Detroit Auto Show announces 2025 show dates in January: What to know

The Detroit Auto Show has announced its 2025 schedule and promises to bring a new kind of flexibility to automakers, partners and consumers as they celebrate Detroit's automotive heritage.

The show, formerly called the North American International Auto Show, will be held at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit, and will be spread over 11 days from Friday, Jan. 10, to Monday, Jan. 20. Notably, the dates are a return to the January time slot after the the show was held in September over the past couple of years.

“As we reimagine the show, we’re being agile about scheduling events to meet the needs and preferences of key stakeholders,” Rod Alberts, Detroit Auto Show co-executive director, said in a news release Tuesday. 

More:Detroit auto show to return to its January roots, organizers say

In returning to the original January dates, the Detroit Auto Dealers Association moves the show to a spot on the calendar where it had been for decades before it was canceled in January 2020, narrowly missing what could have been a COVID-19 hot spot. Then the event was imagined for summer, but because of the pandemic, the next full auto show didn’t happen until September 2022. It took place last September as well.

The January show gives automakers and their partners time for product and technology debuts while providing new experiences, innovative vehicles and educational opportunities to consumers.

More:What’s next for auto shows? Rescheduled 2025 Detroit show may point the way.

“OEMs and show partners will have the opportunity to directly reach out to customers with product announcements during the public show or have media- and industry-focused events as in the past,” said Alberts.

Here are key dates of the 2025 Detroit Auto Show:

Media Day: Friday, Jan. 10

On Media Day, journalists will have access to the show floor and exhibits before the public show begins. The day will also feature:

• North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year awards
• EyesOn Design awards
• Detroit Economic Club’s annual Auto Show Luncheon

Charity Preview: Friday, Jan. 10

The signature Charity Preview, which has raised money for southeastern Michigan charities for the past 25 years, will include entertainment to be announced later this summer. Tickets will go on sale Oct. 14, and will cost $400 each or $700 for two.

Public Show: Saturday, Jan. 11, through Monday, Jan. 20

The Public Show will stretch 10 days and include cars, vehicle experiences, public speakers, music and more. Tickets will go on sale on Oct. 14.  Go to detroitautoshow.com for more information.

Industry Days: Wednesday, Jan. 15, and Thursday, Jan. 16

Industry Days will take place on two days and offer exclusive access to the show floor to members of the industry. Programming will include:

• The Mobility Global Forum, themed “Convergence of Industry, Technology and Talent,” which will feature tech innovators and industry disruptors.
• The AutoMobili-D technology showcase will return to preview mobility innovations from a variety of global companies, universities and the startup community.
• A new program, Future Innovators, invites more than 1,000 high school and college students to the auto show to learn about career opportunities and training options in the automotive and mobility industries.

Go to detroitautoshow.com for more details about Industry Days tickets, which provide exclusive industry access hours to the show floor.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, Jan. 20

The auto show will feature special programming for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, focusing on "Acts of Service" to honor King’s legacy and philosophy that “everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”   

Premier sponsors for 2025 include Delta Air Lines, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. 

Free Press Auto Critic Mark Phelan contributed to this article.