Happy Holidays from Art Cats Gallery! Thanks to you, we have had a great year!

This Friday, December 5th, from 6-9pm is the Downtown Petoskey Holiday Open House! Join us for treats, gift certificate giveaways, in store specials and the coolest collection of perfect presents in the north, plus free gift wrapping or gift bags and fabulous service! We hope you will celebrate with us be sure to CLICK HERE
for more info on the Open House. Need a gift certificate! You can buy them online and you can now buy some of our pieces online! Visit our Online Shop we have a stunning selection of handmade jewelry and gifts for you and yours.

Encore Financial Group Hosts Grand Opening December 5th. Encore Financial Group invites the public to visit their new office located at 418 Waukazoo Avenue, Petoskey. The company utilized a historic preservation incentive in order to rehabilitate the early 1900's home. Renovations lasted nearly a year and the finished result is worth seeing. In coordination with the downtown Holiday Open House, Encore Financial Group will have hors d'oeuvres, beverages, and a drawing for a local-made gift-basket. Encore Financial Group offers solutions to help members of the community accumulate, protect and pass along their wealth. For more information call (877)-636-2673. Securities offered through The O.N. Equity Sales Company, Member FINRA/SIPC. One Financial Way, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 794-6794 Investment advisory services offered through O.N. Investment Management Company. 

McLean & Eakin Booksellers welcomes the staff of the Petoskey High School English Department from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on December 5th during the Downtown Open House. The teachers will be writing one-of-a-kind poems for each donor as a fund-raiser for the Women's Resource Center. The amount of the donation for a poem will determine its length. Combined with funds from McLean & Eakin, the funds will be used to directly benefit the Women's Resource Center Safe House. For more information contact McLean & Eakin Booksellers at 231.347.1180 or send an email to www.mcleanandeakin.com.

Members of the Northern Michigan Chorale will be caroling at the Bidwell Plaza outside the Crooked Tree Arts Center during the Petoskey Open House Friday December 5th from 6-7 p.m. Please stop by and join in the fun!

Santa and Chocolate await you! Stop in to Kilwins Chocolate Kitchen this Saturday December 6th at 1050 Bay View Road and on Saturday December 13^th and 20th, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. You can get your picture with Santa and kids get to decorate a chocolate covered pretzel for free! Plus if you have not taken our FREE Chocolate Tour, be sure to stop in Monday - Friday from 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., on the half hour, and get your free sample and at the end.

Angel Ambassadors presents our Annual Kids Magic Show in Honor of the Vietnam Veterans on Saturday December 6th at the American Legion Hall, 455 Bay Street Petoskey at 1:00 p.m. / ALL KIDS ADMITTED FREE / Donations appreciated from Adults. Great fun for everyone with a Silent Auction for the adults, magic by Jania Taylor, Santa to magically appear with toys for the kids, door prizes, hot dogs and chips just $2.00, plus free cookies and punch. All monies to Angel Ambassadors to help LOCAL Veterans and their Families.

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.

Busy Bodies Bounce Town is celebrating one year of business this weekend. They would like to say thank you for making it a successful year by giving away a brand new BMW...for your child! Enter to win Saturday (9 a.m. - 9 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m.-5 p.m.). One entry per paid admission. A winner will be drawn on Sunday at 5 p.m. Gift certificates are available and make great stocking stuffers. Discounts apply so buy more and save. Parties are booking up for 2015 so make sure to put yours on the calendar now. Please visit www.busybodiesbouncetown.com for more information.

Latitude 45 in Petoskey is having a special Tubbs Snowshoe sale this weekend!  Take 10% off your first pair or 15% off when you buy 2 or more. Sale ends Sunday December 7th so take advantage while you can and shop local!

The Beaver Island Boat Company is looking for their 2015 Brochure Cover Photo! Winner will receive free ferry passage for the entire 2015 season! Find out more on our website: http://bibco.com/2015-photo-contest-63/ Hurry Deadline is December 10th!

Byte-Sized Tech: Google Drive Workshop with Shannon Maitland on Thursday, December 11th at 2:00 p.m. The Petoskey District Library will be hosting a Google Drive workshop as part of our Byte-Sized Tech program on Thursday, December 11th at 2:00 p.m. in the lower level classroom of Petoskey District Library. Instructor Shannon Maitland will explain how you can use this free online service to read, edit, share and collaborate on your files wherever you are. Please sign-up by calling 231-758-3111. Byte-Sized Tech is free and open to the public.

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.

LTBHS, in conjunction with Subaru by the Bay, will host a Share the Love event on Saturday, December 13th from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Subaru by the Bay, located at 6432 U.S. Highway 31, in Petoskey. Bring your furry friend to the event to try out the photo booth which will be available throughout the day. There will also be shelter dogs available for adoption hoping to find their forever homes in time for the holidays. A contest will also be held on the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society Facebook page to guess the number of cans of pet food in a Subaru through December 13th when the winner will be announced at the event. For more information, go to www.ltbhs.com or call 231-347-2396. 

