December 3-6, 2009

The Christmas season is upon us, and Manistee kicks off the festivities in a big way, with their Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas weekend. This annual event brings as many as 10,000 visitors to Manistee to experience the wonder of a Christmas gone by.
The highlight of the parade is the Belgian draft horses that pull 30' Christmas trees down River Street.

The entire weekend is filled with wonderful activities, including the Gingerbread House contest, Festival of Trees, and guided tours of Babcock House, a grand lumberman's mansion. Manistee is a great place to pick up those gifts for everyone on your list, and downtown restaurants welcome you into their cozy establishments for a delicious meal. As the snow flies, enjoy the carolers, decked out in period dresses, coats, and top hats. It's certainly the right setting to put you in a festive holiday mood.

Thursday:
10am-5pm, A Polish Christmas in the Church, School, Family and Community
6pm, Santa Claus arrives
7pm, Victorian Dessert Concert, Faith Covenant Church

Friday:
10am-7pm, Victorian Gingerbread House Contest, Manistee Assembly of God Church
10am-8pm, A Polish Christmas in the Church, School, Family and Community
12pm-8pm, Historic River Street Open House, downtown Manistee
1-3pm, Guided Tours of Ramsdell Theater
1-4pm, Guided Tours of the Babcock House
1-8pm, Festival of Trees, Historic Briney Building
2-6pm Open House at Pamela's Interiors, Design & Construction
5:30pm, Las Posadas, River Street
6-8pm, Manistee Art Institute student exhibit, Historic Ramsdell Theater
7pm, Christmas Campanile Concert, First Congregational Church
8pm, Oliver, Historic Ramsdell Theater

Saturday:
9am-4pm, Sleighbell arts & crafts show & bake sale, Manistee High School
10am-2pm, Chickadee Christmas at Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary
10am-2pm, Emile Henry Chili Cook-Off
10am-3pm, Victorian Gingerbread House Contest
10am-8pm, A Polish Christmas in the Church, School, Family, and Community
10am-8pm Historic River Street Open House
11am-1pm Lumberjack Lunch, First Congregational Church
11am-7pm, Food Court, city drive parking lot
1-3pm, Guided Tours of Ramsdell Theater
1-4pm, Guided tours of the Babcock House
1-4pm, Historic Building Tours
12pm-4pm, Horse Drawn Surrey Rides, downtown Manistee
1-8pm, Festival of Trees, historic Briney Building
1-8pm, Manistee Art Institute student exhibit, Historic Ramsdell Theater
2-4pm Santa's Northern Michigan Headquarters, downtown Manistee
4pm, Christmas Concert, Heritage Square
4:30pm, Kiwanis Kops
4:30-7:30pm, Roasted Chestnuts, downtown Manistee
5:30pm, Victorian Sleighbell Parade
After parade, caroling around around tree and warm cider
7-9pm, Guided Tours by Gaslight of the Babcock House
6pm-7:30pm, Warm Up Dinner, Manistee United Methodist Church
7:30pm, Santa's Northern Michigan Headquarters, downtown Manistee
8pm, Oliver, Historic Ramsdell Theater

Sunday:
10am, Victorian Church Service, First Congregational Church
10am-2pm, Festival of Trees, Historic Briney Building
10am-5pm, A Polish Christmas in the Church, School, Family and Community
1-4pm, Manistee Art Institute student exhibit, Historic Ramsdell Theater
2pm, Oliver, Historic Ramsdell Theater
1-4pm Guided Tours of the Babcock House
2-5pm, Santa's Northern Michigan Headquarters, downtown Manistee