Bay Harbor Ice & Spice Festival is January 16 & 17 in the Village at Bay Harbor. The festival is sanctioned by the National Ice Carving Association and Bay Harbor is one of the stops on the National Tournament of Champions for Ice Carving. Professional and Amateur Divisions of carvers who travel here from across the country and Canada will win medals and cash prizes of over $12,000. Don't miss other activities including the Chili Cook Off, Find Frosty Contest, Patio Parties, Horse & Wagon Rides, Fireworks and more!  For a complete schedule of events for the event, please click here.

Join us for 14th Annual Bay Harbor Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, January 17th from 1-3pm. $500 First Prize Place Amateur, $200 Second Place Amateur, $100 Third Place Amateur and $100 Best Costume. $100 First Place Professional - and the honor of having the People's Choice Award. Everyone is welcome to enter their best chili recipe. Contestants are encouraged to devise outrageous costumes and names that celebrate the theme of their chili. Tickets are $5.00.  All proceeds will benefit The Manna Food Project Food 4 Kids Backpack Program, and a dollar-for-dollar challenge match is being provided by the Bay Harbor Foundation, up to a total of $15,000. For more information please contact the Bay Harbor Foundation at 231.439.2700 or to enter please contact Galley Gourmet at 231.439.2665.

Don't miss your chance to be on stage! Little Traverse Civic Theatre is proud to announce auditions for Arsenic and Old Lace. Auditions will take place on Tuesday, January 20th and Thursday, January 22nd at the Crooked Tree Arts Center at 7:00 p.m. This madcap dark comedy is as funny as it is famous! The cast consists of 11 males and 3 females. Experience is not necessary and all adults welcome. Performance dates are April 23rd-26th, and April 30th-May 2nd. Scripts are available for perusal at the Petoskey District Library. (You do not need a library card to check out a script) If you have questions contact Little Traverse Civic Theatre at ltct-details@ltct.org

Digital Training Program in Harbor Springs Area announced. Harbor Springs area residents and businesses can now benefit from classes in social media, digital marketing, and other broadband related communication skills through HarborActive, a training program announced today by a collaboration formed through HARBOR, Inc. HarborActive grew out of initial work by HARBOR, Inc. Executive Director Rachel Smolinski and Marcie Wolf of Abuzz Creative, a digital marketing firm based in Northern Michigan. Harbor Active classes will generally be 90-minute sessions offered at the Harbor Springs Library with the first session on How to Tweet Like a Pro on January 21st. Additional information and online registration for HarborActive classes is available at the HarborActive web page http://www.harboractive.com or by calling HARBOR, Inc. at 231-526-5060.

How to Build an Effective Proposal Team for Small Business Government Sales seminar on January 21st from 2 - 4 p.m., PTAC at Networks Northwest - Michigan Works! 1209 S. Garfield Ave., Traverse City. This training class is put on by PTAC as part of their mission to assist businesses interested in working with state and federal government agencies. Designed for business leaders seeking to diversify their company by government contracting, this class, presented by Sue Schweim Tellier, Vice President of JetCo Solutions, will further educate attendees. While this training class is free of cost, space is limited. To register now contact Deb Donovon at ddonovan@networksnorthwest.org, 231.929.5076 or visit http://bit.ly/GovtSales.

January Swirl at Crooked Tree Arts Center. Looking for a fun outing or date night activity to fill a wintery evening? Consider attending the first Swirl of the New Year at Crooked Tree Arts Center. On Thursday, January 22nd from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Michelle Chenard will be performing in the galleries, while Twisted Olive provides a plentiful spread of delicious appetizers and wine for sampling. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 per person the day of Swirl, when available. Our Swirl Wine Tastings typically sell out, so please get your tickets early. For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Crooked Tree Arts Center at 231-347-4337 or visit www.crookedtree.org.

