Community Events

Join the Detroit Bird Alliance and the Historic Elmwood Foundation for a birding walk at the cemetery! This is a great field trip for birders of all ages and experience levels. We'll walk the grounds to identify the species we see throughout the cemetery and discuss bird migration, habitats and a few Elmwood history highlights. Bring your own binoculars, or Detroit Bird Alliance will have some on-hand to borrow. We will gather in the chapel following the walk for refreshments and discussion. This walk has been canceled. Birding walks at Elmwood will return in October! 

Take a stroll through two centuries of Detroit music history, from classical and concert performers and composers to ragtime, jazz and the roots of Motown. On this two-hour walking tour, we’ll visit the songwriters, producers, publishers, club-owners, broadcasters and performers who influenced the city’s incomparable sound, from Don Davis, Sylvia Moy, and Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg to Harry Guy, Fred “Sonic” Smith, and more.

The walk will last about 2 hours. Your expert Elmwood guide is librarian and local history lover Deb Evans. The tour is free, but space is limited, so please sign up!

Get to know Elmwood's history, art, nature and landscape from the comfort of a charming vintage trolley! We've partnered with Detroit's own Grand Trolley to bring you a delightful ride through our beautiful and historic 86-acre cemetery led by an expert guide. Tours will last about two hours. There will be some hop-off stops with a little bit of walking, but all stops are optional; just cruise and enjoy the scenery if you prefer! Thanks to the generous support of the Mary Thompson Foundation, tickets are just $10. 

Now offering two dates in September: 

• Wednesday, September 16 at 10 a.m. — Tickets here 
• Saturday, September 20 at 10 a.m. — Tickets here

Keep an eye out for more Trolley Tours to come in October! 

Elmwood Alight returns! For two nights in October, the cemetery will shine with light, art, and sound — an immersive experience designed to evoke reflection and wonder. Walk the grounds after dark and see our 180-year-old Detroit landmark in a new way. This year's experience includes an ambitious installation of works by local artists curated in partnership with Playground Detroit. Thursday-Saturday, Oct.1-3, 7-10 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and go on sale to the general public on August 14. More information here.