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Windsor city councillors and city staffers raised a Detroit Lions flag at City Hall on Jan. 18, 2024, in support of the NFL team across the river as it competed in the playoffs.Photo by Dan Janisse /Windsor Star
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Playoff-bound Detroit Lions are taking their party to the streets — and skies — of downtown Windsor.
The team’s We Want More Tour is coming to Windsor on Friday with a range of events that will climax with a massive drone show above the downtown skyline.
“It will be a unique one, I’m sure, tailored to Windsor and tailored to Canada,” said Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino. “It’s all about supporting the Detroit Lions. They made it very clear they wanted this to be something for Windsor.”
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Starting at 7 p.m. Friday, about 400 drones will launch from Festival Plaza in downtown Windsor to create a Lions-themed light show hundreds of metres in the air. The show, which is subject to the weather, will last about 15 minutes.
The City of Windsor and the Detroit Lions are partnering for a drone show on Friday night over the Windsor riverfront. Hundreds of drones will take off from the riverfront Festival Plaza.Photo by Image courtesy of City of Windsor /Windsor Star
Agostino said the launch zone at Festival Plaza will be closed to the public. But if you can see the Caesars Windsor hotel towers from wherever you are, you’ll be able to see the drone show.
“The best place to watch this is any place in downtown Windsor,” said Agostino.
The Lions, on their way to the divisional round of the 2025 NFL playoffs, are celebrating after clinching their first No. 1 seed in franchise history.
This will be the second major party that the Detroit Lions have staged in Windsor this season.
After receiving marketing rights for Canada last spring, the team hosted its first-ever NFL-sanctioned event outside of the U.S. with a tailgate party in December at Windsor’s Factory House.
“We’re thrilled to bring the Detroit Lions postseason celebrations directly to our fans in Windsor,” said Emily Griffin, the team’s senior vice-president of marketing and brand.
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“After two successful drone shows in Detroit, and the launch of our We Want More Tour presented by Bud Light earlier this week, our playoffs fan experience will make its international debut across the river.”
Lions Day in downtown Windsor starts Friday at 10:30 a.m. with a flag raising at Charles Clark Square.
Za’Darius Smith #99 of the Detroit Lions reacts during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on Jan. 5, 2025, in Detroit.Photo by Gregory Shamus /Getty Images
Representatives of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association will be stationed on the sidewalks throughout the day handing out free coffee and hot chocolate.
From 12:30 to 2 p.m. the Lions will park their We Want More tour bus outside Caesars Windsor offering team merchandise, photo ops, and tailgate games with Lions giveaways.
Visitors will have a chance to win playoff tickets through the Detroit Lions “Call Dan” phone booth.
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Agostino said that through the Downtown BIA, anyone shopping downtown until Jan. 17 can also enter to win tickets to the next Lions game.
He said the day will also include family-friendly activities. Art Windsor-Essex will have free admission Friday night for families who want to stop in after the drone show.
“This is incredibly special,” said Agostino. “Full props to the Lions and that organization. This is for the fans.
“Windsor is obviously the Canadian home of the Detroit Lions, and this is going to be awesome.”
