What do you do during the autumn season? Have you checked out the Saturday Farmer’s Market in the Opera House parking lot?

The farm market season began in July and there are no signs of it slowing down. When it comes to the Downtown Farmer’s Market, my “person in the know” is Mary Whaley from the Cheboygan Daily Tribune. When I called my source to see what is making an appearance at the market, I was amazed: tomatoes, peppers, hot peppers, squash, apples, corn, potatoes, melons, beans, cabbage, broccoli, flowers, herbs and even some ghords. The market is open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This is a fabulous place to purchase locally grown food so please check it out!

The fall sports season is upon us. Does your family attend any of the competitions? Whether it’s football, volleyball or soccer, make a night of it. Celebrate Cheboygan by attending the local contests in your orange and black sweatshirts and then grab a bite to eat. Downtown retailers have Cheboygan gear and there are many places to eat in Downtown Cheboygan so celebrate the Chiefs and support local Downtown businesses! The fall season in Downtown is like that of a Norman Rockwell painting. It doesn’t get much better than this does it? Go Cheboygan! Go Chiefs! Go Downtown!

For some parents, there is a feeling of calmness and anticipation of getting the kids back into a regular routine and schedule; but for some kids (and parents alike) there is a feeling of panic as there isn’t much time to back into a routine.

What do you need for school? New clothes, shoes, backpacks, socks, underwear (you can’t have too many pairs of underwear and socks), paper, pencils, folders, ink pens, the list goes on and on and on. So, where do you go to get these items? Downtown is just the ticket! Can you get everything you need? Maybe, maybe not… but there is definitely time to start your search now in Downtown Cheboygan!

The retailers in Downtown Cheboygan have clothes. Did you prepare by shopping during the Sidewalk Sales? This would have been a great time to get good deals on merchandise. Yes, the retailers were marking down summer items, but the kids can wear summer clothes the first month or two of school so this would be a good time to purchase new clothes at reduced rates. (Remember this tip for next year!) Even now, the summer merchandise can be picked up at reasonable prices. It’s worth a trip Downtown to the local retailers to just see what you can get. The great thing about shopping Downtown, is that every other kid is not going to have the same exact shirt as the kid next to them, like when you shop at the chain stores. By spending money locally, you are helping to keep that money in Cheboygan.

The retailers understand that you may not be able to purchase all of your school gear Downtown, but perhaps you should BEGIN your shopping quest in Cheboygan. There are many places to choose from. You can purchase most of the things on your list in Downtown Cheboygan…take a look around and you may be surprised to see what the Downtown merchants have in store for back-to-school season!

The Cheboygan Opera House is the place to be this September. Have you purchased your tickets yet?

Citizens National Bank presents “Whispers of the North: A Gordon Lightfoot Tribute” on September 8 at 7:30 p.m. Mike Fornes, Straits Area native and Cheboygan Tribune journalist, brings his rendition of Gordon Lightfoot to the Opera House stage. Mike promises that his audience will hear the best known tunes from Gordon’s catalogue, and other songs typical of a Gordon Lightfoot “casino-style”concert. The show includes such standards as “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown,” “Carefree Highway” and “Rainy Day People.” Plus, of course, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

 The 90-minute show will be performed “casino-style” with no intermission to accommodate several busloads of senior citizens touring the area. The concept will provide an opportunity to welcome visiting motorcoaches to Cheboygan. This will sure be a treat to see members of our community take on a tribute of Gordon Lightfoot. Seats for the 7:30 p.m. concert are on sale at the Opera House box office at $18 each.

Another musical legend is honored at the Opera House in September. “Ricky Nelson Remembered” is a unique multi media entertainment event featuring the live music of Ricky Nelson’s hit songs (including “Hello Mary Lou”, “Travelin’ Man”, “Garden Party”) performed by Ricky’s own twin sons Matthew & Gunnar Nelson. The show is sure to appeal to a wide audience of multiple generations and celebrates the life of America’s original ‘Teen Idol’.

The Nelsons grandparents, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, achieved immortality with “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” the longest-running sitcom in television history. Earlier, the couple had enjoyed big band success and had scored a number one hit in 1934. Ricky Nelson emerged from the series’ popularity to establish himself as one of the most important rock artists of the ‘50s and ‘60s with over 100 million record sales and three (3) number ones of his own. So, with Matthew and Gunnar’s “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection”, the Nelsons landed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the only family to reach number one record status in three successive generations.

