the 1400s to the early 1900s, and include Torah finials, Hanukkah menorahs and more.

Seven Seeds, One Harvest: The Chronicles of Kwanzaa

  Detroit School of Arts in Detroit

  Friday, Dec. 12

  $6–$22

A performance by the DSA African Dance Ensemble featuring drumming, dancing, poetry, fashion and storytelling to celebrate unity, healing, power and purpose. This year’s performance is a fundraiser to help students take an educational trip to Guinea, West Africa in 2026–2027. The show starts at 7 p.m.

Downtown Trenton Noel Nights: Day 2

  Trenton City Hall, various locations

  Saturday, Dec. 13

  $0–$5

An afternoon of activities encouraging residents to explore downtown Trenton, featuring a Hot Cocoa Walk, Snowflake Scavenger Hunt and Holiday Concert. Festivities go from noon to 4 p.m., and activities are $5 for adults or free for kids. The Holiday Concert is free and open to the public.

Batch Brewing Holiday Market

  Batch Brewing Company in Corktown

  Saturday, Dec. 13

  Free

An alternative holiday market featuring a dozen local vendors offering a wide variety of gift ideas. The market goes from 1–5 p.m. and also features music by DJ Thornstryker.

Eastern Market’s Holiday Market

  Eastern Market in Detroit

  Sunday, Dec. 14

  Free

A seasonal market featuring Michigan-made gifts, including clothing, art, jewelry, beauty products and more. Christmas tree vendors will also be in the parking lot outside Sheds 5 and 6. The market goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is the second-to-last Holiday Market of the year, as the final one will be Sunday, Dec. 21.

Menorah in the D

  Cadillac Square in Detroit

  Sunday, Dec. 14

  Free with RSVP

An outdoor Hanukkah celebration featuring a 26-foot-tall Menorah and eight community lamplighters. There will be greetings from Jewish leaders, strolling entertainment, hot soup and more. The event starts at 4:30 p.m. and the Menorah lighting ceremony starts at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required.

Merchants and organizations in the midtown area have organized a holiday event to keep the spirit of Noel Night going. The annual event’s 51^st run has been canceled. But almost 60 shops, restaurants, and community organizations have come together to launch “Merry Midtown” in the spirit of Noel Night.

City Bird’s Andy Linn says there will be concerts at the Detroit School of the Arts, exhibits at Wayne State, DJs at several sites and more.

“And there’s going to be pop up markets at about a dozen of the larger businesses including a really cool vintage and flea market at the majestic. And then there’s going to be live music at a number of locations including Red Hook and Motor City Brewing Works. There’s going to be so many little surprises.”

Business owners say Noel Night is often one of the most lucrative of the whole year – and also when many people discover small businesses in the area. They hope it returns next year, but Merry Midtown may also be here to stay.

For more information about Merry Midtown events visit citybirddetroit.com/events. 

Additional headlines from Tuesday, December 2, 2025

New Detroit lions

Detroit has welcomed three new lions at the Detroit Zoo.

A 9 year-old African lioness named Amirah gave birth to the cubs late last month. A fourth cub did not survive. The kitty cats are expected to meet the public in a few months.

Go Lions!

Pontiac’s Holiday Extravaganza

Pontiac is hosting its 44^th Holiday Extravaganza Saturday. There will be a 5K Elf Run, a “Run, Little Elf” Run, a holiday parade, pony rides, winter festival, a visit from the Clauses and more.

The event is a holiday celebration for Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Waterford and White Lake. It starts at 8 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. around Saginaw Street in downtown Pontiac.  

Dry autumn

This fall was metro Detroit’s driest autumn since 1998. The National Weather Service’s preliminary data show we got just over four inches of rain, the least amount of precipitation for any fall this century.

That also ranks as the tenth driest autumn in southeast Michigan since the government started keeping records in 1874. 

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