5 Shockingly Selfish Reasons to Go Green At Home

On Earth Day, much press is given to all the altruistic reasons we should watch our energy consumption and carbon footprints. From those baby polar bears stranded on icecaps to visions of our grandchildren’s grandchildren living on the Atlantic Coast of Montana, the unselfish reasons for going green, so to speak, abound.

Reality check: greening up your home does not have to be a pious experience, or a lifestyle downgrade. You don’t need to cut back on showers or go all Birkenstock, all the time. (Although, hey – I went to Berkeley. I’ve got nothing against the occasional sporting of the ‘stocks.)

In fact, I’ve realized over the last few years that there are some rather fabulous, somewhat selfish perks to making green changes to your home and your lifestyle. Here are a handful of them, in honor of Earth Day.

1. Save Money Now. When it comes to the economics of most home improvements, homeowners spend hours and hours trying to project the return we’ll recoup on the upfront costs of our granite countertops and built-in theater equipment years down the road. And for the most part, the numbers look grim. Except for the basic upgrades that are essential to moving an older home, real estate insiders generally advise homeowners to avoid even trying to find an investment return on home improvements, and to simply execute improvements they can both afford and enjoy in the time they plan to live in the home.

However, many so-called ‘green’ home improvements turn this entire concept on its head. Studies show that utility bills are one of the highest monthly expenses for most households, and that green home improvements can bring those bills down by as much as 20 or 30%. I did the math – on the average American home’s energy bill of almost $2,000/year, that would represent a savings of $400-$600 – potentially much more if you live in an area with temperature extremes!

If you install a tankless water heater, insulate your pipes and walls or even do something as simple as weather-stripping your doors and windows, you will begin to save money on your utility bills immediately. And, depending on how indulgent you really want to be, that’s cold hard cash you can redirect to the college savings fund, your own retirement accounts, or a tropical adventure.

2. Sell Faster. Green homes simply sell faster than comparable homes without energy efficient features. Today’s home buyers want to save money (that’s why they’re buying now!) and are willing to prioritize homes that allow them to do this by way of energy efficient systems and upgrades.

The data particularly bears this out when it comes to homes with solar energy systems. The US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy recently released reported that solar homes sell twice as fast as a home without solar panels – even in a down market. (As an aside, don’t believe the old hype that going solar requires a big investment; in some states, homeowners can sign up for something called ‘solar power service’ and get solar savings without ever having to pay for panels.)

If your home isn’t currently on the market for sale, you might scoff at the notion of a speedy sale as a selfish aim. But if and when the day comes that your personal, career, family and financial plans are hanging in limbo, making the ability to move forward with your life and your vision contingent upon the sale of your home, you’ll understand what I mean!

3. Boost Your Net Worth. Not only are buyers willing to bestow a preference on ‘green’ or energy efficient homes, they are willing to pay more for them. And remember – the value of a home at any given time is based on what a buyer would pay for it.

The Appraisal Journal recently published data to this effect: for every $1 green home improvements decreased the property’s annual energy bills, the home’s value increases by $10-$25. That might not seem impressive on such a small scale, but these numbers translate to an increase of $8,000 to $25,000 to the market value of a greened-up 3,000 square foot home.
Same goes for solar homes; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory compared solar homes to similar homes without solar panels, and found that a solar system can add around $17,000 to a home’s value.

If you are like the average homeowner, your home may be your largest asset – or your largest liability. One of very few ways you can reliably bulk up the value of this asset – and your net worth in the process – is to implement any number of green home improvements. If this is a big motivator for you to go green, talk with an experienced local agent about what green features local buyers most value.

One more thing: think very broadly about what it means to ‘go green’. You could go solar or tankless, install insulation and weatherstripping, convert to low-flow toilets, and shower heads, switch out old aluminum windows for dual-paned – the options are limitless, and vary widely in cost.

4. Look better and live longer. There are green homes, and there are green households. I’m going to make the argument that if, in the process of greening your home, you take the next step and engage in the lifestyle activities that make for a green household, you can lose weight, feel better and possibly even avoid some of the chronic diseases that plague our society.