'Campfire Snowshoe and Native Stortyelling' under the dark night sky on

Jan. 24th at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park kicks off New Year of programming! This afternoon and evening program is designed for the outdoor adventurer who wants to take a snowshoe hike to the stars. Program is free and open to the public, and reservations are not required. A limited number of snowshoes will be provided, together with light refreshment, a crackling fire and stories to warm you through the season. Please plan to bring your own snowshoes for this event, as only a limited number will be available to borrow. If you have questions about the program, call Adams at (231) 838-8181 or email darksky@emmetcounty.org.

Heywood Banks will kick off the Blissfest Folk and Roots Winter Concert series at Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey on Saturday Jan. 24th. Show time is 8:00pm and tickets are available at the door or in advance at Grain Train and Legs Inn or on line at www.blissfest.org and by calling 231-348-7047. Heywood Banks is simply one-of-a-kind, almost impossible to describe, with a style his very own. Equal parts genius and buffoon, this songwriter-comic-singer-poet-musician has become a cult hero and a pop icon, with a show that appeals to college students, stoners, businessmen, yuppies, rednecks, punks, kids or your grandmother. Ticket prices: Members-$18 / $25 non-members, students ½ price.

The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra series of Sunday Recitals will present the Duo pianists Robin McCarty and Michelle Mitchum, and Baritone Peter Sims with the Great Lakes Chamber Ensemble on January 25th at 4:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Harbor Springs. The Sunday Series of Recitals are presented free of charge through the generous support of Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra Board member, Carolyn Klender. The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra Sunday Series provides the community the opportunity to experience an intimate musical event. For more information about the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, call 231-487-0010 and go to www.glcorchestra.org.

North Central Michigan College's Luncheon Lecture on Friday, January 30th, will look at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. with the presentation starting at noon in the Library conference room on the Petoskey campus. Cost for the event is $10 and includes lunch. Reservations are required. Call 231-348-6600 to reserve your place at the table.

B.C Pizza in Alanson is hosting a fundraiser on February 3rd for the Harbor Springs Snowmobile Club from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. They will be offering only Large Pepperoni Pizza's for just $.50 including tax. This is for Pick up only. There is no need to call in the order as they will have pizza's ready to go! And there is no limit so make plans now to help the Harbor Springs Snowmobile Club with the B.C. Pizza Alanson Fundraiser on February 3rd from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Baker College of Cadillac will host College Goal Sunday, 2-4 p.m., Feb. 8th, to help potential college-bound students and their parents complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form on time. It will be held at the Baker College Academic Resource Center, 9600 E. 13th St., Cadillac. The event is free of charge and open to all high school seniors, whether or not they have identified their colleges of choice. Attendees will have the opportunity to compete for a College Goal Sunday $1,000 scholarship to the school of their choice. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.

Celebrate Valentines with your favorite person at the Terrace Inn and 1911 Restaurant! Enjoy a fantastic Valentine's Dinner for just $27.95 per person plus tax and gratuity. All tables will be elegantly set with a Red Rose and Reservations are required. Add a Sleigh Ride for only $10 per person. Want to get away? Inquire about one of our Cozy Room Valentines Packages. Call The Terrace Inn 231-347-2410 or visit www.theterraceinn.com

Be sure to attend Little Traverse Bay Humane Society's Grateful Snowshoe Benefit on Saturday, February 14th, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Three snowshoe trails will be available at the beautiful PB&J Farm north of Harbor Springs. There will be a bonfire to make s'mores and drink hot chocolate, and everyone will receive a swag bag full of goodies. A delicious lunch will be available, courtesy of Cathy and Mark Bissell and Janie and Tim Jenkins. Snowshoes will be available courtesy of Bearcub Outfitters. Come walk for a $30 entry fee or get your family and friends to sponsor you. Those who gain the most sponsor money will win a fabulous gift basket! For more information or to register, go to www.ltbhs.com or call 231-347-2396. 

North Central Michigan College and the Robert Emmet Society seek entries for a scholarship contest that will send a North Central student to Ireland this fall for a semester of study. The competition is based on an essay contest, academic achievement, student activities and an interview with college and society representatives. Entrants must be enrolled in an academic program at North Central Michigan College for the 2014-2015 school year. Those wishing to enter the competition should contact Dr. Sara Glasgow, Associate Dean of Liberal Arts at North Central at 231-348-6604 or sglasgow@ncmich.edu by February 15, 2015. Essays must be submitted by March 7, 2015. Details are available at http://www.ncmich.edu/finaid/ireland.html.

