When Eric Gutman and Courtney Burkett were coming up with the concept of a holiday cabaret for Detroit Public Theatre two years ago, they knew they wanted to create a show no one had seen before. They noticed other theater companies were putting on holiday shows and the artists wanted to put their own spin on it. 

“Meadow Brook has “A Christmas Carol,” Tipping Point in Northville has “A Very Northville Christmas,” and there’s lots of others that are doing the same,” Gutman told BridgeDetroit. “But in Detroit Public Theatre fashion, we didn’t want it to be traditional. We wanted to be a little bit off the beaten path and we put together what we felt was a great show with some classics, but a lot of other different songs that maybe people have never heard of before.” 

The Holiday Cabaret premiered at the Midtown theater in 2023 and was a success, returning for the holiday season in 2024. Now in its third year, the show features performances of classic holiday songs, some adult comedy and a whole lot of sass. The cabaret is directed by Burkett, who is co-founder and co-producing artistic director for Detroit Public Theatre, while Gutman is the musical director and performer. Joining him on the stage is returning performer Bryana Hall as well as newcomers Lulu Hall, X. Alexander Durden and Mariah Colby. 

Also new this year is a relaxed performance for Saturday’s matinee show. Designed for those with autism, ADHD, dementia and/or sensory sensitivities, this version of the holiday cabaret will have lighting and sound that will be adjusted to support audience needs. Fidgets will be available and patrons will be welcome to come and go from the space as needed. Additionally, DPT’s young children and infant policy will be suspended for the relaxed performance, but the adult content and themes will remain unchanged. 

Tickets for the holiday cabaret start at $52 and the show runs until Dec. 21. 

Here are some other holiday events around Detroit.

---

Downtown 

• Cirque Dreams Holidaze: The show features a cast of performers including an ensemble of aerial circus acts, sleight-of-hand jugglers, eye-popping acrobatics, and more. Cirque Dreams also includes original music, fresh twists on holiday favorites and new sets. The acrobatic group will put on eight performances at the Fox Theatre from Tuesday to Sunday. Tickets start at $34 on Ticketmaster. 
• 1001 Winter Wonders: Families can enjoy a free holiday experience inside the 1001 Woodward building for photos with Santa, letter writing and more. And on Friday, Decked Out Detroit is offering a sensory-friendly experience from 1-3 p.m. Hours are Monday – Wednesday: Closed; Thursday-Friday: 4-8 p.m.; Saturday: 12-8 p.m.; Sunday: 12-6 p.m. 1001 Winter Wonders runs until Dec. 24. 
• Menorah in the D: The annual Hanukkah ceremony will take place beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday at Campus Martius Park. The event will include the lighting of the 26-foot menorah and appearances by Ella Ben-Ami and her parents, Raz and Ohad Ben-Ami, who were both kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from their home in Israel in 2023. 
• Champions of Magic: Holiday Spectacular: Featuring magicians and illusionists from the United States, United Kingdom and Mexico, the high-energy show is coming to the Fox Theatre at 3 p.m. on Dec. 21. Attendees can expect to see thrilling illusions, grand-scale magic with a holiday twist and festive surprises to entertain all ages. Tickets start at $54. 
• BYOB Holiday Lights Trolley: Climb aboard a vintage trolley and sip your favorite drinks as the Holiday Lights Trolley cruises through popular metro Detroit holiday light displays. The evening begins with check-in at bar Atwater in the Park in Grosse Pointe Park. Then the trolley heads downtown to Campus Martius, the Cadillac Square market, Beacon Park, and the Spirit of Detroit. After that is a stop at the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak for its Wild Lights display. Zoo admission is included with the trolley ticket. Tickets are $112. 
• Kwanzaa Celebration: In partnership with Alkebu-lan Village, the city of Detroit, the Downtown Detroit Partnership and other community partners, the Motor City Kwanzaa Kinara and Lighting is back at Campus Martius Park on Dec. 26 from 3-7 p.m. Recognized as one of the largest Kwanzaa Kinara displays in the world, this 30-foot-tall monument is designed to stand alongside Detroit’s other major holiday displays. 

Midtown

• “Love Actually” screening: Fans of the 2003 holiday movie can relive (or see it for the first time) on the big screen at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Orchestra Hall. While audience members watch the movie, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will perform the score live. Tickets begin at $44. Another holiday classic, “Home Alone,” will have a screening at Orchestra Hall Dec. 20 and 21. 
• Home for the Holidays: Celebrate the season with one of Detroit’s favorite holiday traditions. The DSO and special guests will perform festive favorites Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Orchestra Hall. Tickets start at $29. If you want to hear more from the DSO, check out the holiday brass concert Dec. 18. 
• “Hudson’s Holidays” exhibit: The Detroit Historical Museum is presenting a display on the former downtown department store, where guests can explore beautifully recreated window displays, rare artifacts from the early days of the Hudson’s Thanksgiving Parade and men’s and women’s styles that once filled the grand floors of Hudson’s. The exhibit runs until Jan. 5. 

Corktown

• Winter at the Station: Michigan Central’s “Winter at the Station” event is back for its second year. Guests can enjoy festive decor, performances from local artists, hands-on activities, as well as curated food, drinks and gifts. “Winter at the Station” runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday until Dec. 28. Most days are free, but tickets are required on select dates.

East English Village 

• Holiday event at the Shepherd: Cultural arts center the Shepherd is hosting a holiday party at 6 p.m. Wednesday with Jennifer Gilbert, philanthropic leader and ex-wife of Detroit businessman Dan Gilbert. Guests can enjoy seasonal beverages, an ornament-making activity, card printing with nonprofit Signal-Return, and a performance by a holiday choir. Guests will also have the opportunity to explore “Seen/Scene: Artwork from the Jennifer Gilbert Collection,” curated by Laura Mott and Nick Cave. The event is free, but registration on Eventbrite is encouraged. 

Palmer Park

• Palmer Park Winterfest: People for Palmer Park is holding its free Winterfest Multicultural Holiday Celebration from 1-4 p.m. Sunday at the Palmer Park Log Cabin. Attendees can enjoy carriage rides, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will welcome families in the cabin. Guests will also be able to learn about the history of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. 

Old Redford

• Christmas movies at the Redford Theatre: The historic theater is showing a screening of the Bing Crosby classic “White Christmas” at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Other holiday movies in the lineup this year include the 1947 version of “Miracle on 34th Street” Saturday at 2 p.m. and “It’s a Wonderful Life” at 8 p.m. Dec. 19 and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Dec. 20. Tickets for all shows are $7. In addition, the Redford will have its holiday celebration Dec. 21 with organist Dave Wickerham. 
• Candlelight concerts: The popular Candlelight concerts that remixes hits by contemporary artists in orchestral form is hosting a “Christmas Carols on Strings” concert Dec. 18. Taking place at the Redford Theatre, the Kalkaska String Quartet will play several Christmas classics, such as “Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Deck the Halls” and “Joy to the World.” There are two shows – one at 6:15 p.m. and the other at 8:45 p.m. Tickets start at $40. If you want to hear more from Candlight, the company is also hosting a Christmas special featuring songs from “The Nutcracker” and more on Dec. 26 and 27 at Christ Church Detroit. 

Southwest Detroit 

• Detroit Folk School holiday party: Detroit Folk School – an organization dedicated to community building through sharing folk arts like music, dance and crafts – is hosting a queer square dance and potluck party from 5-8 p.m. Sunday at Vamanos! The event will also include a cookie exchange. People can pay what they can for admission. Proceeds go toward Detroit Folk School programming.