45th Grayling Christmas Walk to offer variety of activities on Saturday

The 45th Grayling Christmas Walk will offer a variety of events – including a parade, a tree lighting ceremony, business promotions, a Christmas Story Walk, a Cookie Walk, and more – in downtown Grayling on Saturday, November 19. The event is being coordinated by Grayling Main Street and sponsored by the Grayling Promotional Association.

The Christmas Story Walk from the Crawford County Library offers two pages of “The Last Christmas Tree” by Stephen Krensky at 15 different local businesses during the Christmas Walk.

Organizers said the Christmas Story Walk was a way for the library to “be a participant in the Christmas Walk again.”

Flyers for the event that show the participating businesses and reading order are available at the Devereaux Memorial Library and online at www.crawfordcolibrary.org, Christmas Story Walk organizers said.

Project Graduation will be offering a Breakfast with Santa event at Gray Rock Pub & Grub from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday.

From noon to 5 p.m. the Christmas Walk will feature Christmas Village at Paddle Hard Yard (“crafters selling goods and non-profits/community organizations doing fundraisers”) and reindeer for viewing at Huntington Bank, according to Grayling Main Street.

Santa & Santa’s Wonderland at AuSable Artisan Village/Coffee by Steph is slated for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The event will include “activities for children (and) pictures with Santa,” according to organizers.

Michelson Memorial United Methodist Church will offer its Christmas Cookie Walk from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Grayling Promotional Association’s Festival of Trees event will be open at the Grayling Mini Mall during the Christmas Walk from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Organizers said Crawford County Transportation Authority (Dial-A-Ride) buses will be available to shuttle people between the Grayling Mini Mall and the downtown area during the event.

The Festival of Trees – a fundraiser for the Grayling Promotional Association’s community projects – offers visitors a chance to win decorated Christmas trees and gift baskets, many of which have hundreds of dollars worth of items and prizes.

Winners of the AuSable Artisan Village’s third annual Chair Raffle will be drawn at 6 p.m. at the gallery. Tickets for the raffle have been for sale at the AuSable Artisan Village since November 1.

The Christmas Walk Light Parade on Michigan Avenue is slated for 6 p.m. At the end of the parade, a Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony will be conducted at the County Building, event organizers said. 

“We will be traveling from line up on Chestnut Street and parade down Michigan Avenue to the Crawford County Building at the end of Michigan Avenue, where Santa will light the Christmas tree,” Grayling Main Street officials said.

An application to participate in the parade is available online at https://4eyes.io/s/ckeLd/

A Brew Avenue Christmas Shop & Stroll in the downtown Social District is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.

A couple of events will be offered all day during the November 19 Christmas Walk. The Grayling Promotional Association’s Department 56 Christmas Display will be available at The Curator on Saturday and the “Spend $10, Win Big!” promotion will be offered at “participating retailers” during the Christmas Walk.