Two of Novi's biggest crowds of the season will meet at the same spot in front of Emagine Novi, six days apart. On Saturday night, two stars of "It" will take questions in the theater before a screening of the film. On Friday, Nov. 20, the city will set off fireworks and light its tree on the plaza just outside, between Beerhead and The HUB Stadium.
That location is Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk, the outdoor entertainment complex at 44175 W. Twelve Mile Road. Comic Con fills its convention hall on Grand River, and Light the Lights takes over the Fountain Walk plaza. Both use the Twelve Mile block because the council set it up in 2022 for exactly this kind of evening: a crowd outside, restaurants on every side, and a drink you can carry from one to the other.
Two Addresses, Eight Days
The next eight days happen on two stretches of road, and most of it is on Twelve Mile.
| Date | What | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 13 to Sun., Nov. 15 | Motor City Comic Con | Vibe Credit Union Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave. | Adults $38 to $53, ages 6 to 12 $5 to $20, ages 5 and under free |
| Sat., Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. | "It" Q&A and screening with Jack Dylan Grazer and Jaeden Martell | Emagine Novi, 44425 12 Mile Road | $40, plus a convention ticket for any day |
| Sun., Nov. 15 | Kids day at Comic Con | Vibe Credit Union Showplace | Free for ages 12 and under |
| Fri., Nov. 20, 6 to 9 p.m. | Light the Lights | Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk | Free |
The Showplace keeps its usual address but now has a new name. C&G Newspapers calls it the Vibe Credit Union Showplace, "formerly Suburban Collection Showplace." If you're giving out-of-town guests directions this weekend, use the new name.
Comic Con Opens Friday on Grand River
This fall's Motor City Comic Con guest list leans toward villains. James Marsters and Juliet Landau, who played Spike and Drusilla on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," are on it, along with Michael Cudlitz, known for Lex Luthor, and Nathan Mitchell, who plays Black Noir. According to C&G, the fall show is the first comic convention to welcome Kyra Sedgwick of "The Closer," and it is one of Aaron Paul's first conventions.
Show president Beth Burland told C&G Newspapers how the show recruits first-timers:
"We always try to make them feel welcome and comfortable at the show, and I think the agents know that. So, they like to bring them to us for the first time because they know they'll have a good experience."
The comics are still the center of the show. Marvel's Jim Starlin, along with Arvell Jones and Sam De La Rosa, is on the artist list. Starlin drew the cover of this fall's program, and every attendee gets a custom print of it. Prop artist John Marks is bringing a Falkor from "The NeverEnding Story" big enough to fill his entire 35-foot space. A new partnership with the company that runs Autorama at Huntington Place in Detroit adds three hot rods and three movie cars to the floor.
Sunday is the easiest day for families. All children 12 and under get in free on Nov. 15, and the show has a designated children's area along with kids' cosplay contests. The kids' program cover came from a contest open to artists 12 and younger, and a young artist named Imogen won the public vote. Tickets are sold through motorcitycomiccon.com.
Saturday Night, the Convention Comes to Twelve Mile
The Saturday screening is what ties Comic Con to Fountain Walk. Jack Dylan Grazer and Jaeden Martell, two stars of the 2017 "It," will host a Q&A and a screening of the film at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Emagine Novi. The event costs $40, and you also need a Comic Con ticket for any day of the convention.
The convention hall is on Grand River, but the evening's biggest guest event is at the theater that anchors Fountain Walk. Once the Showplace floor closes, Saturday's crowd will be on the Twelve Mile block, where the restaurants are within walking distance of the theater doors.
Six Days Later, the Same Plaza Gets a Tree
Light the Lights runs Friday, Nov. 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk. The center's own calendar lists it as "Novi Light the Lights 2026" for the same evening. According to the City of Novi's event page, the tree goes up in front of Emagine Theatre, between Beerhead and The HUB Stadium, so the screening on Nov. 14 and the tree lighting on Nov. 20 happen at the same spot.
Here's the program as the city lists it:
- 7 p.m.: fireworks and the tree lighting
- All evening: visits with Santa, live music, character meet-and-greets and free train rides
- For the kids: a letters-to-Santa station
- For purchase: build-your-own stuffed animals and claw machines from Klawsome
- To warm up: firepits around the property
Admission is free. Cider, donuts and hot apple cider are sold on site.
Parking is free across Fountain Walk with one exception. The southwest corner lot, south of Emagine, is closed as the safety zone for the fireworks. If you usually park on that side for the movies, plan to use another lot that night.
Why the Social District Makes This Block Work
Fountain Walk is a social district, so you can buy a drink at a participating restaurant and have it outside on Fountain Walk property during the event.
That status dates to Aug. 8, 2022, when Novi City Council adopted the resolution creating the Fountain Walk Social District. The district is bounded by Twelve Mile Road, Cabaret Drive, Fountain Walk Avenue and Donelson Drive. Under the approved plan, drinks have to be in the district's branded cups, which are non-glass, single-use and no bigger than 16 ounces, and you can't carry one into a business that didn't sell it to you. The center's social district page describes outdoor drinking in the commons as happening "during scheduled events." Light the Lights counts as one of those events. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the posted rules with the restaurant when you order.
The social district only works because of the restaurants that ring the plaza. The city's event page lists the Fountain Walk businesses for the night:
- Beerhead Bar & Eatery
- Blackrock Bar & Grill
- Buddy's Pizza
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Cold Stone Creamery
- Ford's Garage
- The HUB Stadium
- KPOT, Hot Pot & Barbecue
- Kung Fu Tea
- Meat Moot Smoking
- Sai Gon Pho
That gives a family plenty of choices before the 7 p.m. fireworks, from Detroit-style pizza at Buddy's and pho at Sai Gon Pho to hot pot at KPOT, with bubble tea from Kung Fu Tea or ice cream from Cold Stone for the walk back to the car.
There's another restaurant on the way. Supra Novi LLC has proposed a high-tech revolving sushi bar at 44375 W. 12 Mile Road, Suite G-152, the former Bar Louie space, and the request to transfer a liquor license to it went to City Council on May 4, 2026. Supra already runs a location in Linden. The center's directory lists the new spot as Super Sushi.
December Spreads Back Out Across Town
After Nov. 20, the city's holiday events move away from Twelve Mile. The City of Novi's printed 2026 calendar lists these dates for December:
- Sun., Dec. 6, 4 p.m.: Novi Choralaires Holiday Concert, venue to be announced
- Sat., Dec. 12, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: Lunch with Santa at Lakeshore Park
- Sun., Dec. 13, 4 p.m.: a second Novi Choralaires Holiday Concert, venue to be announced
Lunch with Santa runs in two seatings, so check with Novi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services for registration details before Dec. 12.
The week before all this has one more date to remember. City offices, the Meadowbrook Activity Center and the library close on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26 and 27, for Thanksgiving, and waste collection that week runs a day late.
If the plaza at Fountain Walk gets you thinking about what your own Novi home is worth before next year's season begins, The Siciliano Group can give you a straight answer, with no obligation. Get your instant home valuation, and we'll follow up personally with the context behind the number.
