livemannequins

Light Up the Bluff, Live Mannequins, Reindog Parade and Tons More This Week

livemannequins

Michigan’s state motto is: “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” Well, on a similar note, if you seek an amazing weekend of festive holiday fun, look about you. Michigan’s Great Southwest will be alive with activities for the entire family this weekend, headlined by the triple-header line up of St. Joseph’s Light Up the Bluff event, followed closely by the city’s annual Live Mannequin fun in downtown storefronts and the next afternoon by the huge crowd favorite known as the Reindog Parade.

The Community Tree Lighting ceremony always takes place on the first Friday of December, which this year happens to be this Friday, December 1st. The St. Joseph High School Choir begins Christmas caroling near the tree located in Lake Bluff Park at the corner of Broad Street and Lake Boulevard at 6pm, with the ceremony taking place at 6:30pm.

Over 1-million lights are said to be in the blocks long display which will come alive along Lake Bluff Park as it is transformed into a winter wonderland from December 1st through Valentine’s Day. Grab your sweetheart or entire family and take a stroll through the Park under arches of sparkling lights from December 1 – February 15th. It’s a fun event and venue for the entire family, and is sponsored by the St. Joseph Improvement Association.

After your first stroll down the bluff to the colorful lights and festive music from hidden speakers, rally the team and head to the city’s brick-street-lined central business district to watch storefronts and even side windows of participating downtown businesses come alive from 7pm – until – 8:30pm for the annual Live Mannequin extravaganza. That’s when dozens of volunteers from throughout the community pose perfectly still, like mannequins in themed showcase windows and tableaux depicting great moments in Literature, this year’s event theme from the design team at Square Peg Productions. The entire event is free to the public and a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit.

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From 8:30 to 10pm a Live Mannequin After Party and Award Ceremony will take place at the Box Factory for the Arts on the Broad Street hill just east of the central business district. Live music from Jack Adams and a cash bar will highlight the winner’s watch as the judges tally the winning entries with prizes expected to be presented at about 9:45pm.

I have the pleasure of joining Edgewater Bank President Rick Dyer, LECO’s Emily Armstrong, and Susan Coombes, Director of Retail Operations at the Grand Rapids Art Museum as judges for this annual showcase event.

Participating in this year’s Live Mannequin event are the following business ventures:

  • Advanced Family Eye Care
  • Baroda Founders Winery
  • Blossomtime, Inc.
  • Bound for Freedom
  • The Candlestick Maker
  • Chartreuse Art Co-Op
  • South Bend Chocolate Company’s Chocolate Cafe
  • City Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning
  • Edgewater Gifts
  • Clementine’s Too
  • DK Boutique
  • Forever Books
  • Friends by Design
  • Fusion Center for Dance
  • Fuzzy Butz Pet Bakery
  • G&M Variety Store
  • Gallery on the Alley
  • Grins of St. Joseph
  • Harbor Town Interiors
  • Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches
  • Kilwin’s Chocolate, Fudge & Ice Cream Shoppe
  • KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores
  • Lake Michigan Vintners
  • Lana’s Boutique
  • Landis Clothing Company
  • Lazy Ballerina Winery
  • Lake Michigan College
  • Moxie’s Boutique
  • Oh My Darlings Kid’s Store
  • The Olive Cart
  • Perennial Accents
  • Purely Michigan
  • State Street Stuff
  • Statements Style Lounge
  • the St. Joseph Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library
  • Southwest Michigan Scholarship Program
  • The Christmas Tree
  • The Natural Gem
  • Third Coast Surf Shop
  • The Twin City Players
  • Vivi’s Italian Garden Restaurant
  • White Pine Winery

The Live Mannequin showcase is made possible by sponsors Edgewater Bank and Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council and a host of sustaining sponsors.

Be sure to make plans to return to downtown St. Joe the next day, on Saturday afternoon December 2nd, for a fantastic way to kick off the holiday season whether you become a spectator of a participant in the annual Reindog Holiday Parade. That’s the quirky event that features dressed up pets and their owners in a variety of holiday garb. Be preparted to see all kinds of costumes from “Santa Bernards” to “Reindeer Rotweilers” –  at this definite must-see event. The event also marks the arrival of Santa – who will then be available for wish list conversations and photos.

Kids will have a chance to visit with some of their favorite friends including Rex from Curious Kids’ Museum, Flick from Celebration Cinema, Splash from Silver Beach Center and the queens from the Southwest Michigan Scholarship Fund. Guests are encouraged to participate and walk in the parade or watch from the sidelines.

Judging for the event begins at 2:00pm and will end at 3:45pm. Judging will take place in front of the St. Joseph Today Welcome Center located at 301 State Street. The parade will begin promptly at 4pm at the corner of Elm and State Streets, and all prizes will be awarded immediately after the parade, so stick around to determine if your entry was a winner. St. Joe Today reminds everyone that ALL parade participants MUST register at the Welcome Center in order to be a part of the parade.

Also following the parade, Santa will step from the fire truck he rides in on and make his way back to his “Santa’s House,” standing outside the Welcome Center at the corner of State and Pleasant Streets. He will be in the house from 5pm until 7pm that night and then on the schedule reflected below up until Christmas:

Santa’s House Hours December 2-23:

Saturday, December 2: 5-7pm
Sunday, December 3: 1-5pm

Thursday, December 7: 4-6pm
Friday, December 8: 4-6pm
Saturday, December 9: Noon-5pm
Sunday, December 10: 1-5pm

Thursday, December 14: 4-6pm
Friday, December 15: 4-6pm
Saturday, December 16: Noon-5pm
Sunday, December 17: 1-5pm

Thursday, December 21: 4-6pm
Friday, December 22: 1-6pm Please note special hours!
Saturday, December 23: Noon-5pm

Santa’s House and his appearances are sponsored by The Herald-Palladium Newspaper.

You’ll also find additional weekend fun, as North Pier Brewing hosts their 2nd Annual Grand Mustachio Bashio that evening, Saturday, December 2nd. Whether you enter or simply join the crowd, it’ll be your chance to find out who will be crowned the next “Mustache King of Southwest Michigan,” while supporting that fundraiser for the SW Michigan Humane Society.

Also this weekend, the Blue Moon Vintage Market opens their doors Friday, December 1 through Sunday, December 3 for their Holiday Market, featuring tons of great vintage holiday finds, at 16860 Three Oaks Road in the Harbor Country community of Three Oaks.