Looking for a new way to give back and support local this holiday season? Look no further than the Downtown Alpena Giving Trees Event! This event is brand-new this year and is a great way to help out your local community during the Holiday Season.
From November 14th – December 12th, participating downtown businesses will decorate a tree in their place of business with tags listing what is needed for a local nonprofit or school. Visit participating business, take a tag, and bring back that item to the business before December 12th. The business will then deliver all collected items to their chosen organization.
This is a brand-new initiative this year, and it’s a great way to show some of our local schools and non-profits some love and make the holidays a little brighter for those in need.
“The holiday season downtown is already such a wonderful time of year, and this event is a great addition to that. Having over 15 downtown businesses participating shows how much they care about our local community,” said Savannah Peterson, Administrative Assistant for the Alpena DDA.
Participating businesses will have their trees decorated and on display starting this Saturday, November 14 as part of the Downtown Alpena Holiday Kick-off Event that takes place from 11 am- 5 pm. Come downtown and be the first to shop holiday merchandise at downtown stores, enjoy special promotions, and get a head start on your holiday shopping. During the event, shoppers can also take part in a Downtown Dollars promotion—buy $75 and get $25 free—when they purchase them at Parallel 45 Books & Gifts. The promotion will run on Saturday until $1,500 of bonus dollars are given out, with a maximum $100 in bonus dollars per person. Downtown Dollars are paper gift certificates that can be used at over fifty downtown businesses, including shops, restaurants, salons, theaters, and more.
The Giving Trees will stay up through Saturday, December 12, which is the day of the second-annual Christmas at the Commons event from 2-6 pm. Christmas at the Commons takes place at the Water Street Commons (123 Water Street), where there will be tractor rides throughout the downtown, bonfires, and special gluhwein, a mulled wine found at Christmas markets throughout Europe, for sale.
“There is no place like Downtown Alpena for the holidays, and we are grateful for downtown businesses who are helping out local nonprofits and schools with this new promotion. We hope you come help us support these local causes by grabbing a tag from the Giving Trees—and also shop local this holiday season!” commented Peterson.
Below you can find the following participating businesses and help give back:
- HopSide Brewery- ABC Bird Center
- Colburn Outfitters – Foster Closet of Northern Michigan
- Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce– Art in the Loft
- Bay Athletic Club- NEMSCA School Success Program
- Suncatchers- Reborn Rescue
- Glik’s- Wilson School
- Karma’s a Fish- Natures Kingdom Wildlife Rescue
- Parallel 45 Books & Gifts- Ella White teacher classroom wish lists
- Salon 125- Friends Together
- Traveling Ladders- Sunday Supper & Food Pantry
- Emery Enterprises – Reborn Rescue
- Local Basket Case- Sanborn Elementary School
- Lulu’s Candy Shop- Sanborn Elementary School
- Cabin Creek Coffee- Besser Elementary School
- Rusty’s Corks & Cocktails- Second Chance Animal Shelter
- Real Estate One- Toys for Kids
- Wolverine State Credit Union- Hope Shores Alliance
- Presque Isle Farm Cider – The Poetics Lab
For more information on upcoming holiday events downtown, please visit www.downtownalpenami.com/holidays or call 989-354-1791.
