Hockeytown Winter Festival Part 1 - Coke Zero Fan Zone

Once our tour group checked in at the St. Regis Hotel, we headed to downtown Detroit to check out the Hockeytown Winter Festival.  As part of the build up to the Winter Classic, this free outdoor festival allowed fans to partake in some good, ol’ fashioned fun.

Hockeytown Winter Festival

Located right across from Comerica Park, the Hockeytown Winter Festival took up a whole city block.  This was perfect for us as we had tickets to the American Hockey League outdoor game that night between the Toronto Marlies and the Grand Rapids Griffins.  It came with the tour package that we bought through Elite Sports Tours when Nick and I decided to buy Winter Classic tickets.

Hockeytown Winter Festival

Here are some of the highlights we experienced during the Hockeytown Winter Festival.

Getting a Photo with the Comerica Park Tiger Statue

Comerica Park – home to the Detroit Tigers baseball club – was responsible for hosting some key events during the Winter Festival, including the two Alumni games between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Fans getting a photo with the Tiger statue

To commemorate this occasion, the giant tiger statue at the main entrance to Comerica Park was adorned with an over-sized Red Wings jersey.  Needless to say, many fans stood in line to get photos with the awesome display.

Red Wings Experience

The first thing that Nick and I decided to check out was the Red Wings Experience.  Upon entrance, we saw an artist painting a huge canvass that paid homage to the 2014 Winter Classic and Hockeytown Winter Festival.

The Red Wings Experience

As we continued to walk around the tent, we saw line-ups for air hockey and bubble hockey tables.  Since we only had about an hour or two to kill before the AHL Outdoor Hockey game, we didn’t linger too long in this tent.  Alcohol was available, but we grabbed some Coke Zero instead as it was free given Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of the Winter Festival.  There was also a small stage near the front for music acts to play, but there was a break in the schedule while Nick and I were here.

Air Hockey game in progress at the Red Wings Experience

Snowzilla Mobile Tubing Slide

The name of this exhibit speaks for itself.  Right near the front entrance to the festival is a large inflatable tubing slide for young kids to play on.  Even though I like to believe that I am still “a kid at heart,” I gave this slide a pass for obvious reasons.

Street Hockey Rink

Across from the Red Wings Experience was a street hockey rink.  I believe there was a $5 fee to play for a set amount of time, and you had to register at the tent in front of the rink.  Neither Nick nor I were wearing appropriate attire to play some pick up street hockey, but this was definitely fun to watch for a few minutes.

Inflatable Toronto Maple Leafs Puck

Hockey Hall of Fame Tent

Next to the ball hockey rink was the Hockey Hall of Fame tent.  The lineup to get in were ridiculously long – anywhere from 20 – 45 minutes – and because we live in Toronto and can visit the Hockey Hall of Fame anytime we want, Nick and I just went in for a quick peek once the festival was about to close up for the afternoon.  Among the memorabilia displayed in the tent, getting your photo taken with the Stanley Cup was the biggest highlight for this exhibit.

Coke Zone Fan Zone at the Hockeytown Winter Festival

Synthetic Ice Surface Open Skate

We came across another rink at the Winter Festival, but this time, it was open skating rink that used synthetic ice.  Skate rentals were about $5/hour, but we gave this a pass, as well.  Time was running out on us before the AHL Outdoor game, and we still wanted to spend some time checking out Molson Canadian Hockey House.

Molson Canadian Hockey House

Canadians are quite familiar with the Molson Canadian Hockey House as this exhibit is usually found at any major sporting event, like the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  The House welcomes fans with an over-sized maple leaf entrance.

Molson Canadian Hockey House

Once inside, you basically can plop your butt at the main bar and watch the World Junior Hockey Championships in this case.  Otherwise, there are some additional games that you can play, like air hockey and bubble hockey.

Watching the World Juniors at Molson Canadian Hockey House

At the time of the 2014 Winter Classic, there was a famous commercial airing in Canada in the preceding months where Molson would randomly drop off fridges around the world.  If you were the owner of a Canadian passport, then you could scan it in the fridge to open it up and have yourself a free bottle of Molson Canadian.

