 N3-SWK strives to bring ideas for late season shopping to our readers. Particularly those who have procrastinated in their presenting pursuits. If you know of a place that might provide some unique gifting opportunities let us know and we will check it out. Bitely? Christmas shopping in Bitely? Absolutely. The northern Newaygo County burg is abuzz with opportunities such as…such as… Ok, the Up North Gift Company might be the only shopping spot beyond the gas station and the Bitely Tavern (great burgers) but it’s a good one. At least that’s what N3 reader Tina Smith indicated when she suggested SWK check it out. So it was off to Bitely, a most pleasant drive into lake-laden Lilley Township. And the trip proved well worth it. Some of the things we like about UNGC: -The lake signs depicting longitude and latitude. -The metalworks cleverness of the Tavern Puzzles that brought back a long faded memory. - The vast amount of wares suitable for stocking stuffing. -The University of Bitely shirts -The Wasp Nest (Yup. Real one.) -How they support local artisans with over 70% of their offerings coming from over 90 makers from throughout the area. And… -The welcoming ambiance created by store owners, Pat and Janet Lipzinski.  UNGC Proprietors Janet & Pat Lipzinski
The Up North Gift Company is a treasure trove of intriguing items befitting its settings. Tucked into a corner of downtown Bitely the shop draws those who have enjoyed the wealth of water the local lakes provide as well as those who have heard from others about its enticing and uber-local vibe The Lipzinskis took over the store in 2018 but the UNGC was built just before the turn of the century and has endured as a staple for those in search of a unique gift as well as vacationers wishing to bring a memory of the area back home. Pat and Janet were among that group before moving from their Grand Rapids home to put their personal touch to this appealing emporium of eclectic offerings. Many of the items at the store are made by the owners who do the screen printing for the popular t-shirts, make many of the candles that adorn the shelves and supply the locals with some bodacious baked goods as well.
Beyond the locally created items one finds, many of the other products in the store are Michigan made. Oh, and they have a penny press machine. For those, as myself, unacquainted with the world of penny press peeps, there is apparently a whole thing out there I was unaware of, including an organization known as TEC (The Elongated Collectors) with a website that includes a monthly report on where new machines have been installed as well as where they have been ‘retired’. Who knew? But I digress.
The items that move the most? “The T-shirts and hats are big sellers,” said Janet. “And anything with the name of their lake on it draws people. They all love their lakes and we have so many in the area.” “Our jewelry gets a lot of attention,” she added. “ And of course the homemade food items go quickly.” And I must say, they looked mighty tasty. The main thing SWK looks for during these shopping excursions is the kind of place one can go for inspiration. The shop to visit when you have run out of ideas and require an influx of imagination. Up North Gift Co. is such a place.  And for that special someone... For more info check out their fb page.
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  Weekend promises mirth filled merriment Struggling with capturing that Christmas Spirit? The River Country Chamber has just the ticket this weekend with a medley of merrymaking festivities in and around Newaygo this weekend thanks to the sponsorship of Tamarac Spa, Velocity and Millie's Farm Market. It all kicks off with Thursday’s Season of Hope Charity Auction held this year at the Center for Hope & Healing in White Cloud. This annual bid-fest has always featured an eclectic collection of items ranging from distinctive gifts to singular services and beyond. Here’s the skinny: https://www.rivercountrychamber.com/events/details/season-of-hope-charity-auction-2022-39037 And of course on Friday the centerpiece of the weekend celebration takes place in the downtown district. There is always a bit of magic in the air as the streets shut down and the riverside burg transforms into a bustling hive of activity. As you wander through town there are shop owners providing treats along with some sweet deals on their wares, food vendors lined up and ready to serve, and churches putting on some special events. And this year with the addition of the outdoor social district known as the Outback, one can enjoy a beverage or two while communing with friends and family at one of the enticing fireplace settings. https://www.rivercountrychamber.com/events/details/christmas-walk-newaygo-2022-39030 Saturday will see runners and walkers getting in their steps at the St. Nick Kick, the pet project of N3 Editor and Newaygo Cross Country Coach Alexis Mercer. Here are the details: https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/st-nick-kick-this-saturday Later in the day on Saturday you can take a ride out to Croton where the Walter F Howarth American Legion Post 381 will be hosting a number of fun activities . https://www.rivercountrychamber.com/events/details/christmas-in-croton-2022-39048 Only those afflicted with chronic Grinchitis would still be lacking in the seasonal spirit after this cascade of Christmas carousing. It is indeed time for some serious reveling Near Northians. Let’s get to it.   Velocity of Newaygo presents the 12th Annual St. Nick Kick! This small town tradition attracts some of the best competitive athletes from the West Michigan area. It's also a great way to give back to the community with proceeds benefiting Newaygo High School Cross Country Team. Sign up for the 10K, 5K or 1 Mile Walk and bring your friends!
