I don’t know about you, but I’m thrilled to be slowly settling into November. The fun (and honestly, a little chaos) of Halloween is behind us, and we have a few weeks before the holidays really kick off. As always, you can find plenty of sweet fun happening on the Eastside this weekend. If you’re a fan of GP Zoology, be sure to swing by one of their farewell events (they’re going mobile, not closing entirely), stay on the animal kick at Second Saturdays at the War Memorial, enjoy family-friendly fun at the Downtown SCS Turkey Trot, or grab your crowns and head to Princess Day at Huntington Place. Read on for all the details!
As always, these are just some of the extra special one-off events happening in the area. In addition to these, there are so many sweet library offerings, open play opportunities at local museums and businesses, fun and educational events at our local nature centers and more. You can find all of these in our local event calendar! I hope you have an amazing weekend – whatever you end up doing!
Send off GP Zoology’s Brick & Mortar in style | Friday & Saturday – In case you missed their announcement, GP Zoology is closing their brick & mortar space on Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Woods. Thankfully for all of us, they’re not closing entirely, just going mobile. As a farewell to the building, they are hosting some great family-friendly events this weekend: extended hours Jungle Feeding Friday, Cozy Creatures Storytime, Slime Day, and Arctic Dry Ice Day (all on Saturday).
Frozen: The Musical at Baldwin Theatre, Royal Oak | Multiple Showings – Okay, it’s not necessarily on the Eastside, but it’s close enough if you’ve got a Frozen lover in the house. The Saturday and Sunday shows are matinees (2pm) and the run time is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes!
Second Saturdays: Wild Wildlife at The War Memorial | November 8, 9:00am-11:00am – It’s the second Saturday of the month, and The War Memorial has another great morning planned in their Second Saturdays series. Kids and caregivers can enjoy a live music show, hands-on activities from Huron Clinton Metroparks and some sweet and silly arts and crafts. We love an early morning option, plus, tix are only $10 for kids (and adults are free!).
Savor the Season on Belle Isle | Friday, Saturday, and Sunday options – My son and I enjoyed a nature walk on Belle Isle this morning and the late Autumn colors were truly magical. You can enjoy a Finding Fall in the Forest Family Adventure Hike with the Belle Isle Conservancy on Friday morning, a Fall Colors Hike with the Belle Isle Nature Center on Saturday, or a Family Nature Adventure: In the Tall Tall Grass (also at the Nature Center) on Sunday afternoon.
2025 Downtown SCS Turkey Trot | November 8, 2:00pm-10:00pm – Downtown St. Clair Shores is shutting the street down for this free Turkey Trot family fun run and celebration. In addition to the fun run, there will be cider and donuts, balloon twisters, caricature artists, arts and crafts, and more (plus, social district rules for the adults from 5-10pm!).
Detroit Princess Day at Huntington Place | November 9, 10:00am-6:00pm – Head to Huntington Place on Sunday (but have your timeslot tickets purchased first!) to experience some Princess Magic. Families can look forward to “stories, songs, dances, crafts, photos and more!” and dressing up is encouraged!
Sesame Street Live! Elmo & Friends Say Hello at The Fox Theatre | November 9, 2:00pm and 6:00pm showings – As of writing this, there are still plenty of tickets left for both showings to see Elmo & Friends live at the Fox Theatre this Sunday. The show promises to be a fun and interactive experience for all ages and features Sesame Street favorites like Abby Cadabby and the Cookie Monster (and Elmo of course).
Donate to a local food bank or community fridge – There are so many incredible organizations doing big work to support local families in need this November (Forgotten Harvest, Capuchin Soup Kitchen, and Gleaners, to name just a very small few). There are also Community Fridges and Little Free Libraries-turned food pantries where you can directly donate food if you have the means to do so. If you’re facing food insecurities, please know that you can get referrals to local resources through Detroit Public Libraries TIP Service at 313-481-1400 or call Michigan’s Food & Other Resources Helpline at 888-544-8773. On their website, the Detroit Public Library also recommended visiting https://pantrynet.org or https://forgottenharvest.org/find-food for reliable and up-to-date information.
Be well y’all.