The green home element of this includes planting a kitchen garden and minimizing the water that is wasted just keeping your lawn green. Then you’ll have a back-yard (or front-yard, for that matter) harvest to reap and eat. Your household garden will attract birds, bees and, if your street is anything like mine, squirrels, deer or wild turkeys – fauna which all participate in the circle of life. (Hakuna matata.)

But maintaining a kitchen garden and implementing other green household practices like taking walks or public transporation may also increase you’re the quality of the air you personally breathe and help you shift the balance of your family’s diet from focusing on meat to the plant-based diet doctors now say minimizes the risk of heart disease and cancer, increasing lifespan. Plant-based, by the by, does not mean vegetarian or vegan; Wikipedia defines a plant-based diet as “an eating pattern dominated by fresh or minimally processed plant foods and decreased consumption of meat.”

If digging and planting is more than you can take on, you can support those who do this for your community on a larger scale and still get the benefits of a plant-based diet by subscribing to a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program or walking to and shopping at your neighborhood farmer’s market on the weekend.

5. Live more comfortably. In the fifteen years since I moved from my scorching-hot hometown to the very mild climes of the Bay Area, I have developed an issue I call my ‘thermoregulation challenge.’ I’m fine when I go visit my parents or vacay in Arizona, but it’s tough to stay warm at home when dressed like a normal person. (This explains my penchant for wearing sweaters right around the calendar.)

So, I recently undertook a campaign to stop up all the drafts in my house, and wouldn’t you know it: life got way more comfortable – and fast.Call me a weatherstripping evangelist, but I can think of very few home improvements this inexpensive that make this much of a difference in the comfort level of your life. Drafts, begone!And this increase in comfort from green home improvements was not a one-off, in my experience. I’d already noticed a major reduction in noise from installing dual-paned windows a few years back. The next thing I have my eye on is swapping out the big old vat of water that I pay to keep warm 24 hours a day for a quake-proof, tankless water-heater. Sure – the energy-efficiency sounds great. But so does unlimited hot water, no matter how long a shower I take or how many dog baths I give.

I say there’s a reason why so many A-list celebs who are used to living in luxury live green lifestyles. The good deed piece of it makes for great PR, but make no mistake: the green life can also be the good life.

All: What green living practices or home improvements have you undertaken? Did you any of them turn out to have selfish upsides?

Sales of investment and vacation homes* jumped in 2011, with the combined market share rising to the highest level since 2005, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

NAR’s 2012 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, covering existing- and new-home transactions in 2011, shows investment-home sales surged an extraordinary 64.5 percent to 1.23 million last year from 749,000 in 2010. Vacation-home sales rose 7.0 percent to 502,000 in 2011 from 469,000 in 2010. Owner-occupied purchases fell 15.5 percent to 2.78 million.

Vacation-home sales accounted for 11 percent of all transactions last year, up from 10 percent in 2010, while the portion of investment sales jumped to 27 percent in 2011 from 17 percent in 2010.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said investors with cash took advantage of market conditions in 2011. “During the past year investors have been swooping into the market to take advantage of bargain home prices,” he said. “Rising rental income easily beat cash sitting in banks as an added inducement. In addition, 41 percent of investment buyers purchased more than one property.”

The Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce honored the area”s best and brightest in business and beyond during its annual awards banquet.  The big event, which was held on Thursday Jan 19 at Boyne Mountain, was kicked off with a few words by presenting sponsor Randy Flinn of Korthase-Flinn Insurance.