The Depot Club and Restaurant in Harbor Springs now has the "Locals" menu back for the rest of Winter. This menu includes 3 Courses for $30 and is available as well as the regular menu. Menus can be seen online at depotclubhs.com. We are excited to announce that Steve August will be entertaining guests starting the weekend of Jan. 23rd on Fridays and Saturdays. For those of you who do not know Steve, he plays keys and harmonica and is amazing! Please call for reservations at 231-242-4233. Serving Dinner Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to close. Bob and Lori Stark look forward to seeing you!

Join Sturgeon River Pottery, a Northern Michigan icon for over 30 years, for an open studio day as our Michigan-based artists conduct live demonstrations on pottery and tile making techniques. These Studio & Pottery Demonstrations will run every Saturday from until April 25th from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. For more information call Sturgeon River Potter at 231.347.0590.

102.9 Big Country Family Fun Night! 102.9 Big Country Hits and Boyne Highlands are teaming up to bring you BIG FAMILY FUN NIGHT every WEDNESDAY! Lift Tickets - $10.29, Equipment Rentals - $10.29, and 2 Twin Zip Rides - $10.29 Per Person. Plus Wings and a Pint of Dos Equis in the Slopeside Lounge - $10.29. Bring the entire family out and enjoy what winter has to offer at BIG FAMILY FUN NIGHT with 102.9 Big Country Hits and Boyne Highlands every "WEDNESDAY" 4 p.m. - 9 p.m!

Rock the Slops 2015! ROCK 105 and Boyne Mountain are teaming up to bring you Rock the Slops. Lift Tickets - $10.50, Tubing - $10.50 Per Person and 2 Twin Zip Rides - $10.50 Per Person. Plus Wings and Pint of Dos Equis in the Snowflake Lounge - $10.50. Bring the entire family out and enjoy what winter has to offer at ROCK THE SLOPES with ROCK 105 and Boyne Mountain EVERY Friday 4 p.m. - 9 p.m!

Hospice of Northwest Michigan invites you to join our four week "Journey Though Grief" group bereavement program beginning Tuesdays, January 20th, until February 17th. The group begins at 6pm and is meeting at the First Baptist Church, Community Room, 06781 M66 North, Charlevoix. This program is open to anyone looking for assistance in their grief process and is facilitated by Rev. David Behling. There is NO CHARGE to attend.  Please feel free to call Hospice at 231-547-7659 to register or for more information.

Congratulations to the December's MacGregor Cares winner, Dress For Chill Project! MacGregor Cares - Monthly Community Giving Program January's MacGregor Cares participants are: North Country Kids Daycare & Preschool, Northwest Academy, Challenge Mountain. 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

John Marshall & Crooked Tree Capital Advisors (CTCA) is pleased to welcome Courtney M. Font, CFP®. Courtney brings 13 years of financial planning and investment advisory experience. She earned a Bachelor's degree from William Smith College and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner. Courtney will be working in CTCA's Petoskey new offices providing comprehensive financial planning and investment advisory services to families, businesses, and professionals throughout northern Michigan. CTCA new address is 267 Creekside Drive, Suite 300 Petoskey, MI 49770. Please join us in welcoming her by contacting her at (231)348-2516 or Courtney@crookedtreecapital.com.

Sandra Lee Photography Studio & Gallery at 318 E Mitchell St in Petoskey is offering local businesses a special photography/marketing package that is sure to give you the exposure you need to take your business to the next level. This package includes professional photography for your business, professional business portraits of each member of your team, and professional images of your products/services. There are many bonuses in this package so call Sandra Lee for your consultation and let her customize a photography/marketing package for your business. Contact Sandra Lee at 231-622-2066, sandraleephotography@hotmail.com, www.sandraleephotographystudio.com