Looking to register? Click HERE! More information about the event can be found on the River Country Chamber website. Race kick off is at 10:00 am on Saturday, December 3rd, early registration from 9am-9:45 AM. Join in for a fun day of holiday cheer, running, walking and great food afterwards.  Got a favorite local shopping spot? Let us know and we will check it out
It is indeed in full bloom and I don’t mean the Christmas cactus residing in the upper reaches of N3 World Headquarters and Endless Emporium of Decorative Christmas Spirit sometimes referred to as ‘Bronner’s West’. We’re talking gift seeking season. When you’ve Black-Fridayed, and Cyber-Mondayed all those deals on the array of electronics, gadgetry, and big items from big places it’s time to truly shop. I mean go on the hunt for those whose gifts might take a tad bit of thought and exploration while providing a smidge more meaning than, say, a gift card or other artful dodge. Never fear. The Shopping With Ken initiative started several years back to shine a light on local places for present purchasing. Though guilty of possessing a past personal prowess for procrastination, particularly when it comes to seasonal gift buying, spearheading SWK has led me to forging forward much earlier than the traditional day or two before Christmas. Of course I often still wait until the clock starts ticking down but the SWK exploration helps narrow the field of gifts when the days dwindle to a few. I truly empathize with those who are mystified when it comes to finding just the right gift. I mean we all want our gift to be valued if not treasured, right? It’s just that time seems to always be at a premium these days so this is our effort to bring a little perspective, perhaps provide a pointer or two for present pursuit. Thus the journey ahead. Starting this week we will explore some area options, look for unusual, eclectic, adventurous or frighteningly useful items for gifting and follow through with checking out reader recommendations that might sound compelling. So send us suggestions and the crack SWK team will investigate and report on the grand array of gifting opportunities that thrive here in our beloved Near North. And of course always remember…. Buy Local…Be Local…Eschew obfuscation.  N3 Note: We received the above flyer the other day and it piqued our interest so we caught up with Lori Lane from Pilots For Christ who provided a little skinny on the event. Tell us a bit about PFC. Pilots for Christ is a 501c3 non-profit located at the Fremont Airport in the Pilots for Christ hangar. We fly people in need, free of charge, showing the love of Jesus Christ in everything we do. PFC has been in existence since 1984. The Michigan chapter was formed in 2005. How did this come about and why? We had put on a “Santa flies in” event in 2014 and it was a huge success with over 2000 folks attending. Why is it called Storytime? Storytime is just one of the activities. We have a fisher of men game where the kids can fish for a candy cane. Then Storytime will be reading a Christmas story and giving out a gift just for listening. Next is the Nativity ducks where a prize is won! There will be plenty of cookies and milk for all. Write a letter to Santa on take a break and finish your cookie in a tv room where a Christmas favorite will be playing. Who should attend? This is family friendly, no pets please. Anyone looking for a fun and new event in the area will experience Christmas joy unlike any other. What should those attending expect? Santa will be flying in at 6pm. Upon his entry to the hangar, families will follow a path inside the hangar and be able to participate in assorted fun as they chose, finally coming to Santa. We understand there will be an appearance by Mr. Claus. Is he flying the plane? YES, let's not forget the Jolly man himself! Santa will listen to each child’s desires and send them on their way with a gift of their choice. An elf will help them decide. Anything you'd like to add? This is Christian based as we are Pilots for Christ. Many of the items are Christ based. There will be a prayer booth with tracts about the Lord's birth and salvation.  Fremont businesses Christmas Window Decoration contest opens December 9
