Take tour of the Bay Side of the peninsula to get the best foods around. There will be the Winter Wine & Cherry Festival at Orchard Country Winery, the “SOUP!!” Benefit at Peninsula School of Art or the Chili Cook-off at the tent set up in Clark Park. Since you’re up here for the weekend, be sure to check out the Super Bowl at one of our many great restaurants around the peninsula.  Also, if you’re looking for a place to stay, check out Door County Lodging for great last minute rooms.

Friday

• 12-5pm Blood Drive at Northern Door YMCA
• 1-4pm Ice Carving at Clark Park
• 6:30-10pm- Rock & Roll Art Night @ Hands On Art Studio (21+)

Saturday

• 10-12pm Ice Sculpture Carving
• 10-5pm- Winter Wine & Cherry Fest @ Orchard Country Winery
• 10-3pm Live Chainsaw Carving Demonstrations
• 10-5pm Human Foosball Tournament
• 10:30am- PARADE
• 10-5pm- Winter Fest in the tent @ Clark Park
• 11-3pm- “Soup!” benefit @ Pen. Art School
• 11-5pm- Free Trolley Rides through town
• Noon- Chili Cook-off @ the Tent
• 5:30pm Fireworks Display
• 5:30-8pm- Candlelight Ski @ Peninsula State Park
• 7-9pm- Peninsula Players “Baby Wants Candy” at DC Auditorium
• 9pm-12am- Big Mouth @ Alexander’s

Sunday

• 10:30am Fish Creek Fruit Loop Fun Run
• 11am Winter Fest Grand Prize Drawing of $2,500 cash
• Stay for the Super Bowl! Many businesses will be open!

A Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual event in Jacksonport and definitely not to be missed. Although the parade route is only four blocks long, you can see it up to three times.  The parade may not be long but it has a huge turnout and an even bigger heart. Every year, proceeds from this family favorite go to a local family to need.

Roasted turkey, home made stuffing and all the trimmings are sure to fill you up but if not, I know the many types of home made pies and desserts will. Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate being around family, not worrying about putting on a huge meal and the clean up that inevitably comes after so start a new tradition and go out! Many of our wonderful restaurants will be opening their doors for Thanksgiving such as Harbor Fish Market & Grille, The English Inn, The Grill Room at Cherry Hills,Kitty O’Reillys Irish Pub and Saveur .  No matter what style dinner you are looking for, there is a place for your family to go.

Thanksgiving weekend has more to it than a big meal! The rest of the weekend is yours to fill with some of our many activities. Sister Bay is hosting Capture the Spirit including a tree lighting ceremony at 4:30 pm, caroling and storytelling at the new Waterfront Park. While there, check out the Village Hall for the Friends of Gibraltar Arts & Crafts Show featuring local artists. This show will be taking place on both Friday and Saturday starting at 10 am. There will be a lunch available there from 11:30 -2:30.

Holly Days will be going on in Egg Harbor on Friday and Saturday. Start it off right on Friday by having breakfast with Santa at the Landmark Resort from 8:30 to 10:30. At 9 am, the kids’ scavenger hunt begins as well as the Mistle Dough Contest. Horse drawn Wagon Rides will be available from 2-5 pm. At 4 o’clock, bring the kids for some good old fashion caroling downtown.  On Saturday, you can catch a ride on the horse drawn wagon if you miss it on Friday. Rides will be available from 1 to 4 pm.

Door County is bustling with activities even after the season is officially over. Come experience true holiday spirit with us!

The 2nd Annual Royal Feast Buffet dining extravaganza will take place featuring not only the King and Queen in full regalia, but the entire Royal Court and a crescendo performance by the Kaheena Belly Dancers. The chefs will provide a festive array of chicken and ribs with a variety of other specialties and desserts in an unlimited buffet.

Cast members from the Door County Renaissance Fantasy Faire will be strolling about and dining in fabulous costumes, willing to strike a pose with guests for photographs. Queen Catherine and King Edward are members of “Have Court, Will Travel!” a professional troupe of more than a dozen re-enactors that portray a fictitious court in the historical time period of the 1550s. They are in Door County to celebrate the 2nd annual Door County Renaissance Fantasy Faire that takes place in the magical woodlands of Carlsville on the weekends preceding and following the Royal Buffet.