“I get an opportunity because or our multiple offices to participate in events, boards and functions in many of the communities around here and in November, as part of the Petoskey Chamber of Commerce Board, I was part of the strategic planning and one of the things that we chose to do as part of that strategic planning process was survey our members and survey the business community in Petoskey in terms of our planning.” Flinn said.  “One of the questions was What can the Petoskey Chamber of Commerce do differntly.  And, out of the 10 people that I was in charge of calling and surveying, three of them said – unbeknownst to my involvement with the Boyne City Chamber – “You know, I’d like to see the Petoskey chamber be more like the Boyne City Chamber.”  He added, “I quizzed them a little bit and they said, “You guys at the Petoskey Chamber seem to be focused on the tourist industry at the exclusion of everyting else and you seem to be focused on the gas light district – why didn’t we get Pricision Edge?  Why don’t we have Kirtland Products?  Why don’t we have more going on in Petoskey than just tourism and downtown?   And it just brought home to me the whole community in Boyne City and how everybody pulls togeteher, whether the focus is on tourism, whether the focus is on growth in some other area, whether it’s education,  whether it’s manufacturing.”   Flinn said there always seems to be interest and involvement and an overall openness to other peoples ideas and opinions.  “It’s  just such a warm community and such a well rounded community, and I know that comes back to not just the chamber director and the chamber board members, it’s the entire community and the way people look at themselves and the community they’re a part of and how progressive people are,” he said.  “It doesn’t go unnoticed and it doesn’t happen by accident.  It happens through a lot of hard work by a lot of  people and I”m just happy to be here and proud to be a part of it.”

Volunteer of the year award honorable mentions were Chuck Vondra, Gail Fox, Linn Williams and Soctt MacKenzie with this year’s award winner being Cindi Malin of CindiFranco’s Cool Stuff.

“I just have an idea but everyone helps make it happen, ” Malin said.  The Community Pride Award went to The 4th of July Festival Committee.  Accepting fhe award was Liz Kroondyk, the committee’s co-chair.  Honorable mentions included Boyne Valley Lions, Morel Mushroom Festival Committee and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.  “Behind the committee are about a hundred othere people who volunteer to make this festival work” she said. “Without them we wouldn’t be able to do it.”  The Boyne City 4th of July Parade is rated as one of the top five in the state.

Entrepreneur of the Year was awarded to Todd Wright and Andy Poineau for starting Wildwood Rush Canopy Tours.  Honorable mentions were Paul Nicholls of Michigan Mountain Mayhem, Leon Tupper of Kirtland Prodducts, Michael Sehr of Dunagain’s Antiques and Collectibles and John and Shari Thompson Family of Shaggy’s Skis and Thompson  Home Construction.  “The help we got and the encouragement we received from everybody in the Boyne Business community was outstanding: Wright said.  Poineau thanked Evangeline Townshhip for their help in making the business a possibility.  The duo said business went great in their first year and they are looking to double their staff in the upcoming season.

Young entrepreneur of the Year was awarded to Kelly Woodard and Ryan Houghton of Bella Vita restaurant.  Honorable mentions included Karen Wright of Elite Energetics Massage, Ryan Moskal, Moskal Chiropractic and Bethany Revoir of Logo Pros and Northern Eagle Clothier.

The Heritage Award went to Ray and Karen Guzniczak, Countyy Now and Then,/Up the Lazy River for their ongoing contributions to the community.  Honorable mentions included Bruce Janssen of The Wood Shop, Ed Barden of FO Barden and Son Lumber, Betty Korthase of Parkside Grill and Treats.

The Salli Roselli Business Leadership Award went to Mary Palmer, Fred Moore and Jim Cartright of Magnum Hospitality, the parent company of Cafe Sante and Red Mesa Grill.  Honorable mentions included Randy Flinn of Korthase Flinn Insurance and Financial Services, Michelle Cortwright of Harbor House Publishhers and Tom Veryser of Michigan Communtity Dental Clinics.  “Cafe Sante opened a year and half ago and it has risen to the top of our sales for all four of our restaurants  and I’ve got to thank the community who suppors us.”  Said Palmer.

The area around Boyne City, Mich., on the eastern shore of Lake Charlevoix in northern Michigan, has long held powerful allure for those driven by ambition, in one form or another.

