Dearborn’s 41st Homecoming festival returns after a two-year hiatus, Aug. 5-7 at The Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave. Festival hours are noon to 11 p.m. each day.
While the location is changing, plans for this year’s festival will preserve the amenities and attractions residents have come to love and remember. Homecoming 2022 will see the return of event staples such as the carnival, main stage musical performances, two days of fireworks, Elderfest, reunion tents, and a variety of vendors, nonprofits, as well as the beer tent. The festival will include newer attractions as well.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5
Elderfest: Ford Community & Performing Arts Center – Lincoln Ballroom
9 a.m.: Full Breakfast
10 a.m.: Bingo with cash prizes!
11 a.m.: Kielbasa Kings – Entertainment playing your favorite Polkas and Waltzes
Noon: Lunch
1 p.m.: Free concert by the Chelsea House Orchestra (Michael A. Guido Theater)
2 p.m.: Frozen Custard Social (provided by: Commissioner Sam Baydoun)
Special All-Stars Day: Ford Community & Performing Arts Center at the Children’s Village
9 a.m.: Welcome party with games and prizes
10 a.m.: Exclusive free carnival for all people with special needs
Noon: Pizza and Dance party
Noon-11 p.m.: Festival opens
Food Trucks (Partial List):
• Cousins Main Lobster
• Keaiks
• Hanky Panky Donuts & Desserts
• Chick Coupe Chicken & Waffles
• Cous Cous Cuisine
• Palazzolo’s Gelato Truck
• Cinnabon
• The Terry Melt
• Famous Hamburger
Food Vendors (Partial List):
• Aroma Creperie
• Smiley Halal
• Dearborn Nutrition
• Tornado Potato
• Abu Knafa
Beverages (supporting our non-profits):
• Beer, Wine, Margaritas, Seltzer
Noon-11 p.m.: Carnival opens with the best Midway ever!
3-10 p.m.: Visit the ACCESS Tent for Arts and crafts for the kids and Middle Eastern food by Malek Al-Kabob
Noon-11 p.m.: Have a taste of Poland at the Polish Tent by Veronica’s Catering
Noon-11 p.m.: Join your friends at the Class Reunion tent
Noon-11 p.m.: The Arts Experience with special interactive sculptures that will light up the night created exclusively for the Dearborn Homecoming Festival
Noon-11 p.m.: Visit the special Prismatic exhibit inside the Padzieski Art Gallery at the Center
Noon-11 p.m.: Watch 50 artists create masterpieces of art throughout the entire Festival grounds
Noon-11 p.m.: Play in the World’s Largest Bounce House at the festival ($20 per child) (tickets)
Noon-11 p.m.: Visit the Children’s Village for fun, games, magic shows, clowns, and more
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere and somewhere is the Dearborn Homecoming Festival main stage
4 p.m.: Band J
At a BandJ party, you’ll have more fun in a few hours than you’ve had in years! The BandJ crew is a carefully curated combination of performers with impressive musical, vocal, dance, and theater experience. That include performances alongside the likes of Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, and Alicia Keys.
6 p.m.: Bluffett — Tribute to Jimmy Buffett
Homecoming kicks off with Bluffett featuring The Son of A Sailor Band, a 100 percent-live-on-stage show of the legendary Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band! This show will have the conga-lines moving with an amazing eight performers on stage!
You are not going to be empty-handed, because the 41st Homecoming festival will be featuring our signature Margaritas at our special Margaritaville hut at the festival.
Hear all your favorite hits like: “Volcano,” “Son Of A Sailor,” “Margaritaville,” “Cheeseburger In Paradise,” “Boat Drinks,” “He Went To Paris,” “Captain And The Kid,” “Changes In Latitude, Changes In Attitude,” “A Pirate Looks At 40,” “Fins” and many more!
8:30 p.m.: Killer Flamingos
Killer Flamingos was voted best band by HOUR Detroit Magazine and Metro Times and has played at venues such as The Fillmore, FOX Theater, Soundboard, Royal Oak Music Theater, and the Gem.
10 p.m.: We will light up the sky with Dearborn’s best fireworks!
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6
Noon-11 p.m.: Festival opens
Food Trucks (Partial List):
• Cousins Main Lobster
• Keaiks
• Hanky Panky Donuts & Desserts
• Chick Coupe Chicken & Waffles
• Cous Cous Cuisine
• Palazzolo’s Gelato Truck
• Cinnabon
• The Terry Melt
• Famous Hamburger
Food Vendors (Partial List):
• Aroma Creperie
• Smiley Halal
• Dearborn Nutrition
• Tornado Potato
• Abu Knafa
Beverages (supporting our non-profits):
• Beer, Wine, Margaritas, Seltzer
Noon-11 p.m.: Carnival opens with the best Midway ever!