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.

Ward and Eis Gallery continues a 30-year tradition of giving back to the community through in-store benefit programs that take place throughout the year, as well as during the holiday season. Shoppers making purchases at the gallery on Saturday, December 13th and 20th will be giving a "gift twice given" because 20% of each sale on those days will be donated to the Women's Resource Center of Northern Michigan. Ward & Eis Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and until 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays.  The gallery is located at 315 East Lake Street in Petoskey's Gaslight District and can be reached at (231) 347-2750.

The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra will perform 'Christmas Messiah Plus' on Thursday, Dec. 18th and Friday, Dec. 19th at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Petoskey. Reserved tickets are $75, $50 or $35 and general admission tickets are $20. Tickets can be purchased through the orchestra office by calling 231-487-0010 or by visiting www.glcorchestra.org.

The American Red Cross encourages eligible blood donors to give one last gift this holiday season and discover the true meaning of giving by donating blood. The gift of a blood donation only takes about an hour and can give patients a chance to celebrate more holidays to come. To encourage donations and show appreciation, all those who attempt to donate blood Dec. 24th through Jan. 4th, 2015, will receive a long-sleeve Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Eligible donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with type O negative, A negative or B negative. To learn more about donating blood and to schedule an appointment download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Knot just a bar is bringing in the New Year Knot style! Celebrate New Year's Eve with us. Party begins at 10 p.m. Tim Nixon will be spinning the tunes. Admission is $25 at the door.  Includes dancing, appetizers, party favors, and champagne toast at midnight. We are Knot black tie. We are also having a 3 course New Year's Eve dinner from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. for $25 per person. Entrees include Surf and Turf, Prime Rib, Chicken Piccata, and Lobster & Crab Lasagna. Reservations for dinner are encouraged. For an extra $10 you can stay for the New Year's Eve Party. The Knot is also booking your holiday parties now. Contact John or Tina at 231-439-2770 and we will customize a great party just for you!

Start the New Year off on the right foot and join the Petoskey Area Junior Chamber, supported by the YMCA of Northern Michigan, and the McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation for the inaugural 'View of the Bay Polar 5K'. This fantastic new event is designed for both competitive runners and family fun. Bring your trail running shoes or snowshoes and join us for a day of fun in the snow! Event Date: Thursday, January 1st, 2015. Sign-in & Registration at 11:00 a.m. Race start time at 12:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.ymcanm.org; to register online visit www.runningintheusa.com. Advanced registration is $25 per participant. The course will run through the Bay View Association. Registration and post event activities will take place at the Terrace Inn (1549 Glendale Avenue).

1st Annual Winter Wine Dinners at Petoskey Farms Vineyard & Winery

Come Enjoy a Four Course Dinner with Wine at Every Course! January 8th Italian Theme, February 5th Cilantro Marinated Flank Steak, March 5th Stuffed Chicken Breast, April 9th Pork Tenderloin. Only 24 seats available so call now to Book your Reservation 231-290-9463. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.  http://www.petoskeyfarms.com Don't forget we are still doing wine gift baskets, the perfect Holiday Gift!

Congratulations to the November MacGregor Cares winner, Good Samaritan Food Services! MacGregor Cares - Monthly Community Giving Program December's MacGregor Cares participants are: Dress For Chill Project, Camp Daggett, Petoskey Club. 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 

Petoskey District Library's Food for Fines program is back! Celebrate the season of giving this December at the Petoskey District Library.  Now through December 31st, patrons can donate cans of food or other non-perishable items and the Library will waive their overdue fines.  Fees incurred for lost or damaged items are not eligible.  All proceeds benefit our local food pantries. 

The 2015 travel booking season is in full swing. From Patty at Alaska and Beyond: Get $100 Community Cash (spend like cash at any Chamber biz!) for any small ship cruise/expedition booking made by Dec. 31. (Un-Cruise Adventures, Alaskan Dream Cruises, National Geographic, etc.) See glaciers, whales, and much more up close. Join Patty on the May 11 Alaskan Dream (only 42 passengers) for an unbelievable 7 day cruise of the Inside Passage, from $2564pp. Also includes Mexico, Hawaii, Antarctica and the very popular river cruises worldwide. Did you know it costs the same or less to book with a local agent vs online, and you get friendly professional service! Call for brochure!

Charlevoix Fitness at the Charlevoix Country Club offers a Health Stimulus for 2015. Purchase an Annual Single or Family Social Membership in December to get 15% off! Our Social Memberships give you 24 hour access to our state-of-the-art facility including strength equipment and free weights, cardio equipment with personal televisions and ear bud jacks and Men's and Women's showers and saunas. Varied classes, massage and personal trainer also available. Giving yourself or a loved one the gift of good health is a gift that keeps on giving! Call Membership Coordinator, Michelle Grunch to schedule a personal tour at 231-547-9796. Charlevoix Fitness is located just 3 miles North of downtown Charlevoix. www.chxcountryclub.com.

