The week that football fans have been waiting for since the Super Bowl ended is finally here.
The 2024 NFL Draft begins Thursday in downtown Detroit, and hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world are expected in the Windsor-Detroit area to watch the top college players in the world get chosen by NFL teams.
Barring any trades, the Chicago Bears will have the first overall pick, which will be revealed on the massive Cadillac Square stage a little after 8 p.m. Thursday. The host Detroit Lions currently have the 29th overall pick in the first round.
ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network will broadcast the Draft. In Canada, the Draft will be on TSN and the streaming service DAZN.
Draft-related events will take place in the Cadillac Square-Campus Martius area, where the chosen players' names will be read, and in Hart Plaza, where the sprawling NFL Draft Experience will take place for the rest of the week.
Visit Detroit President and CEO Claude Molinari, a member of the draft organizing committee, had promised in November 2023 a widespread, family-friendly atmosphere celebrating the game of football.
"We all know Detroit hustles harder, we are harnessing that energy as we collaborate with our local partners and stakeholders in our draft planning," Molinari was quoted in the Detroit Free Press at the time.
If you are planning to go to the Draft, access to the area is only available through a free OnePass app, which can be downloaded on your device or online.
Traffic in downtown Detroit will be severely limited, with many downtown streets closed so visitors can safely walk in the area and enjoy the events. If you are planning to drive downtown for the Draft, you are encouraged to pre-arrange parking and arrive early.
NFL Draft organizers have set up park-and-shuttle lots where people can park their vehicles for a fee.
The People Mover will run 24 hours a day through midnight Saturday. The Q-LINE light-transit system will also run on extended hours and offer a $5-per-vehicle park-and-ride service, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Border crossings at the Ambassador Bridge and the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel are expected to be busier than usual during the Draft.
Transit Windsor has offered a special tunnel bus. It will run every 60 minutes from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, from the downtown Windsor transit terminal.
The City of Windsor announced Wednesday that tunnel bus space is by reservation only.
If you do not want to deal with the crowds, the City of Windsor has offered two large, free events celebrating the Draft.
The City is hosting a free Draft-watching party outside City Hall on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. It will include NFL-themed activities, a draft viewing area, a free football skills clinic for youth, free snacks, and appearances from some Windsor-Essex NFL alumni.
The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association (DWBIA) will hold a free NFL Draft Block Party on Ouellette Avenue between Park and University from 6 to 11 p.m. The street party will feature live music and entertainment. Those wanting to attend are asked to register for free tickets.
Complete information about the NFL Draft, including a schedule of events and activities, and tips on finding parking and amenities, can be found on the NFL's official website.