John Miller, an Irish immigrant from New York State, arrived in the mid-1800s, led by his spiritualist wife, Harriet, in search of an abandoned cabin on a bear-shaped lake she had seen in a dream. The story goes that when they found that waterfront structure, Miller named the nearby river that emptied into the lake “Boyne,” after a similar body in his native Ireland.

The Millers were trailed by lumberjacks who came to the tree-carpeted valley to harvest timber. During the Industrial Revolution, lumber baron W.H. White partnered with Canadian leather tanner William Sutherland Shaw to set up shop locally — bark from area hemlock trees fueled their tannery, which produced million of pounds of shoe leather annually.

True to its enterprising roots, the town of 3,735 souls today prides itself as “the fastest-growing city in Northern Michigan.” Don’t laugh. The city, despite its small size, is in the midst of a boom that belies its modest stature.

Boyne City has seen its population grow more than 6 percent in the 21st century, in part due to a developing regional reputation as a comfy place to settle, as other areas of Charlevoix County have experienced population losses.

But it was another, farther-reaching acclaim that initially lured Internet entrepreneur Jason Spaulding, 41, to Boyne City: its proximity to Boyne Mountain (boyne.com), a resort that draws skiers in droves, many from as far away as Detroit, four hours away, and even Chicago, a six-hour drive.

Spaulding, who grew up in Montvale and later lived in Grand Rapids, Mich., fondly remembers the three-hour road trips to the ski resort during his time in Michigan. “We would load up the car with gear and everyone couldn’t wait to get there,” he said, referring to his family. “The city itself wasn’t the destination, just a springboard to the resort.”

These days, the small town is much more than the hill’s backdrop and a gateway for ski buffs and snowboarders. Nature in all its forms helps define the town’s identity. It was, after all, summer fishing that brought Boyne Resorts’ founder Everett Kircher to the area. Today, some angling enthusiasts rave about Charlevoix Lake’s prized walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike, while others look to snag the feisty salmon and steelhead trout that run the Boyne River.

During the “thaw period,” Spaulding uses the three-bedroom house just outside Boyne City he purchased in 2010 for $127,500 as both a base camp for fishing expeditions and a year-round vacation home that he, his wife, Carrie, and their young son, Conner, visit often. “Even if you don’t ski or fish,” said Carrie Spaulding, “there’s quite a bit to do here, which is why Boyne is on the move.”

Indeed, the town is increasingly becoming known as an attractive spot to visit, retire and do business. Its industrial park is a center of activity, the school district is getting a high-tech upgrade and civic improvements are taking place. The most talked-about project is the $5.5 million restoration of the long-neglected Dilworth Hotel, a historic property that counted Ernest Hemingway as a guest. Once brought back to life, the hotel is expected to anchor downtown.

The city’s bohemian South Boyne, or SoBo, district — a play on words borrowed from New York’s Soho — is a magnet for creative types and the site of the annual SoBo Arts Festival (soboartsdistrict.org). It’s also home to Freshwater Studio (freshwaterstudio.org), which presents concerts and other events throughout the winter.

But renewal efforts, rising economic fortunes and cultural ascendancy has not altered Boyne City’s small-town character: locals remain as friendly and chatty as ever; and the town is still the type of place where everybody knows your name. That holds true whether picking up meds at the circa-1896 Huff’s Pharmacy or grabbing a bite at Water Street Cafe, a popular hangout that perhaps best represents the hamlet’s traditional-but-forward-thinking sensibility through its casual fare with a gourmet twist.

“There’s no question that Boyne City is going places,” says Jason Spaulding. “But if you didn’t look too hard, you’d think it was standing still. That’s the true beauty of it.”

Perks

Reasonable second-home prices. Skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, fishing, boating, hiking, live performances and a farmers’ market.

Drawbacks

Although Glen’s Market offers grocery staples, larger-scale shopping requires a drive.

The weather

Cold, snow-blanketed winters and mild, comfortable summers.

The costs

Though Boyne City has an average listing price of $357,561, much residential real estate is priced under $200,000; some for less than $100,000.

