News

Register to attend as a guest at: http://greenlighteastjordan16.eventbrite.com

Thursday, September 15 – Paddle Antrim Kick-Off Party – Ellsworth Community Park – 5:30 – 7:30 PM, Live Music by Kellerville, The Landing Food Truck and more. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun.

Friday & Saturday, September 16 & 17 – Paddle Antrim – Leaving Ellsworth’s Wooden Shoe Beach on Friday at 8:00 AM, stop down to cheer on the paddlers!

Thursday, September 22 – Business After Hours – Location: Grandvue Medical Care Facility, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Co-Sponsored by: Grandvue and 4Front Credit Union. Chamber Members FREE, Not-Yet-Members $10

Saturday, September 24
Charlevoix County Crop Walk – 9:00 AM
Fall Fest – Tourist Park – 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Fall Fest – Downtown – 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Fall Pie Bake Contest – 1:00 PM
Leaf Peeker Craft Show – 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Halloween Costume Sale/Swap, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Jordan River Arts Council – Chalk on the Walk & Rare Threads, 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Friends of the Jordan – Photo Contest Celebration, 1:00 PM- 4:00 PM
East Jordan Rotary Club – Fall Airplane Rides, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Breezeway Fall Color Cruise – Goodie Bag Pick-up, 10:00 AM – Noon

Saturday, October 1 & 8 – Breezeway Fall Color Cruise – Goodie Bag Pick-up, 10:00 AM – Noon

Don’t be left out of this fantastic opportunity. If you have an idea, invention, business plan or are thinking about opening a business along the Breezeway Communities of Atwood, Ellsworth, East Jordan and Boyne Falls and need further information, have questions or need assistance with your business plan, please contact the East Jordan Area Chamber of Commerce TODAY!! If you would like to schedule a time (morning, day or evening) to meet with a member of our Green Light East Jordan Team for a confidential meeting to explain the competition, application and event, Please contact the Chamber Office at 231-536-7351. Share this information with your family and friends! Deadline for Green Light applications is Sunday, September 11, 2016.

Online applications at http://greenlighteastjordan.com

First Place – $10,000.00 and a seat at the Green Light Final Competition in March 2017 to compete for up to $50,000.00 in awards.

Second Place – $3,000.00

Third Place – $1,500.00

People’s Choice – $500.00

To attend as a guest at the Green Light Business Competition at Castle Farms, Wednesday, October 12, 2016, you must register at http://greenlighteastjordan16.eventbrite.com

The Portside Arts Fair is pleased to announce its 2016 purchase prize winners.  Russ and Sue Bolt, from Bolt Studio of Charlevoix, were this year’s judges who chose the winning pieces which are a permanent part of the Cygred Riley Gallery at the East Jordan Historical Society museum at Elm Pointe.  Prizes were sponsored by Charlevoix State Bank and East Jordan Plastics.

The 2-dimensional winner was T.L. Baumhardt, from Petoskey, for her whimsical fairy watercolors.  The 3-dimensional winners were Ron and Cynthia Tschudy, from East Jordan, for their textural stoneware.  Honorable Mention ribbons were awarded to Pam Kane and Billie McKee, of Howell, for their amazing loom weavings; Darrin Podskalny, from East Jordan, for his colorful recycled ski furniture; and to Suzanne Malpass Rogers, of East Jordan, for her children’s books.  Congratulations to these wonderful Michigan artists.

Photo: (Back) Billie McKee, Ron Tschudy, Suzanne Malpass Rogers, Darrin Podskalny.

(Front) Pam Kane, Cynthia Tschudy, T.L. Baumhardt.

The official kick-off to summer 2016 is almost here! The July 4th Holiday Weekend is a mere few days away and Northern Michigan is already experiencing the impact of the busy tourist season. Traffic has increased and our businesses are starting to see a nice flow of customers. Our Calendar of Events in chocked full of spectacular activities, events, experiences and recreational opportunities to enjoy with family, friends or by yourself. Be sure to check out our Chamber Calendar on our website.

Tickets are still available for the Joshua Davis concert. Davis will perform on the stage at the East Jordan Community Auditorium on Thursday, July 7, 7:00 PM. Don’t miss seeing this Voice competition winner. Joshua is truly a great Michigan Musician who is a special treat to see in a live concert!. Please share this concert information with your friends and family! Tickets are available at http://www.mynorthtickets.com

July 4th Events
Next week brings the 4th of July “Celebration Band Concert”, 7:00 PM in Memorial Park at the band shell. Enjoy a wonderful free concert and then head to your favorite 4th of July fireworks display.
The Circus comes to Ellsworth, July 4th with 2 performances at the Ellsworth Sports Park. Reduced price advanced tickets are available at the East Jordan Area Chamber of Commerce Office.