Of all the Christmas related activities that abound this time of year nothing piques the childhood memories like seeing holiday decorations go up in the nearest town. Years ago it was many a family’s tradition to take in the sights as some of the merchants would look to outdo each other when it came to sizable displays while others leaned in a more subtle yet captivating direction that spurred the imagination. The best were towns where strolling the sidewalks provided the best tours. Fremont has always been one of those towns. And the Fremont Chamber is once again providing a little incentive to this season-centered effort by tossing in a bit of a friendly competition for those who make up the business landscape of the area. Two categories are offered in the event. Best Decorated Christmas Window and Peoples Choice Window Display. The judging will run from December 9th until December 22 so the displays need to be in place by the December 9th opener. Beyond the year-round bragging rights, the Best Decorated Christmas Window winner will be pocketing $300 with second place taking home $100. The Peoples Choice award will also nabbing $100. How do I get in, you say? Easy. You can Register at the Chamber Office by calling 231 924-0770 or send us an email: info@fremontcommerce.com And a shout out to Buy Rite Auto LLC who are sponsoring the doings.  It’s that time again! Time to visit NCCA-Artsplace to shop for great personal holiday gifts! The Holiday Artist Market is ready for you to come in and shop now through December 30. Make your selections from handmade functional or decorative pottery, unique paintings, prints, textiles, candles, photography, wood turning, sculpture and jewelry. Decorate your tree this year with a variety of handmade ornaments or give them as the perfect holiday gift! Whether you’re looking for fine hand made jewelry for the special someone, new ornaments for the tree or an original painting, you’ll find it all at NCCA-Artsplace Holiday Artist Market. And you can give the gift of creativity this holiday season with NCCA-Artsplace’s gift cards available in any denomination and can be used towards original art and future classes. The NCCA-Holiday Artist Market will be open through December 30. Regular hours are Monday- Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information stop by or call NCCA-Artsplace, 13 E. Main, Fremont, 231.924.4022 or check out www.ncca-artsplace.org.
Fremont Christmas Stroll Friday Coming December 9th Fremont comes alive with the Christmas spirit in this magical and enchanting evening that features a parade in which all the entries are illuminated with lights. Santa is the Master of Ceremonies, and awards for floats will be given. See the large Christmas inflatables: the Grinch, Snowman, Nutcracker and Santa, pulled by local car dealerships and the Fremont Cross Country Team. This event will make you remember what Christmas looks like through the eyes of a child! Fremont Area Chamber invites you to join in on the fun of a nighttime parade on Friday, December 9th; festivities begin at 6:00 pm. What could be better than seeing Santa come to town riding on a beautifully lit horse drawn carriage? Each year a different theme challenges the community's creativity and ensures a wide variety of entries. This year our parade theme is “Home for the Holidays”. This year’s parade is sponsored by Gerber Life Insurance Company, Brant Electric and Gerber Federal Credit Union. After the parade, bring your kids (young and old) to visit Santa at his house, located at the Veterans Memorial Park. Other activities taking place in the park include decorate your very own Christmas cookie with Huntington Bank, Kids Make and Take Crafts, sponsored by TS Graphics, Nieboer Electric and Gerber Life Insurance; Horse Drawn Carriage Rides with Percheron Horses; sponsored by Gerber Life Insurance and Nieboer Electric and food trucks including Two Hot Tamales, Couyon’s Cajun and Happy Camper Donuts. While walking around downtown Fremont, enjoy the Christmas Stroll sponsored by White & Associates, Scheid Plumbing, Heating and Cooling, Fremont Regional Digester, and Compass Credit Union from 6pm – 9pm as many of the local businesses will be hosting holiday open houses to help with your holiday shopping. Don’t forget to stop in at the Fremont Chamber office, 7 East Main, downtown Fremont where the “Spirit of Christmas” auction is taking place. You can bid on one of the many auction items in the Chamber Office. All proceeds donated to Fremont Young Life. Breakfast at the North Pole, sponsored by Pilots For Christ, Baars Pharmacy, Harbor Hospice, Fremont Moose Lodge 1555, Compass Credit Union, and Nieboer Electric will be held on Saturday, December 10th from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at