Holiday spirit is coming your way!  Winter is approaching and with that comes Stafford's Downtown Petoskey Holiday Parade on Saturday, November 29th at 10 a.m.  Join us for a time of family, friends, and fun!  Downtown Petoskey hosts many area residents and guests at this time of year and many of them attend the parade. This event offers you a wonderful opportunity to market your business and show your support of our community. If your business or organization would like to add your float, walking ensemble, or music/performance, please complete the application HERE by November 24th, and send it to Kate Manthei, Downtown Promotions Coordinator at kate@petoskeydowntown.com or call 231.622.8502 for more details. You can also mail applications to 216 Park Ave, Petoskey, MI, 49770.

Join Veteran Paranormal Investigators Tim Ellis and Brad Blair as they take you on a journey of the Great Lakes region you have never seen before. They will share with you some of the most famous holiday haunts of the area, and share with you some of their personal experiences at these locations. The Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society will give their presentation on Monday, November 24, at 7:00 in the Carnegie Building at 451 E. Mitchell Street in Petoskey. This event is open to the public and admission is free. It is sponsored by the Petoskey District Library and Friends of the Library. For more information, call the Petoskey District Library at 231-758-3100.

Create a new holiday tradition and join Sagamore's Dining Room at The Inn at Bay Harbor for Thanksgiving Dinner. Enjoy classic favorites like herb spiked turkey with garlic buttermilk mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and pumpkin cheesecake or discover a new holiday favorite like sweet ginger encrusted ham with cheddar broccoli casserole or prime rib with butternut squash ravioli. Dinner is served from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Visit http://bit.ly/IBHthanksgving 

Gobble! Gobble! The 2nd annual Up North Media Petoskey Turkey Trot presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is a family friendly 5K run/walk in downtown Petoskey. Join us at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 27th and build on to your Thanksgiving tradition.  Participants receive a reusable goodie bag filled with race SWAG and a comfortable long sleeve T courtesy of Up North Media. To receive our "early bird" rate which will also guarantee your preferred t-shirt size, please register by NOVEMBER 4th at MIDNIGHT. Proceeds from the race benefit Petoskey Bands and the YMCA of Northern Michigan. Packet pick up expected to be hosted on the 26th of November so stay tuned! To register and learn more about the race visit: http://www.upnmedia.com/petoskey-turkey-trot 

Let Chandler's - A Restaurant do the cooking this Thanksgiving holiday!  Chandler's is now accepting dinner reservations starting at 12:00 Noon, Thanksgiving Day.  Dine with us and enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole, cranberries and pumpkin pie, all for $25.00.  Choose to pair your feast with a selection from our extensive wine list or your favorite cocktail.  Contact Chandler's at 231-347-2981 to secure your reservation.

Celebrate Thanksgiving at Boyne Mountain Resort. Carve up the slopes this Thanksgiving and spend your holiday with family and friends carving the turkey at a dinner complete with all the fixings, minus the fuss. Just another reason to be thankful, enjoy a delightful buffet in Everett's on Thanksgiving Day or have a complete meal, including all of the holiday favorites, prepared for pick up to enjoy at your own pace. The only thing you'll be left craving is a nice, warm nap. With all of this snow, it's a great season to make Thanksgiving at Boyne Mountain a new family tradition.

Side Door Saloon has you covered for Black Friday!

The Village at Bay Harbor invites you to our Sale Extravaganza on Friday, November 28th from 12-8 p.m. and Saturday, November 29th from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. There will be Fabulous Finds at Exceptional Prices!  A great reminder also to shop local and support your small businesses this holiday season.

Christ Child Society of Northern Michigan has joined #GivingTuesday. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their local communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support and help create a better world. Taking place December 2nd - the Tuesday after Thanksgiving - #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.

North Central Michigan College and McLean & Eakin Booksellers invite the public to a virtual community book discussion with author, Philip Ackerman-Leist on Wednesday, December 3rd at 6 p.m. in the Library Conference Center on the Petoskey campus. This lecture is free and open to the public. This is the first in a series of winter discussions on rebuilding our local foodshed.