Wishing I had my Passport with me to scan!

This commercial was a huge hit back home, and sure enough, the Molson Canadian fridge was here at the Hockey House.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have my Passport on me or else I would have scanned it for a free beer!

Tickets to the AHL Outdoor Game & 2014 NHL Winter Classic

Aside from that, there was not much else going on at the Festival grounds.  A couple of hours was all that was needed here before we headed into Comerica Park for the AHL Outdoor game.  

Hard Rock Café Detroit - A Tribute to Motown

Growing up, I had three main passions – travel, sports, and music.  For some reason or another, I visited my first Hard Rock Café in Paris while on a high school trip.  Since then, I have begun collecting t-shirts, shot glasses, and other little trinkets along the way whenever I find a Hard Rock Café along my travels.  With a couple of days to kill in Detroit before the Winter Classic, I decided to check out Hard Rock Café in Detroit.  Established on November 10, 2003, Hard Rock Café Detroit is located right in downtown Detroit just a few blocks West of Hockeytown Café.  Specifically, it is located right across from Campus Martius Park where the annual D-Drop is held.

Hard Rock Cafe Detroit

Rather than review the food, I’d prefer to highlight some of the Rock n’ Roll memorabilia that you can find at this particular location.  And let’s be honest here – it’s really the memorabilia that draws in fans like me to this restaurant, anyway.

The Detroit Rock City Stained Glass Window

Right near the main entrance is a wall mural that just sticks out like a sore thumb.  You literally cannot miss it!  At first, I noticed the members of KISS.  But, upon closer inspection, I realized this mural paid homage to Detroit’s biggest musical acts, including Stevie Wonder, Kid Rock, the Supremes, Alice Cooper, and Ted Nugent.

The Detroit Rock City Stained Glass Window

Ted Nugent’s Guitar

Ted Nugent is about as “Michigan” as you can get with his love for hunting, his passion for guitar, and his hard line Republic views.  He definitely is a reflection of the middle class that lived in Detroit in its hey-day during the 50s and 60s.  At this particular Hard Rock Café, you can see his 1963 Gibson Byrdland that he used from early in his career up until 1975.  In fact, this guitar was used as a model for the entrance design for Hard Rock Café Detroit.

Ted Nugent's 1963 Gibson Byrdland

Alice Cooper’s Black Leather Jacket

Best known for hits like “School’s Out” and “I'm Eighteen,” Detroit’s “Godfather of Shock Rock” donated his black leather jacket to his hometown Café location.  I almost wanted to bow down to this piece of Alice Cooper memorabilia and shout out “we’re not worthy,” but I don’t know how many people in the restaurant would have remembered this Wayne’s World reference!

Alice Cooper's Black Leather Jacket

Stevie Wonder’s “Hotter Than July” Braille Tour Book

You can’t mention Stevie Wonder’s name without remembering the impact that Motown Records had on local Detroit R&B acts in the 1960s.  Blind since birth, Stevie Wonder has one of the biggest pop music influences of the later 20th Century.  As a kid, I remember listening to “I Just Called to Say I Love You” all the time on the radio, thus he was literally one of the first musical influences I had in my life.  It was pretty cool, then, to see his Braille tour book from his “Hotter Than July” tour, which detailed his day-to-day itinerary.

Stevie Wonder's "Hotter Than July" Braille Tour Book

The Smokey Robinson Corner

First achieving fame with the Miracles back in the early 1960s, Smokey Robinson was one of the first musical acts signed by Motown Records.  He would eventually go on a long and prosperous career as both a writer and producer for the label, penning such hits as “My Girl” and “My Guy.”  The Hard Rock Café Detroit has several pieces of Smokey’s memorabilia, including hit records and a silk suit he once wore on a television show.

The Smokey Robinson Corner

Diana Ross’ Gold Dress

Detroit native, Diana Ross, achieved fame as lead vocalist for the Supremes in the 1960s and is one of the first Divas to achieve legendary status on a global scale.  Are you starting to notice a pattern here between the 1960s, Motown Records, and the rise of African-American musicians?  Such an epic time in pop culture!  Of course, I had to snap a picture of the gold dress she wore on the 1991 LP cover for “The Force Behind the Power.”

