Hockeytown Red Carpet Walk Returns for Opening Night

DETROIT - For the first time since 2019, the fan-favorite "Hockeytown Red Carpet Walk" will be hosted in Chevrolet Plaza outside Little Caesars Arena prior to Detroit Red Wings Opening Night, presented by Coca-Cola and Meijer, on Friday, Oct. 14 against the Montreal Canadiens. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. The Red Wings today announced special events surrounding the home opener, in addition to new features at Little Caesars Arena for the 2022-23 season.

Red Wings fans have shown their excitement and anticipation for the upcoming campaign, with very few tickets remaining for Opening Night at
DetroitRedWings.com/tickets
. Detroit's home schedule also features two home dates vs. the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, the annual Thanksgiving Eve and New Year's Eve games, additional Original Six matchups against the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and much more.
"We're looking forward to welcoming Red Wings fans back to Little Caesars Arena for what will be a memorable Opening Night," said Chris McGowan, President and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. "The Red Carpet Walk is a tremendous way to celebrate the start of the season, and we know our fans will create a great home-ice advantage for our new-look roster and coaching staff. We encourage everyone to arrive early to enjoy the atmosphere and the great activities we have planned, both inside and outside the arena."
HOCKEYTOWN RED CARPET WALK, PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA AND MEIJER
The Hockeytown Red Carpet Walk, free and open to both ticketed and non-ticketed fans, will feature exciting opportunities to interact and engage with current and former Red Wings players. Gates will open to Chevrolet Plaza at 3 p.m., with players and alumni expected to walk the Red Carpet between 3:45 and 4:45 p.m.
The Red Carpet path will begin at the Little Caesars Arena Garage (165 Sproat St.), and pass through the plaza, where fans can greet attendees before they enter the arena. Many players will briefly sign autographs while walking the Red Carpet. Players and alumni will be escorted by youth participants of the Red Wings'
Learn, Play, Score program
, of which more than 30,000 youth across the city of Detroit experience the game of hockey each year.
Additional activities for fans include a 360 degree "FanCam," photo opportunities, face painting, balloon artists, airbrush tattoos, the Hockeytown Experience presented by Coca-Cola and much more. Live music will be performed by "Power Play Detroit," and the Red Wings Drumline will make its season debut in Chevrolet Plaza. Coca-Cola will be serving free samples of its Dreamworld and Zero Sugar products.
Food and beverage specials will be available outside the venue, and all four Little Caesars Arena restaurants will be open to the public. Hockeytown Café will open at 4 p.m., and feature a DJ, outdoor games and fire pits. All floors will be open.
Red Wings TV personalities Daniella Bruce and Art Regner, radio play-by-play voice Ken Kal and select Red Wings Alumni will also preview the upcoming season with an interactive discussion in the plaza.
ARRIVE EARLY!
A special Opening Show will begin in the arena bowl at approximately 6:30 p.m., so ticketed fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:20 p.m. All 23 Red Wings players comprising the Opening Night roster will be introduced to the crowd, in addition to new Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde, his assistant coaches and the hockey operations support staff. An immersive lighting display will take place on the ice leading up to puck drop.
WHAT'S NEW AT LITTLE CAESARS ARENA?
The Red Wings enter their sixth season at Little Caesars Arena with exciting new offerings available to fans:
20 Weekday Start Times Moved to 7:00 p.m.
On Oct. 3, the Red Wings announced updated start times for 20 weekday home games that will now feature fan-friendly 7:00 p.m. puck drops. The Red Wings worked in conjunction with the National Hockey League and visiting teams to make the schedule adjustments, which can be seen in their entirety on the
DetroitRedWings.com
schedule page.
New Merchandise and Menu Items
In partnership with Delaware North, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment is proud to introduce several new Red Wings merchandise lines at the Team Store, including Greyson Clothiers, Levelwear, lululemon, Peter Millar, Tommy Bahama, TravisMathew, Verve Athleisure by Levelwear, vineyard vines and Wear by Erin Andrews. Items from Greyson Clothiers, Levelwear, Tommy Bahama, vineyard vines, Wear by Erin Andrews and Verve Athleisure by Levelwear will be introduced on Opening Night, while brands and additional arena exclusive merchandise will be unveiled throughout the upcoming season.
Mike's Pizza Bar, The Mixing Board and PointsBet Sports Bar will launch all-new menus, while the UWM District Market has added a Wine Bar, with bottles available for purchase.
25th Anniversary Celebration Set for November 3 and November 5
Two of the most iconic teams in Red Wings history - the 1997 group that won the club's first Stanley Cup in 42 years and the 1998 team that went back-to-back - will be welcomed back to Detroit for the 25th Anniversary Celebration on Nov. 3 against the Washington Capitals and Nov. 5 vs. the New York Islanders.
The 1997 team will be honored on Thursday, Nov. 3, while the 1998 Red Wings will be celebrated on Saturday, Nov. 5. For additional information and ticket information, fans can visit
DetroitRedWings.com/Anniversary
.
Dozens of former players, coaches and front office executives from the 1997 and 1998 championship teams are scheduled to be in attendance at Little Caesars Arena for the pregame ceremonies. The Stanley Cup will be available for photo opportunities on the Via concourse, and a replica ticket from the era will be provided to all fans. Exclusive celebration and replica Stanley Cup championship merchandise will also be sold in the Team Store.
Four Bobblehead Nights Scheduled
Four Bobblehead Nights will return to Little Caesars Arena, featuring reigning Calder Memorial Trophy winner Moritz Seider (Dec. 3 vs. Vegas Golden Knights), NHL Hall-of-Famer Nicklas Lidstrom (Jan. 21 vs. Philadelphia Flyers), 2021-22
NHL All-Rookie selection Lucas Raymond (Feb. 25 vs. Tampa Bay) and former Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg (March 18 vs. Colorado Avalanche).
Columbia Street Fall Fest, Presented by Michigan First Credit Union
For the next five weeks, the season of pumpkin-spice-everything comes alive in The District Detroit during "
Columbia Street Fall Fest
," a free community event presented by Michigan First Credit Union that is an ideal spot to visit before or after a Red Wings game. Columbia Street restaurants, including the brand-new JoJo's ShakeBAR, Union Assembly and Frita Batidos, will each offer seasonal menu specials.
On select dates throughout October and November, the festival will feature live music, hot chocolate and cider carts, a farm stand and interactive activities including a pumpkin painting station, inflatable axe throwing and bobbing for apples. Columbia Street is located in the heart of The District Detroit next to the historic Fox Theatre.
2022-23 Winged Wheel Nation Memberships Available
Winged Wheel Nation is the Detroit Red Wings Season Ticket Membership Program. Designed with your unique needs and interests in mind, Winged Wheel Nation membership offers unprecedented inside access, unforgettable experiences and exclusive benefits for the Red Wings' most loyal fans on a year-round basis.
All members receive invitations to VIP events, flexible payment plans, a ticket exchange program and much more. You can choose from multiple membership types tailored to your schedule and fandom. Learn more about becoming a member by visiting
DetroitRedWings.com/WingedWheelNation
.
Fans interested in group ticket packages can
visit the Group Tickets page
on DetroitRedWings.com.