3-10 p.m.: Visit the ACCESS Tent for Arts and crafts for the kids and Middle Eastern food by Malek Al-Kabob
Noon-11 p.m.: Have a taste of Poland at the Polish Tent by Veronica’s Catering
Noon-11 p.m.: Join your friends at the Class Reunion tent
Noon-11 p.m.: The Arts Experience with special interactive sculptures that will light up the night created exclusively for the Dearborn Homecoming Festival
Noon-11 p.m.: Visit the special Prismatic exhibit inside the Padzieski Art Gallery at the Center
Noon-11 p.m.: Watch 50 artists create masterpieces of art throughout the entire Festival grounds
Noon-11 p.m.: Play in the World’s Largest Bounce House at the festival ($20 per child) (tickets)
Noon-11 p.m.: Visit the Children’s Village for fun, games, magic shows, clowns, and more
Steve Augeri, former lead singer of Journey, will perform at 8:45 p.m. Aug. 6.
It’s Saturday night at Dearborn Homecoming!
4:30 p.m.: Phase 5
This Motown Tribute act performs hits from Motown’s most successful artists like The Temptations, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, The Contours, and more. The group is fronted by five very talented vocalists who combine tight harmonies along with smooth choreography and vintage costumes reminiscent of the Motown groups known all over the world. Their incredible energy infects the crowd and soon the guests are clapping and singing along to the Motown hits that are still popular today after more than 50 years!
6:30 p.m.: Sunglasses After Dark
Sunglasses After Dark is a Dearborn-based band that puts on a fun-filled, high-energy show at each and every performance. Their unique blend of eclectic cover tunes performed in their own distinctive and extraordinary style, in addition to their many fan-favorite original songs, is sure to get the crowd enthralled, engaged, and up and dancing! Sunglasses After Dark has a HUGE following that never fails to pack everywhere they play.
8:45 p.m.: Journey former lead vocalist Steve Augeri
Since 1973, Journey has sold nearly 90 million albums worldwide and cemented their reputation as one of America’s most beloved and accomplished Rock & Roll bands in history. In 1998, Steve Augeri debuted on the seven-times platinum Armageddon soundtrack continuing the legacy as the Super-Group’s lead vocalist. For nearly a decade, Steve recorded three albums and performed on multiple world tours to millions of adoring fans. Known for his soaring vocals, gritty tenor, and powerful stage presence, Steve Augeri brings his signature blend of rock and soul into every event!
Top Hits Include: “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Faithfully,” “Anyway You Want It,” “Wheel In The Sky,” “Open Arms,” “Stone In Love,” “Ask The Lonely,” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Remember Me, Lights,” “Loving, Touching, Squeezing,” “Be Good To Yourself,” “Send Her My Love,” “When You Love A Woman,” “Separate Ways.”
10 p.m.: We will light up the sky with Dearborn’s best fireworks!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7
Noon-11 p.m.: Festival opens
Food Trucks (Partial List):
• Cousins Main Lobster
• Keaiks
• Hanky Panky Donuts & Desserts
• Chick Coupe Chicken & Waffles
• Cous Cous Cuisine
• Palazzolo’s Gelato Truck
• Cinnabon
• The Terry Melt
• Famous Hamburger
Food Vendors (Partial List):
• Aroma Creperie
• Smiley Halal
• Dearborn Nutrition
• Tornado Potato
• Abu Knafa
Beverages (supporting our non-profits):
• Beer, Wine, Margaritas, Seltzer
Noon-11 p.m.: Carnival opens with the best Midway ever!
3-10 p.m.: Visit the ACCESS Tent for Arts and crafts for the kids and Middle Eastern food by Malek Al-Kabob
Noon-11 p.m.: Have a taste of Poland at the Polish Tent by Veronica’s Catering
Noon-11 p.m.: Join your friends at the Class Reunion tent
Noon-11 p.m.: The Arts Experience with special interactive sculptures that will light up the night created exclusively for the Dearborn Homecoming Festival
Noon-11 p.m.: Visit the special Prismatic exhibit inside the Padzieski Art Gallery at the Center
Noon-11 p.m.: Watch 50 artists create masterpieces of art throughout the entire Festival grounds
Noon-11 p.m.: Play in the World’s Largest Bounce House at the festival ($20 per child) (tickets)
Noon-11 p.m.: Visit the Children’s Village for fun, games, magic shows, clowns, and more
Country music artist Randy Houser will perform at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 7.
This is country!
4:30 p.m.: Billy Gunther and The Midwest Riders
6:30 p.m.: Family Tradition Band
Family tradition is an authentic, not-so-traditional, country rock band. If you’re looking for southern spirit mixed with some Motor City Roots, FTB is the band for you! Voted Best Country band in 2021 by Detroit Hour Magazine touring throughout Michigan, they know what it takes to have a party and entertain the masses!
8:30 p.m.: Randy Houser
Country music singer and songwriter Randy Houser is a standout star in the country music scene and first came to attention in 2008 with the release of his Billboard chart-topping hit single ‘Anything Goes.’ Don’t miss this country music favorite as he brings his awesome catalog to venues country-wide this year.
Randy has had hits with “How Country Feels,” and “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight,” and worked as a songwriter for artists including Trace Adkins, Justin Moore, and Jessie James before making his own music. Going all the way from teaching himself the guitar and fronting his own band at the age of ten to being nominated for numerous awards from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, and CMT Music Awards is a phenomenal achievement – this is an event to be enjoyed by all!