The South Arm Classics Car and Boat Show and Micro Brew Tent take place on Saturday, July 9th downtown East Jordan. Car Show organizers anticipate over 150 cars to be on display on Main Street and Boat Show organizers expect to have over 50 classic boats on display in the water and on land. The shows run from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM and are sponsored by the East Jordan Lions Club. Full Circle and Jon Archambault Band will entertain show attendees on the band shell in Memorial Park throughout the day. The Micro Brew Tent will open at 2:00 PM and run until 8:00 PM. The Hacky Turtles will provide the musical entertainment in the tent. The East Jordan Freedom Festival is sponsoring the Micro Brew Tent.

Congratulations to Cannonball LLC on their announcement that they have signed their first tenant to their building at 101 Main Street downtown East Jordan. Welcome to Adam and Jill Kline owners of the new Blue Smoke Grill. The restaurant will feature a Southern inspired menu of comfort food, cooked from the heart, over a live fire. Adam and Jill are also the owners of Pigs Eating Ribs, 4 food trucks and a take-out restaurant in Charlevoix. Blue Smoke Grill will be their first full service restaurant and will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are looking at a Fall 2016 opening date for the restaurant.

If you haven’t driven into East Jordan on either M-32 or South M-66 you need to! Two new entry-way signs were installed last week prior to Freedom Festival. They are beautiful!!

Ellsworth Pig Roast – June 17 – 18

CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

East Jordan Freedom Festival – June 21 – 26

CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Please be sure to check out the many happenings listed below.

A few notes –
Tickets are going quickly for the 15th Annual Celebrity Dinner, Monday, May 16 at the Landing. Get to the Chamber for your tickets. Only 100 will be sold!

Business After Hours – Tomorrow Night, Thursday, April 14 at Raven Hill Discovery Center, proudly Co-Sponsored by Raven Hill and East Jordan Public Schools – 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

East Jordan Business District Open House of Available Commercial Proprieties For Rent or Sale – Saturday, April 16, 1-3 PM. Pick up information at E.J. Chamber Office or on our website, https://ejchamber.org. Business District Open House List

“Energize, Engage, Enhance East Jordan” Wednesday, April 20, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Free Community Picnic. 6:30 – Presentation by Cheri Najor, 7:15 – 8:15 PM Clubs, Organizations and Festivals Expo. Door prizes. Let’s all reach out to new members of our community and others who are not yet involved in a club, organization or event. Let’s try to enhance our community by engaging more volunteers. “Many hands make less work for all”.

We need your 2016-17 Visitors Guide/Membership Directory ad information, as well as business update information by the end of the week.

Congratulations to the winners of the 35th Annual Sno-Blast Winter Festival –

Bekki Brusse – Belle of the Blizzard
Greg Porter – Winter Knight

Sno-Sculpture winners – Thank you Darlene’s Restaurant for sponsoring
1st Place Sno-Sculpture – Sladick’s Family (Horses)
Tie 2nd Place Sno-Sculpture – Argetsinger Family
Roger Clark

Coloring Contest Winners – Thank you BC Pizza of East Jordan for sponsoring
0-5 – Emma Murray
6-7 – Sakari Anthony
8-9 – Owen Chappuies
Adult – Todd Downing

Softball in the snow winning team – Thank you Essence Salon for sponsoring and Nikki Skrocki for organizing.

Thank you to the Sno-Blast Committee – Connie Massey, Gerry Argetsinger and Shannon Fender.

Thank you Father Chet Collins – St. Joseph Church for performing the Blessing of the Sleds, Little Traverse Conservancy, Jordan Valley Outfitters and Save-A-Lot for sponsoring the snow shoe event. East Jordan Rotary Club for sponsoring the Chili Supper. Wild Game & Foraged Food Dinner at Martha Wagbo Farm and Education Center, Jordan River Arts Council for hosting the Annual Winter Party and Dance and the East Jordan Sno-Mobilers for allowing the use of the club and their Sno-Lovers Breakfast.

It truly takes many people to make a festival! Thanks once again!

What a difference a few days can make in Northern Michigan! From considering doing a “snow dance” due to no show and warm temperatures to ” Winter Storm Watches and Warnings”, severe wind chill temps, whiteouts and more! Finally from our Chamber Office windows, we are seeing snowmobiles on the horizon and in our town. Reminder to all drivers, be aware of the snowmobile traffic and pedestrians in our communities. As the white-out conditions continue, it is often difficult to see individuals or sleds.

Our office is a flurry of activity as we prepare for this weekends trip to Grand Rapids for the MI Camping and RV Show and the Annual Auction. Auction items are needed for the Annual Auction on January 30 in conjunction with the Annual meeting/dinner/awards. We are so fortunate to have the famous auctioneer Scott MacKenzie back with us once again this year. Scott is so enthusiastic about our area, the Chamber and people! We greatly appreciate his dedication and talent. Remember – also, we need your diner reservations ASAP!