Fletch's Buick GMC Audi of Petoskey, MI is hosting a catered Grand Opening event on Thursday, December 4th to celebrate the newly constructed, state of the art Buick and GMC building, and the refreshed Audi Showroom, renovated Detail Center and Collision Center. Come to 805 Charlevoix Avenue for a night of excitement, refreshments and hors d'oeuvres. Tours of the complex will be available during the event.  At 4:30, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony to acknowledge the hard work and effort that has been poured into the new Buick GMC building and refurbishing of the Audi showroom, Detail Center and Collision Center throughout the past year. The event will run from 5PM to 8PM following the ribbon cutting.  

Little Traverse Bay Humane Society to host Holiday Open House! Join other animal lovers to celebrate the holidays at Little Traverse Bay Humane Society's (LTBHS) upcoming Holiday Open House event on Saturday, December 6th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tour the facility and enjoy a variety of treats including cookies, popcorn, hotdogs and chili. There will be face painting available for the kids, and the first 100 visitors who bring in a $25 gift card will receive the chance to win an iPad Mini. A $50 donation toward each adoption will be available due to the generosity of LTBHS sponsors. For more information about LTBHS or their upcoming Holiday Open House event, call 231-347-2396 or go to www.ltbhs.com

Santa visits Castle Farms on Saturday, Dec. 6th from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Holiday activities and games, face painting, photo booth, interactive train displays and riding trains, hot cocoa and tasty treats. $5 per person (2 and under, FREE). Horse-drawn wagon rides: $1. Professional photo with Santa: $2. Purchase Santa tickets at the door or online at Shop.CastleFarms.com. Back by popular demand: VIP Santa Pass (10:00 a.m.-11:00 am), $20 per child, which includes exclusive visit and story time with Santa, milk and cookies, plus a special holiday gift from Santa himself. VIP Santa Passes must be purchased in advance. Limited availability. Call Brittany at (231) 237-0884, ext. 236. Castle Farms, 5052 M-66, Charlevoix.

Friendship Centers of Emmet County is having a special Christmas Raffle at our 'Tis the Season Luncheon and Annual Meeting on December 11th. We are looking for donations to make baskets in the following themes: birds, baking, holiday, spa, movie night, wine & cheese, sports, and mystery. Other gift baskets to include gift certificates and merchandise made up by your organization are also welcome. Items are appreciated prior to December 5, and can be dropped off at the Petoskey Friendship Center at 1322 Anderson Road, or call 347-3211 to arrange for them to be picked up. Your donation will be acknowledged. Proceeds benefit services to help area seniors handle age-related issues.

Register for the 2nd Annual Bay Harbor Santa Fun Run 1K/3K taking place on December 13th at 4 p.m. Enjoy fun "stations" hosted by our sponsor elves along the route. We are encouraging individuals as well as local businesses to put a team together and come support a great cause. All runners will receive a Santa Fun Run tee and goodies post-race. You may choose the 1K or 3K option which is perfect for all ages! All proceeds from the event will benefit the Women's Resource Center of Northern Michigan to provide for local families in need this holiday season. To register, please click here.

Get your carpets cleaned before Christmas! Rick Haderer, Owner of Heirloom Carpet Cleaning is offering chamber members 30% off business or residential carpet cleaning during the month of December.  Mention promo code "Petoskey Chamber Rocks" and receive 30% off. Call today to set up your appointment (231) 838-8913. Heirloom Carpet Cleaning offers residential and commercial carpet cleaning, area rug cleaning, pet stain removal, tile and grout cleaning and upholstery cleaning www.heirloomcarpetcleaning.com.

Let us take the "stress" out of your holiday shopping. Get your personalized gift baskets at The Trophy Shop in Cheboygan. Create your own or choose one from the many displays in our store. Located just past the Cheboygan Industrial Park - 1320 W. State Street. Hours:  8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday.

Book your company celebration at Chandler's Wine Cellar this holiday! Treat your colleagues to an evening of amazing food, drink and good cheer, in a cozy, one of a kind ambiance. The Wine Cellar accommodates private dinner parties up to 54 with menu customization available. Please call 231.347.2438 for more information or to secure your date.