Diana Ross' Gold Dress

Sponge’s Autographed Guitar   

This was personally my favourite highlight of the memorabilia wall at Hard Rock Café Detroit.  A rather obscure Detroit band that had a couple of minor hits in the mid-to-late 90s with “Plowed” and “Wax Ecstatic,” Sponge was one of the few rock bands that I listened to in high school.  As my eyes laid upon this autographed guitar that they donated to the Café, a huge smile shone on my face as I reflected fondly back upon my teenage years.

Sponge's Autographed Guitar

The Madonna/Kid Rock/Eminem Corner

Rather than list each one separately, I figured I would put them all together at once.  As you exit Hard Rock Café Detroit, you will see a section dedicated to some of Detroit’s biggest musical acts in the modern era, particularly Madonna, Kid Rock, and Eminem.  Aside from some photos and records, you will have a chance to see one of Kid Rock’s guitars, Eminem’s blue running pants that he wore on the cover of Newsweek, and a dress once worn by Madonna back in the early 90s.

The Madonna/Kid Rock/Eminem Corner

Due to a lack of time, Nick and I never got the chance to visit the original Motown Records studio while we were in Detroit.  However, Hard Rock Café Detroit was a suitable alternative.  Of the 10+ Hard Rocks I have visited in the world, Detroit’s was hands down my favourite one so far simply because of the homage toward local musicians.

Hard Rock Cafe Detroit - Music for Life

To visit this café, you can find it here:

Hard Rock Café Detroit

45 Monroe Street

Detroit, MI 48226

Phone:  (313) 964-7625

How to Prepare for the Winter Classic

So, you've decided that you want to sit outside in a baseball or football stadium with tens of thousands of other screaming fans watching your favourite team take to the ice for the NHL Winter Classic?  Having recently witnessed the 2014 Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs, I really can't blame you!

2014 NHL Winter Classic – Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings

But, how do you go about preparing for the Winter Classic?  What should you bring?  And where do you get tickets?  These are all valid questions, and I will break it down step-by-step what I believe are the key factors one should prepare for when attending a Winter Classic event!

Tickets
First things first – you can’t go to the Winter Classic unless you have tickets!  But, where do you get tickets?  How much are they?  When do they become available?

2014 NHL Winter Classic & AHL Outdoor Game Tickets

Typically, the next Winter Classic is announced sometime during end of the Regular Season (end of March/early April), which gives fans about 8 – 9 months to prepare.  That being said, it would be a fair estimate to say that Winter Classic tickets will go on sale around the end of Summer before the NHL pre-Season starts (late August).  Tickets can range anywhere from $120 - $350 US depending on where the game is being hosted, the size of the venue, the teams playing, and expected demand.

Fans entering Michigan Stadium for the 2014 NHL Winter Classic

There are typically four ways you can get Winter Classic tickets:

• Ticketmaster/Waiting Lists for Home or Visiting teams
• Second Hand (e.g. Scalpers, StubHub, Craigslist, etc.)
• Tour packages
• Contests/Prize Giveaways

Nick and I ultimately booked a tour package with Elite Sports Tours.  Not only did they guarantee us tickets, but they also took care of the other important factors for this event, such as accommodation and transportation.  Detroit is a five hour drive from Toronto, so for us to book a tour package made sense as this was beyond your typical “day trip.”

Transportation
Once you have gotten tickets to the Winter Classic, the next thing you need to consider is transportation.  How are you going to get to the event?

Crossing into Detroit via Coach Bus

Booking with Elite Sports Tours meant that Nick and I did not have to worry at all about driving down to Detroit.  The company booked several coach buses, so there was about 200 - 250 of us that headed down for the game!  The buses also took us from our hotel in Detroit to Ann Arbor, which is about a 45 minute drive west of downtown.  However, due to poor driving conditions and an overnight snowfall, it took us nearly 2 hours just to get to Michigan Stadium!

