It is the weekend before Thanksgiving, and we are already seeing our towns and villages come alive with Christmas splendor. Most of what we’ll cover on our Weekend Fun Five will be geared more towards the holidays, but our first event will be for the ladies…
Ladies Opening Night in Downtown Petoskey will be on Friday from 4-8pm. You’ll be able to shop, sip, and stroll the streets of downtown Petoskey, as stores will participate in offering gifts, games, specials, prizes, and treats. Then, join the After Party at 8pm in the Rose Room, located in the Perry Hotel with a LIVE performance by Laura Crowe, Jazz Vocalist. You can also enter to win the Doe Prize Drawing, no purchase necessary. BUCKets with entry slips will be available at participating retailers. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes to be given away. Go to PetoskeyDownTown.com for more details.
Now, onto the more Christmastime events. Our first, Brother Dan’s Handmade Holiday Craft Show at the Emmet County Fairground son Saturday, from 9am-4pm. This craft show will benefit Brother Dan’s Food Pantry. Local vendors will feature handmade items for sale in time for the holiday season. So if you are looking for that one of a kind gift for a special person in your life, you may find it there. Brother Dan’s will be collecting admission & concession sales to benefit feeding local families. Admission is $2 or a non-perishable food item.
Every year, my family and I, like many other families, enjoy the annual tradition of watching, “A Christmas Story.” This year, you can see it as a musical in Cadillac, as the Cadillac Footliters Presents “A Christmas Story – The Musical.” Show dates and times are Nov. 21st, 22nd, and 28th at 7pm, and Nov. 29th at 2pm at the Cadillac Community Auditorium. Tickets are $12 in advance at Brinks Art & Frame and Horizon Books. $14 online at Cadillacfootiters.com, or $15 at the door.
If you want to get your holiday shopping done early, and I mean early, head to Downtown Boyne City, for their Earlier Than The Bird Shopping Event Saturday morning starting at 7am. Get a great start on the holidays as downtown Boyne City hosts this early morning shopping event with special offers for those shopping in their pajamas. Pajamas, you say? I know I have that bunny costume from A Christmas Story in my dresser drawer somewhere…
Finally, the big event that will kick off the holiday season in Traverse City… The Traverse City Light Parade on Saturday. Downtown Traverse City will start the holiday season, officially, with the annual Traverse City Light Parade, including Santa’s arrival and community tree lighting. Thousands gather downtown to see Santa light the tree, enjoy the sparkling parade, and kick off the holiday shopping season in true Traverse City style. Here is the schedule for this event…
Front Street & Parade Staging Area:
• 3:00pm: Streets close (please move vehicles from the designated parade spaces)
• Cass & Front Streets:
• 5:00-5:45pm: Treats & goody giveaways, games, and holiday music
• 5:45pm: Special guests and Santa’s arrival
• 6:00pm: Tree Lighting with Santa
• Front Street, from Franklin to Union Streets:
• 6:30pm: Light Parade
• Cass & State Streets:
• Post-parade until 9pm: Santa’s House visits
If you’d like a complete detail of the evening’s events, go to DownTownTC.com!
Have a great, safe weekend,
John Kelly
