Celebrate the Spirit of the Season in Downtown Traverse City
There’s nothing quite like strolling the streets of Downtown, popping in and out of shops while snowflakes drift to the ground. With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, there’s no better time for holiday shopping. Downtown Traverse City wants to make sure you enjoy the holidays, so they’re getting ready to kick off the season with the Arrival of Santa, followed by special shopping nights and festive events all season long.
Here are all the details you’ll need to enjoy a festive holiday season in Downtown Traverse City.
Annual Tree Lighting with Santa and Light Parade
Saturday, November 23rd
Downtown Traverse City’s seasonal magic lights up on Saturday with the excitement of Santa’s Arrival, the Tree Lighting, and the Light Parade. Spend the evening with Santa and enjoy shopping throughout downtown.
This Downtown Traverse City Holiday Event includes a community sing-a-long of your favorite holiday carols until Santa joins the Traverse City Mayor and special guests for the Tree Lighting. Enjoy the excitement as the Light Parade rolls in with stunning floats, live performances, and of course, Santa himself.
Santa’s House
Take your little ones to meet Santa this holiday season! He will be in his cozy house on City Center Plaza at the corner of State and Cass Street throughout the holiday season. Make sure to bring your letters for Santa and your sweet tooth when you visit. Check out the hours for Santa’s House here.
Black Friday & Small Business Saturday
November 29th & 30th
Support local and enjoy seasonal savings! Shop great deals on Black Friday & Small Business Saturday in shops, restaurants, and more in downtown Traverse City. It’s the perfect chance to check off your holiday list, enjoy local dining, and make a positive impact by supporting the community.
Ladies Shopping Night
Thursday, December 5th
Grab your friends and enjoy a festive night out at downtown Traverse City’s annual Ladies’ Night! From 5 to 9 pm, participating stores will offer exclusive specials, refreshments, prize drawings, free gift wrapping, and more.
Men’s Shopping Night
Thursday, December 12th
Gentlemen, the evening is finally yours! Celebrate and shop with friends during Men’s Night Downtown Traverse City from 5 to 9 pm. The gents can enjoy hors d’oeuvres and specials at many restaurants and merchants will be offering in-store specials, gift wrapping, and drawings.
Merry Marketplace
November 9th – December 14th
Get into the holiday spirit at Crooked Tree Art Center on the historic Sixth Street in Downtown Traverse City! Their Merry Marketplace features unique gifts and art from artists across Michigan. It’s the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind holiday presents while supporting local. Explore more holiday events and plan your visit here.
Holiday Performances
The City Opera House has several festive performances. Kick things off on December 7th with the Gilded Christmas Gala. Keep the holiday spirit alive with the Good Lovelies Christmas Tour, enchanting candle-lit concerts, and a Magical Motown Christmas. Discover more events and book your tickets here.
The Old Town Playhouse knows there’s no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than curling up for nostalgic holiday movies. Don’t miss the Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon from December 13th to the 21st. Check out their full lineup and grab your tickets here.
Enjoy festive music in a beautiful setting at The Alluvion. They have a calendar of events filled with heartwarming concerts, including a special performance by jazz icon Bob James. For tickets and more details, visit their events page.
Where to Park or Catch a Ride
Getting around Downtown Traverse City should be hassle-free! For drivers, convenient metered parking is available throughout downtown, with options to pay by coins or phone with the ParkMobile app. If you don’t want to worry about running out of time, try parking at the Larry C. Hardy and Old Town Parking Decks.
Don’t want to pay for parking or riding? Catch a ride on the Bayline Bata bus which runs past Traverse City’s East Bay hotels into downtown Traverse City. Find their ride schedule here.
Celebrate with Small Business this Holiday Season
We hope you’ll find some fun Holiday events in the Traverse City community this season. With over 200 merchants in the downtown region alone you have plenty of options to support local businesses, and shop small this season.