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.

Karen's Uniforms is having a Holiday Sale with 10-30% off storewide! 30% off all in-stock clothing, 20% off all in-stock shoes and accessories, and10% off already reduced clearance prices. Sale dates are December 1st - December 31st. **Some exclusions apply** And as thanks to our loyal customers you could win a turkey from Oleson's! Each week of the sale, one lucky customer from each store will win a turkey! You are registered to win with every purchase.

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.

ReStore Gift Certificates - The Perfect Stocking Stuffer! $50.00 gift certificate is ONLY $40.00, $25.00 gift certificate is ONLY $20.00 and a $10.00 gift certificate is ONLY $7.50. Available now until December 23, 2014. Gift Certificates are good for 1 year. Proceeds go towards helping build homes for partner families in our community. On behalf of the staff, at the ReStore, we would like to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.  

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

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.

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.

Downtown Petoskey proudly introduces the first annual holiday catalog! Shop treasures from the shores to the stores from the comfort of your armchair this holiday season. Share with out of town family and friends too! Check out this wonderful catalog now Downtown Petoskey Holiday Catalog

The holidays are a great time to host a party and Bill and Carols can help you plan. If it's beer or wine you need, we have a huge selection. Many current wines are discounted 20%. Purchase 6 or more bottles of any wine and receive 10% off. We have the largest selection of holiday spirits and all prices are set at State minimum. Bill and Carols also has a full deli with daily lunch specials and party platters made to order. Take the chill off this winter and stop in for a cup of homemade soup or chili. You can find us on Facebook at Bill and Carols or call 231-347-2741.

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.

HerbAura introduces HerbAura infusions products. Each product contains all natural ingredients and are "infused" with Calendula, grown in my garden. Calendula is highly nourishing and soothing for the skin - known as the skin-healing herb. It is anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory. Products available for purchase:  Calendula cream with Lavender essential oil: This cream is thick, and slow to absorb, making it wonderful for dry winter skin. Good for feet and hands. Available in unscented as well. All-Purpose Healing Salve: An all-natural Vaseline, this product will help cracked cuticles, sore knuckles, and dry cracked feet.  Lip Balms - these help keep moisture in as well and are not "waxy" feeling.  Available in: Spear Mint, Pomander and Cold Sore Care. Call Dawn Keck to learn more 231-373-2025.

Camp Daggett is celebrating 90 years of character-building experiences for children and adults with their 2015 pictorial calendar "Camp Daggett Spirit: Then and Now." The 2015 calendar is filled with historic and current photos of campers and camp activities, dates to remember and inspirational quotations. The calendar is available for sale now and all proceeds will benefit scholarships at Camp Daggett. This would be a great item for employee or customer holiday gifts.  And the gifts are tax-deductible!  Calendars are $10 each plus shipping and handling ($3.50 for one calendar). You can order online at www.campdaggett.org or call 231-347-9742 to reserve yours today.

We are pleased to announce that NORTH COAST IMAGEWEAR is now a division of PERSONAL GRAPHICS, INC. We will still provide the same great quality and service, plus all of the services available from PGI, such as Ad Specialties, Commercial Print Services and Truck/Trailer Vinyl Graphics. Please stop in to see our experienced manager, Bambi Potter. She can help you with an existing account or start a whole new promotional line for you. We do everything from t-shirts to business cards. Come by 610 W. Sheridan, Petoskey or call 231-347-3016 ext. 4. We hope to see you soon!

North Central Michigan College and the Top-of-the-Mitt Writing Project are now an official site of the National Writing Project. Top-of-the-Mitt and North Central Michigan College join 11 other universities in Michigan as part of the National Writing Project.  North Central is the only community college in Michigan to participate, and one of only four community colleges in the entire country. For more information on the National Writing Project, visit www.nwp.org. For information about the Top-of-the-Mitt Writing Project, contact Toby Kahn-Loftus at 231-330-5804 or tobykahnloftus@gmail.com.  For more information about Red Cedar Writing Project, visit rcwp.msu.edu or contact Janet Swenson at 517-884-7424 or jswenson@msu.edu.

Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is doing a research project regarding water quality and the local economy, funded by the Charlevoix County Community Foundation.  We invite you to take our survey!  It will take less than 5 minutes, and will add your important voice and opinion to the research.  Here is the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TIPMITTBIZSURVEY 

In the United States, 48.5 million people are living in poverty housing and the percentage of people without access to decent, stable housing is on the rise. We need your help to build decent, stable housing for deserving families in Emmet County. By swinging a hammer, providing a meal, or lending a helping hand and positive voice on the jobsite, you can help make the dream of home ownership come true for local families. Call TODAY to make this dream come true, 231-348-6926 or email mandy@northwestmihabitat.org! You'll never feel more appreciated (and you can learn new skills, too!). View our volunteer schedule here: www.northwestmihabitat.org/volunteer 

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.