A festive downtown Detroit

If you live within a couple hours' of the venue, then it makes more sense to drive your own vehicle. Parking near Michigan Stadium was $60/car or $300/bus.  How this compares to previous Winter Classic events or how it will compare to future ones is really hard for me to say.  Feel free to use these parking charges as a benchmark while you budget for your Winter Classic trip.

Celebrating New Year's Eve in Detroit

A third option would be to either take a train or fly down to the host city if you choose not to book via a tour package nor are within driving distance of the Venue.  With the exception of Detroit, all the previous Winter Classic hosts held their games within the city either at the nearest Major League Baseball park or the nearest National Football League stadium.  From your hotel, you can either take a cab or consider taking public transit, such as bus or subway, if they are available.

Accommodation
If the Winter Classic is within a couple hours’ driving distance from you, then finding Accommodation is not necessary.  In my case, going to Detroit was more than just a day trip for Nick and I, so finding a hotel was necessary.  This was of course taken care of by Elite Sports Tours, so we ended up staying at the St. Regis Detroit.

Singing of the National Anthems

My advice is if you are looking to book your own hotel, then book sooner rather than later and consider staying just outside the downtown area or away from the venue hosting the Winter Classic.  You will find prices are inflated by almost 100% if not more.

Official seat warmers for the 2014 NHL Winter Classic

Other options you might consider to keep costs within reason are looking at renting an apartment for a few days, staying at a hostel, Couch Surfing, booking a Bed and Breakfast or staying with family or friends that live in the host city.

Passport
Since the Winter Classic is always held in an American city, it is important that you have a valid Passport if coming in from Canada.  Of course, if you live in the States, then you don’t need to worry about this tidbit of information.

2014 NHL Winter Classic – Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings

Clothing/Personal Items/Cash
Bare minimum you should bring with you a winter coat, boots, gloves, and a toque or ear muffs.  I supposed we could have also brought snow pants in Detroit as it was certainly warranted in this case.

Bundled up for the Winter Classic!

As for personal items, less is more.  You can bring cameras into the game, but no “audio recording devices” nor video cameras.  You are probably now scratching your head in bewilderment and asking yourself, “don’t most modern digital cameras have audio recording and video recording capabilities?”  Yes, but the NHL, NBC, and host venue are more concerned with you bringing in professional quality cameras and camcorders to resell images for a profit.  Lenses are supposed to be 6” or less, so all point-and-click cameras and most DSLR cameras should be fine to bring in.

List of prohibited items for the NHL Winter Classic

Personal bags, such as camera bags and purses, may or may not be allowed into the game as this will vary from venue to venue.  In our case, Michigan Stadium would not even allow camera bags – even those for small point-and-shoot cameras.  This was to curb people from sneaking in food and drinks into the Stadium.  Make sure you read up on the Venue rules on the NHL’s website in the weeks leading up to the event!

2014 NHL Winter Classic – Toronto Maple Leafs take the lead

As for cash, you should be fine with $50 -  $100 US.  Beers typically cost around $10 US, and food, such as hot dogs and hamburgers, will range anywhere from $4 - $7 US.  There will be plenty of spots to purchase souvenirs, such as jerseys, game programs, and pucks.  This will range anywhere from $10 - $200 US roughly.

Fans leaving Michigan Stadium after a fun-filled Winter Classic

And there you have it – five basic factors to consider when preparing for the Winter Classic.  If you have attended a previous Winter Classic, and would like to share some of your tips, please feel free to do so in the comment section below.  Otherwise, if you are reading this because you are planning to go or are going to the next Winter Classic, it's a blast and something you’ll never forget.

The "D-Drop" - A New Year's Eve Tradition in Detroit

Sydney has their New Year's Eve fireworks over the Harbour.  Scotland does their celebrations at Edinburgh Castle.  The Las Vegas Strip is the place to be to watch fireworks in Sin City.  And New York City has their world famous Times Square Ball drop.  Wherever you are on December 31, there is probably a party happening near you to ring in the New Year.

Detroit, Michigan - New Year's Eve 2013

As I found myself in Detroit on New Year’s Eve 2014, I wasn't exactly certain where to go or what to do to ring in the New Year.  Detroit isn't exactly a popular tourist destination, so your options are somewhat limited.  I wasn't exactly looking to party hard as I was heading to the Winter Classic the next day.  But, at the same time, I didn't want to stay in my hotel room, either.  After doing some research in the weeks leading up to my trip to Detroit, I came across the Motor City New Year’s Eve celebrations – or the Drop.

