Tickets for Bellaire's busiest December evening go on sale this Saturday, November 7, at a school fair. The 17th annual Soup Cook-Off at Light Up the Night costs $15 a person and has a limited number of tickets. The Bellaire Area Chamber of Commerce is starting sales at its Holiday Gift Fair and then moving them to the participating restaurants.
That link between the first fair of November and the main event of December fits the whole 2026 season in Antrim County. Through November, the towns mostly hold their events on different dates, one weekend at a time. On Saturday, December 5, Bellaire, Elk Rapids and a yak ranch outside Mancelona all have something on the same day. The rest of this guide follows the calendar in order.
The Chamber's 43rd Annual Holiday Gift Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, at Bellaire Middle School, 204 W. Forrest Home Ave. The Antrim Review describes it as an annual gathering of local artisans, crafters and vendors set up as a one-stop holiday shopping day.
Most people will come for the gifts. If you want to do the soup tasting on December 5, this is also your first chance to buy a ticket, and the Chamber says they are limited.
You can also stop at Bellaire Public Library, 111 S. Bridge St. The Antrim Review reports that retired local history teacher Gary Manville has a miniature Gettysburg exhibit there through November 14, open during regular library hours.
For the next two Saturdays, according to The Antrim Review's holiday craft show roundup, the craft shows rotate around the county:
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Amvets Auxiliary Craft Show, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | 410 Bridge St., Elk Rapids |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | TAAG Annual Arts and Crafts Show | Helena Township Community Center, 8751 Helena Rd., Alden |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Mancelona craft show | Mancelona elementary school, 231 W. Limits Rd. |
The Elk Rapids show serves lunch, is open to the public, and gives all its proceeds to kids' programs. If you go to the Alden show on the 21st, the same building has a free exhibit of Lona Goodrich's pewter figurines, presented by Alden District Library and open through November 28, according to The Antrim Review.
The two shows on November 21 are on opposite sides of the county, in Alden and Mancelona. Apart from that Saturday, the November schedule never puts two downtowns on the same date.
Thanksgiving weekend opens on Friday night in Elk Rapids, and on Saturday the ranch's morning hours end before Alden's afternoon begins.
Friday, November 27, Elk Rapids. The village tree lighting and Santa's arrival run from 6 to 8 p.m. on River Street. The tree stands in front of Bayfront Beach and Bike. The evening includes caroling and hot cocoa, and the Second Chance Mushers bring their sled dogs for a meet and greet. The Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and the Events Alliance organize it.
Saturday, November 28, Alden. The Alden Christmas Celebration fills downtown at the New Village Center from 3 to 7 p.m. The schedule is tight:
Saturday, November 28, Mancelona. Christmas at the Ranch opens the same morning at A Yak or 2 Ranch, 6885 County Rd 571. It runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the four Saturdays after Thanksgiving. Wagon rides leave at 10, 11, noon and 1, and this is the second year for the market of local vendors. The ranch wraps up before Alden starts at 3, so you can do both in one day.
Central Lake breaks from the Saturday pattern. The Village's annual Window Night hayrides are on December 2, a Wednesday. This year the Village is asking local businesses, organizations, families and individuals to adopt a campsite at Thurston Park and decorate it for the hayrides. A site costs $20 to reserve through the Village Office at 231-544-6483. You can find details on the Village of Central Lake's post.
Window Night is the first event on this calendar held on a weeknight, three days before Bellaire's busiest Saturday.
The first Saturday in December is the busiest date on the calendar. Bellaire's 17th Annual Light Up the Night & Soup Cook-Off runs the full day on Broad Street. The 2026 parade theme is "Christmas Traditions." The Chamber calls the schedule tentative, and as posted it runs like this:
The $15 ticket that goes on sale November 7 is for the soup tasting. Eleven restaurants and culinary teams are competing:
Two smaller Bellaire efforts run during that same week: a Friends of the Library Auction at Bellaire Public Library and a Toys for Tots drop-off for new, unwrapped toys at Edward Jones, both listed from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Bellaire isn't the only thing on the calendar that day. In Elk Rapids, the HERTH benefit A Starry, Starry Night takes over Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall the same Saturday, with dinner, craft cocktails, a silent auction, music and dancing. The Mancelona ranch also holds its second Saturday of wagon rides and market that morning.
The times do leave room for a few of these. The ranch's last wagon ride leaves at 1 p.m., before Bellaire's soup tasting starts at 4:30. In November, most of these events had a day to themselves. On December 5, a Bellaire evening and an Elk Rapids evening fall on the same night.
Once Bellaire's big night is over, Elk Rapids switches to weeknights. Ladies Night in Elk Rapids is Thursday, December 10, from 3 to 8 p.m. Early-bird shopping runs from 3 to 5, and the main event follows from 5 to 8, with shopping specials, treats and festive drinks across downtown and Ames Street.
Men's Night in Elk Rapids follows a week later, on Thursday, December 17, from 5 to 8 p.m., with holiday specials, drinks and snacks in the same downtown and Ames Street shops.
Out on County Rd 571, Christmas at the Ranch holds its last two Saturdays on December 12 and December 19, still from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The season that opens with a gift fair in a Bellaire school ends with weeknight shopping in Elk Rapids and a final wagon ride outside Mancelona.
If you're thinking about a second home or a move closer to Bellaire, Elk Rapids or the Chain of Lakes, Molly Buttleman can talk you through how each town's year runs, the holidays included. Inquire Now.
Molly is Michigan native and has called the Grand Traverse and Leelanau County region home for more than 30 years. Understanding the demands of today's buyers and sellers has allowed her to be a top producing agent when it comes to Antrim, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau County real estate year after year. As a relationship building person, she enjoys developing loyal friends and customers. As a Real Estate Professional, she builds those same lasting relationships with both Buyers and Sellers. Service is Molly's top priority.
Molly is known for listening and problem-solving, often putting her own real-life buying, selling, and renovating experience to use for her clients. Her construction industry connections also give her clients an extra sense of trust, especially if they are looking to add value to a property with a remodel.
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