Detroit's downtown holiday centerpiece is coming back to life next month, with the towering Hudson's Bear set to once again preside over Nick Gilbert Way starting Nov. 12. The plaza between the two Hudson's Detroit buildings will transform into a seasonal hub running through Jan. 3, packed with vendor carts, a new photo experience featuring Santa and holiday-themed cars, and a free trolley connecting several downtown destinations.
According to WXYZ Channel 7, Holidays at Nick Gilbert Way will run from Nov. 12 through Jan. 3 at the public plaza between the two Hudson's Detroit buildings. The giant Hudson's Bear will anchor the display again this year, and it's available for purchase, with a portion of the funds going to NFX and The Gilly Project.
New Photo Ops With Santa and GM Cars
New this season is Winter Wonders at Entrance One, a partnership with General Motors offering holiday-themed window displays and old-fashioned GM cars decked out for the season. The station's report notes that visitors can take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus as part of the setup. Francesca Eid, Bedrock's senior vice president of hospitality experience, said Nick Gilbert Way will again be the backdrop for Detroit's festive traditions, adding that the plaza and downtown Detroit offer shopping, dining and entertainment for residents and visitors alike.
Specialty vendor carts spread across Nick Gilbert Way will sell food, drinks, customized ornaments and other goods, per the same account. The lineup of businesses on site includes Scentana, Telly's, Hailie & Co., Detroit Can Co., Crones Ceramics and Lofty Treat Bar by Lofty Pops. A holiday carousel and a market stocked with handcrafted goods, seasonal décor and gifts from local makers round out the plaza, according to Little Guide Detroit. Visitors looking for a cheap keepsake can also grab a Holiday Mini Print from a vending machine for 50 cents each, the outlet reports.
Free Trolley Links Downtown Landmarks
The Holly Trolley will once again shuttle visitors for free between Nick Gilbert Way, Campus Martius, Capitol Park and the Book Tower, the station notes. Hours for the holiday programming at Nick Gilbert Way will run Wednesdays through Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 8 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m., with extended holiday hours beginning Monday, Dec. 14.
Accounts of the exact holiday calendar differ. WXYZ describes the Nick Gilbert Way programming as running continuously from Nov. 12 through Jan. 3, while Little Guide Detroit describes the schedule as running Nov. 12 through Dec. 13 and again Dec. 26 through Jan. 3, with additional daily hours in between from Dec. 14 to Dec. 23. Along Woodward Avenue, local College for Creative Studies students will decorate storefront windows for the holidays, with those displays debuting Nov. 18.
Other Downtown Holiday Spots Joining In
Nick Gilbert Way isn't the only seasonal draw opening downtown this year. The Downtown Detroit Markets are scheduled to run at 60 Cadillac Square from Nov. 11, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, according to Little Guide Detroit. That market is funded by the Gilbert Family Foundation and managed by the Downtown Detroit Partnership, with support from Bedrock, TechTown and Ask Jennyfer, per Decked Out Detroit, and lists Indigo Culinary Co. and Mimidae Beverage Co. among its local vendors.
Nearby, Cadillac Lodge is set to open Nov. 11, 2026, and stay open through Jan. 3, 2027, offering heated seating, blankets, board games and fireplaces for visitors looking to warm up between stops. Last year's Nick Gilbert Way programming ran Nov. 6 through Jan. 4, with the Hudson's Bear and its charitable sales component also part of that earlier lineup, according to a Bedrock Detroit press release.
