Community Events

Join us to celebrate Black History Month at Elmwood with a lunch break mini-tour! Spend an hour walking the grounds as we sample the rich history of one of the oldest integrated cemeteries in the Midwest. We'll visit Underground Railroad activists, business leaders, politicians, publishers, engineers, musicians and more.

WEDS., FEB. 19 WALK CANCELED - Due to forecasted dangerously low temperatures, we will NOT walk on Wednesday, Feb. 19. 

Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m.; Registration remains open. We will walk as long as there is not a weather advisory! The tour will last about an hour. Sign up here for Feb. 26.

Enjoy a group bike ride exploring the history of Detroit street names — with a spin through Elmwood to visit the graves of some notable namesakes! The tour is on Sunday, February 23 as part of Bike the Blizzard, the annual fundraiser for Back Alley Bikes. The ride kicks off at The Hub at 10:30 a.m. and lasts two hours. (Bundle up!) Get more info and sign up here.

Who founded Elmwood and why? Who was the first person buried here? What is Strangers Ground? What does Frederick Law Olmsted have to do with any of this? We explore these questions (and more you didn't know you had!) on our first walking tour of the season! It's on Sunday, March 23 at 10 a.m. Monthly walking tours are free, but capacity is limited, so please register here.  

Join the Detroit Bird Alliance and the Historic Elmwood Foundation for a birding walk at the cemetery. We will walk the grounds to identify the species we see throughout the cemetery and discuss bird migration, habitats and highlights of Elmwood's history. Bring your own binoculars or Detroit Bird Alliance will have some to borrow. We will gather in the chapel following the walk for refreshments.

To register for the bird walk on April 5 at 8:30 a.m., visit the Detroit Bird Alliance's Eventbrite or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more details.

Extended hours for grounds access beginning May 1 are through September 15, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Detroit, once known by the code name “Midnight,” was one of the last and most important stops on the Underground Railroad and home to a robust Black-led community of anti-slavery activists, many of whom are buried at Elmwood. Join Jamon Jordan, Official Historian of the City of Detroit, for a tour exploring the history and context of the Underground Railroad in Detroit and Michigan. Elmwood is proud to be a significant site on the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. May 10 at 11 a.m. The tour is free, but registration is required; sign up here.