Getting there

Continental, Delta, United, American Airlines and US Airways provide service, with stopovers, to Traverse City from $410. The drive from Cherry Capital Airport takes about 90 minutes.

Where to stay

Water Street Inn ($99-$279; 800-456-4313; boynewaterstreetinn.com) is a lakeside hotel with cozy suites.

Must see

Young State Park is a 560-plus-acre public space marked by gently rolling nature trails that double as cross-country ski routes.

Posted: 05 Oct 2011 09:43 AM PDT

The city’s population surged by more than 6 percent in the last decade, new businesses are open, a factory is under construction and the list of community events never ends. Some say Boyne City is the “jewel of Charlevoix County,” but it’s irrefutable that the town bucked economic trends in recent years and found its niche as a popular place to visit, live or retire.

Luxury Insights

Plans for the weekend?

So much to see and do in Northern Michigan!

Boyne City

 Dec. 3 – Holiday Hobby Craft Show, Boyne City High School, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Application
Dec. 3 – Weihnachtsmarkdt German Christmas Market at Water Street Center
Dec. 15 – Holiday Business After Hours, Bella Vita restaurant, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Boyne Falls

December

16

6-for-1 Day at BOYNE

Six lift tickets for the price of one… are you kidding me?  No, it’s not a joke.  Ticket offer valid at Boyne Mountain and Boyne Highlands.  View Details

December

20

Family Night at Solace Spa – Relax with Your Children

This evening is a chance to share healthy lifestyle habits with your children  View Details

December

28

Boyne Country Sports Manufacturer Demo Day

Free demo day featuring industry leaders.  View Details

December

29

Holiday Rail Jam

 Skiers and snowboarders of all ages are invited to grind rails and enter the Boyne Mountain Holiday Rail Jam.  View Details

 

Charlevoix  

Winter Farmers Market

Holly Daze

Flurry Fest

Saturday, Dec 3, 2011 2:30pm – 6pm

Merchant Open House

East Jordan

Christmas Art Sale – Jordan River Arts Council

December 2-18

1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Opening with Christmas treats and music on Nov. 20

Winter Concert – Jordan Valley Community Band

December 4th

3:00 PM

Free admission, East Jordan Community Auditorium

Dinner with Santa

December 6th

4:30 PM to 7:00 PM

East Jordan Elementary School Cafeteria

Madrigal Singers – Music in the Park

December 14th

7:00 PM

East Jordan Community Auditorium.

Free Movie – “Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure”

December 18th

1:30 PM

Jordan Valley District Library Community Room. Sponsored by the Library Friends.

Harbor Springs

 

 

 

 

 

Downtown Merchants Open House

December 10th, 2011

Office: Chamber Sponsored Events

6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Location: Downtown Harbor Springs

The Home for the Holidays program wraps up on Saturday, December 10, with the most anticipated event of the year: The Annual Downtown Merchant Holiday Open House. Enjoy a fun-filled day of shopping and an unforgettable evening of music, sleigh rides, hot and cold refreshments, and yummy holiday treats and hors d’oevres.

 

Holiday Rail Jam

December 30th, 2011

Office: Area Events

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Location: Boyne Highlands Resort

 

http://www.boyne.com/

Petoskey

Downtown Petoskey Holiday Open House

December 2nd, 2011

Office: Family Fun

6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Location: Downtown Petoskey

www.petoskeydowntown.com

This year’s event will be held on December 2, 2011 from 6 to 9 pm. The evening begins with an appearance by Santa Claus, who flies in to town to light our giant Christmas tree in Pennsylvania Park. Merchants open their doors to offer warm holiday greetings. The streets are filled with merry entertainment by carolers and the Petoskey High School Steel Drum Band. And don’t forget to visit the bean pots and enjoy a cup of soup made by the Petoskey Snowmobile Club.

Come downtown and enjoy the smiling faces and christmas fun with your family with this evening that is a holiday tradition on the first Friday in December every year.

