The clock has yet to toll on the spooky season, and we’re already gearing up for yuletide festivities in Downtown Petoskey. Soon, lamp posts will be relieved of their cornstalk dressings and given wreaths and twinkle lights to cast the streets in a cheery glow. It’s the ideal scene for all the upcoming holiday happenings.
First up is a staple of Downtown Petoskey’s event repertoire. Scheduled for Friday, November 15, from 4 – 8PM, Ladies Opening Night, the strolling shopping extravaganza, features discounts, prizes, games, and complimentary snacks and beverages to kick off the holiday shopping season. So, while the woods are full of deer hunters quietly clinging to tree stands and hunkering down in camouflaged blinds, the streets of Downtown will be buzzing and bustling during this ladies’ night on the town.
An alternative to Opening Day for hunters’ other halves, Ladies Opening Night has become an annual experience emphasizing plaid apparel and gal-pal time as ladies hunt through the shops for great finds and to scope out items they’d like to find under the Christmas tree.
More than 40 businesses are participating in this year’s evening event and ladies have the opportunity to win some exciting prizes while galivanting through the streets. Each Ladies Opening Night business will have a Doe Prize Contest BUCKet front and center so everyone can enter the raffle drawing no matter where they shop.
The Grand Doe Prize is a generously filled basket of downtown goodies and $700 in Downtown Dollars, with a Second Place Prize of $500 in Downtown Dollars, and a Third Place Prize of $300 in Downtown Dollars. Winners will be notified by Tuesday, November 19, leaving plenty of shopping days at the winner’s disposal. However, some shoppers prefer waiting til the last minute…
This new outing is for the fellas. They may have had fun tracking deer on Opening Day, but they have some holiday gift-buying to do, too, and Downtown Petoskey has officially added a special shopping event catered to them—Men’s Night Out.
You may recall that last year, there was an unofficial men’s night out conceived by Boutique Boisson, PEcado, and Craig Ryan Fine Clothing. This trio formed the Men’s Night Out Committee that planned and organized the event and invited all of Downtown to join in. Marjorie Neal, owner of Boutique Boisson, shared some backstory on behalf of the committee.
“We were inspired to create this event for men as the ladies have their own special shopping night, and we felt that the men should as well,” said Neal. “Last year, Downtown Petoskey supported our efforts but was not directly involved with planning or funding. This fall, however, Men’s Night Out is an official Downtown Petoskey event and is being managed and funded by the Downtown Management Board.”
Friday, December 20, is the first formally sanctioned Men’s Night Out—the ultimate solution for last-minute shoppers. We don’t like to point fingers because both men and women procrastinate, but historically, the male column has more tally marks in the wait-till-it’s-almost-too-late category when it comes to buying holiday presents. Men’s Night Out is designed to rescue the guys with Downtown shops open late and retail workers pointing out popular items and maybe even gift-wrapping.
“We felt that some men needed a little ‘assistance’ when it came to shopping for their loved ones, so we created a fun, interactive evening where men can shop, have snacks, sips, and help with gift selection,” said Neal.
Additional Men’s Night Out aspects include tune-spinning DJs and a competitive Poker Run where players can win big by collecting cards at the establishments they visit. The goal is to present your best 5-card hand at Malted Vinyl by 9:15pm for a shot at taking home the grand prize. Whether or not you win, this cocktail bar is the perfect place to end the night with special drinks, appetizers, and music.
We don’t recommend putting off all your shopping until Men’s Night Out, but if you can’t kick the last-minute shopping habit, the Men’s Night Out Committee and Downtown Petoskey have your stockings covered!
