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    Ann Arbor

    Fall Saturdays at Michigan Stadium · Crisler, Yost and Hill year-round

    A college town built around the largest stadium in the country, plus a hockey barn, a 1913 concert hall and a summer art fair that fills the streets.

    By the Good Seats editorial teamUpdated How we research
    Ann Arbor
    Photo: Flavinista, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Upcoming events in Ann Arbor

    Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.

    What Ann Arbor's event calendar covers

    Ann Arbor's ticketed events revolve around the University of Michigan. The headline is Michigan Wolverines Football at Michigan Stadium, the Big House, which holds 107,601 and has drawn more than 100,000 fans to every home game since November 8, 1975. Around it sit Michigan basketball at Crisler Center, hockey at Yost Ice Arena, and a concert and arts scene centered on Hill Auditorium and the Michigan Theater.

    The city has no major league team of its own; for the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB, fans head east to Detroit, home of the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park and the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.

    • College sports: Michigan football (Michigan Stadium), basketball (Crisler Center), hockey (Yost Ice Arena).
    • Concert halls: Hill Auditorium, Michigan Theater, State Theatre.
    • Signature events: fall football Saturdays and the Ann Arbor Art Fair in July.

    Michigan Stadium on a football Saturday

    Michigan Stadium opened on October 1, 1927, and set its attendance record of 115,109 against Notre Dame in 2013. Most of the bowl sits below ground level, so from outside it looks smaller than it is. The single-tier design means every seat is in one continuous bowl, with up to 98 rows per section. Lower rows along the sideline put you close but at a flat angle; rows in the middle and upper part of the sideline sections give a far better view of plays developing.

    Demand follows the opponent. The Ohio State game, the regular-season finale in late November, comes to Ann Arbor in odd-numbered years (the 2026 game is in Columbus on November 28, so the next home meeting is 2027). Notre Dame, Michigan State and night games are the other high-demand dates. Early-season nonconference games, such as the 2026 home opener against Western Michigan on September 5, are the easiest way in.

    The most important rule: as of the 2026 season, Michigan Stadium prohibits all bags, including clear bags, purses and fanny packs, with a medical and childcare exception at Gates 3 and 9 West. Gates open two hours before kickoff. Check the Michigan Athletics safety page before you go.

    Crisler Center, Yost Ice Arena and Hill Auditorium

    Crisler Center

    Opened on December 6, 1967, beside Michigan Stadium at 333 East Stadium Boulevard, Crisler Center seats about 12,707 and is home to Michigan men's and women's basketball and women's gymnastics. Big Ten games, especially against Michigan State and Ohio State, draw the largest crowds. Sideline seats in the lower bowl are the premium; upper rows behind the baskets are the budget option and still see the whole floor.

    Yost Ice Arena

    Yost opened on November 10, 1923, at 1000 South State Street and has been Michigan hockey's home since 1973. It holds about 5,800, and its small capacity means rivalry weekends and playoff games are among the hardest tickets in town.

    Hill Auditorium

    Hill Auditorium opened in 1913 on Central Campus. Designed by Albert Kahn's firm and known for its acoustics, it seats about 3,500. The University Musical Society presents classical music, dance and popular artists there. The main floor puts you close; the balcony gives the fuller sound in a hall built for unamplified music.

    Michigan Theater and State Theatre

    The Michigan Theater opened on January 5, 1928, and seats 1,610 in its main auditorium. The nonprofit Marquee Arts runs it and the nearby State Theatre. It is home to the Ann Arbor Film Festival and the Ann Arbor Symphony and also books concerts.

    The Ann Arbor season calendar

    • September to November: Michigan football home Saturdays. Hotels for home weekends book months ahead.
    • October to March: Michigan hockey at Yost.
    • November to March: Michigan basketball at Crisler Center.
    • Fall through spring: The University Musical Society season at Hill Auditorium.
    • July: The Ann Arbor Art Fair, three fairs in one, usually around the third weekend, Thursday through Sunday. It draws more than 400,000 visitors and is the city's second-largest economic event after Michigan football.

    Football weekends change everything in town: hotel rates rise, restaurants run waits and roads close around the stadium. If you are coming for a concert or a basketball game, check whether football is at home the same weekend.

    Getting to the venues on gameday

    Michigan's athletic venues sit on the south side of campus near Main Street and Stadium Boulevard. According to Michigan Athletics, no hotels are within walking distance of the stadium, so plan your ride.

    • FootballRide: TheRide, Ann Arbor's transit agency, runs a gameday shuttle from hotels and parking sites, about every 20 minutes beginning two hours before kickoff, dropping off near Gate 2 by Crisler Center. The last bus leaves 30 minutes before kickoff.
    • Parking: University lots open early on gamedays, and Pioneer High School, the Ann Arbor Golf and Outing course and private lots and homes sell spaces nearby. Golf course parking depends on rain. Streets near the stadium close to cars about three hours before kickoff.
    • Train: Amtrak's Wolverine stops at the Ann Arbor station at 325 Depot Street three times daily in each direction between Chicago and Pontiac via Detroit; it is the busiest Amtrak station in Michigan.
    • After the game: Main Street and Ann Arbor–Saline Road run one-way southbound toward I-94, so plan your exit route in advance.

    Neighborhood notes and visitor tips

    • Downtown and Main Street: Restaurants and bars along Main Street sit north of the stadium, a walk or short ride away, and fill up on gameday mornings. Book ahead or eat early.
    • State Street and Central Campus: The area near Hill Auditorium and the Michigan Theater has quicker meals before a concert, and Yost is on South State Street.
    • Tailgating: University lots do not allow charcoal or wood grills as of 2026, and overnight parking is not permitted; check the gameday parking rules.

    Football tickets are sold first to season-ticket holders and donors, which is why the secondary market is the main way most visitors get into big games. Every order on this site is backed by a 100% guarantee. Weather in November can be cold and wet, and umbrellas are not allowed in the stadium, so pack rain gear.

    Frequently asked questions

    How big is Michigan Stadium?

    Michigan Stadium's official capacity is 107,601, the largest in the United States. The record crowd is 115,109, set against Notre Dame in 2013.

    Can I bring a bag into Michigan Stadium?

    No. As of the 2026 season, all bags are prohibited, including clear bags. Medical and childcare items go through exception lines at Gates 3 and 9 West.

    When does Michigan play Ohio State in Ann Arbor?

    The game is played in Ann Arbor in odd-numbered years. The 2026 meeting is in Columbus on November 28, so the next home game in the series is in 2027.

    Where does Michigan play basketball and hockey?

    Basketball is at Crisler Center, next to Michigan Stadium, with about 12,707 seats. Hockey is at Yost Ice Arena, which holds about 5,800.

    Is there a shuttle to Michigan football games?

    Yes. TheRide's FootballRide runs about every 20 minutes from hotels and parking sites starting two hours before kickoff and drops off near Gate 2.

    When is the Ann Arbor Art Fair?

    It is held in July, usually around the third weekend, Thursday through Sunday. More than 400,000 people attend.

    Sources