The Holidays Sparkle in Alpena!
The holidays in Alpena sparkle with special events and activities. Smell the chestnuts roasting at an old-fashioned Christmas tree lighting and relive childhood excitement and anticipation as Santa is welcomed in his own grand parade. Come and join us for a holiday to remember!
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Santa Claus is Coming To Town-Kick off your holiday season with the Lafarge-Bolenz Jewelry Lighted Holiday Parade in Alpena November 27. This popular, evening community parade features floats decorated with lights. The parade includes floats, bands, costumed characters and Santa Claus himself. After the parade, Santa retreats to his special house at Culligan Plaza where he will be holding downtown office hours throughout the holiday season. The parade begins at 5:30 p.m. at Ninth and Chisholm Streets, turns north on Second Avenue and ends in the parking lot behind city hall on Water Street. The parade will be just the beginning of an exciting evening in downtown, where Light Up The Season Weekend activities will also take place. See below. The parade begins at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (989) 354-4181.
Light Up The Season Weekend in Downtown Alpena, November 27-29-Following the Lafarge-Bolenz Jewelry Lighted Holiday Parade, this event kicks off with the traditional lighting of the official Alpena Christmas tree at Culligan Plaza. This tree is particularly special because each light is lit in remembrance of someone special through the Hospice of Michigan Light up a Life program. Special guest Santa Claus will join the mayor of Alpena in lighting the tree. Following the tree lighting, you can join in the singing of Christmas carols and enjoy roasted chestnuts and hot chocolate. Many of the businesses will be open for holiday shopping.
The Light Up The Season Weekend continues with the downtown Christmas Open House on Saturday and Sunday, November 28 and 29. Many merchants will provide refreshments, special activities, coffee and hot chocolate as shoppers see what’s new for Christmas and get some shopping done. Horse drawn wagon rides will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. this special weekend. Many other special activities are planned for this official beginning of the holiday season in downtown Alpena. For more information about the Light Up The Season Weekend, call (989) 356-6422.
Santa Parade, Alpena Mall-November 28, 11:00 a.m. -Santa arrives at the Alpena Mall led by a high school marching band. Children can march along with Santa and the band and then go and make the annual visit with Santa to discuss Christmas wishes. For more information, call the mall office at (989) 356-9016.
Olde Fashioned Community Christmas at the New Presque Isle Lighthouse, December 5-6-See the 1905 Keeper's House (professionally decorated for the season), enjoy refreshments, entertainment and horse-drawn wagon rides. Children's activities will be held on Saturday from 1:30-3:00 in Garrity Hall. Children can watch a play and meet Santa. On Sunday, Santa returnsand there will be live music from the Grand Lake Community Chapel Ringers and Choir. All activities are free and open to the public.
Holiday Performances
This holiday season, Alpena is decking the halls and stages with performances for everyone. Enjoy Thunder Bay Theatre's White Christmas, a community performance of the Nutcracker and a number of holiday concerts that will put you in the spirit of the season!
Thunder Bay Theatre Presents: White Christmas, November 27-December 19- Based on the beloved, timeless film, this heartwarming musical adaptation features seventeen Irving Berlin songs and a book by David Ives and Paul Blake. Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont Lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil's former army commander. The dazzling score features well known standards including "I Love a Piano", "How Deep is the Ocean" and the perennial favorite, "White Christmas". Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. The theater is handicap accessible and group rates are available. For reservations, call the theatre at (989) 354-2267.
Alpena Symphonic Orchestra Holiday Concert, December 6-The A.S.O. is Northeast Michigan's only orchestra. It was founded in 2004 to give both players and listeners in the area a chance to appreciate, participate, and enjoy classical music. The priority of the Alpena Symphony Orchestra is to share the beauty of orchestral music with the residents of Alpena and the surrounding community. Special guest performers will be The New Day Singers. The concert takes place at the Alpena High School Stanley Beck Auditorium at 3:00 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. For more information on the concert, call (989) 727-3273. For more information on the ASO, visit their web site at www.alpenasymphony.com.
Community Performances of The Nutcracker, December 12-13-The Nutcracker is perhaps the most popular, and certainly the most performed ballet of all time. The Alpena performance of this timeless classic is put on by a large cast of community members and is only performed every fours years, so plan to attend! Shows are at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on December 12 and 2:00 p.m. on December 13. Tickets are $10.- for main floor seats and $8.- for upper balcony. Students under 12 are $6.- for main floor and $5.- for upper balcony. The public may purchase tickets at The Dance Centre after 3:00 p.m. daily beginning on November 9. For more information call (989) 356-1439.
Besser Male Chorus Annual Christmas Concert, December 16-Take a break from holiday preparations and enjoy a holiday concert guaranteed to put you in the proper spirit with many seasonal favorites. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church. Admission is $5.00. For more information call (989) 471-9182.
Thunder Bay Arts Council Community Chorus Presents: "Holiday Concert" Sunday, December 20- Under the Direction of Jim Hart, the roughly 70-member Thunder Bay Arts Council Community Chorus presents a Christmas gift of music to the community. The chorus will perform selections from Handel’s Messiah related to the birth of Jesus including the famous "Hallelujah Chorus", as well as other seasonal selections. Admission is by donation. The concert takes place at the Alpena High School auditorium at 7:30 P.M. For more information, call (989) 356-6678.
