Celebrate the autumn equinox in Michigan at these 8 events
The autumn equinox is coming up, and Michigan is full of ways to enjoy it. Check out these autumnal activities across the Mitten.
It’s almost that time of year again. The breezes off the Great Lakes are picking up, and the leaves are turning red and gold. Is it “spooky season” on the approach? Perhaps, but that’s not the only thing coming. Astronomy enthusiasts will know that autumn brings with it the autumn equinox, one of two times each year when day and night are exactly the same length. Traditionally, the autumn equinox, which in 2025 falls on September 22, marks the first day of autumn.
However, the autumn equinox traditions don’t end with getting your sweaters out of storage and an official start to the cider mill season. Historically, people of various cultures around the world have celebrated the autumn equinox. In fact, holidays and celebrations ranging from the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival to the Slavic harvest festival of Dożynki and the Jewish religious holiday of Sukkot have historically coincided with the autumn equinox.
Whatever your personal, religious, or cultural traditions are, there are plenty of ways to mark the turning of a new season in Michigan. Many families and groups of friends create their own traditions to mark the new season, such as taking a leaf walk through their nearest woods, baking and eating pumpkin cookies, or watching a cozy movie set in autumn. However, there are also organized events held across the state. From festivals to markets to art classes and meditation, here are some activities for you to explore:
Autumnal Equinox Celebration & Tea in the Garden
When: September 21, 2025
Where: For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum, 2142 North Genesee Road, Burton
Cost: $3 per person
This all-ages event, held by the Genesee County Parks, is a great way for children and adults alike to connect with nature and practice mindfulness while welcoming the changing of the seasons. Guests will enjoy a mindfulness hike, where you will be encouraged to take in as much of your current physical and mental state and surroundings as possible without letting your mind wander. There will also be calming herbal tea and an exercise in gratitude. Pre-registration by September 19, 2025, is required.
Autumn Equinox on the River
When: September 20-21, 2025
Where: Third Coast Paddling, Multiple Locations, St. Joseph
Cost: Varies
The autumn equinox means the start of Michigan’s beautiful fall weather, and what better place to enjoy it than on a kayak? Third Coast Paddling in St. Joseph is offering Michiganders a 15% discount on kayak and paddleboard rentals at any of their three riverside locations for the weekend of the autumn equinox, so that you and your family can enjoy the beauty of southwestern Michigan’s rivers as summer turns to autumn. Please note that rental availability may vary by location, so be sure to check in advance.
Autumn Equinox Witches’ Market
When: September 20-21, 2025
Where: 1220 Woodward Heights, Ferndale
Cost: Free to enter
As the official start to autumn, many New Age enthusiasts, neopagans, and lovers of “spooky season” enjoy celebrating the autumn equinox. At Ferndale’s Boston Tea Room, the Autumn Equinox Witches’ Market brings together more than thirty local artists, makers, and small business owners for two days of seasonal fun. Visitors to this rain-or-shine outdoor event can expect food trucks, tarot readings, reiki and astrology, and the chance to shop fashion, homewares, and more from local artisans.
Dahlia Hill Autumn Equinox
When: September 21, 2025
Where: Dow Gardens, 1809 Eastman Avenue, Midland
Cost: Entry to Dow Gardens is $15 for adults, $5 for students and children over 4, and free for children 3 and under
Midland’s Dahlia Hill Society is dedicated to helping Michiganders enjoy the many vivid varieties of dahlias, which bloom from spring until the first frost. This means that the autumn equinox also marks the end of dahlia season, and the Dahlia Hill Society intends for the season to go out with a bang. On September 21, visitors to the award-winning Dow Botanical Gardens can enjoy an afternoon of dahlia delights. Not only can you view over 300 varieties of dahlias in bloom, but there will also be live music, edible treats, and a fundraising raffle with prizes.
Fall Equinox Create + Release Expressive Art Workshop
When: September 20, 2025
Where: Solstice Healing Arts Collective, 21220 West 14 Mile Road, Bloomfield Hills
Cost: $44.52
Solstice Healing Arts Collective, a Bloomfield Hills-based holistic art therapy collective, is hosting a creative art workshop to celebrate the autumn equinox. Attendees will work in both watercolor and drawing, as well as participating in a “release ritual” while meditating on balance, harvesting, and letting go—all themes associated with the autumn equinox, but which can also have meaning and applications in interpersonal contexts. No previous artistic experience is needed.
People for Palmer Park Harvest Festival
When: September 20, 2025
Where: 1121 Merrill Plaisance Street, Detroit
Cost: Free
People for Palmer Park, a Detroit community nonprofit, is hosting its annual Harvest Festival this September 20. The festival not only marks the start of autumn, but also the apple harvest from Palmer Park’s own apple trees. Expect to welcome autumn’s bounty with delicious treats, including apple tastings, freshly roasted corn on the cob, and free apple cider and donuts for the first 500 visitors, as well as other food and drink available for purchase. Children can enjoy pony rides, reptile encounters, arts and crafts, storytelling, pumpkin picking, and a visit to the on-site educational petting zoo.
What is Autumnal Equinox?
When: September 22, 2025
Where: Holton Branch of Muskegon Area Library, 8776 Holton-Duck Lake Road, Holton
Cost: Free
Not everyone has given the autumn equinox much thought, but there are fun ways to change that. The Muskegon Area Library’s Holton Branch is hosting this event for children to learn about the significance of the autumn equinox and the changing seasons. While there will be some educational elements about the science of the equinox, the official event website also promises “fun, fall-themed activities” for kids to welcome the colder weather and the changing leaves.
Witches Night Bazaar: Autumnal Equinox
When: September 28, 2025
Where: Tangent Gallery & Hastings Street Ballroom, 715 East Milwaukee Avenue, Detroit
Cost: Tickets start at $9.31
While this event technically takes place a few days after the autumn equinox, it’s one of the grandest ways to welcome autumn in the Motor City. Based inside a hip, industrial arts venue, this evening market and celebration brings a touch of spooky to the seasonal. Described as a “mystical evening of art, music, education, and magic,” the bazaar will feature tarot reading, fine jewelry vendors, a “witches’ rave”, a costume contest, classes on witchcraft and herbalism, and more. Food and drink will be available to purchase at the Witches Brew Bar, and bespoke classes can be booked and paid for separately. VIP tickets are available, which include early entry, as well as a “Magic Bag” full of treats and discount vouchers.
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