Ludington & Manistee
Ludington
A Lake Michigan harbor town for beach and lighthouse trips, with the S.S. Badger car ferry and a big dune state park just north of town.
Parade · Holiday · Ludington
Aglow on the Avenue
An evening holiday parade along Ludington Avenue that welcomes Santa downtown on Small Business Saturday, paired with the tree lighting at Legacy Plaza.
Aglow on the Avenue opens the holiday season in downtown Ludington. The Chamber Alliance of Mason County and the Downtown Ludington Board host the evening parade, which brings Santa down Ludington Avenue.
The parade is timed to coincide with Small Business Saturday downtown and with the lighting of the downtown tree at Legacy Plaza, so it makes a natural end to a day of browsing the shops along the avenue.
What to expect
The parade travels east on Ludington Avenue between Gaylord Avenue and Harrison Street and is held alongside Downtown Ludington's Small Business Saturday and the downtown tree lighting at Legacy Plaza. Parade entry is free for participants.
Location
Where Aglow on the Avenue happens
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks the town; check the organizer for exact venues.
About Ludington
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
Attraction
S.S. Badger
A 1953 coal-fired steamship and National Historic Landmark that carries passengers and vehicles across Lake Michigan between Ludington and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
Under a mile away (straight line)
State park
Ludington State Park
A big dune park between Hamlin Lake and 7 miles of Lake Michigan shore, with three campgrounds, 21 miles of trails and the walk to Big Sable Point Lighthouse.
About 6 miles away (straight line)
Lighthouse
Big Sable Point Lighthouse
An 1867 lighthouse, 112 feet tall and banded black and white, on the Lake Michigan shore in Ludington State Park. You reach it on a 1.8-mile walk or ride.
About 8 miles away (straight line)
Places to stay nearby
Bed and breakfast · Upscale
Cartier Mansion
On East Ludington Avenue near downtown Ludington
The 1905 neoclassical home of lumberman Warren Cartier, now a bed and breakfast on Ludington Avenue that also runs the nearby 1878 Ludington House.
Bed and breakfast · Mid-range
The Fresh Coast Inn at Ludington
On East Ludington Avenue near the SS Badger dock
A historic home on Ludington Avenue, listed as a State Registered Historic Site, with seven guest rooms and an early breakfast for SS Badger passengers.
Bed and breakfast
The Lamplighter Bed and Breakfast
On East Ludington Avenue, five blocks from downtown Ludington
A five-room bed and breakfast in an 1894 Queen Anne Victorian on Ludington Avenue, a few blocks from downtown Ludington.
Hotel · Budget
Ludington Pier House
On West Ludington Avenue, across from the Lake Michigan beach
A seasonal family motel at the west end of Ludington Avenue, across from Stearns Park beach and within walking distance of downtown.
Listed as open May through October.
More events in and around Ludington
- Gold Coast Artisan FairA mid-August weekend in Ludington's Rotary Park with more than 170 arts and crafts displays, hosted by the Chamber Alliance of Mason County.
- Lantern-Lit Snowshoe Hikes at Ludington State ParkFree evening hikes on a lantern-marked trail at Ludington State Park on select winter Saturdays, ending at a bonfire at the park amphitheater.
- Pure Ludington New Year's Eve Ball DropA downtown Ludington street party on New Year's Eve with live music, a ball drop at midnight and fireworks.
- West Shore Art FairA juried open-air fine art and craft show in Ludington's Rotary Park over the Fourth of July weekend, with a children's art tent.
- Sparkle in the ParkA holiday light display at the Hopkins Park campground in Bear Lake, with more than 100,000 lights to drive through or see by carriage ride.