Traverse City's Holiday Kickoff Takes Two Nights This Year

Traverse City's downtown tree lighting now draws nearly 20,000 people to Front Street, so this year it has been split into two evenings. On Friday, Nov. 20, Santa lights the community tree at Cass and Front. The Traverse City Light Parade, which used to share that night, now has Saturday, Nov. 21 to itself. A different organization produces it this year.

The Downtown Traverse City Association calls the new weekend Light Up Downtown. The split shows how big the kickoff has become. It also changes how the weekend works for anyone who lives close enough to walk.

Why one night stopped working

The DTCA announced the change in September. The Ticker reported the reason in the association's own words:

"What began years ago as a cozy downtown tree lighting has grown into a regional landmark event, drawing crowds of nearly 20,000 people to Front Street for the holiday festivities."

According to the same article, the DTCA is splitting the activities over two evenings "to ensure a safe, sustainable, and enjoyable experience for all ages." It is also handing the parade to the Festival Foundation, which produces the National Cherry Festival.

The DTCA's event page gives the practical reasons. Splitting the festivities between Friday and Saturday "eases sidewalk and street congestion" and gives families more space. It also creates "double the holiday cheer for our downtown merchants."

So each night now has its own organizer. Sara Klebba, the DDA's Director of Events & Engagement, explained the division to The Ticker: "Partnering with the Festival Foundation brings world-class parade operations and production expertise to Front Street. We're owning our respective lanes to deliver a seamless, safe, magical weekend for everyone."

The DTCA still runs the tree lighting. The Festival Foundation now shares the parade, the part of the old evening with the most moving parts.

Two evenings, two different plans

Friday and Saturday have different start times and different focal points. Here they are side by side, as the DTCA lists them:

On Friday, everything leads up to one moment. The program includes holiday activities, treat giveaways, music, games and sing-alongs, then Santa's arrival, then the lighting at 6:30 p.m. According to The Ticker, merchant open houses and events are part of the evening too. Families with young children have a clear end point. The tree is lit at 6:30, and then Santa's House opens a block away at City Centre Plaza.

On Saturday, the action moves along the street. The parade steps off at 6 p.m. and runs down Front Street from Franklin to Union, with glowing floats, marchers and decorated vehicles. The Ticker reported that the floats will come from local nonprofits, municipalities and businesses, along with musical acts. At the listed run time of about an hour and 20 minutes, the last float should pass around 7:20 p.m. That leaves time for dinner downtown before Front Street reopens at 8.

The DTCA lists the same closure for both evenings: Front Street from Park to Union, starting at 3 p.m. and running through 8 p.m. If you usually drive through that stretch on a Friday afternoon, plan another route this week.

The shops stretch the weekend into ten days

Two evenings only explain part of the change. The DTCA's "double the holiday cheer" line refers to merchants, and the shop programs scheduled around the weekend last longer than the weekend does.

The Cookies & Cocoa Crawl runs both days, Nov. 20 and 21. Participating businesses offer sweet treats, warm drinks and holiday surprises. Find the Grinch begins the same Friday and runs through Sunday, Nov. 29. Spot the hidden Grinch inside a participating store, and you could get a treat, a discount or another surprise.

Combined, the two lists name 25 downtown businesses, and 13 of them are in both. If you only have time for a few stops, those 13 cover both programs at once:

• Benjamin Twiggs, 305 W. Front St., Suite D
• Bushell's Kitchen + Cocktails, 127 S. Union St.
• Evil Queen, 322 E. Front St.
• Hello Friends Boutique, 330 E. Front St.
• Lakes and Grapes, 326 E. Front St.
• Liana's, 130 E. Front St.
• Overland Sheepskin Co., 140 E. Front St.
• Rocket Fizz, 111B E. Front St.
• Serendipity, 204 E. Front St.
• slip. vintage, 121 E. Front St., Suites 107–108
• Spur Boutique, 203 E. Front St.
• Surfaces of TC, 309 W. Front St., Suite A
• What to Wear!, 126 E. Front St.

Five more stops are only on the Cocoa Crawl: American Spoon at 230 E. Front St., Backcountry North at 227 E. Front St., Fustini's Oils & Vinegars at 141 E. Front St., Sunglass Shoppe at 137 E. Front St., and Delamar Traverse City, a few blocks east at 615 E. Front St.

The Grinch hunt adds seven more: Doug Murdick's Fudge at 116 E. Front St., Fleet Feet at 300 E. Front St., Miners North at 222 E. Front St., Momentum Outfitters at 211 E. Front St., Nifty Things at 143 E. Front St., Plamondon Shoes at 144 E. Front St., and Playa Bowls, around the corner at 222 E. State St., Suite 101. Because the hunt runs until Nov. 29, you can come back the following weekend and still take part, after the parade barricades are long gone.

Over the same stretch of Front Street, The Ticker reported this fall that Common Objects, a gift shop and quilt studio, was coming to the Front Row Centre building with Thursday-through-Sunday hours. Owner Cody Cook-Parrott told The Ticker, "The space will focus on artists and small brands as well as local Michigan artists."

After the weekend, the calendar keeps going

The opening weekend sets a pattern for the next five weeks. Santa's House keeps a Friday, Saturday and Sunday schedule at Cass and State from Nov. 20 through Dec. 24, so weekends downtown stay busy until Christmas Eve. The DTCA calendar then adds weeknight shopping events between those weekends:

1. Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, Nov. 27–28. Hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., the longest shopping window on the season's calendar.
2. Ladies' Night, Thursday, Dec. 3, 5 to 9 p.m. Participating businesses offer shopping, dining and exclusive promotions.
3. Men's Night, Thursday, Dec. 10, 5 to 9 p.m. The DTCA promises special promotions plus food and drinks.
4. Wrap It Up Night, Friday, Dec. 18, 5 to 9 p.m. Extended hours and festive specials a week before Christmas.

The first two weeknight events fall on Thursdays, and Wrap It Up Night is the Friday before Christmas week. The tree, Santa's House and the shopping nights all have their own dates, so downtown has an event on the calendar every week from Nov. 20 through Dec. 18.

The next date on the DTCA calendar comes after the holidays. Traverse City Restaurant Week runs Feb. 21–27, 2027, with multi-course prix fixe menus at $25, $35 and $45. The DTCA says the restaurant lineup will be announced later this winter.

At Michigan LifeStyle Homes, we follow how Traverse City's calendar affects daily life around Front Street, from which evenings close the street to which weekends Santa's House fills the block. If a home within walking distance of downtown is part of your plans, we'd be glad to talk it through. Request a Private Consultation.