Getting into the holiday spirit is easy when you visit downtown St. Joseph! On Friday, November 22, kick off the holiday season with three great community events - Luminary, Window Wonderland and Countdown to New Year.
Friday (November 22) evening will begin with the warm glow of hundreds of luminaries lining the streets of downtown St. Joseph from 5:00p-8:00p. Luminary, sponsored by The Boulevard Inn & Bistro, creates a great atmosphere for all ages to enjoy sales, specialty items, giveaways, complimentary gift wrapping and gift ideas galore from participating restaurants and businesses.
"We invite the entire community to join us downtown for a festive holiday event," said Paul Knapp, executive director of St. Joe Today. "Whether you’re looking to indulge in holiday treats, enjoy a delicious meal, or find the perfect gift, it’s a wonderful way to celebrate the season with friends and family."
Luminary participants include Affinity Salon & Spa, Caffe Tosi, Chartreuse Art Co-op, Edgewater Gifts, Forever Clean Soap Works, G&M Variety, Gallery on the Alley, Gliks, Grins of St. Joseph, Harbor Town Interiors, Infusco Coffee, Kilwins, Krasl Art Center, Lana's Boutique, Lazy Ballerina Winery, Lee & Birch, Maxwell Boutique, Oh My Darlings, Olive Cart, Perennial Accents, Revive Spa, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, St. Joe Community Taproom, Statements Style Lounge, The Cheese Lady, The Culinary Cottage, The Heritage Museum & Cultural Center, Wanderlust Outfitters, White Pine Winery, Wild Ginger Flowers & Gifts, Yours Truly, Elizabeth! For more information on Luminary visit stjoetoday.com/luminary.
The holiday fun continues on Friday evening with Window Wonderland, a holiday window decorating contest, from 5:00p-8:00p. Attendees are encouraged to view dozens of storefronts that have decorated their windows for the holiday season and can vote for their favorite windows at stjoetoday.com/vote beginning at 5:00p Friday, November 22 until 11:59p Sunday, November 24.
Window Wonderland participants include Affinity Salon & Spa, Baroda Founders, Caffe Tosi, Chartreuse Art Co-op, Edgewater Gifts, Forever Clean Soap Works, FuzzyButz, Gallery on the Alley, Gliks, Grins of St. Joseph, Harbor Town Interiors, Infusco Coffee, Jewelfire Diamond Center, Jimmy John's, Kilwins, Krasl Art Center, Lee & Birch, Oh My Darlings feat. The GhostLight Theatre, Olive Cart, Perennial Accents, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, St. Joe Community Taproom, Statements Style Lounge, The Heritage Museum & Cultural Center, The Toy Company, Waterfront House of Framing & Fashion, White Pine Winery and Yours Truly, Elizabeth! For more information on Window Wonderland visit stjoetoday.com/
To make the most of the giving season, St. Joe Today is excited to host Countdown to New Year, a daily giveaway event throughout the month of December! Shoppers earn one entry per $25 purchase (one time or cumulative) at a St. Joe Today member business. Qualifying purchases must be made between November 22 and December 15 - earn double points for shopping on Luminary (November 22), Window Wonderland (November 22), Small Business Saturday (November 30) and the Reindog Parade (December 7). Additional qualifying purchases include St. Joe Today Gift Certificates and St. Joe Winter Beer Fest tickets (on sale at 10:00a December 1). Receipts for purchases must be presented to an SJT staff member at the Welcome Center by December 15. Participants will be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card to a local SWMI business. Visit stjoetoday.com/countdown for more information.
Additionally, St. Joe Today will kick off the holiday music in downtown St. Joseph during Luminary weekend. Knapp says, “We are excited to carry on this beloved tradition of brightening the holiday season.”
Shoppers and diners alike will enjoy a magical experience this winter season while downtown. Winter lights have been placed along State St. (from Elm St. to Ship St.) as well as Broad St. and Ship St. (Lake Blvd. to Main St.) and Pleasant St. (Lake Blvd. to Court St.). The winter lights will kick off on November 22 and remain up through February in conjunction with Light up the Bluff (December 1 through February 15). The Light Up the Bluff project is presented by the City of St. Joseph.
Knapp says that many downtown businesses will offer specials, such as complimentary gift wrapping, throughout the holiday season. "Shop local, support local businesses, and make a difference in our community!" says Knapp. "Join us for Luminary weekend and Small Business Saturday to find unique gifts and celebrate the holiday season." For more information on Small Business Saturday visit stjoetoday.com/shopsmall.
Catch these additional upcoming St. Joe Today winter events:
Luminary: November 22 (5:00p-8:00p)
Window Wonderland: November 22 (5:00p-8:00p)
Countdown to New Year: November 22-December 15
Small Business Saturday: November 30 (All Day)
Merry & Bright Weekend: December 6-8 (All Weekend)
Reindog Parade: December 7 (3:00p)
Santa Series: December 7-23 (Select Dates/Times)
Holiday Artisan Fair: December 8 (11:00a-4:00p)
St. Joe Today is a 501(c)(3) membership-based organization dedicated to developing and promoting events and businesses in St. Joseph, Michigan and its surrounding communities. For more information about upcoming events and details call St. Joe Today at (269) 985 1111 or visit stjoetoday.com.