ReStore Gift Certificates - The Perfect Stocking Stuffer!

Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery now has Custom Gift Baskets available for purchase in their tasting room at 3720 Atkins Rd., Petoskey, 49770.  Baskets can include Wine, Chocolates, Candles, Cocktail Napkins, Glasses, Wine Tumblers, Apparel and anything else you would like to include!  For more information, call Tracie at 231-290-9463.  Receive 10% off your entire basket with mention of this enews!

Entertaining this holiday season? Symons General Store is here to help! Home to Petoskey's original cheese counter, Symons continues to offer an impressive selection of cheeses from around the world. Party platters are available for entertaining at your home, office or the upcoming Downtown Petoskey Holiday Open House. Platters are customized to accommodate varying budgets and taste preferences. Create your tray with a variety of provisions including domestic and imported cheeses, fresh fruit and berries, assorted olives, spreads, artisan crackers, gourmet meat and nuts. Contact Symons General Store at 231.347.2438 to design the perfect platter for your event.

Keep Calm and Welcome Winter! Yes, winter is here, but don't worry Maple River Pub will be open to keep you company. This season we will be featuring dinner specials every night. Don't forget: We are serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visit our website to view our full menu. We are CLOSED on Mondays and Tuesdays and Major Holidays. Book your holiday parties. Only a few dates available in December. We are now booking for January. Email us at party@mapleriverpub.com.

Congratulations to the October MacGregor Cares winner, Northern Michigan Autism Association! MacGregor Cares - Monthly Community Giving Program November's MacGregor Cares participants are: Good Samaritan Food Services, VitalCare's Adult Day Center and St. Mary School. One of these fine groups will win $500 from MacGregor Plumbing & Heating. Click the link below to vote! Do you know of a group, organization or fundraiser that needs help in the community? We're here to help them reach their goals. Nominate by clicking the following link! http://www.macgregorplumbing.com/macgregor-cares   

Holiday Celebrations. The perfect holiday fit for groups of all sizes. Bring your office for a holiday celebration at Stafford's Bay View Inn or Stafford's Perry Hotel for $19.95 per guest. To book your holiday party, contact our Sales Department, 231-348-6017 or angiew@staffords.com

Marcie Wolf of Wolf Byte Marketing and Eric Davis of Progressive Video Innovations have merged their business ventures and are now doing business as Abuzz Creative. The Abuzz Creative team offers Responsive Website Design, Video Production, and Social Media Marketing services. Grand Opening promotions are available through the end of the year so visit the Abuzz Creative website for more information - http://www.abuzzcreative.com 

Calling all local area schools - win CASH PRIZES for your classrooms, sports teams and children's organizations by registering your float in the Village at Bay Harbor's Holidazzle Lighted Parade on December, 13th at 6 p.m. Your float does not need to be holiday-themed. We are giving away cash prizes for the float winners: 1st Place - $750, 2nd Place - $500 and 3rd Place - $250. For more information and to register contact Chelsea Cannon at ccannon@bayharbor.com or 231.439.2024.

Ameriprise Financial advisors, employees and clients recently came together to help ensure over four Northern Michigan counties area families have nutritious meals to share this holiday season. Organized by OsborneKlein and Shaun M. Osborne CFP®, CRPC®, CFS®, Financial Advisor, several staff and clients volunteered at all the area grocery stores to collect food for the hungry in our own community. This effort was centered on helping the one in six Americans who struggle with hunger.

The Home Builders Association of Northern Michigan (HBANM) recently announced that registration for the 2015 Northern Michigan Regional Home Show is now open!  The Home Show, which is entering its 39th year, is the official home show for the building industry in Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet and Otsego Counties and draws attendees from across the state of Michigan.  HBANM members are represented in many of the display booths but participation is open to any business that is in the building industry. This year's show will be on March 13th and 14th of 2015 and will again be hosted by North Central Michigan College in Petoskey.  Registration information can be found by visiting the HBANM web site at www.HBAnorthernmichigan.org or by calling the HBA office at 231-348-9770.