What exactly is the Drop?
The Drop is essentially Detroit’s answer to New York’s Times Square countdown.  Located at Campus Martius Park in downtown, the Drop has been a Detroit staple since New Year’s Eve 2011.

The Christmas Tree at Campus Martius Park

How much does it cost to attend the Drop?
The event itself is free.  However, there is a small beer garden for adults that are 21+ years old.  Admission to the beer garden was $10 US, but that also included a drink ticket.

Skating rink at the D-Drop

Where is the Drop located?
The Drop is held at Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit.  The exact address is 800 Woodward Avenue, which is off the corner of Michigan Avenue and directly across from the Compuware Building.  If you forget the address, then just ask people for the directions to the Hard Rock Café Detroit or Grand Trunk Pub as both of them are within a half block of the park.

The World's Tallest Kettle

How do you get to the Drop?
Since it is located in the heart of downtown Detroit, you have several options to get here.  If you choose to drive, then there are a couple of nearby parking garages.  Or if you are staying nearby at one of the hotels, you can either walk or take the People Mover to get you to the area.

The D-Drop Ball

What is there to do at the Drop?

There are a few things of interest – albeit not too many.  As previously mentioned, there is a beer garden for Adults.  There was also a second tent outside of the beer garden that served both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including hot chocolate.

Staying warm by the Beer Garden fire pit

There were several food trucks at the event, so if for whatever reason you don’t eat a proper dinner before arriving, then rest assured there are a few food options available at the event.

Most people pass the time ice skating in the middle of the square while local musical acts take the stage to entertain the crowd.  Nick and I opted to pass the time at the beer garden, but skate rentals were minimal – about $5 US per pair of skates.

Festive New Year's Eve hats at the D-Drop

There is also a massive Christmas tree you can take photos of, as well as several fire pits to keep warm beside.  Some vendors were selling S'mores kits for those who wanted to do more than stand by a fire all night!

Of course, the main reason for coming to this event is to watch the huge "D" drop at Midnight!  The ball is literally shaped as the letter “D” to represent the city of Detroit, and while it might be a bit cheesy, it certainly is a memorable experience to have at least once in your life.

When should you arrive for the Drop?
The event itself starts at 5 pm and runs until about 1 am.  In the inaugural year – 2010 – the Drop apparently attracted 5,000 people.  The organizing committee was anticipating about 15,000 for the 2014 New Year’s Eve addition, but it seemed more like 150 to me.

Happy New Year!

I arrived around 11pm and left shortly after Midnight once the ball dropped as it was both cold and a bit more difficult to find taxis around this part of town.  Plus, the event itself is still in its infancy - it was the 4th Annual New Year's Eve drop when I went.  Unless Detroit does a massive revitalization downtown within the next few years to attract more tourists, then I don’t foresee this event to draw a huge crowd any time soon.  It’s mainly a draw for the locals, so arriving around 10 pm should suffice and give you enough time to enjoy the event.

What should I bring to the Drop?
Much like any other outdoor public New Year’s Eve events in Canada and the Northern United States, bring warm clothing – coats, gloves, scarves and mittens – as temperatures may reach below 0 degrees Celsius.  Bring some cash not only for food and drinks, but for public transportation or cab fare, as well.

D-Drop organizers ringing in the New Year

Cameras and camcorders are allowed at the event.  You might want to bring a backpack with you to keep them protected from the cold and snow when you are not using them.  There were no bag checks when I went, but this could change in the future as the Drop slowly builds up its awareness.

Goodbye, 2013.  Hello, 2014!

While it pales in comparison to Times Square, what will resonate within you is that this is truly an event made for and by Detroit.  There are not too many tourists around to experience this cool, “once in a lifetime” type of experience and there is a lot of pride shown for Detroit during the celebrations, which is all the more reason to check it out for yourself if you are here during New Year’s Eve.  Happy New Year!