It should come as no surprise that Michigan’s most populous city tends to have an incomparable range of activities over Labor Day weekend; in fact, it’s not at all uncommon for tourists from other cities to hop on a plane or train to come celebrate in Detroit in the first week of September. There are so many things you can do here; it can be a chore just settling on a few. We’ll list some of the more attractive events to help you navigate the festivities on Labor Day weekend in Detroit.

The Detroit Jazz Festival: The planet’s biggest jazz festival is back starting Friday September 1st and running throughout Labor Day weekend, with live music sets occurring through Monday the 4th in downtown Detroit. If you like the smooth feel of this musical art form, you’ll find the lineup absolutely dazzling. The Wayne Shorter Quartet and Herbie Hancock will be performing on Friday, the Hudson, Spanish Harlem Orchestra and others will usher you into Saturday, and a host of performances that include Cameron Graves, the Kyle Eastwood Quartet and Japanese sensation Akihiro Nishiguchi Trio will make appearances on Sunday. Monday is the final day for the jazz festival, and will be closed out by Regina Carter, Stanley Clarke and Vijay Iyer.

The Michigan State Fair Aug 31st – Sept 4th: If you’re looking for an event for a family with small children, then the Michigan State Fair is a can’t miss opportunity for a full day of fun. It used to be the oldest fair in America; but it closed for decades and recently reopened just five years ago. The Fair is at the Suburban Showcase Collection right outside Detroit in Novi, MI, which is a 30-minute drive along Interstate I-696. There are competitions with prizes, beer tasting for adults, dog performances, a circus, shopping, an equestrian pavilion, farmers market and all the milk you and the family can handle. Live music and midway rides round out the carnival event, which packs up for the year at the conclusion of Labor Day Weekend on September 4th.

Music with U2- The Joshua Tree Tour: Quite possibly the greatest band of all time, led by Mr. Good Voice in Bono Vox, will be playing their awesome tunes at Ford Field on Sunday September 3rd. It’s only fitting that U2 kicks off their North American tour in the Motor City, since they first played here at the old Pontiac Silverdome 30 years ago in ‘87. Tickets to the start at just $35. Go check them out, for you never know when they’ll be back – their last concert here was over a decade ago in 2005.

Labor Day Weekend – Overnight Family Campout: This family affair runs a full three days from Saturday early evening through Sunday night. It’s taking place in Detroit at the Outdoor Adventure Center on Atwater St, and only costs an $11 (yearly!) Recreation Passport per person.