Visitors will have several more prime viewing options along the Detroit riverfront to watch this year’s Ford Fireworks show on June 22.
The annual fireworks display over the Detroit River attracts tens of thousands of visitors to downtown Detroit to watch the colorful sparks glow up the Detroit and Windsor skylines. Typically, visitors can watch the show in person from Hart Plaza, Belle Isle and Spirit Plaza, or catch the live broadcast on WDIV-TV.
But this year, at least three primo new spots will open across the city, according to Detroit Police Deputy Chief Franklin Hayes.
“We are proud to let the community know that there will be waterfront viewing this year on the waterfront parks,” Hayes said during a City Council meeting on Monday, June 1.
The new locations include Erma Henderson Park, Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park, and “access on the actual riverwalk,” Hayes said. A message was left with DPD seeking clarification on access areas of the riverwalk.
Erma Henderson Park was among the list of a dozen parks that remained closed for the 2025 show, and Ralph C. Wilson opened late last year. Police decided it was not feasible to open two riverfront parks last year — Erma Henderson and Riverside Park — but would work on expanding access in future years.
The show is expected to kick off at about 10 p.m. on Monday, June 22.
Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit to open up ‘waterfront viewing’ for 2026 Ford Fireworks
Reporting by Dana Afana, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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