Elmwood Cemetery Logo
PB111718_Veterans_Day_Elmwood_1280x350.jpg

Community Events

Elmwood Cemetery and Arboretum, the Historic Elmwood Foundation, and students from Martin Luther King Jr. High School celebrate Detroit trees on Arbor Day, Friday, April 25 at 1:30 p.m. The event will begin with a student tree planting near our gatehouse, followed by an educational walk through or Arboretum and a student seedling giveaway. Open to the public! 

Join us for a tour of our gorgeous and historic certified Arboretum! You'll learn more about the history of Elmwood, its landscape (Frederick Law Olmsted was here), and the 90+ species of trees in our serene, green oasis in the heart of the city. We're hopeful you'll see some trees in peak bloom.

Certified master arborist Todd Fleishans co-leads this tour to share information about Elmwood's notable trees and teach some tree care and tree ID basics. Sunday, April 27 at 10 a.m. Learn more and register here.

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

Join the Detroit Bird Alliance and the Historic Elmwood Foundation for a birding walk at the cemetery! This is a great field trip for birders of all ages and experience levels during spring migration. We will walk the grounds to identify the species we see throughout the cemetery and discuss bird migration, habitats and a few Elmwood history highlights. Tours begin at 8:30 a.m. Bring your own binoculars, or Detroit Bird Alliance will have some on-hand to borrow. We will gather in the chapel following the walk for refreshments and discussion.

To register, 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.

Get to know Elmwood's history, art, nature and landscape from the comfort of a charming vintage trolley! We've partnered with Detroit's own Grand Trolley to bring you a delightful ride through our beautiful and historic 86-acre cemetery led by an expert guide. Tours will last about two hours. There will be some hop-off stops with a little bit of walking, but all stops are optional; just cruise and enjoy the scenery if you prefer! Tickets are $20 with a limited capacity of 24 people per tour. Sign up here for the trolley tour on Thursday, May 22 at 11 a.m. 

The Detroit Firemen's Fund hosts its annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Elmwood this year. The procession, led by a historic 1937 Seagrave Safety Sedan, begins at the Engine 9, located at 3787 E. Lafayette St., at 8 a.m., and proceeds to the Firemen's Fund Memorial on Section 1. 

We also welcome Memorial Day visitors to stop outside the office and take a carnation or a flag for your loved one's grave. Our office is closed in observance of the holiday, but our gates will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

Get to know Elmwood's history, art, nature and landscape from the comfort of a charming vintage trolley! We've partnered with Detroit's own Grand Trolley to bring you a delightful ride through our beautiful and historic 86-acre cemetery led by an expert guide. Tours will last about two hours. There will be some hop-off stops with a little bit of walking, but all stops are optional; just cruise and enjoy the scenery if you prefer! Tickets are $20 with a limited capacity of 24 people per tour. Sign up here for the trolley tour on Sunday, June 8 at 10 a.m.

Or perhaps, you would like to enjoy Elmwood on your own or with a group of friends. Each year, we are visited by those who choose to picnic alongside our restored pond, run or bicycle on our roads, watch for the migration of birds in Michigan, photograph our unique memorials, walk along our beautiful grounds appreciating our outdoor sculpture garden, the perennials, and majestic trees, or simply contemplate this quiet setting in the heart of Detroit.

Cemetery Hours
Grounds Access
May 1 – September 15         7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Daily
September 16 – April 30       8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Daily

Office Hours
Weekdays       9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 
Saturdays       9:00 a.m. – noon
The office is closed on Sundays but the grounds are open.