Please, take in a show at the Opera House this September… and relive a part of your past through music. And the best part of all? You are experiencing it right here in Downtown Cheboygan!

Hey folks can you hear that? It’s the sound of your Downtown retailers slashing prices on their sidewalk sales merchandise! The annual Downtown Cheboygan Sidewalk Sales are slated for August 5-7 (Thursday, Friday & Saturday).

Sidewalk Sales are a good time for retailers to assess their summer merchandise and offer fantastic savings to customers. Stores open at 10:00 a.m. and will have displays on the sidewalks and in the parking spaces in front of their businesses. In some places you will find special deals inside the stores as well. Remember to take a break from your shopping and enjoy a nice lunch downtown.

I love the Downtown Sidewalk Sales. This is a great time to meet up with friends and scour the racks, looking for the best buys on some fantastic merchandise. It’s so much fun to shop on the street and run into friends doing the same thing. I can yell out to my friend, Nancy, “Hey do you think this will look good on me?” And she will respond with an honest yes or sometimes no. Even if she does tell me something isn’t really my color or size, she helps me to find something else that is perfect for me. That is what is so great about shopping with friends! I have another friend, Tonya, who shops exceptionally fast. I have never seen someone look through merchandise with such speed. She is a determined shopper…when she sees it, and she likes it, she buys it. There’s no hemming or hawing with that girl! She can grab a bite to eat, shop the sidewalk sales, and be back at work before her lunch hour is up. Simply amazing.

Sidewalk Sales are not limited to only clothing stores. You will see all sorts of merchandise during the sales. All of the Downtown retail stores get in on the fun of the sales. You will even see a Downtown Cheboygan merchandise table on Thursday. Vintage t-shirts from past Street Fairs and Music Fests will be available for purchase, as well as Downtown tote bags and baseball caps.

In addition to the great deals, you will also have a chance for some entertainment. On Thursday, “Very Much So” will have a musical performance from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the grassy area next to Mulligan’s. Members of the Cheboygan High School jazz lab will have a jazz trio that will entertain the shoppers as they move from store to store. On Friday plan on having lunch at the Citizens National Bank parking lot. Employees from CNB will have a hot dog sale on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with all proceeds going to the Cheboygan County Habitat for Humanity. DJ Dan Frazier will provide musical entertainment as well.

There will definitely be a festive flavor in the air this weekend. Find your way Downtown for Sidewalk Sales Thursday, Friday & Saturday. There will be plenty of shopping, entertainment and food. Downtown Cheboygan is the place to shop, dine & unwind!

It’s the middle of summer already… where has it gone? I love, love, love summer in Cheboygan! The sunshine, boats cruising the River, kids laughing and playing in the park, and the pitter patter of feet on the Downtown street…what a sound and sight to see!

Have you taken in the flavor of Downtown this summer? There is so much to see and do in the Downtown district. The retail shops are full of summer deals and the restaurants have their summer menus in full swing. In some cases you can even dine outside – what a treat!

Not only can you shop and dine in the Downtown area, but you can attend one of the many summer events taking place. July 10th brings us the Downtown Cheboygan Summer Street Fair which is a fun time for people of all ages. The Arts & Craft Show on Main Street will be a hit with the adults, but the inflatable carnival is sure to be a draw with the kids. Yes, there is a lot of activity geared toward the kids, but the grown ups will enjoy the event just as much. It is a fun time to spend with your family in Downtown Cheboygan and many of the activities are free or have a nominal fee to participate.

A new aspect to the Street Fair this year is the Art Without Borders The VSAMI-Northeast will will present an Art Activity utilizing Accessible Tools for Creative Expression, focusing on disability awareness and community collaboration. The program consists of a variety of painting tools that are adaptable to wheel-chairs. These tools, plus Pogo Sticks and other gadgets, are used to create wonderful artistic and colorful designs on heavy mural paper which is secured to the pavement. This event will take place in the intersection of Main and Division Streets.

Don’t miss the fun of Downtown Idol in Washington Park. Hosted this year by Big Country radio personality Nikki Lynn, the Downtown Idol contest is sure to be a hit. Cheboygan celebrity judges, Gary Lamberg, Christine Nola, and Tammy Reilley will do their best Randy Paula and Simon impersonations so that will be a treat. Any interested “Idol” can sign up in Washington Park between Noon and 4 pm. The cost is $5 and there are two age categories: Junior Idols are15 & under and Downtown Idols are 16 & older.

The fun of the Downtown Cheboygan Summer Street Fair will definitely give you a flavor of Downtown Cheboygan…check it out!