Your Guide To Dearborn's 40th Annual Homecoming

DEARBORN, MI — Dearborn's signature summer event is coming up and Patch has all the information you need to know before you go.

The 40th annual Homecoming Festival runs Aug. 2-4 at Ford Field Park, 500 Monroe St., and includes spectacular fireworks, carnival rides, food, musical performances including headliner Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, free family activities, a 5K race, a family bike ride and more.

Admission to the festival is free and hours are typically 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday – Sunday, though some activities may start earlier.

To learn more about the festival, visit www.cityofdearborn.org/homecoming.

Stage entertainment

The lineup includes rock, acoustic, folk, and pop, and a multitude of lively bands performing original music and covering classic hits.

Saturday night’s headliner, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, will highlight the band’s classic arena rock sound. Expect to hear chart-topping hits such as “We Built This City,” “Sara,” “Tomorrow Doesn’t Matter Tonight,” “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” “It’s Not Over (‘Til It’s Over),” “It’s Not Enough” and “Jane.”

Starship featuring Mickey Thomas will begin at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, preceded by rock and pop cover band FunHouse, which takes the stage at 6 p.m.

The Santana Project, a Santana tribute band, will kick off the festival’s main stage entertainment from 6-7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2. They will be followed by Atomic Radio, known for their covers of today’s and yesterday’s pop, rock, and hip-hop hits, at 8:30 p.m.

The festival’s musical entertainment will conclude on Sunday with a night of throwbacks favorites featuring Main Stage performances by 70s-inspired Boogie Dynomite at 6 p.m., and Dearborn favorite FiftyAmpFuse, covering hits from the 60s to now, at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Plenty of music, and a little magic, will take place at the festival’s Food Court Stage as well during Homecoming, including Sunglasses After Dark, Gordon Russ the Magician, DownRiver Dan and the Billies, Dave Boutette & Kristi Lynn Davis, Joel Tacey’s Family Magic & Juggling Comedy Show, Holly and the Johnnies! and Cruizin’ Jupiter.

Dearborn nonprofits selling merchandise and food

Returning to Dearborn Homecoming this year will be the Arab American Tent with entertainment, arts and crafts and halal food, presented by ACCESS and the Arab American National Museum.

This year, the Polish American area is moving in with the Italian American area in the large north shelter, presented by Fordson Varsity Alumni Club and the Italian American Fraternal Club. This combined area will provide Polish and Italian food, as well as entertainment and adult beverages.

In addition, there will be more than a dozen other nonprofit organizations raising funds through food, beverage and merchandise sales, or other activities.

Free and low-cost family activities

Attendees can look forward to the return of free and low-cost Homecoming classics, including children’s games and contests, giant inflatables, various crafts, carnival rides and more on all three days of the festival. Most children’s activities will take place in the Hilltop Area.

New this year will be the Ford Amateur Astronomy Club telescopes, in which attendees can look through telescopes pointed toward Jupiter, Saturn and the moon. Viewing will begin at dusk, around 9 p.m., on all three days of the festival in the Hilltop Area.

Open from 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. on all three days, the carnival boasts two dozen rides, including the return of the Mighty Mouse roller coaster. A full-day wristband is $22 when purchased at the festival. However, those looking for a deal can purchase the wristband online for $15 (plus a $1 service fee) at cityofdearborn.org/homecoming through Aug. 1 at 11:55 p.m.

Health and wellness activities

A variety of fitness and wellness activities will once again be available at Homecoming:

• The Healthy Dearborn Family Bike Ride is a free, police-supported ride that begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, near the Tennis Courts.
• A free bike valet will be available thanks to Bike Dearborn, a nonprofit promoting cycling in the city and beyond. The valet service, located near the Tennis Courts, will be open 2 p.m.-10:30 p.m. on Friday and noon-11:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Donations accepted.

The 4th annual Homecoming 5K race is set for Sunday, Aug. 4 at 8 a.m. Interested participants can register ahead of time for $37 plus a $4 signup fee. Registration information is available at www.cityofdearborn.com/homecoming.

• Healthy Dearborn and Beaumont will offer fun and engaging fitness and wellness activities inside their tent, including daily raffles in which participants can enter for a chance to win a FitBit or a bicycle.

Shuttles and parking info

A free shuttle service will be provided from Dearborn High School, 19501 W. Outer Drive. Those utilizing the service are able to park for free at the school. Handicap accessible shuttles will be making continuous trips from the school to the festival 6 p.m.-11 p.m. on Friday and noon-11:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Ford Field parking costs $10 beginning at 11 a.m. on all three days. The initial fee comes with a $7 parking coupon for a second entry during the weekend.

Free parking is also available throughout the nearby west downtown Dearborn district.

Sponsors pay for Homecoming

Homecoming is organized by the City of Dearborn in conjunction with the nonprofit Dearborn Community Fund. The presenting sponsor is Beaumont.

Dearborn Homecoming attracts 150,000 people and is made possible largely because of generous sponsors who pay for the entertainment and activities.

Homecoming activities and entertainment are paid for by support from sponsors, not City tax dollars.