 

 

So much to see and do in Northern Michigan !

Bay Harbor

Boyne City

Nov. 6 – Salute to Veterans, Boyne City High School Performing Arts Center, 2 p.m.
Nov. 10 – Business After Hours, sponsored by Mills Financial Services, location to be announced, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 11 – Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park, 11 a.m.
Nov. 18 – State of the Community Luncheon, Sommerset Pointe, RSVP’s required, 12 noon
Nov. 18-19 – Dinner Theatre, Variety Show and Broadway Review ($25), High School Performing Arts Center, 6 p.m.  
Nov. 19 – Earlier Than the Bird holiday sales, 7 to 11 a.m.
Nov. 24 - Turkey Trot 5k run and 1-mile fun run sponsored by Kiwanis Club, starts and finishes at Veterans Park, 9 a.m. | Registration form
Nov. 25 – Holiday Open Houses (5 p.m.) & Santa Parade (6 p.m.), Downtown Boyne City

Boyne Falls

November

18-20

Spa Yoga Weekend

Our Yoga weekend encompasses a compassionate approach with emphasis on meditation, physical healing and spiritual transformation that overflows into daily life.   View Details

Charlevoix

 Tales of November Series: Great Lakes Tragedies

 Event Date: Tuesday, Nov 1, 2011 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Farmer’s Market

Event Date: Thursday, Nov 3, 2011 10am – 2pm.

This event repeats 1st Thursday every month 10am – 2pm starting on Thursday, Nov 3, 2011 , until Thursday, May 3, 2012 

Story Time with Ms. Laura

Hear stories, dance to songs, learn fingerplays and play with friends.  Birth to 5 years.

Youth–sell your crafts this winter and make money!  Holiday shopping for the whole family. Youth made crafts only.  Registration required.

Thanksgiving Farmers Market

 Community Christmas Tree lighting & Holiday Parade

East Jordan

 Christmas Art Sale – Jordan River Arts Council

November 22- Dec 18

Harbor Springs Concert Series

November 5th & 12th, 2011

Time: 8:00pm

Location: Birchwood Inn

 www.birchwoodinn.com/calendarofevents.html

John D. Lamb hosts a concert open to the public during his Songwriters Retreat at Birchwood Inn. The cozy atmosphere of the Inn provides an exceptional venue to enjoy a variety of well known folk artists. The concert features Ronny Cox, Karen Mal, Dana Cooper, Julianne Ankley, and Dan Hazlett. Seating is limited and there is a suggested donation of $15 at the door.

  Cross Village Tree Lighting

November 25th, 2011

Time: 5:30 PM

Location: Cross Village

Community Tree Lighting  

November 25th, 2011

Time: 6:30 PM

Location: Downtown Harbor Springs

Home For The Holidays

November 26th, 2011

The Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce lights up downtown Harbor Springs and outlying areas this holiday season with the First Annual Home for the Holidays Program!

The Home for the Holidays Program will kick off with the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting in downtown Harbor Springs on Friday November 25 at 6:30pm, following the Cross Village Tree Lighting at 5:30pm.  View ornaments created by area students, enjoy community caroling and festive music performed by the Glee Club and area school talent, sample chili at Holy Childhood Church and a special visit from Santa. Saturday, November 26, will be dedicated to holiday shopping, pictures with Santa, live music, special in-store promotions and food presentations by participating merchants.

Put your holiday spirit to the test in one of the featured decorating contests. The theme for this year is STARS. Students from area schools will have the opportunity to decorate ornaments for the annual tree lighting. Prizes will be given to one winner from each grade, and honorary gifts will be awarded to all participants. To get involved, be sure to register for the desired contest, and decorate the front of your retail store, business or home and make it shine using the STARS theme. The winners will be announced at the tree lighting event.

The Gingerbread House decorating event is back this year as part of Home for the Holidays. All ages, groups and skills are encouraged to bake and build for a charity of their choice. Entries are due at Stafford’s Pier Restaurant on December 2, and will be on display through December 10. Participants can pick up a pre-approved base and entry form from the Chamber starting November 10.

