With the faint jingle of bells already tolling in our minds, it’s time to start filling out the calendar with fun and festive events and activities. We know the holiday season is busy, but we also know that adding one or two of the following December Must-Dos into the merry mix will make your season that much brighter! Here are five area activities (aside from skiing) we think are must-dos for you and yours.
1. Catch a Holiday-centric Show
Many of us have cherished memories of attending holiday pageants, Christmas concerts, and season-specific productions, and the Petoskey Area has a great lineup this December.
A one-man adaptation of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol presented by renowned stage actor Allen Fitzpatrick hits the stage first, followed closely by Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra’s annual production of Handel’s Messiah and three showings of The Nutcracker performed by Crooked Tree Arts Center’s School of Ballet. Whether through emotion-evoking music, thought-provoking dialogue, or stirring choreography, each live performance will tug at audiences’ heartstrings, reminding them why the holiday season is one of meaning and love.
A less formal show is the holiday double-feature screening of two holiday classics: The Muppet Christmas Carol and Meet Me in St. Louis. The film showings are part of Great Lakes Center for the Arts’ third annual holiday-themed event where viewers of all ages—especially families—are invited to wear their holiday attire and enjoy snacks while these feel-good favorites play on the 45-foot cinema screen.
Also, all four of the abovementioned shows take place in Bay Harbor on Center Stage at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts—it’s the one-stop spot for holiday presentations.
The Alanson Hillside Garden creates a holiday light show that twinkles and dances along to music from an advertised radio station. Photo credit: Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau
2. Experience a Downtown Open House
Many downtowns kick off the holiday season with tree lightings, open houses, parades, and more to usher in goodwill toward men and cheerful vibes. Our area communities are chock-full of these festive downtown traditions; here are a few to pick from.
Downtown Petoskey hosts its annual Holiday Open House on Friday, December 6, which draws people from throughout the region. Santa lights the giant Christmas Tree in Pennsylvania Park, downtown shops offer warmth, snacks, and drinks, and the Petoskey High School Steel Drum Band performs to the delight of all. The downtown streets are closed to traffic, too, transforming the area into a pedestrian’s haven.
The following day—Saturday, December 7—Harbor Springs puts on its Merchants Holiday Open House, complete with barricaded streets, strolling, snacking, and shopping. If you missed the Petoskey High School Steel Drum Band the evening prior, they’re putting on an encore performance just around the bay, thanks to sponsor Nub’s Nob Ski Area.
Fast-forwarding to the next weekend, Alanson’s Community Open House takes center stage on Friday, December 13. Don’t let any Friday the 13th superstitions prevent you from joining the festive fun and free chili cook-off tradition—the storefronts will be ready to ladle out tasty cups of savory chili to warm you while checking out the light show at the Hillside Garden that is synchronized to on-air holiday tunes.
Then, back in Petoskey on Saturday, December 14, the annual Holiday Parade takes place in the late morning to start the day of holiday activities and shopping off right.
3. Check out a Holiday Craft Show
Nothing says the holidays like a craft show where the aromas of peppermint, bayberry, evergreen, and gingerbread drift through the air as you peruse the artsy booths of vendors galore while snowflakes fall.
This year, Boyne City is hosting two crafty events—one en plein air and the other indoors.
For a taste of the crisp outdoors, check out the third annual Sip & Shop Holiday Bazaar hosted by the Boyne City Farmers Market at Veterans Park Pavilion on Friday, December 6. With local wineries and area musicians bolstering holiday cheer with beverages and a warming ambiance, shoppers can browse artwork, crafts, artisanal foods, and more while the snow falls around them and not on them.
Held on Saturday, December 7, at the Boyne City High School, the Annual Holiday Hobby Craft Show includes over 100 vendors selling a wide array of goods to decorate your home with or gift items for those remaining on your shopping list. A popular event with the surrounding community, this event raises funds for the Boyne City Booster Foundation.
On the last Saturday before Christmas, December 21, last-minute shoppers can pop into the Market at the Museum, a collaboration between the Harbor Springs Farmers Market and Harbor Springs Historical Society, and buy stocking stuffers, gifts, or local foods to accompany the coming celebrations.
4. Get Crafty & Creative
Amidst all the preparations, shopping, planning, and wrapping, sometimes it’s nice to sit down and loosen up with a creative project. With guidance from area professionals, these activities might be right up your artsy alley.
The Petoskey District Library loves hosting classes and workshops for community members of all ages, and this year, it’s got two offerings worth trying. On Sunday, December 1, local artist Betsy Petersen is putting on a homemade holiday crafts workshop for adults. Then, Teen Librarian Nisa Kesseler will teach teens and adults how to create winter décor in her wreath-making workshop on December 4.
For an art experience for the entire family, stop by Crooked Tree Arts Center’s Visual Arts Studio on December 7, 14, and 21 for Open Studio. Each Saturday, visitors of all ages can explore prepared projects or experiment with a variety of materials with an on-staff proctor to provide guidance. During the holiday season, potential attendees can expect festive winter projects.
If culinary creativity is more your jam, we suggest the Christmas Cookies Workshop at Lavender Hill Farm on Saturday, December 7. Led by instructor Cindy Wolff, participants will learn how to decorate sugar cookies with royal icing while getting a crash course in cookie-frosting techniques. It’s time to elevate your cookie game and really impress Santa this year.
North Perk Coffee located in Downtown Petoskey is perfect for a little winter warm-up. Photo credit: Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau
5. Warm up with a Festive Drink
Finally, all the cheerful walking, exploring, creating, and shopping in the cold temperatures requires a hot drink to warm you from your tastebuds to your toes. After all, it’s hard work traversing downtowns and spreading the holly-jolly spirit.
The Petoskey Area is plentiful when it comes to coffee shops that carry caffeinated and decaffeinated beverages. Downtown Petoskey is home to North Perk Coffee, Roast & Toast, The Grove Beverage Cafe, and Petoskey Coffee Company—each offering a unique atmosphere in which to warm up. Over in Boyne City, you’ll find Lake Charlevoix Coffee Company and Beani’s Coffee Lounge right downtown, while Harbor Springs has Birch Tree Bakery & Cafe and Johan’s Pastry Shop, and the newest coffee joint—The Burst—is situated in Alanson.
There are a lot of establishments to choose from, but no matter your destination, you’ll find a tasty drink to curl your fingers around. Each location creates seasonal drinks celebrating the holidays and featuring traditional flavors like gingerbread, cinnamon, peppermint, vanilla, and sugar cookie, to highlight a few.
If you’re over 21 and seeking an adult beverage to warm you up, consider checking out Petoskey’s Malted Vinyl, Boyne City’s Muskrat Distilling, or Bay Harbor’s NOMAD. All three establishments pride themselves on a rotating menu of seasonal craft cocktails that will undoubtedly ignite your festive spirit. Additional bars and distilleries are scattered all over the region, too, and you can view that listing here.
So, there you have it—five different kinds of December must-dos in our holiday-loving area. Unlike Santa’s list, this one is by no means exhaustive; it’s a starting point to help launch you into the festive season!
About the Author: Alex Dailey is a long-time Northern Michigan resident who happily calls Petoskey home. When she isn’t at her computer writing and editing, you can find her taste-testing craft cocktails, patronizing downtown shops (especially bookstores), and participating in as many local literary events as possible. She looks forward to sharing her Petoskey Area favorites with you!