Dining is from 5 – 8 pm, and will be capped off at 8 pm with a performance by Sarisha and Jessika, members of the Kaheena Belly Dance Troupe. They arrived at the festival in a gypsy wagon filled with dancers, who are also performing over both weekends in Carlsville.

Jesika

There may also be several Knights, members of Noble Cause Productions, a company performing at the Faire that specializes in jousting, stage combat instruction, fight choreography, and horse stunts.

The dining experience is intended to provide a taste of the color and pageantry of the renaissance time period. Each court member is a fully fleshed out character who can interact and improvise with patrons of all ages. Knighting and Lady selection ceremonies, merchant visits, and royal audiences are all a part of the Door County Renaissance Fantasy Faire experience. Two weekends of historical adventure, entertainment, fun and festivities with a Royal Court Dinner in between make this year’s festival a highlight for families and individuals who love the days of olde.

Tickets for the dinner and entertainment are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Children 10 and under are $15 in advance and $17.50 at the door. Please RSVP to dcrff@att.net or call 920.973.8233 for more information or to make reservations.

The Door County Renaissance Fantasy Faire is open rain or shine for two weekends June 25 – 26 and July 2 – 3 from 10 am ’til 6 pm on Saturdays and from 10 am ’til 4 pm on Sundays. Making its home in a lyrical forest and meadow setting at 5226 Monument Point Road in Egg Harbor (just 1 mile north of Carlsville), with daily admission $12 for Adults (16+), $9 for children (ages 5-15) and Seniors (over 60). Children under 5 and military personnel, currently active or retired (with proper identification) are always admitted free. A $1 discount is available to all who donate a non-perishable food item for local food banks or who arrive dressed in period garb.

For more information contact the producer, Sandy Stetler (aka Lady Bliss) by phone at 920.746.6773, e-mail dcrff@att.net and visit DoorCoWIRenaissance.com, Join in the Facebook fun and conversation at facebook.com/RenaissanceFaire.

The Spelling Bee starts at 7:30 and the top three finishers will be awarded gift certificates to the restaurant or wine bar. If you’re feeling hungry, the appetizers and small plates menu will be available as well as a selection of delectable desserts.

The Cookery is open daily serving lunch and dinner every day, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, and the wine bar is also open daily at 3 p.m. The Cookery is located at 4135 Highway 42, Fish Creek. For more information about the spelling bee or The Cookery, call 920-868-3634 or visit cookeryfishcreek.com.

Kelly will be displaying many new photographs taken during Glas Coffeehouse’s weekly Wednesday Open Mic sessions, some winter scenes in Door County and photos from her most recent trip to Maui. The Avenson Photography exhibit will be on display at Glas throughout the month of April.

Immediately after Kelly Avenson’s graduation from Hawkeye Community College in 2007, she jumped at the opportunity to use her photojournalism degree in the Dominican Republic, documenting nursing students’ relief efforts in the Jarabacoa’s emergency room. In 2009, she traveled to Jamaica to provide family portraits to the people of Hagley Gap. Both trips not only taught her a lot about photography, but proved to her that she choose the right path.

“My goal is to make a difference in peoples’ lives with photography,” she explains. “Whether it’s putting a smile on the faces of a family or giving a voice to those in need, I have one mission – to make a difference.”

After moving to Door County in 2007 for a newspaper internship, she progressed to freelancing. Her work has been seen in the Resorter Reporter, Door County Now and the Door County Advocate. In 2008, having made a name for herself in the community, Kelly decided that it was time to open the doors to her own photography studio on Jefferson Street. She is thankful for all the support and guidance provided by Marilyn Beachler (Java on Jefferson) and Irene (Anna Rose ReSale).

“I can’t thank those wonderful ladies enough for all their help and input while I got my feet on the ground with a fresh business,” says Kelly.

Greco Gallery on 3rd Avenue

Now she is moving and expanding her business to a new spot on 3^rd Avenue, a studio and art gallery located between two book stores. Greco Gallery will showcase local artists working in all media from jewelry to paintings and even some concrete art!