Charlie’s Grill, Fremont. Order off the menu for breakfast. Children can look forward to fun activities like singalongs and visiting with Santa. RSVP please contact the Chamber office at (231) 924-0770 or go to info@fremontcommerce.com. Fremont Cinemas is offering an afternoon Movie Matinee, “Cool Runnings”, Saturday December 10th at 12 noon. Free admission with concessions purchase. Buy Rite Auto LLC is sponsoring a Christmas window decorating contest for Fremont Businesses. Set up your display by Friday, December 9th. Judging will be December 9th through December 21st. Two Categories: Best Decorated Christmas Window and People choice window display. Winners will be announced December 22nd, best decorated Christmas window receives first place - $300, second place $100; People's Choice first place - $100. Register at the Chamber office by calling 231 924-0770 or email info@fremontcommerce.com. Be sure to visit the downtown businesses and see the beautifully decorated display windows.   Friday opening expands downtown Newaygo serving area Whaat? We got a Social District? You mean those cool outdoor gathering areas where one can purchase and enjoy an adult beverage while doing a little fresh air frolicking? Yep. It’s called the Newaygo Outback. And it is arriving this week. The Newaygo Outback, so named for being “out back” or behind downtown retailers on the east side of M37, was created by a partnership between the USDA, the River Country Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Newaygo. Back in July of 2020 the State enacted a new law that allowed businesses that are granted a Social District Permit to sell beer, wine, mixed spirits, or mixed drinks on their licensed premises to customers who may then consume the alcoholic liquor within the commons area of the Social District. It proved to be an innovative idea to help the restaurant business during a time when pandemic restrictions were still in place. At the start, this initiative was jumped on by some of the bigger cities particularly in areas where a cluster of eateries and drinking establishments existed. Seeing the success of these districts, smaller towns began taking the idea and running with it to create their own enticing outdoor gathering areas. Rockford’s has been in place a couple years, as anyone who attends the Blues on the River concerts knows. This past summer Sparta joined in with their own social district. And now it has come to Newaygo. “Kamille Massey brought the idea of the Social Zone to the city over two years ago, and the City and Chamber believe now is the right time to have a positive, lasting impact on local families, visitors, and of course local businesses,” said Colleen Lynema, Project Coordinator. And don’t think you’ll just be wandering about aimlessly in the parking lot. There has been some serious preparation for the Grand Opening this Friday (Nov. 11) at 4pm. We’re talking cornhole boards, firepits, group seating areas, and all in the glory of the great outdoors. “People need to be around each other more than ever, and the Outback is another way to build community and connect with our neighbors and friends.” stated Carmen Faulkner from the River Stop Cafe. “We look forward to all of the downtown merchants and retailers benefiting from increased traffic and more happy people.” The Outback is planned to be open through the ever popular annual Christmas Walk, Friday, December 1st, and will make its return in the Spring of 2023.   Michigan Mandolin Orchestra at the Dogwood Center on November 11
The Michigan Mandolin Orchestra will perform on the Dogwood Center's Main Stage on Friday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. The Grand Rapids based MMO, led by Michigan’s mandoliner Brian Oberlin, will play an incredible line-up of music from the concert music repertoire. The orchestra will perform concert hall standards, “March from Carmen” and Gabriel Faure’s “Pavane” to Britten’s “Pizzicato Polka”, as well as music written specifically for a mandolin orchestra will cascade from the stage courtesy of contemporary composers Aris Blettenberg and Amadei Amadeo. Tickets are $17.50 and are available online at www.dogwoodcenter.com, at the Dogwood Box Office, or at NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont. Click here for your tickets. The Dogwood Center Box Office is open Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. For information, phone 231.924.8885. |
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