See the Tigers at Birmingham Palladium Thursday

The Tigers Winter Caravan is making the rounds this week, including a stop in Birmingham.

Two buses and a crew of a dozen additional vehicles will spread across Oakland County and beyond Thursday and Friday to spread baseball fever.

"We're thrilled to get baseball at the top of our minds again with the Winter Caravan," said Elaine Lewis, vice president of Community and Public Affairs.

"What is most impressive is how nearly the entire 40-man roster of players and our coaching staff are set to return to Detroit in the middle of winter, embrace the caravan, and engage the fans."

Scheduled to be part of the caravan are David Dombrowski, Tigers president, chief executive officer and general manager; Al Avila, vice president/assistant general manager;  Manager Jim Leyland, as well as additional coaches, players, broadcasters and Tigers mascot PAWS.

Here's the complete schedule of stops; most are closed to the general public.

Here are five events that are open to the public:

At the movies, Birmingham

• Where: , 250 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham
• When: 3-5 p.m. Thursday
• Cost: Free
• What: The Palladium will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a fan rally featuring Tigers players. The rally will include an interactive question-and-answer session, raffle prizes and giveaways. The first 200 guests will receive a free hot dog, Pepsi and movie pass.
  

At Hockeytown, Troy

• Where: , 1845 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy
• When: 5-6 p.m. Thursday
• What: A picture-taking benefit for the Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division.
• Cost: Free entry. Fans who bring two nonperishable food items will have a chance to take a photo with two Tigers players.

At Meijer, Auburn Hills

• Where: Meijer, 800 Brown Rd., Auburn Hills
• When: 1:05-1:40 p.m. Friday
• What: Tigers players and broadcasters will serve as celebrity Meijer crew members, working in the bakery, at the deli counter and bagging groceries.

At Somerset, Troy

• Where: The Detroit Shoppe inside , 2800 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy
• When: 1-1:45 p.m. Friday
• Cost: Free to browse.  
• What: Tigers players will play Tigers trivia with fans at the Detroit Shoppe. In addition, the customer who spends the most at the store between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. will win a special grand prize from the Tigers and Somerset Collection. All proceeds of purchases Friday will benefit the Detroit Tigers Foundation.

At the Auto Show, Detroit

• Where: Cobo Center, 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit
• When: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Friday
• What: A parade (beginning at 3:30 p.m.) and a rally (starting at 4 p.m.) on the show floor will include a question-and-answer session in the General Motors area.
• Cost: Admission to the North American International Auto Show is $12; seniors and kids 7-12 are $6; kids 6 and younger are free.

The Tigers will open the season at home at 1 p.m. April 5 against the Red Sox.