Kelly says, “It’s been a labor of love. I’ve transformed the space into something I’m truly proud of and looking forward to opening.”

You can visit www.KellyAvenson.com to view samples of her work.

The Door County Buy Local program is a grass-root economic development initiative that seeks to strengthen local businesses, increase employment opportunities and educate the public about the importance of buying locally whenever possible.

The Buy Local Agriculture sub-committee will present a 20-minute program designed to stimulate discussion of the issues facing local producers and consumers. Refreshments and appetizers will be served.  A $5 donation is requested.

Attendees are asked to bring business cards and information about their farms and businesses. A set of tables will be used to display promotional literature and information about Door County Buy Local and its members.

To join Door County Buy Local or to check out the events scheduled throughout the year, go to www.DoorCountyBuyLocal.com.

pat mAcdonald and melaniejane aka Purgatory Hill

Purgatory Hill, comprised of Door County’s own pat mAcdonald and Milwaukee transplant melaniejane is coming home to perform at Sturgeon Bay’s Cherry Lanes on Saturday April 23 at 10 pm. This duo has been hard at work since August of 2007 when pat mAcdonald first saw melaniejane perform on her electric cello and invited her to “sit in on a few.” The rest is history in the making, as they have been performing non-stop ever since.

Nowadays, even though their current sound is heavy with mAcdonald’s low-down, dirty, amped-out cigarbox guitar and melaniejane’s organ and percussion, they have not abandoned their original configuration featuring guitar and electric cello. With an entire night of their own, you can see it all at Cherry Lanes on Saturday April 23. melaniejane opens with solo cello/looping at 10pm. Look for Purgatory Hill’s second studio album “Invisible Pistols” to be released later this spring.

Continuing to thrive on a state of constant evolution and the ever-increasing mileage accumulated their white Chevy Astro, we look forward to the return of this rockin’ duo!

A portion of the proceeds, as designated by each individual business, will go towards the Door County YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. For example, Cornucopia Kitchen Corner will be donating 10% of their sales each Monday in April to the campaign while Fatzo’s will be donating $1 for every pizza sold and Van’s Bar and Grill $1 for every fish fry sold all month long. Specific details on the specials available at all the participating business will be available soon.

The Strong Kids Campaign is the annual campaign to provide funds for scholarships and affordable programs “for all” in Door County regardless of age or financial need. In 2010, the community helped the Door County YMCA raise $410,000 to support this program. The goal for the 2011 campaign is $425,000.

If you have any questions about the Business Campaign or if your business would like to participate please contact Nancy Felhofer at the Door County YMCA at 920.743.4949 or e-mail nfelohofer@doorcountyymca.org.

Tickets for the 8 PM concert, the seventh and final concert of the season at the Fish Creek inn, are $15.  The Dewdrops, Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish, perform original songs focusing on vocal harmonies and tight instrumentation.  Influenced by traditional Appalachian music as well as contemporary singer-songwriters, the Dewdrops blend old styles with new and accompanying themselves on guitar, banjo and mandolin.

If the Sun Will Shine, their debut record, was released in 2009 to critical acclaim and was #2 for two consecutive months on Folk DJ Radio in 2010. The album is a collection of songs written over the past two years, capturing “something haunting, melancholic and all-together charming, according to Jeff Royer of Fly Magazine. Their second album, These Old Roots, is also a tribute to the way music was recorded before overdubs and tracking.  It was the #1 rated album on the Folk DJ Charts for October and November 2010.   The Dewdrops gained national recognition with award winning performances of NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion in 2008 and were finalists in Mountain Stage’s New Song Contest in 2009.

An optional pre-concert fixed price dinner will served at 6 pm.  The menu consists of Panko Crusted Chicken with Fettuccine, charred tomatoes and roast garlic cream;  herbed parmesan Focaccia, spinach salad with gorgonzola, seasoned croutons and warmed cider bacon vinaigrette.  Key lime cheesecake will be served for dessert.

Tickets for the concert, reservations for the dinner and information can be obtained by calling the White Gull Inn at 920.868.3517.