Petoskey

Culinary Series – Let Them Eat Cake!!!

October 4th – November 9th, 2011

 Location: Crooked Tree Arts Center

Crooked Tree Arts Center will begin its fall culinary series on October 4 and classes will continue through November 9 with an array of classes mostly centered on the theme in the new exhibition in the Edith Gilbert Gallery, Let Them Eat Cake! On November 1, Lulu’s Bistro will be an inspired entrée. All of these classes will be offered on Tuesdays from 6-8 pm. To finish the fall culinary series, on November 8th and 9th, Mo Rave from the Terrace Inn will present a two day workshop on creating your own gingerbread house from 10 am-4pm were each individual or couple will create a gingerbread house to take home for the holidays.

The Crooked Tree Arts Center is located downtown Petoskey at 461 E. Mitchell Street. For more information please call the Arts Center at 231-347-4337.

Mom to Mom Sale

November 5th, 2011

10am to 2pm

Location: Emmet County Fair Grounds

http://www.northernmoms.com/

Northern Michigan Moms (northernmoms.com), a social networking site for Northern Michigan parents through the Petoskey News-Review is coordinating a regional Mom to Mom sale to take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Emmet County Fairgrounds. Vendor space is available! To register, visit www.petoskeynews.com/m2m. The event last year was a huge success and we are anticipating an even larger crowd this year. So book your space now before availability runs out. There will be craft tables for kids, a photo area for family pics just in time for Christmas and much more.  

Comedians Tim Bedore & Dave Dyer

November 5th, 2011

Time: 8 pm

Location: Crooked Tree Arts Center

http://www.crookedtree.org/

Crooked Tree Arts Center will host nationally know comedians Tim Bedore and Dave Dyer. These fellas are a favorite on the Bob & Tom (Radio) Show.Tickets are General Admission $15 for CTAC members, $20 for non members. Phone: 231.347.4337

Deer Widows Weekend Event

November 12th, 2011

2:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Location: Holiday Inn Express, US 131 South, Petoskey

www.facebook.com/#!/DeerWidowsWeekend

Christmas Holiday Arts, Crafts and Gift Show

November 19th, 2011

9 am to 4 pm

Location: Community Center – Emmet County Fair Grounds

Dozens of vendors will be offering their one-of-a-kind, quality gift and craft items during the show. Admission is $1 or a donation of a non-perishable food item, with proceeds benefiting Brother Dan’s Food Pantry, which serves Northern Michigan. Consessions will be available from Brother Dan’s as well.

Contact Information:
Madelynne Brecheisen

Phone: 231.348.5479

Stafford’s Downtown Petoskey Holiday Parade

November 26th, 2011

Time: 10:00 AM

Location: Downtown Petoskey

http://www.petoskeydowntown.com/

Help the holidays march into Downtown Petoskey with the Stafford’s Downtown Petoskey Holiday Parade on Saturday, November 26, 2011, at 10 am.

Stafford’s Hospitality hosts this daytime parade that swoops into downtown carrying holiday excitement. This fun event includes marching bands, floats by local businesses, marching characters, and much more. The parade is wrapped up by its most popular participant, Santa Claus. After the parade, he will greet children on the Veranda at Stafford’s Perry Hotel and listen to all of their Christmas wishes.

 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Opening with Christmas treats and music on Nov. 20

Plans for the weekend?

So much to see and do in Northern Michigan! 

Apple Fest  Charlevoix

Celebrating everything apple, craft show. 

Harvest Fest  Boyne City

Celebrating the bounty of the season, craft show, music.

Trick or Treat  East Jordan, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Boyne City, Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Bay Harbor 

C.S. Lewis Festival  Petoskey

Month long celebration of the works of C.S. Lewis.

Oct. 1 – Harvest Festival, Water Street, www.boyneharvestfestival.com

Oct. 31 – Halloween Parade and Trick or Treating, Downtown Boyne City