Celebrations
Winterview Season at Art In The Loft, November 13- January 9-Art in the Loft at Gallery 109 is a fine arts gallery featuring the work of local, regional and nationally recognized artists. Reasonably priced artwork is available in a wide range of media. Artists staff the gallery and apply their techniques in demonstration and workshops. Winterview hours are hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon until 6 p.m. A number of special events are featured during Winterview Season including Glamour and Gourmet in the Gallery (pre-season opener) on November 12, a Holiday Open House on November 28 and Music and Merriment in the Gallery on December 17. Art in the Loft at Gallery 109 is located in the Center Building, 109 North Second Ave. in Alpena. For more information, call (989) 356-4877 or visit their web site at www.artintheloft.com
"Season of Lights" at the Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan, November 23-January 2-Make sure that your holiday season activities include a visit to the Besser museum to experience this special "Season of Light". The entire museum grounds will be decorated for the season and special activities will be offered. Many of the decorations are designed to represent cultures and religions represented in Northeast Michigan and their connections to this joyous season. Christmas trees will fill the museum, decorated by various non-profit organizations, and the planetarium will offer a special show exploring the Star of Bethlehem and holiday traditions. A reception will be held on November 21. The Besser museum is located on Johnson Street in Alpena. The museum is open year-round, six days a week except for major holidays. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Planetarium shows are Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. For more information, call the museum at (989) 356-2202.
Special Seasonal Activities
Cut Your Own Christmas Tree- Amid the rows of sweet-smelling evergreen, the perfect tree is out there. After carefully scrutinizing tree after tree, your family locates the ideal one. The tree is cut and triumphantly carried home, where it will serve as the centerpiece for your holiday celebration. For many families, visiting a "Cut Your Own" Christmas Tree Farm is an important annual family activity. Why not start this wonderful holiday tradition with your family this year? Morning Star Evergreens in Ossineke is one such retail choose and cut farm that is visited by hundreds of families every year. Getting a tree is simple. Just find your tree and cut it down. You may bring your own saw or use one of the saws provided. Trees cost between twenty and thirty dollars and you may have your tree baled (wrapped in netting) for easier, tree-friendly transport at no cost. Pre-cut trees are also available. The farm is open the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. Hours are Saturdays 11:00 a.m.until dark, Sundays 1:00 p.m. until dark and weekdays noon until dark. Wagon rides are offered daily. The farm is located at 13021 Behning Road. To find the farm, go to the blinker light in Ossineke and follow the signs for two miles, 1 mile west of Nicholson Hill Road, then 1 mile south on Behning Road. For more information, call (989) 471-2095.
Sleigh Ride!- An old fashioned sleigh ride is an exciting, invigorating outdoor family activity that recalls simpler times and pleasures. Darrell and Lee Spragg (Spragg’s Belgians) offer this popular and traditional activity on winter weekends for any size group up to 100. The ride usually lasts 2 hours and involves climbing aboard a horse-drawn sleigh and then winding through scenic (and at night, moonlit) forest trails. Bring your own grub (hot dogs, s'more fixings, etc.) and enjoy a winter cook-out at the waiting campfire before the return trip. Each of the sleighs hold up to around 20 people and are pulled by the Spragg's massive Belgian horses that weigh in at a hefty one ton each. There is an outhouse and a warming fire. For more information, call (989) 379-4403. Thunder Bay Golf Resort in Hillman offers a different kind of sleigh ride that includes elk viewing and gourmet dinner. See below.
Sleigh Ride to Supper-Thunder Bay Golf Resort's popular Elk Viewing/Gournet Dinner Sleigh Rife is an exciting and memorable way to celebrate the winter season. The activity begins with a horse-drawn sleigh ride that carries your merry party through snow-covered forest trails, including a stop to see some of Thunder Bay's resident herd of majestic Rocky Mountain Elk and trophy Whitetail Deer. At the end of the trail, you’ll arrive at the Elk Antler Log Cabin, where a five-course dinner is served in the warm glow of the fireplace. Wine tasting, featuring locally produced wines is also included. Re-heated and full, folks climb back aboard the sleigh for the return to the resort, taking with them a delightful sense of satisfaction and memories to last a lifetime. Thunder Bay Golf Resort, located just outside of Alpena County in Hillman, also offers the ride/dinner experience in the summer and fall aboard a carriage. Packages with lodging are available as well as comedy and murder mystery weekends and other special events. For more information, call the resort at 800-729-9375 or (989) 742-4502 or visit their web site at www.thunderbaygolf.com.
Alpena Senior Citizens Center's Local Christmas Lights Bus Tour, December 17-Tour by bus all around town to view the holiday lighting displays, followed by a bell choir performance from the Grand Lake Chapel Ringers. Hot cocoa and cookies will be provided. The cost of the activity is $3.00 and the event begins at 5:30 p.m. Sign up at the activities office. For more information, call (989) 356-3585, ext. 19.
Make a Christmas Craft at the Alpena County Library, December 5-Kids preschool and up can choose from several different Christmas crafts to make. The activity is free and takes place from 10:00 a.m. until noon. Pre-registration is not required, but you can find out more about the activity by calling the library at (989) 356-6188.
Snacks and Songs with Santa at Art in the Loft, December 5-Join Santa in celebrating the Christmas season with songs to sing, crafts to create, snacks to share, and cookies to decorate. A light lunch will be provided and make crafts to take home! $7.50 per person/Family price: $25 (up to 4 people). The activity takes place from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Limited Seating-Reservations required by 11/28-call (989) 356-4877.
Family Fun Day at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, December 12-Make-and-take a maritime-themed holiday craft for kids. A special movie for kids will be featured in the theater. The activity takes place from noon until 4:00 p.m. For more information, call (989) 356-8805.
Ring In The New Year!
Ring In 2010 with the Alpena Holiday Inn’s New Year’s Eve Party! Call the Holiday Inn at (989) 356-2151 for more information.
New Year's Eve Celebration at Thunder Bay Resort-This three-day, two-night package includes wine tasting and cocktails, Elk Viewing Sleigh Ride, Mike Ridley in Concert, deluxe lodging, breakfasts and activity passes. Call the resort at 1-800-729-9375 for details.
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